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PHH-525i Sport 
Newbie
Joined: 22-November-2003
Location: Scotland
Status: Offline
Points: 14
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 Posted: 26-December-2003 at 08:57 |
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I can understand feeling more of the road with a lower profile tyre but why does the ride change, I mean your shudder or tramlining following every groove on the road
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e34m5
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 26-June-2003
Location: Near Rugby, Warwickshire
Status: Offline
Points: 1344
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Posted: 26-December-2003 at 13:02 |
 AndyS wrote:
One difference between the 518/520 and the 525 up is that the the spring & dampers have separate mountings on the bigger engined variants. Haven't compared the two side by side but it's something to bear in mind.
Generally, the E34 doesn't like big wheels ie. 17"+ The M5 had a big wheel/tyre combination but the suspension geometry was different to the standard models. Don't know if an upgrade to M5 is possible without big expense or hassle (control arms, links etc.) but that's the way to go for a fully engineered result. BMW spent a lot of time & money getting it right! |
I have just been looking at the BMW etk and and the upper and lower control arms, steering links and anti-roll bar links are the same on the 525 Sport and the 3.8 M5, the only difference i can see is the springs and EDC shocks ?
Miles
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jetsetwilly2000
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 10-December-2003
Location: Cambridgeshire
Status: Offline
Points: 701
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Posted: 27-December-2003 at 00:13 |
what about the top mounts? My theory is they're differnet on m-tec cars.
I'm contacting eibach directly too - what fun! Sorry to hear about your trouble miles - you really wouldn't expect this level of hassle just buying springs would you? I've put my new shocks on and the old springs - it'll be a pain restripping just to fit the new springs but it was worth doing - the rear shocks felt ok but were rusted away - one actually split when I twisted it by hand! Great fun splitting the bottom joint too - I resorted to melting the outer sleeve off with an arc welder so I could get a stilson onto the inner!! Worked though  Really should replace the top mounts when I do the springs too - talk about ruuuuuuust....
Cars eh? What would xmas be without 'em?
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E90 M3 DCT, E46 330d Touring, VW T5 wannabecamper
Previous: Disco 3 TDV6, 2x E34 540i6,
E34 535iS
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silverbmw528
Senior Member II
Joined: 16-April-2003
Location: Bucks
Status: Offline
Points: 151
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Posted: 27-December-2003 at 00:26 |
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Yep, the top mounts on an Mtec'd 525 sport are not
standard E34 units, I've been there done it and bought the wrong ones. They do Three types, standard, Mtec and off road, (why I don't know).
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Andy, from www.bmwland.co.uk
E34 525i Sport E28 528i
 
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daddy cool
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 27-October-2003
Location: Sussex
Status: Offline
Points: 691
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Posted: 27-December-2003 at 00:39 |
blimey !!
i never had any hassle`with mine at all !! my old blue m535 had 30 mm drop with a set of m,sport replicas on it , they were a set of konis bought from my local spares shop . my m8s got exactly the same car same spec and its still smooth .
the m535 ive got now has a set of 30 mm dropd springs , made by faulkners and im using a set of 15s from a late 5 series , it feels the same as it did b4 we touched it , just a little lower and a little better on the twistys !!
give faulkners a call ! he really knows his stuff , been doin it since the dark ages !!
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e30 2.7 cab
e30 325i
e30 325 sport
e30 318 touring
e28 m5
e28 m535
e34 m5
e39 540
e36 318ti (green)
e36 318ti (mauve)
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e34m5
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 26-June-2003
Location: Near Rugby, Warwickshire
Status: Offline
Points: 1344
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Posted: 27-December-2003 at 13:08 |
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The ETK actually lists loads of different types of top mounts for the E34 5 Series :
There are 3 (different camber corrections) for vehicles with "sporty" suspension.
3 For vehicles with "rough" suspension.
3 for "official" vehicles
3 for "standard" cars.
1 for cars with EDC
and finally 3 for vehicles with "M Sports" suspension
How confusing is that !
If i ever need new top mounts how can i tell if i have +ve camber correction or -ve or no camber correction ?
Thanks
Miles
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jetsetwilly2000
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 10-December-2003
Location: Cambridgeshire
Status: Offline
Points: 701
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Posted: 05-January-2004 at 10:44 |
There's a post here for identifying your top mount from within the three that are listed for each 'type'.
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/catalog/e34_bilstein.htm
So now we just have to decipher 'rough', 'official' etc. Or maybe not, since all we care about is Sport 
Bentley also talks about camber correction, but the text didn't correspond to my top mount. For instance, they talk abotu making sure you orient the top mount correctly, but the mounting holes are asymmetric to each other so it only goes on one way. Ho hum...
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E90 M3 DCT, E46 330d Touring, VW T5 wannabecamper
Previous: Disco 3 TDV6, 2x E34 540i6,
E34 535iS
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jetsetwilly2000
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 10-December-2003
Location: Cambridgeshire
Status: Offline
Points: 701
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Posted: 05-January-2004 at 11:08 |
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"I can understand feeling more of the road with a lower profile tyre but why does the ride change, I mean your shudder or tramlining following every groove on the road"
Low profile tyres tend to have v square contact patches with sharper edges and less sidewall flex. Tramlining is the natural result. "Shudder", "shimmy" etc are less easy since they're vague terms, but I guess that shudder might be so-called 'crashing' over some road surfaces as the lack of sidewall reduces the overall compliance of the suspension, and consequently increases the number of times it will be overwhelmed.
I suspect 'shimmy' is really just tramlining, but it also might be that feeling of abruptness that you get when you break grip when the limits are higher (eg with wider, more rigid tyres) - on a good dry surface most e34s with wide tyres (i've got 255 rears) will actually be 'overtyred', meaning that the grip exceeds the handling.
Fortunately I live in scotland, so that's rarely a problem...
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E90 M3 DCT, E46 330d Touring, VW T5 wannabecamper
Previous: Disco 3 TDV6, 2x E34 540i6,
E34 535iS
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PHH-525i Sport
Newbie
Joined: 22-November-2003
Location: Scotland
Status: Offline
Points: 14
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Posted: 05-January-2004 at 18:13 |
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Thanks for that Anthony, now that I've got the suspension sorted I still can't make up my mind about going to 17" wheels, the roads up here in the Highlands are not too bad most of the time, just can't go out too often in the depths of winter.
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jetsetwilly2000
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 10-December-2003
Location: Cambridgeshire
Status: Offline
Points: 701
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Posted: 06-January-2004 at 10:37 |
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Yeah, winter roads and rear drive are a laugh, aren't they? But in general my 17" rims seem fine - cheapo ones might bend though. Mine are actually nothing special - some Momos that look vaguely like M-parallels if you squint and it's dark - but they hold up to Edinburgh's potholes just fine (highland roads are actually better I reckon), and the ride seems good to me.
I've not tried it with std rims, but the 415mm OE rims on my 535iS translate to ~16.5" anyway, so it's not that much of a step. By the way, BMW supplied 535iS's with 390mm rims too, with exactly the same setup otherwise (I think - corrections welcome).
Have you thought of keeping your 15"rims to one side with winter tyres on?
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E90 M3 DCT, E46 330d Touring, VW T5 wannabecamper
Previous: Disco 3 TDV6, 2x E34 540i6,
E34 535iS
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PHH-525i Sport
Newbie
Joined: 22-November-2003
Location: Scotland
Status: Offline
Points: 14
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Posted: 06-January-2004 at 18:34 |
I'll definitely be keeping the 15", it's a good idea to put winter tyres on them. Not sure which wheel to buy, I quite like the Alpina wheels but the cost of the originals are steep, where as the reps are more my price area. 
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jetsetwilly2000
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 10-December-2003
Location: Cambridgeshire
Status: Offline
Points: 701
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Posted: 07-January-2004 at 10:43 |
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i love the throwing stars, or maybe the e39 M5 smokies (maybe on a dechromed black e34 - mmmm), but I reckon anything that has a reasonable amount of metal and a decently square 'rim' (where the valve is) will look cool. My momo's are rounded right to the edge, unlike just about all bmw alloys, and it just doesn't look right.
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E90 M3 DCT, E46 330d Touring, VW T5 wannabecamper
Previous: Disco 3 TDV6, 2x E34 540i6,
E34 535iS
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e34m5
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 26-June-2003
Location: Near Rugby, Warwickshire
Status: Offline
Points: 1344
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Posted: 07-January-2004 at 14:01 |
These look nice 
Miles
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jetsetwilly2000
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 10-December-2003
Location: Cambridgeshire
Status: Offline
Points: 701
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Posted: 07-January-2004 at 14:02 |
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they certainly do, especially on silver or light coloured cars!
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E90 M3 DCT, E46 330d Touring, VW T5 wannabecamper
Previous: Disco 3 TDV6, 2x E34 540i6,
E34 535iS
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e34m5
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 26-June-2003
Location: Near Rugby, Warwickshire
Status: Offline
Points: 1344
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Posted: 07-January-2004 at 17:54 |
I just received a reply from Eibach and they say that they do not produce springs to fit the 525 sport  they have suggested contacting AC Schnitzer.
Miles
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jetsetwilly2000
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 10-December-2003
Location: Cambridgeshire
Status: Offline
Points: 701
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Posted: 07-January-2004 at 18:00 |
bugger!! Presumably that means they don't do em for the 535iS either. Not that they've replied to my email 
Oh well. Schnitzer it is then...
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E90 M3 DCT, E46 330d Touring, VW T5 wannabecamper
Previous: Disco 3 TDV6, 2x E34 540i6,
E34 535iS
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PHH-525i Sport
Newbie
Joined: 22-November-2003
Location: Scotland
Status: Offline
Points: 14
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Posted: 10-January-2004 at 09:57 |
Miles
When I bought my springs for my 525 sport, the receipt I got is an Eibach receipt and it has the part number I mentioned earlier. That seems a bit strange doesn't it?
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e34m5
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 26-June-2003
Location: Near Rugby, Warwickshire
Status: Offline
Points: 1344
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Posted: 10-January-2004 at 17:46 |
PHH-525i Sport wrote:
Miles
When I bought my springs for my 525 sport, the receipt I got is an Eibach receipt and it has the part number I mentioned earlier. That seems a bit strange doesn't it? |
Very strange, i wonder if your top mounts have been changed at some time for the standard spec to allow standard springs to be fitted ?
Miles
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PHH-525i Sport
Newbie
Joined: 22-November-2003
Location: Scotland
Status: Offline
Points: 14
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Posted: 11-January-2004 at 09:25 |
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When I ordered the springs, I explained it had M-Tech suspension fitted as standard and there wasn't a problem (I think I ordered through BMTown, although they came direct from Eibach). When I ordered the Bilstein shocks, the first guy at Euro Parts I spoke to said it wasn't a recommended fit, but then he put me through to their Bilstein guy who agreed that it was one of the better choices to have the Eibach springs and Bilstein shocks, I then ordered the Sprint set for the 525 with M-tech suspension leaving me with the Ventura springs not fitted. And it now drives really well.
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jetsetwilly2000
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 10-December-2003
Location: Cambridgeshire
Status: Offline
Points: 701
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Posted: 12-January-2004 at 10:11 |
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PHH, how low are those springs wrt standard mtech? Much as I'd like Eibachs if yours fit and are going cheap, I might be tempted to save myself the hassle - assuming they fit of course!
Anthony
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E90 M3 DCT, E46 330d Touring, VW T5 wannabecamper
Previous: Disco 3 TDV6, 2x E34 540i6,
E34 535iS
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Suspension
