How many of you here changed / modified suspension after replacing RFT to non-RFT ???

[GeeRam]

Originally Posted by 1Pirate

You don't know what model year your car is?

BMW only use model year identity for the USA market.
There's no way of identifing the model year for any other market outside of the USA.

[1Pirate]

Originally Posted by GeeRam

BMW only use model year identity for the USA market.
There's no way of identifing the model year for any other market outside of the USA.

Interesting. I did not know that.

[2012one35i]

Originally Posted by totobmw

Thanks for this, I will give it a go. From what I read Koni Yellows are better buy?
Also will I have to change the springs or will this be fine with just a replacement of shocks?

Sorry it took a while for me to reply. Koni yellows are very expensive, that's why I went with the Bilstein HD's. Great dampers for the money. Bav Auto is where I got mine. $470 for all 4, and I did not replace the springs. I believe the Koni's will set you back $700-$800, without a lifetime warranty like the HD's have. I would not replace the struts without changing tires, the ride would be too stiff. For perspective, I took my 72 year old mother for a ride after I did the struts/tires, and she noticed the difference without me mentioning it. Really a big improvement.

[FIRST1]

Resurrecting this one from the dead:

I changed to non-rft's for a more comfortable ride (Continental DWS). My car is approaching 50,000 miles on it. Is it a good idea to change suspension parts? Which parts have the highest priority? I really want to maintain the comfort in driving, and reduce the possibility of getting a flat from hitting big potholes in these New York streets... I'm starting to think that after hitting so many tough potholes, some of the parts aren't eating the impact enough anymore.

I'm curious, as a newb, do the suspension parts wear over time?

[vantagesc]

Originally Posted by Pig Farmer

IMHO you should at a minimum consider swapping out your sway bar for an E92 M3 sway bar. The M3 sway bar will help reduce body roll without sacrificing comfort. I would also pull the pins in the strut towers and max out your negative camber. You'll only get a couple 10ths of a degree of additional negative camber, but doing this will help you retain some of your steering percission (especially since you are going +1 on your tire size). These minor mods will pay for themselves through improved tire wear, but keep in mind that finding the perfect balance can be a slippery and costly slope. Good luck!

The OP's description of how he uses the car does not suggest to me that a stiffer sway bar is necessary. Most drivers simply dislike the feel of roll, rather than its affect on the suspension geometry (i.e. he's not experiencing understeer on normal roads). But it's a fairly cheap mod luckily.


First1,
Yes, bushings wear over time, some more than others. Usually it gives the car more of a sloppy feeling than lack of absorption.

[FIRST1]

Originally Posted by vantagesc

First1,
Yes, bushings wear over time, some more than others. Usually it gives the car more of a sloppy feeling than lack of absorption.

^Bushings refer to... all suspension parts collectively? [/newb]

[DrGadget]

I hated the RFTs and the harsh ride so much that when I changed to Yokohama Advan Sport non-RFTs, it was like driving another car. The 123d with M Sport pack has a harsh ride to start with.

Now, while it might not point as directly into corners on mirror-glass roads, who drives on these every day? Moreover, I am not doing track work. The reality is that Australian roads, apart from most motorways, are far from smooth.

I've done about 4,000 kms on the Advan Sport tyres, and whether on dry or wet roads, on straights or cornering, I am convinced of the wisdom of the decision to get rid of the run-craps.

Bilstein HD dampers would make another big difference I am sure.

[vantagesc]

Originally Posted by FIRST1

^Bushings refer to... all suspension parts collectively? [/newb]

No. I would not expect the majority of metal parts to wear out for the life of the car unless they are damaged in some way. The control arm itself for example. But there are a lot of joints in car suspensions and these are what typically wear out first. Analogy I might use is bones and cartilage in the body.