To S52ish swapped Ti people: Suspension selection help wanted
 

I will be buying suspension for my Ti project soon. I will be using a turbo'd M52 engine and only street driving the car. I usually go with H&R/Koni combo and pretty much hate coilovers for the street. That said, what have you guys used and had a good experience with? I like BMW stock sport package suspension in newer cars and hope to be similar or maybe a notch stiffer but not extreme. Thanks!


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When I bought my car in 2012, I rebuilt my entire suspension system focused around Koni Sports and H&R Sports designed for the stock M44 in my 1996 318ti. Once I swapped in a six-cylinder engine (first an M52, followed recently by an S52), I bottomed-out on the lower cross-brace over every speed bump in the area.

As shown in my signature line below, I have since replaced the front H&R Sport springs with Eibach Pro-Kit springs (still using the Koni Struts discussed above), and this raised the front about 0.5". I also run a set of Racing Dynamics 28mm & 19mm swaybars, M3 front hubs/calipers, E34 rear calipers, braided SS brake lines, Hawk HP-S pads, DS-II wheels, Polyflex purple bushings throughout, and a Dinan alloy/carbon fiber upper cross-brace. However, I believe the 4-cyl front struts are still "overpowered."

I just picked up a set of used factory M3 strut housings on Craigslist (free!), and plan to drop-in a set of Koni Sport inserts designed for an M3. Then I will be able to (properly!) connect the adjustable sway bars directly to the strut housings instead of the LCAs.

Thanks for the info. Are you using purple powerflex in rear subframe and trailing arms? If so, how you like compared to poly? Thanks


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Power flex, black or purple, is poly. I've got poly in subframe and delrin in trailing arms. It's too harsh for MI streets honestly


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Sorry I was not clear. I have been thinking of using Powerflex purple bushings in my rear subframe and trailing arms of my Ti. I fee like the black are too hard as my car will essentially be a street car that has pretty good power, not a race car. Which have you guys used and can you share your thoughts? Thanks


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IMO just go for the purple streets. You most likely won't gain anything except NVH and overall harshness with the black/track compound.

Stock US M3 front suspension

M Roadster rear springs with m coupe sway bar.

Bilstein sports.

Great street set up that's fine for the occasional track run.

M coupe swaybar front and rear? Thanks


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M3 front sway; but they might be the same part number.