[bjf66]

Nice build; got a whole picture of your trunk so I can see what the coilover adjusters are like?

Did you put on the rear M3 camber arms like CJ421? If you didn't, and stayed with the stock ones and got the 335 version of the RS1, what was your reasoning behind it?

[Javi335]

E92 335i, or "bushings kill my car"

Hope 4 series had learn the lesson.

[Mavus]

Originally Posted by 335dFan

OK, update for you softies out there.

I have been riding at 12 of 24 all the way around with the JRZ RS1 settings. So today, with my little wife in the car, I turned them all down to 6. Drove a little city streets, some brick, some usual crummy roads, but also US 50 and another smoother thoroughfare.

1. Still no wallowing at higher speeds. I got up to 80 or 85 and went over some bumps and depressions.
2. I took one of my favorite left-handers at a reasonably good clip, well, faster than everybody else. It is a bumpy turn with with some small holes that can upset your equilibrium in the turn. Anyway, I couldn't detect much in the way of increased body roll at all, and the usual bumps were not as noticeable.
3. OK, having said #1 and #2, let me say that it is smoother all around. There is less feel of every little nuance of the pavement surface, but not really in a bad way. I don't personally prefer it, but I know my wife did and your average passenger would also. I think I would set it down at 6 or so if I were driving interstates across country.
4. Doesn't seem to dive any more on hard braking, but honestly I didn't do much of that.
5. The turn-in didn't seem as crisp to me; the steering response is there, but there is not the instant response sense. Maybe it was psychological.

OK. Tomorrow I will be alone in the car to church since my wife takes her little SUV separately, so I am going the hard direction and all four corners are now set at 20. Stay tuned.

Got the height adj RS1 installed together with higher rate springs. I have M3 bits also. I ran them for a week at 11 all around and now I am at 13. I think 12 might be the best for street and spirited driving occasionally. The one thing that blows me away is that the damping is so good even on stiffer setting. This coming up weekend I will set them up to 17 and then 20 to test them.

What setting would you recommend for track?

Thanks

[rogerdiaz]

Is this a straight swap for the 335d? Will installer have to do any modifications to TISCHER M3 parts?

Koni fsd + zsp springs + OEM BMW E90/92/93 M3 Front Control Arm/Tension Strut Retrofit Set + M3 REAR SUBFRAME BUSHINGS

133,000 miles ZSP

Thanks

[335dFan]

An update after 60k miles of using the AC Schnitzer M3 Sports Springs and JRZ RS1 dampers. I was generally very pleased with the performance of this setup (of course all the other mods I did along with the springs and dampers). It felt just like I wanted it to feel and handled just like I wanted it to handle. Having said that, it was a bit harsh for the passengers. The main problem that I experienced with the dampers, and I don't know whether my experience is unique or common with these, is that they suffered reliability problems, and when I discussed with various shops about getting them rebuilt, they turned out to be essentially not amenable to being rebuilt. The fronts were replaced under warranty after about 10k miles, and all four ended up degrading over time with so much rattle and vibration that the car was no fun to drive. I was told initially that they would need to be rebuilt after 40-50k miles, but at the time I assumed that would be noticed by decreased performance and that they would in fact be able to be rebuilt.

Having long ago read in this forum about the Ohlins Road & Track, earlier this year I decided to give them a try. I found a good shop down in San Jose who carried them and another forum member had some good experience with having them installed by that shop. So, I pulled the plug. At the outset, let me say that I have only about 2k miles on them. The units initially purchased were the Ohlins R&T BMS-M100 for the 3-series, not the BMS-140 for the M3. This turned out to be not exactly right, because the dampers for the 3-series turned out not to fit on my rear end because of the M3-related components that were installed all around back at the 10k mile point. This mistake was made because the individual ordering the parts did not pay close attention to the detailed information I gave him about the mods I had on my suspension. OK, forgivable mistake, but one that cost a lot of wasted time by all parties, and resources by all parties. However, the shop is an honorable one, and have made good on all missteps that were their fault.

But it gets a bit more complicated. There is no Ohlins kit that bolts right on to my setup, at least that's what it appears now. The M3 kit (BMS-M140) apparently wouldn't have worked, but I didn't explore that all that closely, just going by what the Ohlins USA rep told me. What was needed was a pair of Ohlins M3 rear dampers instead of the rear dampers that came with the BMS-M100 kit. After the replacement M3 dampers arrived and were installed, and the new Michelin PSS and alignment was done, I was on my way.

But, alas and alack, I was feeling and hearing some rattles in the front end from the get go. Was it my paranoia or reality? The San Jose tech opined that it was sway bar end links that were going bad. They gave me a quote to do that. I wasn't ready to spring for that yet. This story is getting too long, but let me say I was investigating a shop closer to where I live for some other work, and while up there I had them look at the whole setup, just for a second opinion. They felt that the end links were fine, but just to be sure we replaced them. No change in the rattle at all. They told me they thought it was the dampers, although Ohlins are known to be very reliable. They also told me about a shop at Sears Point/Sonoma Raceway that specialized in Ohlins and had a shock dyno. I communicated with them and they told me they would be willing to check them out.

But before doing that, I went back to the shop in San Jose and told them what I had investigated and found out. The same tech agreed that it was probably the dampers. So after a lot of logistical juggling about how to make this all happen with 100 miles separating my home from the shop, a solution was found. They provided some temporary KW3 dampers they could install on the front while they send the Ohlins off for warranty replacement.

So, yesterday I drove 100 miles home on the temporary dampers and what a joy to drive rattle-free after so many miles of aggravation. The KW3 are slightly more harsh than the Ohlins, but well within my acceptability range. So will have to follow this up with the report on the replacement Ohlins. Stay tuned. The car feels great at this time.

lol what a disaster...hope you get it squared away sooner rather than later.

[Eagle1oh7]

So was the M3 dampener just jacked up from the factory????

[Bmw1978]

Does anyone know if I can do this. I have a 2011 328i e90 sedan with stock suspension. My buddy gave me his lowering coils/springs he had on his 2000 e46 325 coupe. Will his springs work on my car?

no

[aaddam2]

you are my role model. I have OE sport suspension with M3 front arms and sway. Dinan camber plates, GR brake lines like you, with plans for rear subframe bushings, LSD, and M3 rear sway.

after control arm install, i tend to feel a bit more vibration, im assuming that is normal? not like a off balanced wheel, but more road feel. also steering feels ever so slightly heavier. you experience the same thing? also im at -2.5 up front.

[335dFan]

Originally Posted by Eagle1oh7

So was the M3 dampener just jacked up from the factory????

The front set was rattling, which are the standard 3-series. The rears are the M3 version and they are fine. Have yet to hear what Öhlins USA has to say.

[335dFan]

Originally Posted by aaddam2

you are my role model. I have OE sport suspension with M3 front arms and sway. Dinan camber plates, GR brake lines like you, with plans for rear subframe bushings, LSD, and M3 rear sway.

after control arm install, i tend to feel a bit more vibration, im assuming that is normal? not like a off balanced wheel, but more road feel. also steering feels ever so slightly heavier. you experience the same thing? also im at -2.5 up front.

When you change out a lot of things, sometimes it's hard to pinpoint "problems."

I was warned by the original installer back in Philly to expect more NVH. But mainly I felt just more in touch with the road.

[BB_cuda]

I did a similar suspension M3 conversion with those same M3 bits but a couple variants. I used Ground Control specific Koni sports (one way adjustables) and the Eibach springs they spec to run with them in their coilover kits. I wenr 440 lb/in F and 550 lb/in R per GC computations taking into account all of my parameters. The extra pieces i installed that look factory in your pictures (way up early in thread) were M3 front strut brace kit and after market Bimmerworld adjustable rear toe links. I forgot to mention I did go with diff bushings (powerflex purple) and subframe bushings (Powerflex black).

I also didn't go crazy with the lowering. My car is 2011 Msport and i actually wanted to go back up a hair (about 1/4" raise in both front and rear) to address continued front bumper cover scrape on driveway. I made the change 750 miles ago and need to check ride height for settling and reset the heights accordingly.

I have a little more road noise too but nothing harsh. No clicking noises on mine thus far.

One more i forgot. I put in a Wavetrac LSD about 2000 miles before the rest of the work. Unlike you, mine doesn't look undisturbed. I went with the E60 finned diff cover. See my DIY thread over on M57 for the diff work.

[335dFan]

Originally Posted by BB_cuda

I went with the E60 finned diff cover.

I also got a finned diff cover, but made by VAC. https://store.vacmotorsports.com/vac...e93-p2493.aspx

The latest on my front Ohlins from Ohlins USA is that they think the dampers may be OK, but the springs may be wacky. We'll see what new hardware they send out.