Suspension & Brakes upgrade 35si Recommendations Please

[royalmike]

Looking to upgrade my suspension and Brakes as front disks warped and MOT coming up still think I have the original adaptive struts and springs at 97K.
Front suspension bouncy on mine don’t intend tracking car so nothing two harsh but would like some improvement over standard and better stopping power
So after reading up what others have done would like some opinions feedback
Suspension, Bilstein B12 - Pro-Kit Suspension Kit 46-181275
Remove adaptive suspension model and code out?
Top mounts?
Strut Brace front?
Roll bar end links and hangers?
Brakes
New front Disks?
Front pads?

Rear Disks?
Rear pads?

[john-e89]

Just imho Mike, changing front control arms to M3 ones work well, along with H&R anti roll bars front and rear, adjustable drop links. I had these on my 35i before I also threw KWV3's on too and it worked very well before the KW'S.

M4 Front 4 pot calipers are cheap 2nd hand and make quite a noticeable difference, run with braided brake hoses all round and red stuff pads all round. All work very well.

[mkinternet]

Agree with John about H&R anti roll bars front and rear - really make a big difference. Have the Bilsten B12 Pro Kit along with a front strut brace.

Not changed the control arms but actually upgraded my 3.0i to 35i front calipers and red pads all round. Do you really need anymore stopping power???? They seem to work very well for me, but hey that's me and my driving style !!!!

[True-Blue]

I have a brand new, unopened Eibach Pro-Street S coilover kit with new top mounts front and rear, which I may be tempted to part with as I may part company with my E89.

The Eibach kit is essentially KW variant 1 stainless shocks, with Eibach progressive springs. Currently unavailable from AutoDoc and the prices seem to have shot up since I bought them.

I did put a listing in the classifieds a few weeks ago, but never added any photo’s or updated the post.

It was a half-hearted listing, as I’ve been a bit undecided

[royalmike]

I have a brand new, unopened Eibach Pro-Street S coilover kit with new top mounts front and rear, which I may be tempted to part with as I may part company with my E89.

The Eibach kit is essentially KW variant 1 stainless shocks, with Eibach progressive springs. Currently unavailable from AutoDoc and the prices seem to have shot up since I bought them.

I did put a listing in the classifieds a few weeks ago, but never added any photo’s or updated the post.

It was a half-hearted listing, as I’ve been a bit undecided

Do you have a link to your post couldn't find it.

[True-Blue]

I have a brand new, unopened Eibach Pro-Street S coilover kit with new top mounts front and rear, which I may be tempted to part with as I may part company with my E89.

The Eibach kit is essentially KW variant 1 stainless shocks, with Eibach progressive springs. Currently unavailable from AutoDoc and the prices seem to have shot up since I bought them.

I did put a listing in the classifieds a few weeks ago, but never added any photo’s or updated the post.

It was a half-hearted listing, as I’ve been a bit undecided

Do you have a link to your post couldn't find it.

Here you go, have literally opened the box now and taken some photos

viewtopic.php?p=1958764#p1958764

[Marcoose]

Another suspension question that ought to be answered with questions: How are you going to use your car? Spirited drive? Twisties? Flatlands? Daily drive? Wifey going to drive it?

And suspension doesn’t stop at struts and springs. It’s the whole kit; tyres, alignment, etc. See sig below.

Until you’ve answered these questions to yourself, be mindful of not setting yourself up for disappointment.

All that said, the stock set up on the 35is is horrendous. BMW should be ashamed with themselves.

[john-e89]

Another suspension question that ought to be answered with questions: How are you going to use your car? Spirited drive? Twisties? Flatlands? Daily drive? Wifey going to drive it?

And suspension doesn’t stop at struts and springs. It’s the whole kit; tyres, alignment, etc. See sig below.

Until you’ve answered these questions to yourself, be mindful of not setting yourself up for disappointment.

All that said, the stock set up on the 35is is horrendous. BMW should be ashamed with themselves.

It's far from just the suspension, the whole car is a bad design from the track and wheelbase, to suspension pick up points, to the suspension itself, it's a complete mess. Still nice cars but no matter what you do you'll never get them beyond a lot better than stock but still pretty rubbish for what they cost new.

[B21]

At 97k there are going to be a lot of worn bushes and rubbers as well as most parts in the suspension area..

The 35i is very heavy on its front end..I found my 35is at 50k was pretty much goosed on many of the linkages…

FWIW I would do the following

Change steering tie rods..Meyle HD do some stiffer ones…

Change the steering linkages in the suspension set up…since you are changing them you might as well fit the M3 linkages as they will cost about the same.

Bilstein dampers with Supplex sports springs are your most cost effective route and maintain ride height..once you stat lowering your camber will go to pot..and IMHO is pointless from a handling viewpoint..you can go more upmarket but it’s a rapid law of diminishing returns..I had the Bilsteins on my previous E89..great shocks..

Rear swing arm bushes would be good next

Then uprated ARBs..it’s crazy that BMW fitted the same ARBs on the 18i manual and the 35is..

Decent set of tyres Goodyear, Michelin, Conti ideally slightly oversized if your rims can support it…

The 35i brakes with decent Textar or Brembo e or HP pads work very well..

I run perforated Zimmerman discs on the rear and Brembo front…

If you want an off the shelf front brake upgrade BMW sell a 6 pot Brembo 348mm slotted / frilled disc set up for £1,200 which I’ve found edges out the stock set up…

A strut brace across the engine or underneath the rear I would suggest would only make any practical improvement to the most hard core track car..little it any empirical evidence to suggest anything but cosmetic impact..

I’ve ragged mine with and without and could not detect any effect..

All covered in my build thread..

Enjoy..

I would disagree with the comments on inherit poor design / geometry..

My 20i MSport with 300bhp was exceptionally sweet handling to my tastes..

The problem is that the 35is is so much heavier with basically all the same parts as the much lighter less powerful brethren..