Bavarian-Board.co.uk - BMW Owners Discussion Forum Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > Technical & Model Specific Forums > BMW 3 Series
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Spring assisters
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

Forum LockedSpring assisters

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
jay1963 View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar
Drifting....

Joined: 26-June-2007
Location: Coxhoe - Durham
Status: Offline
Points: 72
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jay1963 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Spring assisters
    Posted: 17-January-2011 at 23:02
I'm wanting to fit a set of spring assisters to my car...
2001 BMW 3 series E46 325i Touring.....
Does anyone know what size i need to get......
Back to Top
Sponsored Links


Back to Top
523 iAN View Drop Down
Really Senior Member II
Really Senior Member II


Joined: 17-September-2005
Location: close to Loch Lomond
Status: Offline
Points: 1258
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 523 iAN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18-January-2011 at 20:24
you'll need to jack up your car and measure the gap
between the coils
2003-530i SE
Back to Top
Andrew Rolland View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar
Go away rain

Joined: 19-August-2004
Location: Scotland
Status: Offline
Points: 6579
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Andrew Rolland Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19-January-2011 at 08:19

I'm curious to know why you want to fit spring assiters.

People who tow caravans are known to fit spring assisters in the rear coils to lift the rear of their car back up to a more normal height.  The problem is caused in the first place by having a trailer/caravan which has too heavy a nose weight. 

A correctly matched caravan/trailer to car will not result in a car that has it @r$e dragging on the black stuff.

Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series!

Current
'13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto

Previous
'04 04 E60 545i SE Auto
'03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen)
'98 S E39 523i SE Auto
Back to Top
Pete330 View Drop Down
Really Senior Member II
Really Senior Member II
Avatar

Joined: 26-November-2003
Location: Aberdeen
Status: Offline
Points: 8969
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pete330 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19-January-2011 at 10:19
Originally posted by Andrew Rolland Andrew Rolland wrote:

A correctly matched caravan/trailer to car will not result in a car that has it @r$e dragging on the black stuff.

 

Easier said than done i guess,unless you only want your car to tow your van and the are not fussed what it is

 

Previous:

E36 318is coupe, E36 323i coupe, E30 316 saloon, E30 318 saloon, E46 330ci Sport Conv
E92 325d M Sport(3.0),With Loads of gadgets

Current:
116i Sport F20
Back to Top
jay1963 View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar
Drifting....

Joined: 26-June-2007
Location: Coxhoe - Durham
Status: Offline
Points: 72
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jay1963 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19-January-2011 at 19:16
My car has sat down since the day i bought it...
Had new springs and shockers fitted in November, Still sits
down.
Don't think it helped when they took the dampners off to fit the
towbar.....
So when you got a 26ft caravan on the back weighing quite a bit,
Think spring assisters maybe my only solution....
Back to Top
Pete330 View Drop Down
Really Senior Member II
Really Senior Member II
Avatar

Joined: 26-November-2003
Location: Aberdeen
Status: Offline
Points: 8969
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pete330 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19-January-2011 at 21:38
Sure if you contact towsure
Previous:

E36 318is coupe, E36 323i coupe, E30 316 saloon, E30 318 saloon, E46 330ci Sport Conv
E92 325d M Sport(3.0),With Loads of gadgets

Current:
116i Sport F20
Back to Top
Andrew Rolland View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar
Go away rain

Joined: 19-August-2004
Location: Scotland
Status: Offline
Points: 6579
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Andrew Rolland Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20-January-2011 at 08:41

Originally posted by jay1963 jay1963 wrote:

So when you got a 26ft caravan on the back weighing quite a bit, Think spring assisters maybe my only solution....

Is the weight of the caravan within the limits set by BMW for the towing weight?  If not then I don't think you are legal on the road.

I've towed caravans and a number of builders trailers with my E60 all within the weight limit 2000 kg and 90 kg nose limit and I had very little movement at the rear of my car. 

Is it the right towbar for the car?  Some after market towbars have very low ball heights which then make the trailer sit lower which then puts more weight on the ball making the car sit lower.  If the towbar ball is level with the tow hitch of the caravan then it is more balanced balanced and the load on the towball will be less. 

Equilibrium of Forces and all that, stuff that keeps buildings and railway bridges from falling down..something which us Engineers strive to do

Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series!

Current
'13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto

Previous
'04 04 E60 545i SE Auto
'03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen)
'98 S E39 523i SE Auto
Back to Top
523 iAN View Drop Down
Really Senior Member II
Really Senior Member II


Joined: 17-September-2005
Location: close to Loch Lomond
Status: Offline
Points: 1258
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 523 iAN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20-January-2011 at 22:45
i used spring assistors on the rear of my E39, it was
lowered -40mm running on 18" schnitzer alloy's which where
a tad close to the rear arch when fully loaded. i had them
fitted for about 2yrs then sold the car with them still in
place, made no difference to the car's ride or handling
but it did keep the springs from dropping to much under
load.
2003-530i SE
Back to Top
jay1963 View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar
Drifting....

Joined: 26-June-2007
Location: Coxhoe - Durham
Status: Offline
Points: 72
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jay1963 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23-January-2011 at 19:25
Car and caravan are legally sound for the road.... It's
just the back end seems lower than the front even when car
empty....
BMW Elvet recommended after market fit of the tow bar.
We just within the 85% recommended towing rule....
Back to Top
Andrew Rolland View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar
Go away rain

Joined: 19-August-2004
Location: Scotland
Status: Offline
Points: 6579
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Andrew Rolland Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-January-2011 at 08:25

Something is very wrong with the car.  If you are within your weight limits and the towbar is not low....  I would get the rear suspension checked out by a garage you trust.

I'm not suprised BMW recommneded an after market towbar.  They quoted me £1,200 to fit a BMW one.  I sourced the OEM bar and made the electrics myself and fitted it myself for less than a quarter of the price BMW wanted.  Very few folk would pay that kinda money for a towbar.

I can't figure out why the person that fitted your towbar had to remove the rear shocks.  The towbar would only require the bumper to come off and the mounts for the bumper to be removed and the towbar fits in the mounts for the bumper.   Picture of towbar on approved mounting points  Hmmm.

Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series!

Current
'13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto

Previous
'04 04 E60 545i SE Auto
'03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen)
'98 S E39 523i SE Auto
Back to Top
jay1963 View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar
Drifting....

Joined: 26-June-2007
Location: Coxhoe - Durham
Status: Offline
Points: 72
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jay1963 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-January-2011 at 21:39
They didn't remove the shockers.... It was the dampners...
Seeing if can get them back on... Just had the backend
rebuilt.... New shockers springs etc... Been looking at
some photos on Autotrader.... There are some Tourings on
there that are low at the back... But some level.....
Back to Top
Andrew Rolland View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar
Go away rain

Joined: 19-August-2004
Location: Scotland
Status: Offline
Points: 6579
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Andrew Rolland Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25-January-2011 at 08:28

Originally posted by jay1963 jay1963 wrote:

They didn't remove the shockers.... It was the dampners...

Sorry I was thinking part #1 was what you were meaning by dampners but I see that there is a part #4 which is called up as an additional dampner.

That part, part 4, wouldn't help with ride height though.   That looks more like a bump stop which fits at the top of the shockers shaft.  

Looking at the choice of springs it is always a nightmare to make sure you get the correct one as that is what gives the correct ride height.  BMW fit many different springs depending on what option was specced from new.  Standard, Sports Settings and then M Sports or M-Tec Suspension, all different, with different ride heights controlled by the springs.

Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series!

Current
'13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto

Previous
'04 04 E60 545i SE Auto
'03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen)
'98 S E39 523i SE Auto
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down



This page was generated in 0.125 seconds.