How to refresh suspension to OEM?

[yousharenow]

Suspension in the ZHP is fine, but at 100k I want to replace the necessary parts to give it the stock ride again.

What should I replace exactly? I've heard the Coils themselves are fine, and I'll add in a strut bar, but I just want to refresh the suspension back to OEM.

What do you guys suggest?

[ELCID86]

Check the front control arm bushings by grabbing the tire and trying to jerk it. You may not need anything, but those and the struts may need to be monitored. Others will chime in here with more info.

[yousharenow]

Front LCAB's went polyurethane at 85k.

[Johnmadd]

Sway bar end links need to be changed probably.

[echo46]

I just did a refresh on my 1999 E36 M3 with 50,000 miles. First let me say that all four of the stock shocks were toast. I decided to replace the Front Control Arm bushings, Sway Bar End Links, Shocks, Struts, Shock Mounts, Strut Mounts New Eibach Pro Kit Springs and RTABS. I would suggest that the Shocks and struts in your car are almost done. The springs may still be good but at that mileage and since it will be apart I would invest in new stock springs.

[yousharenow]

I just did a refresh on my 1999 E36 M3 with 50,000 miles. First let me say that all four of the stock shocks were toast. I decided to replace the Front Control Arm bushings, Sway Bar End Links, Shocks, Struts, Shock Mounts, Strut Mounts New Eibach Pro Kit Springs and RTABS. I would suggest that the Shocks and struts in your car are almost done. The springs may still be good but at that mileage and since it will be apart I would invest in new stock springs.

Control Arm bushings are getting done Saturday.

So I need to do Sway bar end links, shocks, struts, strut mounts and RTABS?

What did that suspension setup cost ya?

[danewilson77]

I just did a refresh on my 1999 E36 M3 with 50,000 miles. First let me say that all four of the stock shocks were toast. I decided to replace the Front Control Arm bushings, Sway Bar End Links, Shocks, Struts, Shock Mounts, Strut Mounts New Eibach Pro Kit Springs and RTABS. I would suggest that the Shocks and struts in your car are almost done. The springs may still be good but at that mileage and since it will be apart I would invest in new stock springs.

50k miles

:jawdrop

:drool

I should be seeing more pictures.

Sent from my S4 > Mason, OH

[ELCID86]

I'd go with CABs first. The other stuff may not be needed but can be done depending on your wallet. My '02 330Ci needed control arms and front struts at @122k. It all depends....


Thumbs, iPhone, Tapatalk (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1).

[echo46]

i would get the car up in the air and do a thorough inspection of all the bushings, sway bar, end links, control arms, etc. Depending on what you see and feel and your budget will determine how much of a refresh to do. I luckily found a lightly used set of Bilstein shocks and struts for $450. I bought the strut mounts, shock mounts, sway bar end links and bump stops from ECS. I bought my RTABS and FCABS from AKG Motorsports and the Eibach springs from Tire Rack. Total was around 1,200 including shipping tax etc. I saved a lot of money doing it myself. Not a difficult job.

Here you go DW: Oh and it's Imola red. These were taken a week or so ago after I did a paint correction:

http://i41.tinypic.com/iv8nzt.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/nno204.jpg

http://i44.tinypic.com/10crrjl.jpg
http://i40.tinypic.com/2vvngvm.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/2gvu4h4.jpg

[johnrando]

Dats purdy!

[ELCID86]

^+1, I don't think I've ever seen a red hard top vert.

[echo46]

Danke, mein freund.

Believe it or not this particular example is one of one in NA. Not an individual though. It was the only Imola Red / Magma interior vert ever sold on American soil.

[danewilson77]

Thanks echo.

Sent from my S4 > Mason, OH

[Johal E32]

Do RTABS OP

Check diff mounts, front and rear shock mounts. FCABS sounds like you are on that, I'd check the sway bar end links and the ball joints on your control arms. Mine were completely overhauled at 100k.

A link for reference

http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-323i-M52_2.5L/Suspension/Refresh_Kits/ES2219703/

[alexandre]

This is for a full overhaul of the entire suspension with OEM ZHP parts. Mind you my car has 220k so some stuff might not be needed on yours. I think the entire thing would cost about $1300 in parts given the right part sources (Genuine BMW at www.faulknerbmwpartssource.com, all the rest at www.bmaparts.com with special order and price match).

FRONT

Struts Sachs-Boge #31312282459 & #31312282460
Mounts Lemfoerder #31336752735 x2
Bump stops BMW #31306757046 x2
Reinforcement plates (optional) BMW #51717036781 x2

Swaybar endlinks Lemfoerder #31356780847 x2
Swaybar bushings BMW #33556751269 x2

FCAB Lemfoerder #31126783376
Control Arms Lemfoerder #31122282121 & #31122282122

Steering Coupler BMW #32301094703

REAR

Shocks Sachs-Boge #33522282461 x2
Mounts Lemfoerder #33521092362 x2 (or M3 mounts Lemfoerder #33526779670 x2 - stiffer)
Bump Stops BMW #33506757047 x2
Gasket for mounts BMW #33526772864 x2
Reinforcement plates BMW #51718413359 x2

RTAB Lemfoerder #33326770786 x2 (or M3 RTAB Lemfoerder #33326770817 x2 - stiffer)

[LivesNearCostco]

Has anyone replaced rear control arm bushings? Did it make a noticeable difference? How did you know they needed replacement? There are 8 of these in the rear, 4 inner attaching upper and lower control arms to the rear subframe and 4 outer, attaching the upper and lower control arms to the rear trailing arm. I'm not talking about the RTABs, which I replaced a few years ago, or the subframe bushings, which I still need to replace. These are parts 2, 3, 6 and 14 in the RealOEM diagram below.

Has anyone replaced the lower outer bushing (33326771828) with the ball joint used in the upper outer connection (33326775551)? On the E46 non-M, the upper outer is the ball joint and the lower outer is a rubber bushing. On the M3, the upper and lower outers are both the ball joint. Somewhere I read it's good to replace the lower outer bushings (Part #3, which go to the camber adjustable end of the lower control arm) with the ball joint (Part #2, which connects the fat upper control arm to RTA). Anyone know if the ball joint fits in the lower RTA of the non-M? (Do M and non-M use the same RTA?) What is the performance benefit of putting in the ball joint?

I just bought all 8 bushings (actually 6 bushings, 2 ball joints) because I'm going to be dropping the diff to do diff bushings and thought it might be easier to do the control arms at the same time.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/q/b/17.png