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View Full Version : Eibach Pro Kit vs Sport springs with Koni Special Actives



E46Fan
04-11-2020, 12:53 PM
I am interested if anyone here knows exactly how much lower the Eibach Pro Kit springs are compared to the Sport springs on our ZHPs?

Can someone post a set of pictures of their car riding on Eibach Pro Kit springs?

I am also interested to see if anyone is riding Eibach Pro Kit springs and Koni Special Actives and can give a review?

This is why I am interested:
I am replacing my struts with new Koni special actives. I have the shocks mounted already. I am thinking about changing the springs and going just bit lower, I don't want to be slammed. Maybe go down 3/4 inch or so? After doing some searching, I discovered the special actives are limited in their compatibility with some springs as it relates to how low you go.

I found this pertaining to the prior generation FSDs:

https://www.e46fanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=730941

There is a lot of misinformation in this thread on this topic. I personally have had cocktails with an engineer at KONI at SEMA and spoke with him at length about this. Fact is, the FSDs are *NOT* valved to run with a spring with a spring rate any more aggressive than that of an Eibach Pro-Kit Spring, hence the reason KONI offers a kit (the KONI FSD/Eibach Kit) that utilizes Pro-Kit, not Sportline, Springs. Will the Sportlines "work" with the FSDs? Sure, they'll "work" and your car won't explode or anything like that, but they're engineered (i.e. valved) to work with the spring rates and lowering levels of Eibach's more mildly rated spring (the Pro-Kit Springs) and when used with any other spring not approved by KONI, you might not get the same dampening characteristics and/or ride quality as you would otherwise.

An interesting note on the subject of the KONI FSDs is that when asked why KONI chose Eibach Springs to mate with FSDs over all the other springs out there to choose from (KONI has relationships with Vogtland, as KONI Coilovers use Vogtland Springs and with H&R, as H&R uses some KONI Dampers in some of their kits), I was told that out of all the spring manufacturers KONI tested, that Eibach was the most accurate out of all of them in their lowering estimations. Meaning, when Eibach states "a 1.6 inch drop", then it was darn near the centimeter to being a 1.6 inch drop. I know many of us have installed springs over the years and said "Man, that's not as low as I thought it would be!" or "Man, that's a little lower than they told me it would be!" Well, according to the engineers at KONI who tested many different springs, Eibach's numbers are typically right on the money.

Thanks!!

Galapolis
04-11-2020, 01:09 PM
Here are some pics from the German forums with Eibach Pro Kit springs installed.

36335
36336
36337

They are supposed to be a 30/20 drop.

For completeness, here are the Sportlines, which are a 50/30 drop.

36338
36339

Eibach is definitely the way to go. Not only are they the only ones who choose a ride height that keeps the suspension geometry intact, but they are also the spring of choice for Alpina. The Alpina B3 E46 uses special Eibach springs paired with Sachs dampers.

E46Fan
04-11-2020, 01:41 PM
Wow, excellent, thank you.

Looks like the Pro kit is very minimally different than the sport spring height. I like the drop on the Sportlines, very nice. Seems the Special Actives and not compatible with the sportlines though, bummer.

Thatguy_JZ
04-12-2020, 08:10 AM
I'm on Prokit and Koni Yellows. I'm very satisfied with it. 36349

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

jtamayo027
01-15-2021, 01:32 PM
I am interested if anyone here knows exactly how much lower the Eibach Pro Kit springs are compared to the Sport springs on our ZHPs?

Can someone post a set of pictures of their car riding on Eibach Pro Kit springs?

I am also interested to see if anyone is riding Eibach Pro Kit springs and Koni Special Actives and can give a review?

This is why I am interested:
I am replacing my struts with new Koni special actives. I have the shocks mounted already. I am thinking about changing the springs and going just bit lower, I don't want to be slammed. Maybe go down 3/4 inch or so? After doing some searching, I discovered the special actives are limited in their compatibility with some springs as it relates to how low you go.

I found this pertaining to the prior generation FSDs:

https://www.e46fanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=730941

There is a lot of misinformation in this thread on this topic. I personally have had cocktails with an engineer at KONI at SEMA and spoke with him at length about this. Fact is, the FSDs are *NOT* valved to run with a spring with a spring rate any more aggressive than that of an Eibach Pro-Kit Spring, hence the reason KONI offers a kit (the KONI FSD/Eibach Kit) that utilizes Pro-Kit, not Sportline, Springs. Will the Sportlines "work" with the FSDs? Sure, they'll "work" and your car won't explode or anything like that, but they're engineered (i.e. valved) to work with the spring rates and lowering levels of Eibach's more mildly rated spring (the Pro-Kit Springs) and when used with any other spring not approved by KONI, you might not get the same dampening characteristics and/or ride quality as you would otherwise.

An interesting note on the subject of the KONI FSDs is that when asked why KONI chose Eibach Springs to mate with FSDs over all the other springs out there to choose from (KONI has relationships with Vogtland, as KONI Coilovers use Vogtland Springs and with H&R, as H&R uses some KONI Dampers in some of their kits), I was told that out of all the spring manufacturers KONI tested, that Eibach was the most accurate out of all of them in their lowering estimations. Meaning, when Eibach states "a 1.6 inch drop", then it was darn near the centimeter to being a 1.6 inch drop. I know many of us have installed springs over the years and said "Man, that's not as low as I thought it would be!" or "Man, that's a little lower than they told me it would be!" Well, according to the engineers at KONI who tested many different springs, Eibach's numbers are typically right on the money.

Thanks!!

Hey E46Fan,

Did you get the Koni Special installed? What are your thoughts?

E46Fan
01-16-2021, 06:00 AM
Perfection! The Koni yellow/Prokit makes for a nice combo. I already bought the special actives awhile ago, so locked in.

E46Fan
01-16-2021, 06:15 AM
Hey E46Fan,

Did you get the Koni Special installed? What are your thoughts?

I did install them, but did not change the springs. Still running stock ZHP springs. The Koni's are very nice, I am happy with them. Quite similar to the feel of the stock BMW struts. Not overly firm, not overly soft. I also replaced spring pads, the strut bearings, and end links. While I was at it, I did the lower control arms and Powerflex FCAB's. Got an alignment of course. I'm at 120K miles, so it really tightened things up and feels factory fresh.