B12 Before and after pictures?

[davegt]

Looking to refresh my 70k suspension with a B12 kit, I’ve looked at the posts and the reviews which seem
good but there aren’t many before and after pictures.

Wouldn’t mind a small drop but the cars already scraping so don’t want to end up beached :lol: a younger version on me would slam it on coilovers but Urm no

Anybody got any they can share?

 

[Anonymous]

Why not go with B8s and the stock springs?

 

[john-e89]

Depends on budget I guess Dave. I put KWV3’s on my 35i, transforms the car, adjustment for bump, rebound and ride height, if it’s a keeper then worth the outlay imho.

 

[davegt]

The B12 looks like decent value, reputable brand, plenty of known platform feedback. My car does less than 2k a year (sad I know) it’s not going to be tracked etc, its just a weekend cruiser. I wouldn’t get the benefits from coilovers. I’d like a small (10-20mm) drop and a tighter turn which these seem offer. Was mainly interested in how they looked. Typically I’d go H&R but they go lower than I’d like on the E89 platform and the shocks could do with a refresh anyway while I’m there.

 

[Anonymous]

Well a dog with a bone..if you get the Bilstein B8 dampers with the supplex springs you will get the 10mm MSport drop not the 30mm+ on the B12 kit but with same dampers..

I use the B8 with OE MSport springs and it’s a great combo..excellent control for toad use plus very comfortable..uprated ARBs help

 

[davegt]

Great info, thanks. Looks like I have some more reading to do

 

[Anonymous]

I picked up a set of supplex springs on the forum with a view to changing to them but for me the ride / control with B8s on OE m sport springs is good enough.

I’m sitting on 18 / 17 wheels with non run flat tyres..

Uprated ARBs would help a lot I’m sure on the 35i..

 

[biZ4rreMids]

Top photo on standard m-sport suspension (38,000 miles) and bottom photo on B12 suspension. My understanding is that the B12 kit doesn’t lower the rear and lowers the front by 10mm on an m-sport specced car. Probably also worth noting that my car is a 20i and therefore has a lighter front end compared to a 35iS engined e89.

 

[Anonymous]

Useful to know….good A / B pictures..doesn’t look as severe as I visualised…how was the ride quality before n after ?

On those 326m…

 

[biZ4rreMids]

Useful to know….good A / B pictures..doesn’t look as severe as I visualised…how was the ride quality before n after ?

On those 326m…

Probably also worth mentioning that it runs on Goodyear eagle f1 non run flats with a slightly increased profile on the rear, 255/35/19 vice 255/30/19. It also has 281bhp with a huge increase in torque low down in the rev range. These changes were made before the suspension changes. Also running the fronts at 34psi and rears at 36psi. When I increased the rears to 38psi my wife actually commented on ride quality!

Post suspension upgrade the car feels a lot flatter and firmer on the road and through a series of bends, less body roll too. This has given me more confidence in pushing the car harder on bends and roundabouts. I’m assuming the increased bhp and low down torque is pulling (pushing?) the car more through the bends if that makes sense. Prior to the suspension change it would get out of shape, more bouncy and more body roll.

 

[Anonymous]

Thnx pretty much as I expected

 

[warmasice]

Are your dampers definitely on the way out or you just fancy a drop in ride height?

Here's my car on eibach sport springs with msport shocks to throw another option into the mix:

 

[Marcoose]

Depends on budget I guess Dave. I put KWV3’s on my 35i, transforms the car, adjustment for bump, rebound and ride height, if it’s a keeper then worth the outlay imho.

I’m seriously considering the same kit. Anything you wish was different, room for improvement, etc? Thanks.

 

[john-e89]

Depends on budget I guess Dave. I put KWV3’s on my 35i, transforms the car, adjustment for bump, rebound and ride height, if it’s a keeper then worth the outlay imho.

I’m seriously considering the same kit. Anything you wish was different, room for improvement, etc? Thanks.

Well I haven’t tried any other coil over kits Dave but I went with KW’s because of the build quality, they don’t rust etc, and the level of adjustment you have. I guess the only issue with them is you’ll probably need 10mm spacers on the fronts as the wheels might catch the springs, depends on offsets, I put 15mm spacers all round and it’s even better now. Having bump and rebound adjustability makes such a difference, you can tweak and tweak until you find your ideal level, something you can’t do with non coil overs obvs, to me that alone makes them worth the outlay. Then you have height adjustment lastly. Downsides are if you don’t have a ramp then you’ll get very friendly with your trolley jack making adjustments but that’s par the course, at least you don’t have to take the wheels off to change settings, other than that to me anyway there’s no downsides, and I can’t think of anything I’d improve with them either, for the street and some track stuff they’re pretty much perfect imho.

 

[R.E92]

Aren't B8 shocks designed for cars with lowering springs only and the B6 are for cars with MSport or SE springs?

I'm in the process of getting some for my 3 series which is already on Eibach springs. I think it may have popped the original shocks prematurely because of the drop in ride height.

 

[Marcoose]

Thanks, John. Great to have additional feedback. Looking at your sig, you’ve kept H&R in the front, and KWV3 in the rear?

Richard, I reckon that’s my problem. The H&R springs may have busted the OEM shocks. Mismatched ride height, compressions, etc.

Marc

 

[Anonymous]

Aren't B8 shocks designed for cars with lowering springs only and the B6 are for cars with MSport or SE springs?

I'm in the process of getting some for my 3 series which is already on Eibach springs. I think it may have popped the original shocks prematurely because of the drop in ride height.

B8s are for MSport springs or other ‘lowered’ springs..B6 are for stock ride height aka non sport springs..AFAIK..

You may well have damaged them using the combo cited..

I as stated use B8s and despite the lack of tailoring compared to other options the settings seem to work pretty much perfectly for me on a street oriented car especially with the mix of bumpy and smooth roads we have in Scotland.. :thumbsdown:

 

[sumotan]

Hi Gents
While we're on the topic of coilovers, are there other brands that works well for road use without costing an arm & a leg for 28i. Was looking into ST but they're only made for 35i. Im in the tropic no rust issues.
Aside from adjustable height me thinks that I can gain some benefit with proper corner weight adjustment.

As always thanks

 

[john-e89]

Thanks, John. Great to have additional feedback. Looking at your sig, you’ve kept H&R in the front, and KWV3 in the rear?

Richard, I reckon that’s my problem. The H&R springs may have busted the OEM shocks. Mismatched ride height, compressions, etc.

Marc

No Marcoose, KW’s all round, it’s the front anti roll bar thats H&R.

 

[john-e89]

Hi Gents
While we're on the topic of coilovers, are there other brands that works well for road use without costing an arm & a leg for 28i. Was looking into ST but they're only made for 35i. Im in the tropic no rust issues.
Aside from adjustable height me thinks that I can gain some benefit with proper corner weight adjustment.

As always thanks

Research time for kits for you I guess Sumo. This is purely my view on it, buying cheap quality kits is false economy, buy cheap, buy twice. When researching before I bought KWV3’s I read a lot of owners having all sorts of problems with much cheaper kits, mostly dampers leaking, failing very quickly etc, spring rates too hard, no bump and rebound adjustability. Imho you’re better off with quality springs and shocks than a cheap set of coil overs.