Should new Bilstein sports feel this still.

[Grinder]

On the website they have three offerings: Coilovers, coilovers kit, and Coilovers street touring kit. Do I need the plates in the kit to get it to factory spec when it drops? I don't plan on tracking the car yet so I don't need excessive camber adjustment. Coilovers or street touring?

[Ironhead]

The Ground Control suspension is adjustable. I would estimate it allows you adjustment anywhere from stock to around a 2" drop.

[Grinder]

Ironhead, how low does this drop the car? I am pretty sure I am still on a stock setup with 140K but need to change shortly. I currently have about a 1.75" wheel gap front and rear. Want to lose about 1.25" of the gap when I change.

[Ironhead]

The thing is also, there is no need for that degree of harshness. I track my car all the time and it corners pretty much dead flat, yet the ride quality on bumpy roads is quite tolerable.

I know it has fallen out of fashion a bit in recent years for some reason, but I still think the Ground Control/Koni setup for these cars is hard to beat for the money. There are sexier (more expensive) setups out there, but I have been using the GC setup for over 10 years now and have never really come up with any excuse to try anything else (and I am a serious hardware nerd). They are good at integrating shock adjustment/valving with spring rate, so you can just bolt the parts in and go.

The setup just works, for around half the money of some of the sexier stuff. The 450 front/650 rear spring rate seems to be what most settle on. It is completely street friendly, yet very capable on the track.

I seriously question the benefit of the really expensive suspensions on any car that has not been completely caged (rigid chassis) anyway.

[jhaurimn]

. They were so stiff it almost felt like it was the chassis flexing over bumps more than the suspension traveling.

.

Wow. Honestly, thats kinda how I feel with brand new bilsteins and h&r race springs. Looks like Im on the market for a set of konis

[Split_S]

I just installed a Bilstein/eibach b12 kit on my m3 and i hate to say it but i agree with ironhead. On anything but a smooth road "harsh" is the only way to describe the ride... i went downtown last night for the first and last time as the roads are abysmal and i was cringing with every pothole and patch.... i was fearing for my frame... on a smooth road however the combination is awesome...

Im rebuilding a 1990 318iS and will be putting something much more forgiving on.... koni's maybe....

[Ironhead]

How low is the car? The problem with gas filled shocks is that they are compressed at rest, and more compressed they are the stiffer they get. I actually prefer the non gas Koni's for this reason.

^This.^

I briefly ran Bilsteins and hated them. I wanted a fairly stiff ride, but the Bilsteins made it feel like the car had no suspension at all. They were so stiff it almost felt like it was the chassis flexing over bumps more than the suspension traveling.

Konis feel "right" to me.

Contrary to what many believe, stiff shocks contribute far more to a harsh ride than spring rates do.

[Freude Am Fahren]

All this gas talk is giving me flatulence.

[noro]

How low is the car? The problem with gas filled shocks is that they are compressed at rest, and more compressed they are the stiffer they get. I actually prefer the non gas Koni's for this reason.

[jhaurimn]

Bilstein sport shocks, h&r race springs. Yes, my ride is pretty stiff although mostly due to my springs.

[nsubre]

I also have Bilstein sport shocks and stock springs, and it is quite stiff, when compared to either good stock shocks or Bilstein heavy duty. Especially on rough roads, which we have plenty of here in rural CA. On smooth roads they're OK.
Larry

[stevesingo]

I have Bmw Motorsport springs and just installed new bilstein sports and it's crazy stiff. Feels like there isn't any compression. Car rides 1/2 inch higher then it did before also.

Anyone else experience this with new bilsteins? Can't imagine this softens up over time.

What rate are the springs?

The Bilstiens are gas pressureised and therefore do add a little to the ride height.

[tl33]

Feel like I'm bouncing around like a car with cut springs right now. Not sure if new bilstein sports shocks it suppose to be this stiff. I have Bmw Motorsport springs and just installed new bilstein sports and it's crazy stiff. Feels like there isn't any compression. Car rides 1/2 inch higher then it did before also.

Anyone else experience this with new bilsteins? Can't imagine this softens up over time.