Looking for stiffer springs (than H&R Race) for my 95 Ti Sport

[crAppAchic0]

Hi all-

I'm currently running a set of H&R Race springs on Bilstein Sports, with stock sways and the car is a bit soft, you could say. I'd like to run something considerably stiffer, but not soo much as to completely destroy the bilsteins in short order.

Without swapping to a coilover sleeve or full coilover, are there any options out there for stiff(er) springs on stock-location perches?

Thanks in advance,

-Lyndon

[tiFreak]

what about getting stiffer sway bars? I see plates on your car so I assume you drive it on the street, you probably don't super stiff springs on a car that sees street use

I know Vogtland makes springs that sit lower than H&R race, don't know if they're stiffer or not

[spidertri]

Rear is easy, I used TC Kline springs, they are linear and come in a variety of rates and lengths. [shameless plug]I have some 400s for sale if you're interested[/shameless plug]

They are designed to go into the stock top perch and use an adjuster on the bottom but you can use spring pads on the bottom instead (that's what I did).

Front is a lot tougher, there really isn't a good option for a stiffer stock style spring. You could email Vogtland and ask about the spring rate, but H&R will never admit to any specific rate only that it is xx% stiffer than stock. If you were willing to convert to coilover sleeves, ground control offers a conversion kit and then you have endless spring choices.

[familytruckster]

I'd try larger sways first. That way you can keep a little bit of ride quality.

[crAppAchic0]

AH, okay - sorry I didn't specify beforehand - I have plates on the car, but it's to drive to events, etc., but that's about it. Definitely not a daily driver or anything, so daily driveability is not a concern at all. Pretty much looking to get it a stiff as possible while retaining the bilstein sports. I haven't done anything with the swaybars yet, but I'd like to remove the rear sway if possible, and maybe swap to an m3 front bar at some point as well. I also realize that with softer spring rates, that removing the rear sway bar might not be possible until I go to much higher spring rates.

[spidertri]

Yeah, you want to be around 600lb in the back to run no rear sway. I tried it with 400 and 500lb springs and it wasn't great. Stock bilsteins will ultimately limit the amount of spring rate you can run.

Front M3 bar is smaller in diameter than a stock ti bar. Unless your bilsteins have the mounting tab on the strut body you should just get a big aftermarket front sway and run it to the control arms.

I got a rear 19mm M coupe car for cheap and it really planted the rear end. Car feels great with that bar. I would like to get 600lb springs at some point and try removing the bar again though.

[slow_ti]

get coils if you want stiff. my car rides stiff AF!

[crAppAchic0]

Well, here's the big issue I've run into - the few autocrosses I do take the car to- the front end bottoms out and, well, front tire traction is adversely affected. It honestly hasn't affected how the car handles on a track, other than causing me to brace myself at a 45-degree angle to keep myself at least perpendicular to the ground...

I really don't mind the ride height of the H&R Race springs, but they need to be much stiffer for sitting that low. That being said, I was working on purchasing a set of the Koni/GC's, camber plates, extended upper rear mounts and front sway bar & adjustable endlinks off of a 97 M3, but things kinda fell through on that deal.

So for now, I'm looking to do what I can with the Bilsteins and just swapping springs if I can because:

- first and foremost, I'm generally cheap/poor, so "cost-effective" is my motto
- second, I'm getting a rear rollbar in the car soon, and swapping in my seats and harnesses from my old car, so that'll be great, but it'll end up exacerbating the excessive compliance of the existing suspension
- third, I don't mind doing the work at all, so if it's something that's not more than a few hours of work, I'm all for it.
- second to the third - I'm planning on eventually just getting a Koni/GC setup or some equivalent for the car, because I'm sure I'm going to complain more about how 'soft' it is once I get the seats and harnesses in.

[spidertri]

The bottoming could be worse due to the internal bilstein bumpstop.

http://brazeauracing.com/bumpstops.htm

http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/sus..._bumpstop.html

[familytruckster]

I think the answer is obvious. You need to run coilovers.

Slamming these cars aren't good for handling, just the H&R sports drop the ass too low to handle very well- without some metalwork on the subframe.


I've found that my crown vic wagon handles better than the BMW with only springs, shocks and a front swaybar upgrade. You want cheap good auto-x, get a crown vic and put 400 bucks in the suspension.

[slow_ti]

Hha! That doesn't make sense. My car is slammed, with an x-brace and my sh*t handles so well. I out corner just about anything and everything I've encountered. I think a stock Ti would out handle a crown vic..


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[familytruckster]

Originally Posted by slow_ti

Hha! That doesn't make sense. My car is slammed, with an x-brace and my sh*t handles so well. I out corner just about anything and everything I've encountered. I think a stock Ti would out handle a crown vic..


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That's what most people at the autocross's think too.

What else have you driven? I thought my heavily modified mustang was the **** until I bought my mazda.

I've been driving legally for 20 years. Autocrossing for about 8. I guess it's possible that my ti is just a total POS, but my wagon runs circles around it.

I'll have to bring the wagon out to an autocross and demonstrate. Your car could be better at a good ride height- so the tires could have the maximum contact patch. Sure it's great for drifting now though.

[slow_ti]

Im sure. Ive driven.. My brothers rpi stage II m6 with coil overs, his e46 m3 with suspension goodies, his m5, I've also driven an Aston Martin DB9 that he had a deposit on but ended up not getting. Haha. I'm sure the crown vic does fine. Could you post a pic of it?


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[slow_ti]

I'm still waiting for the pictures of your squire. Maybe a pic next to your Ti?


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[crAppAchic0]

Bumping this thread- I found that Turner has the H&R Grp G E36 front springs on clearance. Granted they're like 800-lbs and up, but if I were to get my bilsteins revalved, would this a reasonable option? To get these springs installed on revalved bilsteins, and bolted on my Ti; looking at probably 800F and I'm not yet sure what I could do for the rear- I'd need something along the lines of 1000R, but they don't have the E30 rears. Any suggestions? And ideas on roughly cost to get my bilsteins revalved?

The main reason I'm looking at doing this is to get a decent track suspension on the car without shelling out 2K for a set of coilovers (yet, at least).