Lowering Springs, Nothing Extreme

[NorCal-Dimitri]

I've been toying around with the idea of purchasing a set of lowering springs. My dream is to lower the front .75-1 in and the rear .5-.75 in and add slightly conservative spacers. Nothing crazy, just a small drop. I'm already running fairly fresh Koni adjustable shocks, so I'd rather go springs as opposed to coilovers.

I've been eyeing H&R springs, but I'm not sure whether to go with the race set or the sport set. TMS says race springs will lower the car 0.9 inches in the rear and 1.1 in the front, but a lot of people report them lowering the car quite a bit more. ECS sells the sport springs and claims they drop the front .75 inches and the rear .25 inches from the stock sport suspension. Does anyone on here run either of these springs? How many inches did it lower your car? If you're using spacers, what size are they?

[johnrando]

So, verts end up lower (more so the rear) than coupes/sedans but here's my input. My sig pic is on the race springs, I currently have the sport springs. I can't tell you the length it lowered but I'll add a pic of my current setup. I have 12F/10R spacers, but you could go bigger in a non-vert. I do scrap but again, I know non-verts with that setup that don't scrape. "Nothing extreme" w/b sport springs IMHO.

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc481/johnrando/BMWJune.jpg (http://s1214.photobucket.com/user/johnrando/media/BMWJune.jpg.html)

[Lanister]

So, verts end up lower (more so the rear) than coupes/sedans but here's my input. My sig pic is on the race springs, I currently have the sport springs. I can't tell you the length it lowered but I'll add a pic of my current setup. I have 12F/10R spacers, but you could go bigger in a non-vert. I do scrap but again, I know non-verts with that setup that don't scrape. "Nothing extreme" w/b sport springs IMHO.

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc481/johnrando/BMWJune.jpg (http://s1214.photobucket.com/user/johnrando/media/BMWJune.jpg.html)

John, do you scrape on the front or rear? Did you end up getting camber kits installed? How about end-links, would you need to change those for H&R touring kit?

[NorCal-Dimitri]

So, verts end up lower (more so the rear) than coupes/sedans but here's my input. My sig pic is on the race springs, I currently have the sport springs. I can't tell you the length it lowered but I'll add a pic of my current setup. I have 12F/10R spacers, but you could go bigger in a non-vert. I do scrap but again, I know non-verts with that setup that don't scrape. "Nothing extreme" w/b sport springs IMHO.


That looks wonderful. I think I'm going to go with sport then, and 12f/12r spacers. Just gotta swap this damn exhaust first since it's only 3 inches off the ground. :scratchinghead

[johnrando]

Thanks Dimitri. Giya, I scrape in the rear, not fronts. No camber kit needed w/H&R, nor are adjustable end-links. I did get upgraded RSMs (rear shock mounts) since you're in there anyway. BTW, it didn't scrape w/o spacers on my car, but again, that's vert related.

[Avetiso]

Thanks Dimitri. Giya, I scrape in the rear, not fronts. No camber kit needed w/H&R, nor are adjustable end-links. I did get upgraded RSMs (rear shock mounts) since you're in there anyway. BTW, it didn't scrape w/o spacers on my car, but again, that's vert related.
Your car is sexier than fresh oranges from Fresno.

[johnrando]

LOL, thanks.

[Lanister]

Thanks Dimitri. Giya, I scrape in the rear, not fronts. No camber kit needed w/H&R, nor are adjustable end-links. I did get upgraded RSMs (rear shock mounts) since you're in there anyway. BTW, it didn't scrape w/o spacers on my car, but again, that's vert related.

I have 10mm spacers on the rear and no rubbing but with stock springs. Might have to lose the spacers if "add drawp" H&R touring is all I'd want.

So if you don't need camber, does it mean there's something to compensate for it or does the camber get slightly more negative but still acceptable?

[Pip]

Slightly more negative but still acceptable. Should be able to get an alignment just fine with sports. You don't need adjustable end links with the mild drop. I wish you would have seen my old car because it had stock end links and a mild drop and spacers in the rear. I did require a roll in the rear with 12.5mm.

[Lanister]

Thanks, Sean. I guess I'll have to see if my 10mm spacers will pass or not once the drawp is there. Before that though, big job of replacing the oil pan gasket and engine mounts. Yeeey

[Pip]

Engine mounts are easy with the right tools and the oil pan is just going to take a long time if it's your first time. Let me know when you plan on doing it and maybe I'll help. Totally depends on when because I don't make it to SC often lol.

[johnrando]

It's not moved so much that you need camber plates. Plus, as Sean said, slightly neg camber acceptable.

[Lanister]

It's not moved so much that you need camber plates. Plus, as Sean said, slightly neg camber acceptable.

That's really good to hear :) Thanks John! I will keep the shock mounts in mind though. I'm a big fan of "while you're there" :)


Engine mounts are easy with the right tools and the oil pan is just going to take a long time if it's your first time. Let me know when you plan on doing it and maybe I'll help. Totally depends on when because I don't make it to SC often lol.

Sean, very kind of you to offer. I'll try not to bother you about making your way down here but I might have some questions along the way so keep your phone on! LOL