[Adamb0530]

I'm need some advice regarding my current suspension set up. I have koni yellows and eibach springs and I fell like the ride should be better. It feels too stiff and the rear can be jarring at times. I have tried multiple times to adjust the koni without success for better ride quality. Currently I'm at 1.5 (60%) front and 1.5 (75%) rear. I know ride quality is ultimately dictated by driver and road surface. I live in pa where the roads aren't the greatest and knowing that I know the ride will never be perfect. Looking for some input with koni settings and maybe different spring options if I can't dial the koni to my liking.

[ajsalida]

Did you trim the bump stops before installing? XI has longer stops than non XI and ride will be unbearable if you didn't trim off 1" front and rear from the stops. Or use other stops. Lot of discussion on this in the XI section.

Eibach pro kit springs are SOFTER that stock XI, by a lot.

[Adamb0530]

I used the e46 m3 front bump stops and did cut one inch from the rear.

[ajsalida]

Well people usually use e36M3 front but I guess it is not the stops. Which part number eibachs? Is the problem that it is bottoming out every so often or is the problem that even on smooth streets and tiny bumps it is too harsh?

FWIW I run 1 turn off full soft F&R, very supple and firm on super bad colorado mountain roads + snow and ice. Ran full EIbachs for a while now run Eibachs front and D2 OEM ZSP sport springs rear. e36M3 front stops and 1" trimmed off OEM 335xi rear. M3 rear bar + subframe busing inserts, UUC front bar. Feels great handling and smoothness wise.

Only other thing is, I have read the Konis rebound stiffness is not linear WRT adjuster turns and the last 1/2 turn or so you're already at or near full firm. As a test I would turn the fronts back to full soft, then back it off 1/2 turn. See if that improves things. When it gets cold out since shocks are filled with ordinary oil the shocks get stiffer due to thickening. At effectively full firm and cold they'd be awfully hard.

If that improves things you may want to do the same on the rears, dial them back to 1/2 turn off full soft or wherever you settle the fronts at. As you know they need to come off to do that though. Double check that you are turning things the right way, there is a guide for both front and rear on Konis website.

[Adamb0530]

im using the eibach pro kit 2092-140. after further research the kit i have is for a 335. would that compromise the ride quality or just ride height?

[ajsalida]

Maybe a little of both. I'd still try adjusting the fronts down to 1/2 turn off full soft, see what it does. Take it from there.

[thegrinchboy]

As noted by AJSALIDA above, the front & back are too stiff. Also are you on RTF or non-RFT? Tires will obviously make a major difference as well.

[ajsalida]

Hey Grinch,
Good catch I keep forgetting people may not have removed the RFT's. On the springs he may be OK, the 335i Eibach springs are probably softer than OEM 325 XI.

OP what we are referring to is the fact that, much to everyone's surprise, BMW decided to put a lot stiffer springs into the XI's, in addition to giving them much taller ride height. They are stiffer than OEM sport springs by quite a bit, and the Eibachs are known to be approx same rate (not height) as OEM sports.

What I am saying is even though you have 335i eibach springs, in all likelihhod they are not a lot stiffer than 325 or 328 sport if at all, and certainly your XI car is not lighter than a 335i by any margin.

On the tires the RFT's are terrible and a lower firmer suspension will make them more terrible. Still if the shocks are set too stiff they will be even yet more super extra terrible.

[Adamb0530]

No runflats here, running kumho asx. After another 50 mile drive I came to the conclusion that they are set way to stiff. In your guys opinion what is the most comfortable setting with the eibachs ?

[cdgatti]

Why don't you just run them full soft and see if that is too soft. If they are still too hard, then you will need new shocks, no sense spending any more time with adjustments.

[mike-y]

You are going to need to experiment a bit with the settings, to find something that you like. also FYI, my Koni's got a bit softer after a few days of driving.

[thegrinchboy]

For comfort go with either 1/2 or 3/4 turn from full soft for both front and rear.

[Adamb0530]

so i adjusted the front struts down to one half turn in the front and one half turn in the rear and installed Z4 bump stops in the rear. The ride quality has improved greatly but still seems a bit stiff especially in the rear. The ride was amazing with blown rear shocks. With that being said:
1. Can i go down further to a quarter turn?
2. Is the koni damper that stiff where i need to turn them down that far?

Originally Posted by cdgatti

Why don't you just run them full soft and see if that is too soft. If they are still too hard, then you will need new shocks, no sense spending any more time with adjustments.

This...it really isn't that difficult of an experiment and you'll be able to answer all of your own questions at the end of the test.

[thegrinchboy]

Originally Posted by Adamb0530

so i adjusted the front struts down to one half turn in the front and one half turn in the rear and installed Z4 bump stops in the rear. The ride quality has improved greatly but still seems a bit stiff especially in the rear. The ride was amazing with blown rear shocks. With that being said:
1. Can i go down further to a quarter turn?
2. Is the koni damper that stiff where i need to turn them down that far?

1. Yes.
2. This is all relative. Everyone has different preferences. While 1 turn from full soft works for me, it may not work for everyone else.

[ajsalida]

Make sure you turned the rears the right way, and followed the directions correctly. It is possible you set them at full hard, and/or did not press the rod all the way down to engage adjuster mechanism, or did not hold it there while turning the whole time. They adjust differently than fronts.

edit: it is really easy to mess this up, which is why I always do it twice each time: press rod in, engage adjuster, lightly set it back to full soft (can't turn anymore), then count off turns to desired setting.

edit2: just to be clear, fronts counter clockwise is stiffer, rears clockwise. And with the rears this is WRT with the bottom (yellow part) of the shock pointing down, looking down on the rod.

[Adamb0530]

Readjusted the koni today. One quarter turn from soft. The ride is perfect but now I hit bumpstops more than I like. Think I may just ditch this setup and go coils.

[cvc 22349a]

Originally Posted by Adamb0530

Readjusted the koni today. One quarter turn from soft. The ride is perfect but now I hit bumpstops more than I like. Think I may just ditch this setup and go coils.

That's what I did. More bump travel prior to bumpstop contact as long as you don't lower the car too much.

[thegrinchboy]

You could try Dinan shock mounts. They are advertised to increase shock travel distance which should reduce bumpstop contact.

[ajsalida]

Hitting stops front or rear?

[Adamb0530]

Both front and rear.

Just drove the car 200 miles and the ride is absolutely terrible. The ride was harsh enough where it gave me a headache. I have been reading nothing but good reviews with this setup and cannot figure out what is wrong. It doesnt have a bouncy ride but a stiff ride, even with the konis adjusted as low as they are. Over a few dips it felt like the car was being catapulted from the it . Is it possible I have a bad set of konis or springs?

[ajsalida]

Something else is wrong, Konis are pretty soft dialed down all the way, and eibachs are same spring rate as stock.

It sounds like you are bouncing off the stops, which could be happening in front but in back very unlikely.

Grabbing at straws here, You are sure you took out the old stops before putting in new ones? They are inside the dust boots. Or did you buy these used? Could be your shocks are blown, or springs were cut, hard to say with used suspension stuff.

Other than off the wall stuff like that I don't know what to tell you.