318ti.org forum

Go Back   318ti.org forum > Technical, Maintenance and Modifications > Suspension

Notices

Suspension Springs, sway bars, shocks.

.
» Recent Threads
1999 M-Sport For Sale
12-31-2023 05:10 PM
Last post by Coop540iT
03-23-2024 06:39 PM
1 Replies, 97,373 Views
Once again 318ti owner...
03-20-2024 12:39 PM
Last post by two30grain
03-22-2024 02:04 PM
1 Replies, 60,313 Views
What brakes do I...
03-20-2024 03:27 PM
Last post by huirtera
03-20-2024 03:27 PM
0 Replies, 57,673 Views
Reply Share/Bookmark
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-02-2010, 03:54 AM   #1
hotmilk400
Senior Member
 
hotmilk400's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bethlehem, PA
Posts: 1,106
iTrader: (13)
Default difference between standard and sport suspension?

so i have a 98 Active, and i wanted about the suspension.

it should be the standard suspension (i do not think it is the sport), but i bought Sport struts (front and rear), is their anything that i need to change to be able to install sport struts on the standard suspension?

i know it might sound like a dumb question, but i ordered the suspension stuts by accident, and i got a good price on them, so i do not want to return it. haha. do i need to upgrade the swaybars and stuff (since they are different on the sport package) or the springs? i am hoping i can just replace the struts without replacing anything else, but that might be far from the truth. i am not looking to mimic the sport package, i am making sure i have everything just to do a direct replacement.

thanks alot =]
__________________
Check out our new website! https://soltechsolutionsllc.com/

Green Your Decor with the Aspect! Shop for the Grow Light Used by Interior Designers, Growers & People Like You!
hotmilk400 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2010, 04:00 AM   #2
cooljess76
NOBODY F's with the Jesus
 
cooljess76's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Ventura California
Posts: 7,824
iTrader: (6)
Default

Sport struts should work just fine with everything else.
cooljess76 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2010, 04:06 AM   #3
TroyAndEddie
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Severna Park, MD
Posts: 126
iTrader: (1)
Default

And I should be playing Twister with Selma Hayek. Not the most reassuring term, mate.
TroyAndEddie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2010, 04:08 AM   #4
hotmilk400
Senior Member
 
hotmilk400's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bethlehem, PA
Posts: 1,106
iTrader: (13)
Default

haha. they are physically the same size, but i was not sure if they were different in any other ways that would effect installing them.
__________________
Check out our new website! https://soltechsolutionsllc.com/

Green Your Decor with the Aspect! Shop for the Grow Light Used by Interior Designers, Growers & People Like You!
hotmilk400 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2010, 04:35 AM   #5
cooljess76
NOBODY F's with the Jesus
 
cooljess76's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Ventura California
Posts: 7,824
iTrader: (6)
Default

If anything, they're valved for the SLIGHTLY stiffer sport springs. As long as your current springs seat properly in the spring perches, the sport struts WILL work. Now if it were the other way around, say stiffer springs going onto shocks that are valved for lighter duty, then yes, they may fail prematurely. However in your case, the strut cannot harm the springs.
cooljess76 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2010, 04:40 AM   #6
hotmilk400
Senior Member
 
hotmilk400's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bethlehem, PA
Posts: 1,106
iTrader: (13)
Default

thanks, sounds good.
__________________
Check out our new website! https://soltechsolutionsllc.com/

Green Your Decor with the Aspect! Shop for the Grow Light Used by Interior Designers, Growers & People Like You!
hotmilk400 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2010, 08:43 AM   #7
SSpeedracer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Southern California
Posts: 107
iTrader: (0)
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cooljess76 View Post
If anything, they're valved for the SLIGHTLY stiffer sport springs. As long as your current springs seat properly in the spring perches, the sport struts WILL work. Now if it were the other way around, say stiffer springs going onto shocks that are valved for lighter duty, then yes, they may fail prematurely. However in your case, the strut cannot harm the springs.
Are sport springs stiffer than standard springs? I just measured both and the wound diameter, wire diameter, and number of coils is identical. The only difference was height. Unless the steel is a different material then the spring rate is the same. I doubt the steel is different.

The loaded height will be different and that could effect strut stroke resulting in a valve bottoming out, but probably unlikely. Larger sport sway bars will increase the spring coefficient.
SSpeedracer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2010, 08:53 AM   #8
cooljess76
NOBODY F's with the Jesus
 
cooljess76's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Ventura California
Posts: 7,824
iTrader: (6)
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by SSpeedracer View Post
Are sport springs stiffer than standard springs? I just measured both and the wound diameter, wire diameter, and number of coils is identical. The only difference was height. Unless the steel is a different material then the spring rate is the same. I doubt the steel is different.

The loaded height will be different and that could effect strut stroke resulting in a valve bottoming out, but probably unlikely. Larger sport sway bars will increase the spring coefficient.
Honestly I'm not sure. I've driven both base and sport models and there is a noticeable difference in handling. But there's other factors to be considered such as the condition of bushings, wear level of shocks/struts, tires/pressures etc.
cooljess76 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-17-2010, 02:39 AM   #9
Bluebimma
Senior Member
 
Bluebimma's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 43609
Posts: 3,425
iTrader: (8)
Default

The sport suspension is .5" lower if i remember correctly. The valving and max extension of the piston, standard vs sport, is different between the two; sport being shorter to compensate for the shorter spring.
__________________
1995 Hellrot Clubsport 318ti -Gone
1996 Schwartz II Sport 357ti - 5.7L V8 LS1/6
1997 Moregrun Metallic 318ti - Gone

1998 Schwartz II sport 318ti - M50TUB25/5
Bluebimma is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-17-2010, 06:26 AM   #10
hotmilk400
Senior Member
 
hotmilk400's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bethlehem, PA
Posts: 1,106
iTrader: (13)
Default

if i do the work myself, do i need a front end aliment right afterwords. I am not 100% sure if i can get into the shop right away afterwords.

bought all new mounts, bolts, nuts and a few other things. lets hope this is easier then i think it will be, (since i am thinking it might be a day killer.. and maybe a hand breaker.. haha)

thanks for the input. i was only worried because the fronts have the spring, and i did not want to run into problems with the car taken apart.

looks like a project for tomorrow night, thanks everyone.

any tips for me before i start? maybe not to use a broken spring compressor or something would be good.

thanks all
__________________
Check out our new website! https://soltechsolutionsllc.com/

Green Your Decor with the Aspect! Shop for the Grow Light Used by Interior Designers, Growers & People Like You!
hotmilk400 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-17-2010, 10:27 PM   #11
SSpeedracer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Southern California
Posts: 107
iTrader: (0)
Default

The tires might be out of alignment after swapping shocks, but I doubt it would be significant. I wouldn't worry about getting alignment right after.

Most difficult part of rear shock was reaching the bolts in trunk area. Otherwise a walk in the park.

I've swapping springs/struts on a bunch of different cars. The 318 is relatively easy except for compressing the springs. I had to hook one on the upper hat, and it was a little bid unnerving. Could potentially slip off. I saw posts about difficult aligning the strut, but I had zero problems.
  • Attach 13mm x3 nuts loose in strut tower (easy with assistant)
  • Slide (tap with hammer) 18mm bolt horizontal through top mount. May help to use floor jack.
  • Attach (hand tight) bottom 18mm bolts switching between both to keep parallel.
  • back out one bolt at a time, drop loctite, tighten
  • tighten upper 18mm with loctite.
  • tighten 13mm on strut tower
SSpeedracer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2010, 03:49 AM   #12
pdxmotorhead
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Portland Or
Posts: 2,666
iTrader: (1)
Default

Or, spend the 100 bucks to buy a caster/camber guage and a set of alignment plates.
It is not that complicated. and it will let you really dial the car in.

Just another thought on it...

Dave
__________________
Dave - PDX
1995 318ti - Active Black and Tan.
2005 330xi - Mtech 1 - 6spd - Orient Blue/Black
pdxmotorhead is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2010, 04:17 AM   #13
hotmilk400
Senior Member
 
hotmilk400's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bethlehem, PA
Posts: 1,106
iTrader: (13)
Default

i never thought about doing them myself. hmm, maybe i should look into that. thanks for the tips.
__________________
Check out our new website! https://soltechsolutionsllc.com/

Green Your Decor with the Aspect! Shop for the Grow Light Used by Interior Designers, Growers & People Like You!
hotmilk400 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-14-2022, 04:24 PM   #14
M3WANABEE
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: Los Angeles County
Posts: 1
iTrader: (0)
Default Same Issue . . .

Greetings all! I have the same question. Can I directly replace standard struts and shocks with "sport" versions on my 1996 318ti hatchback (1.9l I4 / auto trans) ?
Thanks in advance . . .
M3WANABEE is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2022, 01:01 PM   #15
J!m
Moderator
 
J!m's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Bouncing off the rev limiter in CT!
Posts: 3,156
Vehicles
iTrader: (1)
Default

I think your question was directly answered above. Yes, you can.
__________________
"Speed's just a question of money. How fast you 'wanna go?"

Order Swap Manuals Here => http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=12912

WolferJ- gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
J!m is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
How much lower is a 'Sport' than a standard model? shonky Suspension 12 12-02-2008 04:23 AM
Difference with m-technik suspension? losichu Suspension 4 07-24-2007 12:52 PM
Difference between standard and Sport susp? PeteN95 Suspension 5 09-20-2006 08:01 PM
Is there a Difference between normal and sport? kinguz Lounge 1 04-05-2006 01:32 AM
ti rear suspension difference of the normal e36??? jmseven7 Suspension 0 03-14-2004 04:29 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:53 PM.


.
Powered by site supporters
vBulletin Version 3.8.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©1999 - 2024, 318ti.org
© vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.2
[page compression: 117.66 k/140.42 k (16.21%)]

318ti.org does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information or products discussed.