Raceland Coilovers?

[sokat1989]

My friend recently purchased this kit for his 328is after reading some good reviews on bf.c and he likes them a lot. Being curious, I called them up to ask if they make a kit for the 318ti only to get a response like,"it will fit ALL e36s!"

Knowing better I tried to explain to them that the front may but the rear suspension is not like that of other e36s! The guy was nice enough to promise me he would look into it and call me the next day. he even took my information and what not and gave me a time to expect a call back.

No call back...

So I called them back asking the same thing and this time the guy said he'd find out for me 'right now!'

I then heard him shout out at someone asking if the e36 coilover kit will fit a 318ti; the hatchback.

He came back assuring me that "our kit is designed to fit all e36s"

I then told him the rear suspension is more like an e30 setup than an e36s.
He interrupted me by saying, "Sir, I just talked to the Owner of Raceland USA and he just told me they WILL fit a 318ti and not only that they work much better on them."

So I let the guy go because I didn't feel like arguing specially i don't even know exactly what is different about the rear suspension as compared to other e36s.
I hope that by sending them a link to this thread I can convince the guy that he's wrong OR I can be told that I am wrong by the knowledgeable people on this board.

In all honestly I sure do hope that by some miracle these fit our cars because they are damn cheap;
AND work well on the sedans and coupes according to this:
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...light=raceland

The item in question:
http://www.racelandus.com/Items/ra-s...it%20BMW%20E36

[BMW_Hatchback]

guess we'll wait and see, people say their legit on bfc

[BMW_Hatchback]

but no matter what, I don't expect the rears to fit

[FMD]

In the picture for their coilover setup, they don't use a threaded shock for the rear so I'm not sure how the spring is supposed to mount on the shock for the non-ti applications. Maybe it will work, can't really tell by looking at the rear perches from their photo though.

[tiFreak]

do they make a kit for the Z3? that would work although the rears won't be the correct spring rate, but it shouldn't make too big a difference

EDIT: I just checked and it looks like they don't, so I'm going to say that Racelands won't fit

[sokat1989]

Originally Posted by FMD

In the picture for their coilover setup, they don't use a threaded shock for the rear so I'm not sure how the spring is supposed to mount on the shock for the non-ti applications. Maybe it will work, can't really tell by looking at the rear perches from their photo though.

Non-ti E36s don't have the spring mounted on the shocks in the rear.

[mgbman69]

They will NOT fit. Time and time again people try and save a few hundred bucks by buying these budget coilover systems. In the long run, they DO NOT pay off.

Often they have very poor quality and poor fitments. Remember, this is what will be holding your car up off the ground.
Is it really worth saving the money?? Remember, for a long time people on BF.com raved about how awesome DDM tunning coilovers where. Don't forget how that worked out.

If you're on a budget, H&R race springs or team dynamics should get you low enough and be safer then crappy coilovers.
If you HAVE to have the coilovers, spend the extra money and get the Koni/ground control set up which can be had for around $1000.


Let me repeat, the Raceland coilovers WILL NOT fit a Ti. The Ti has an E30 style rear suspension and kits designed for normal E36's will NOT fit.

[mgbman69]

ps, linky no worky in your OP

[sokat1989]

Originally Posted by mgbman69

ps, linky no worky in your OP

oopsies, all fixed now.

[mgbman69]

Thanks! Keep us posted on what they say.

Kudos, for knowing they were feeding you crap info!

[mgbman69]

HOLY CRAP! If they cost $278 they must be made out of paper mache!

I'd be very nervous riding in a car that had those installed.

[sokat1989]

Originally Posted by mgbman69

HOLY CRAP! If they cost $278 they must be made out of paper mache!

I'd be very nervous riding in a car that had those installed.

If you hop over to the thread on bf.c, a lot of people have then and have them them for a while without any problems.(link to thread in OP). also the VW guys seem to approve of the kit they make for them as well. I just don't get how they can be so cheap and be okay in quality.

[spidertri]

Cheap coilovers aren't for performance, they are for looks. All the VW guys care about is slamming their car to the ground for looks and a lot of them will sacrifice ride quality to get it. I have read that the Vmaxx coils (which a lot of VW guys think are the same as racelands) get really bouncy the lower you go.

[sokat1989]

So having basically established that these wont fit in the rear, i want to know whether it is only the shocks that wont fit or the shocks and springs both? either way i think i will get them and use the front and then get some bilsteins for the rear or something.
In other words, will the rear springs fit at least??

[spidertri]

I doubt either the springs or shocks will fit.