I need to get this 135i set up right.

[MarkkyyMan]

Originally Posted by sinking

Knowing what I know now we probably would have if we could do it again. I love my KW V3's on my Turbo but I had also heard great things about the Ohlins, and they are good. I think the dual flow valve on the Ohlins may be better than the KW, the low frequency damping and springs on the Ohlins (for the E82 at least) are just not geared to what we are after. I expected something a little different from Road AND Track.

The shop we bought them from, and I contacted Harold at HPA, have made it sound like we will like them more with stiffer springs.

Ohlins> KW

Harold HPA seems to be really knowledgeable with suspension on these cars.

[Nugget]

Originally Posted by sinking

Knowing what I know now we probably would have if we could do it again. I love my KW V3's on my Turbo but I had also heard great things about the Ohlins, and they are good. I think the dual flow valve on the Ohlins may be better than the KW, the low frequency damping and springs on the Ohlins (for the E82 at least) are just not geared to what we are after. I expected something a little different from Road AND Track.

The shop we bought them from, and I contacted Harold at HPA, have made it sound like we will like them more with stiffer springs.

I ended up going with these swift springs on the Ohlins.
Very happy with them.

[TheSt|G]

Originally Posted by MarkkyyMan

Ohlins> KW

Harold HPA seems to be really knowledgeable with suspension on these cars.

It's not even a contest.

[sinking]

Update: The chassis is really getting there.

Most recent changes were adding 600lb springs to the rear, Hotchkis H-Sport front ARB, and poly bushings in rear toe arms along with some rear alignment tweaking.

Still more work to be done, but the car is so much more balanced now.

[I35it]

Originally Posted by sinking

Update: The chassis is really getting there.

Most recent changes were adding 600lb springs to the rear, Hotchkis H-Sport front ARB, and poly bushings in rear toe arms along with some rear alignment tweaking.

Still more work to be done, but the car is so much more balanced now.

very interested in checking out your setup. I am down in San Antonio and have done koni shocks w/ swift springs, Dinan camber plates, M3 arms, M3 subframe bushings, and e93 M3 swaybars.

[TT-Tom]

In my opinion, and I've had just about every suspension setup on this car, do a mild spring upgrade, similar rates to the bmw perf. With good shocks, bilstein or koni, the b12 kit is very nice. Leave the rear sway alone or if you have access to a 13mm bar off of a 335i w/ sport pkg that is a good upgrade, anything larger and you lose all hope of traction in corners idc what anyone says its awful especially when wet lsd or not. Up font the m3 control arms are only good for the bushings, they actually create an issue with tire fitment under compression. If you go with the m3 arms you had better get some camber plates in order to run a 245 up front. If you leave the stock control arms its worth upgrading the bushings to poly or derlin, and pull your camber pins, this is perfect. The other major weak link, aside form the subframe bushing is the rear toe arms, they are junk, swap them when you do the rear bushings. If you need any help pm me.

[aloksatoor]

Originally Posted by TT-Tom

In my opinion, and I've had just about every suspension setup on this car, do a mild spring upgrade, similar rates to the bmw perf. With good shocks, bilstein or koni, the b12 kit is very nice. Leave the rear sway alone or if you have access to a 13mm bar off of a 335i w/ sport pkg that is a good upgrade, anything larger and you lose all hope of traction in corners idc what anyone says its awful especially when wet lsd or not. Up font the m3 control arms are only good for the bushings, they actually create an issue with tire fitment under compression. If you go with the m3 arms you had better get some camber plates in order to run a 245 up front. If you leave the stock control arms its worth upgrading the bushings to poly or derlin, and pull your camber pins, this is perfect. The other major weak link, aside form the subframe bushing is the rear toe arms, they are junk, swap them when you do the rear bushings. If you need any help pm me.

You think the monoball dinan or the tckline one is a good upgrade to the stock? The RE one is only for M3 control arms. What about the other part of the front wishbone, is there solid urethanes available for that from say powerflex or someone?

[TT-Tom]

Originally Posted by aloksatoor

You think the monoball dinan or the tckline one is a good upgrade to the stock? The RE one is only for M3 control arms. What about the other part of the front wishbone, is there solid urethanes available for that from say powerflex or someone?

They are all the same, a bushing is a bushing as long as its the durometer you want. powerflex makes good stuff and decent prices.

[str8shot]

Originally Posted by sinking

Update: The chassis is really getting there.

Most recent changes were adding 600lb springs to the rear, Hotchkis H-Sport front ARB, and poly bushings in rear toe arms along with some rear alignment tweaking.

Still more work to be done, but the car is so much more balanced now.

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on new springs for my AST setup. I'm curious - why did you go from 672 to 600 lb springs in the rear?

I was going with your original rates - 7k / 12k. Looks like you switched to a 11k rear but the vendor I'm using doesn't have them on their price list any more.

[sinking]

Originally Posted by str8shot

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on new springs for my AST setup. I'm curious - why did you go from 672 to 600 lb springs in the rear?

I was going with your original rates - 7k / 12k. Looks like you switched to a 11k rear but the vendor I'm using doesn't have them on their price list any more.

Original springs were 400 lb in the rear.

[str8shot]

Originally Posted by sinking

Original springs were 400 lb in the rear.

Yes, but you said you went with 672's, then changed them out to 600's. Were the 672's too stiff?

[sinking]

Originally Posted by str8shot

Yes, but you said you went with 672's, then changed them out to 600's. Were the 672's too stiff?

Nope, never said that. Went from out of the box Ohlins 400's to 600's.

[str8shot]

Originally Posted by Nugget

I ended up going with these swift springs on the Ohlins.
Very happy with them.

My bad, wrong post.

[Dackelone]

some relevant suspension threads...

The Ultimate Handling Machine
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...ndling+Machine

The Ultimate Handling Machine
TC Kline’s suspension tuning transforms the entry-level 128i Coupe into a car that can rival the 1 Series M Coupe for pure driving fun.
http://www.bimmer-mag.com/issues/101...e#.UlBdCdKBnSw

TC Kline Racing - Performance Suspension 101 (PS101)
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=982503

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=878638 (pay attention to what Harold said)...

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=897136

[swagon]

If only TCK weren't that expensive for me.

[Clovef]

The ohlins are a much better shock than koni sports and are both compression and rebound adjustable. They just adjust together. I changed the rear to a 600 spring one inch bigger than the kit I believe. Maybe it was shorter, I can't recall right now. When I go to the track I don't go full stiff though. There is plenty of range on the shocks for road and track. More than you should use in my opinion. I think you are feeling the soft rear subframe bushings. The bushings are designed for run flat tires a and are very soft. The better tires would make the bushings feel softer and the coilovers even more so. They would increase the force on the already too soft bushing and force them to move before the rest of the suspension can work. I have not tried the inserts but I highly recommend the full Whiteline rear subframe bushings. They are two pieces so the install is significantly easier than the M3 bushings. I was able to install them myself and I am not to skilled with a wrench and have an old beat up body. Those mods and M3 front bits have me thinking I made my car too stiff. At speed I am very happy but slow stuff make it feel a bit harsh to me.

[Nugget]

It would have been shorter, I swapped both front and rear springs for swift ones that were stiffer and 1" shorter.

[sinking]

Update:

My wife gave up on modifying the 135i and is back in an E92 M3. I took over the 135i as my DD and got to modding.

By the time I started daily driving it the stock suspension was back in because it was up for sale and the Ohlins were sold. I did my mods in stages.

1) Removed Whiteline rear subframe bushing inserts and replaced with full Whiteline rear subframe bushings. Improvement was noticeable but not quite there yet.

2) I made some upper camber arms and guide rods for the rear with threaded tubes and spherical rod ends. Another nice improvement. Still not there.

3) Installed KW V1 coilovers, Whiteline bushings in the front LCA, radius arm, and rear LCA. Proper alignment.

I can now say now that every bushing in the suspension has been replaced and coilovers have been installed the car drives very stable like it should. I working my way into pushing it to see how it's going to break away with the current setup but so far it's feeling very predictable and controllable now, and I'm pushing it a little harder than I did before step 3.

For those concerned with a harsh ride with a setup like this, don't be. I was actually hoping it would be stiffer. I'm not saying this is Lexus smooth, but unless you have arthritis in your back you'll be just fine hitting potholes.

[135TX]

Originally Posted by sinking

Update:

My wife gave up on modifying the 135i and is back in an E92 M3. I took over the 135i as my DD and got to modding.

By the time I started daily driving it the stock suspension was back in because it was up for sale and the Ohlins were sold. I did my mods in stages.

1) Removed Whiteline rear subframe bushing inserts and replaced with full Whiteline rear subframe bushings. Improvement was noticeable but not quite there yet.

2) I made some upper camber arms and guide rods for the rear with threaded tubes and spherical rod ends. Another nice improvement. Still not there.

3) Installed KW V1 coilovers, Whiteline bushings in the front LCA, radius arm, and rear LCA. Proper alignment.

I can now say now that every bushing in the suspension has been replaced and coilovers have been installed the car drives very stable like it should. I working my way into pushing it to see how it's going to break away with the current setup but so far it's feeling very predictable and controllable now, and I'm pushing it a little harder than I did before step 3.

For those concerned with a harsh ride with a setup like this, don't be. I was actually hoping it would be stiffer. I'm not saying this is Lexus smooth, but unless you have arthritis in your back you'll be just fine hitting potholes.

I'm in Austin and would like to check out your suspension set up. PM me if you are open to meeting up one day/ evening soon.