peddy said:
peddy - just curious as to why you equate thin to crap? Not defending oem for one minute in this question
Springs from Eurocarparts... Are they OEM?
- Thread starter peddy
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peddy - just curious as to why you equate thin to crap? Not defending oem for one minute in this question
peddy said:
OK - so I'd actually argue the opposite way. The thinner is normally an indication of a superior and better quality steel to do a given job. Thinning at the ends is for specific reason, most likely variable spring rate and volute (cone shape allowing the coils to pass each other for more movement in a short spring).
Of course they break, but that's a reflection of bigger rims, lower profile tyres, RFT tyres and the current crop of potholes coupled with the natural aging of the Z4 stock, which of course BMW are not going to do anything about. Of course there are no stats on here of any other or aftermarket make breaking, but it's a common problem on current sportier cars. search google for pages of broken rears on anything from Fiesta to Audi to Mondeo.
Watching re-runs of Top Gear on Dave and it occurred to me...
If a niche company like Pagani can build a car so fast it blow away the best Mercedes, BMW, Ferrari, Lambo et al have to offer - then why can't a niche company like Eibach/HR etc build a better spring than BMW?
ie: Just because they don't have the resources of the bigger company, it doesn't necessarily mean they don't have the skills or knowledge required to make a better product. Granted, they don't publish their info which is a worry, but then it doesn't necessarily mean they haven't done the research - just that they haven't perhaps got the marketing skills to know to publish that data (if indeed it would actually benefit them - we're probably not the average consumer)
Just a thought anyway - still following this thread with interest
If a niche company like Pagani can build a car so fast it blow away the best Mercedes, BMW, Ferrari, Lambo et al have to offer - then why can't a niche company like Eibach/HR etc build a better spring than BMW?
ie: Just because they don't have the resources of the bigger company, it doesn't necessarily mean they don't have the skills or knowledge required to make a better product. Granted, they don't publish their info which is a worry, but then it doesn't necessarily mean they haven't done the research - just that they haven't perhaps got the marketing skills to know to publish that data (if indeed it would actually benefit them - we're probably not the average consumer)
Just a thought anyway - still following this thread with interest
I don't doubt Eibach etc can make good springs or dampers, but it's integrating them in the package that is pre-defined by BMW.
There are a large number of suspension elements that already exist in a defined state set by BMW, so just replacing one of them that isn't exactly the same as BMW's, introduces a change that impacts all the elements of the whole suspension on the entire car!
To suggest that any given suspension manufacturer considers the whole package when doing this is nice to believe, but it just simply won't be the case.
Anyone who owns a 3.0i or sport set up Z4 will already think it's boderline too low, so lowering more is just madness for road use.
Personally I'd go for quality fully adjustable aftermarket dampers, new original bushings all round, and keep the spring rates as standard (pretty good imo)
A spring is easy for BMW to get right, relatively speaking, a damper is often skimped on wrt cost, and is what can offer the best improvements to a cars handling for road work!
All different strokes for different folks, but suspension is a fine art, everything is a compromise. Nothing I've ever driven that was modified wrt suspension on the cheap drove half as nicely as good original kit!
Dave
There are a large number of suspension elements that already exist in a defined state set by BMW, so just replacing one of them that isn't exactly the same as BMW's, introduces a change that impacts all the elements of the whole suspension on the entire car!
To suggest that any given suspension manufacturer considers the whole package when doing this is nice to believe, but it just simply won't be the case.
Anyone who owns a 3.0i or sport set up Z4 will already think it's boderline too low, so lowering more is just madness for road use.
Personally I'd go for quality fully adjustable aftermarket dampers, new original bushings all round, and keep the spring rates as standard (pretty good imo)
A spring is easy for BMW to get right, relatively speaking, a damper is often skimped on wrt cost, and is what can offer the best improvements to a cars handling for road work!
All different strokes for different folks, but suspension is a fine art, everything is a compromise. Nothing I've ever driven that was modified wrt suspension on the cheap drove half as nicely as good original kit!
Dave