RiMjOb
Part of things
Posts: 76
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anyone know a good cheaply priced coilover set for e30 bmw?
theres a few bargain buys about, just needed some advice.
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every corner has an opportunity....
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Bargain? haha... They initally start out as a bargain, but they're only suitable for 51mm struts, AND they HAVE to be cut and welded on to you existing strut bottoms due to the make up of the strut/stub axle components.
Personally, I'd love some affordable coilovers for my E30, but I may take the route I've taken with the E34 and put some lowering shocks/springs on to save hassle...
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,201
Club RR Member Number: 170
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e30 coilovers?ChasR
@chasr
Club Retro Rides Member 170
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WHS. If you plan to keep the car they can be a bit of a mixed blessing.
Which coilovers are you looking to buy and what drop are you looking for? Or are you looking at it from a handling perspective as well?
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Gem
East Midlands
Posts: 1,328 
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Chop the springs  Coilies are at least a grand. I had some lowering springs on touring which were coupe ones. |
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rob0r
East of England
Posts: 2,743
Club RR Member Number: 104
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e30 coilovers?rob0r
@rob0r
Club Retro Rides Member 104
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You can get cheap ones off Ebay (Jom I think, £200ish). In my opinion they don't particulary look good, The front springs are massively tapered small on the strut to large up at the spring cup, the rears are just shorter pig tails with adjusters and seperate shocks. Then there are more expensive sets such as Gaz, which are £800+. They may have some cheaper ones that don't have all the adjustments though. The route I was going to go was getting some stiffer shocks (Bilstien/Koni ideal, I was going to use 318is sport shocks for much cheapness) and then cutting the spring cups off the struts and welding on Rally Design coilover conversion kits. 2.25" coilover conversion kits are the ideal diameter for E30 51mm struts as found on all tourings, 325i and 318is saloons. The strut may need some shaving of the paint to get them on but it's easily done. Buy some 2.25" coilover springs, 7" or 8" is an ok length, 350lbs to 500lbs for the spring rates. For the rears you can use the same coilover conversion kit's threaded tubes and adjusters and cut them down to size. Then use very short 2.25" coilover springs (5.5" to 6" length), but you need higher spring rates than usual rear coilover spring rates due to the position of the spring, I went for 550lbs. 2.25" coilover conversion kits are around £80 for a set of 4, from Rally Design. Springs are normally £22-£25 each new, Rally Design do them but only down to 7" length I think. I ordered mine from Faulkners since they did the super short 6" springs I needed for the back. I haven't done mine yet as I got distracted and I'm in the middle of coilovering an E23 728i... This guy has done exactly as I described and I've borrowed the rear setup directly from him. www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=185679&highlight= |
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E30 320i 3.5 - E23 730 - E3 3.0si - E21 316 M42 - E32 750i
ETC
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RiMjOb
Part of things
Posts: 76
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You can get cheap ones off Ebay (Jom I think, £200ish). In my opinion they don't particulary look good, The front springs are massively tapered small on the strut to large up at the spring cup, the rears are just shorter pig tails with adjusters and seperate shocks. Then there are more expensive sets such as Gaz, which are £800+. They may have some cheaper ones that don't have all the adjustments though. The route I was going to go was getting some stiffer shocks (Bilstien/Koni ideal, I was going to use 318is sport shocks for much cheapness) and then cutting the spring cups off the struts and welding on Rally Design coilover conversion kits. 2.25" coilover conversion kits are the ideal diameter for E30 51mm struts as found on all tourings, 325i and 318is saloons. The strut may need some shaving of the paint to get them on but it's easily done. Buy some 2.25" coilover springs, 7" or 8" is an ok length, 350lbs to 500lbs for the spring rates. For the rears you can use the same coilover conversion kit's threaded tubes and adjusters and cut them down to size. Then use very short 2.25" coilover springs (5.5" to 6" length), but you need higher spring rates than usual rear coilover spring rates due to the position of the spring, I went for 550lbs. 2.25" coilover conversion kits are around £80 for a set of 4, from Rally Design. Springs are normally £22-£25 each new, Rally Design do them but only down to 7" length I think. I ordered mine from Faulkners since they did the super short 6" springs I needed for the back. I haven't done mine yet as I got distracted and I'm in the middle of coilovering an E23 728i... This guy has done exactly as I described and I've borrowed the rear setup directly from him. www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=185679&highlight=cheers mate, i was starting to look into making up my own as a can get springs made to order at a good price so ill av a look, theres some cheap deals on coilies but will end up costing more in the long run i think. I'm looking for a good drop and cutting the springs is a no go, did it on my e28 5series. ill have a thread up soon as I'm startin on the minimal bodywork it needs so hopefully ill get a bit more help then aswell |
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every corner has an opportunity....
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RiMjOb
Part of things
Posts: 76
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Chop the springs Coilies are at least a grand. I had some lowering springs on touring which were coupe ones. not keen on chopping the springs mate, unless you uprate the damping its curse word, i may opt for lowering springs and uprated dampers, that way i could go for a bit of chop on the fronts, but choppin pigtails on the rear is a bad idea, my mates fell out when he went over a bump in the road a bit fast  |
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every corner has an opportunity....
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,201
Club RR Member Number: 170
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e30 coilovers?ChasR
@chasr
Club Retro Rides Member 170
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In your shoes I would go with lowering springs and new dampers all round, or a good budget coilover kit (the Gaz GHA kit seems to be pretty much that . OK, it's not quite Gold territory but more than good enough for most of the time). |
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RobinJI
Posted a lot
"Driven by the irony that only being shackled to the road could ever I be free"
Posts: 2,995
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Out of interest where is it you can get springs made to order? I'm based in South Somerset, and that could be a very useful place to know of for me in the near future. Do they just do 2.5" coilover springs, or will they make pig-tailed springs and the like?
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RiMjOb
Part of things
Posts: 76
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Out of interest where is it you can get springs made to order? I'm based in South Somerset, and that could be a very useful place to know of for me in the near future. Do they just do 2.5" coilover springs, or will they make pig-tailed springs and the like? hey mate, yea I'm in radstock near bath. ill have to speak to my mate and try and get a list of springs and rates etc from the company, i know a very well known engine builder who mainly does work for racing and stock cars etc, hes helpin me out with my toyota kp30 build and we were gona strip my original struts and rebuild em. ill find out for you mate |
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every corner has an opportunity....
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RiMjOb
Part of things
Posts: 76
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You can get cheap ones off Ebay (Jom I think, £200ish). In my opinion they don't particulary look good, The front springs are massively tapered small on the strut to large up at the spring cup, the rears are just shorter pig tails with adjusters and seperate shocks. Then there are more expensive sets such as Gaz, which are £800+. They may have some cheaper ones that don't have all the adjustments though. The route I was going to go was getting some stiffer shocks (Bilstien/Koni ideal, I was going to use 318is sport shocks for much cheapness) and then cutting the spring cups off the struts and welding on Rally Design coilover conversion kits. 2.25" coilover conversion kits are the ideal diameter for E30 51mm struts as found on all tourings, 325i and 318is saloons. The strut may need some shaving of the paint to get them on but it's easily done. Buy some 2.25" coilover springs, 7" or 8" is an ok length, 350lbs to 500lbs for the spring rates. For the rears you can use the same coilover conversion kit's threaded tubes and adjusters and cut them down to size. Then use very short 2.25" coilover springs (5.5" to 6" length), but you need higher spring rates than usual rear coilover spring rates due to the position of the spring, I went for 550lbs. 2.25" coilover conversion kits are around £80 for a set of 4, from Rally Design. Springs are normally £22-£25 each new, Rally Design do them but only down to 7" length I think. I ordered mine from Faulkners since they did the super short 6" springs I needed for the back. I haven't done mine yet as I got distracted and I'm in the middle of coilovering an E23 728i... This guy has done exactly as I described and I've borrowed the rear setup directly from him. www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=185679&highlight=been looking up the JOM coilies mate, gettin goood reviews across the board with the odd negative, as with all bargain sets theres no adjustable damping so its gonna be bumpy but thats to be expected, the main point raised is for the price (£275) they are quality german engineering..... |
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every corner has an opportunity....
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its not the damping that makes them bumpy rimjob, its the spring rate that cheap coilovers come with. There usually mega hard!
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rob0r
East of England
Posts: 2,743
Club RR Member Number: 104
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e30 coilovers?rob0r
@rob0r
Club Retro Rides Member 104
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Jul 12, 2011 10:02:51 GMT
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been looking up the JOM coilies mate, gettin goood reviews across the board with the odd negative, as with all bargain sets theres no adjustable damping so its gonna be bumpy but thats to be expected, the main point raised is for the price (£275) they are quality german engineering..... Fair play, let us know how you get on with them if you get them! |
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E30 320i 3.5 - E23 730 - E3 3.0si - E21 316 M42 - E32 750i
ETC
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RiMjOb
Part of things
Posts: 76
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Jul 15, 2011 13:39:40 GMT
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been looking up the JOM coilies mate, gettin goood reviews across the board with the odd negative, as with all bargain sets theres no adjustable damping so its gonna be bumpy but thats to be expected, the main point raised is for the price (£275) they are quality german engineering..... Fair play, let us know how you get on with them if you get them! ooooookkkk the JOM struts are good on other cars but not the e30s due to modifications needed and goin tits up so they've been withdrawn from the market I'm currently looking at the GAZ GHA kit which is supposed to be brilliant but pushing £700!! not really my price range but it may well be worth it....? any other options? |
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every corner has an opportunity....
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Coilies are at least a grand. I had some lowering springs on touring which were coupe ones.
