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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > All-Wheel-Drive (Xi / xDrive) Talk > xdrive suspension purchase decision



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      05-15-2019, 09:38 PM   #1
kegwalker
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xdrive suspension purchase decision

Hi all,

2011 e90 6mt AWD 335ix

Tired of the stock suspension, and about to purchase Dinan springs. My question is what shocks?

I have 1 yr old bilstein B4 all around. Should I use re-use these? Are they valved appropriately for Dinan springs?
Go with B8?
Go with koni yellows? If this, should I do the custom Dinan top adjust rears for $300 each (ouch!)?
If the full koni setup, then is the $1300 better spent on Coilovers? I want to keep close to stock ride height. Ok to drop a little, but not much.
Sell the car and get something else that is better sorted (M235ix?)

I know that the adjustability allows for some additional control of the damping rates, but I would most likely set and leave it be. We are either in winter (potholes, snow, etc), or construction season (grooved asphalt, transitions) and I don't plan on taking this to the track.

I'm ok spending the money if the ride in the end is worth it and durable (slight hesitancy towards konis on this). Ideally, anyone in Colorado with any of these setups? Can I ride along and feel how it rides?

Cheers!
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      05-16-2019, 11:04 AM   #2
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I have Dinan springs w M3 rear subframe bushing, UUC front and rear sway bars, and Koni yellow front/Dinan rears and absolutely love the setup. Completely different car, not harsh like coil overs and generally more durable. Had one of the rear shocks seize after 80k miles and Dinan replaced it under Koni lifetime warranty. The rest of them are going strong still. If you want ultimate lowering and handling capabilities and ride quality isn't a significant factor then maybe go coil overs. Personally had KWV3s, held the road great but hated driving the car in Michigan. Might've liked it somewhere w better roads.
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      05-16-2019, 11:28 PM   #3
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Good to hear. Did a Dinan / BMW dealer do the install for you?
What settings are you running the koni at?
Lastly, did you add the rsfb and uuc at the same time or after?

Thanks!
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      05-17-2019, 03:17 PM   #4
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I should also clarify that my only goal in upgrading the suspension is the ride / handling. I am truely puzzled at how the suspension can act soft (body roll, brake dive, acceleration squat) and harsh (potholes) at the same time.

I'm ok with a firmer ride that controls the body, and hopefully takes some of the harshness out of the pothole impacts. I should also mention I ditched runflats within a few months of purchasing the car.

cheers,
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      05-18-2019, 11:45 AM   #5
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I have the same car as you and went with KW V1s when it was time to replace the suspension. Overall, very happy with the upgrade. Car felt completely different from stock floaty suspension. I don't live in Colorado but live in Massachusetts which may have similar road conditions.

The guy above that moved off of coilovers was on the most aggressive coilovers KW makes (v3). Variant 1 is a less aggressive offering in terms of ride stiffness.
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      05-18-2019, 10:05 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kegwalker View Post
Good to hear. Did a Dinan / BMW dealer do the install for you?
What settings are you running the koni at?
Lastly, did you add the rsfb and uuc at the same time or after?

Thanks!
The dinan rear adjustables were preset by dinan and I have not adjusted them. The front Koni yellow struts were set right in the middle of the two turn range. I did actually do the rear subframe bushing and UUC sways at the same time. I didnt have those with my coilover setup. I had a local member/friend who was a BMW tech do the install.
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      05-18-2019, 10:07 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Achappell8 View Post
I have the same car as you and went with KW V1s when it was time to replace the suspension. Overall, very happy with the upgrade. Car felt completely different from stock floaty suspension. I don't live in Colorado but live in Massachusetts which may have similar road conditions.

The guy above that moved off of coilovers was on the most aggressive coilovers KW makes (v3). Variant 1 is a less aggressive offering in terms of ride stiffness.
Went with KWV3 so I could run it softer if need be but couldnt find a happy medium that I was satisfied with.
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      05-19-2019, 10:03 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 335xs2dinan View Post
The dinan rear adjustables were preset by dinan and I have not adjusted them. The front Koni yellow struts were set right in the middle of the two turn range. I did actually do the rear subframe bushing and UUC sways at the same time. I didnt have those with my coilover setup. I had a local member/friend who was a BMW tech do the install.
Great info, thanks!
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      05-29-2019, 05:22 PM   #9
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I decided to put this decision on hold until I replace the RFSB - I'm wondering how much of this slop is due to 125k old hollow bushings.

So, here is my game plan
Replace RSFB with whiteline bushings (just ordered)
Replace tension strut hydro bushing with Strongflex (ordered that too- TS are only 1 yr old, but would like to see the difference. I still have my old arms so I will put bushings in old ones and swap out).
Depending on how this handles, maybe just install the UUC front sway that has been sitting in my garage for a month.

Quick question- who has a diff lock down and what are you're thoughts? I've heard mixed reviews that some notice a difference, some dont / or installed in combination with diff bushings and or RFSB.

My build plan once the ride & handling is sorted is DP & muffler delete with tune. Probably just stay at stage 1. for now.
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      05-31-2019, 03:57 AM   #10
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I "m also planning to change suspension and I will be grateful for any suggestion
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      05-31-2019, 11:08 AM   #11
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I'll let you know how it does - but it will probably take me until the end of June before it is installed
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      06-13-2019, 01:08 PM   #12
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First step done - proper alignment with weight in the seats. This makes the car ride better without even replacing any of the bushings. I had 0.03 degree toe out on left rear- probably from a pothole, but could have also been due to unweighted previous alignment last fall.

Will work on the tension strut bushings this weekend and report back.
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      08-02-2019, 10:34 AM   #13
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What suspension setup did you go with, or was it just bushings and an alignment at the time?

I have an '11 328xi and the rear struts are leaking. Might as well use that as an excuse to upgrade.
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      08-02-2019, 08:29 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by namegoeswhere View Post
What suspension setup did you go with, or was it just bushings and an alignment at the time?

I have an '11 328xi and the rear struts are leaking. Might as well use that as an excuse to upgrade.
Not OP, but I am using Eibach Pro-Kit springs over KONI Yellows (sport) and am loving it. Great for daily driving and still very sporty and responsive.
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      09-20-2019, 08:05 PM   #15
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You'll NEVER get proper handling with those crappy lowering springs that are 10-30% stronger, and dampers that were never made to match the springs but only make you FEEL sporting via over damping on compression.

Get a full kit that's tuned and have springs that are 200-400% stronger to cut body roll, with tuned dampers to control rebound
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      01-28-2020, 12:27 PM   #16
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Sorry, haven't been here in a while.

I ended up going with Dinan springs. HUGE improvement over OEM- in the front. I didn't like the rear squat (major, as in 1" difference in roundel to fender measurement between front and rear- even with more spacing than what comes with the springs). I ended up switching back to OEM rear springs. Rake is flat, ride is good (i bought e30 spring pads to lift the rear next time i'm in there).
I have not done the tension strut bushings or RSFB yet. On a task list for summer.

I still can't say I love the handling of the car, and contemplating why i keep putting more money into it (gradually, about once a year I'll change something). Just not sure what else i'd want to drive at the moment.
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      01-29-2020, 01:43 PM   #17
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What shocks did you go with?
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      02-08-2020, 10:26 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 4 Doors View Post
Not OP, but I am using Eibach Pro-Kit springs over KONI Yellows (sport) and am loving it. Great for daily driving and still very sporty and responsive.
Do you have any pics of your setup?
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      03-05-2020, 05:54 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 335xs2dinan View Post
What shocks did you go with?
I'm on the billstein b4 oem replacement

Last edited by kegwalker; 04-23-2020 at 11:49 AM..
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      03-08-2020, 05:03 AM   #20
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b8's

I'm on Bilstein B8's and it lowered car nicely and drives great. not ruff at all...also Eibich springs. Your springs might be a lil more stiff...
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      04-23-2020, 12:00 PM   #21
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I've wondered how much nicer the b8 rides compared to the b4. If I wanted to redo the front suspension I might go that route.

Update - During COVID isolation I've had time to get a bunch of other things completed. I ended up using 15mm of "lift" in the rear upper perch to make the dinan rear springs not look like the ass is dragging. I used a 10mm e30 perch above the factory steel cup- had to cut off the center nub and trim the opening a bit wider. Then I added the Dinan supplied 5mm shim inside the cup above the spring. Currently I'm about 1/2" lower from roundel to fender in the rear compared to the front- but way better than 1 1/4" like before.

Now I'm level again, and the ride on the rear dinan springs is much better than OEM. So much less wallow at highway speeds. While they are stiffer and a bit more harsh on potholes it seems like a good tradeoff.

I also put RevShift motor mounts in (black 80a durometer). Yes, some NVH, mostly at idle (planning on increasing this to ~800 RPM). HUGE difference in feel, so much more direct. And I personally like the extra sound from the engine!
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      05-22-2020, 04:42 PM   #22
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Wanting to bag my x drive 328xi

Has anyone done bags on a x drive e90 I’m considering on doing it but I don’t want to run into the same issue I ran into with coil overs where I got endless codes and my 4x4 went off . Would like to know what is needed to get no error codes
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