Hidden Gem: Sachs Advantage + E36 M3 rears (BUDGET PERFORMANCE SUSPENSION)

[Galapolis]

Hi everyone,

Over the past few days I've been doing a ton of research on shocks. Obviously this topic has been discussed to death, but I believe I may have pieced together something new. The backstory is that I replaced my aging suspension on my 330i with Koni STR.T and H&R sport springs. This was the biggest mistake I have ever made on my car. Ride is horrible and handling is just meh. I also moved to Raleigh recently where the roads are awful, so I've been longing for more ride height.

While taking my sweet time and not rushing anything, I have slowly been collecting parts for a second attempt. Having already refreshed my suspension, my budget was low, but I knew I couldn't cheap out on parts this time either. Luckily, everything seemed to fall in place.

I found $80 Eibach Pro-Kit (https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-pro-kit-performance-springs-set-of-4-springs-eibach-2067-140) springs on FB marketplace in great shape. Unlike H&R, these are consistent in their lowering and much less aggressive. They won't be much lower than ZHP springs and will pair nicely with my Eibach sway bars (it's important to match springs and sway bars for optimal handling).

Thanks to ZHPizza, I also got some super cheap E36 M3 strut mounts. This will help dial in a healthy amount of front camber, even after raising my car. Add to that some Bimmerworld RSMs (https://www.bimmerworld.com/Lifetime-E30-E36-E46-3-Series-Rear-Shock-Mount-Set_2.html) that were on sale for $30 and I've got a full set of upgraded mounts. Since I wanted my stance to be similar to the Alpina B3, I bought a double set of front spring pads to stack them.

36989

Everyone runs stock bump stops on aftermarket spring/shock setups for our cars. But even after cutting mine, I was riding the bump stops (cursed be thee, H&R springs!) I did some research and found that the E36 M3 front bump stops (https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-additional-damper-front-31332225377) were sold by Dinan as part of a complimentary package for using lowering springs on various BMWs. They are wider but only 2/3 as tall as the stock units. Combined with the expected ride height increase, they should be ideal for maintaining both performance and ride comfort. Fun fact: The Alpina FE 3 suspension (https://www.fmw-tuning.de/bmw/3er-e46/e46-alpina-parts/alpina-chassis-fe-3-wheel-e46.html?language=en) uses these bump stops as well.

36990

Not the cheapest at $19 a piece but absolutely worth it after my horrible experience. I also added some 6$ Üro rear shortened bump stops (https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-3251-rear-bump-stop-for-lowered-suspensions-e36-all-e46-all-except-xi-m3/) from Turner.

But one question remained: WHICH DAMPERS TO GET?

Reusing my terrible Konis was out of the question. B8s, Yellows or even new Special Actives were out of budget. ZHPizza offered his old FSDs since he wants to go yellow, but then a discussion about the stock M package shocks on our cars came up in a for sale thread here. I did some research, using the German forums as my resource, and pieced together this information:

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?23177-CL-imola-red-2004-100k-6-speed&p=598017#post598017

The TL;DR version is: M package cars (and by extension ZHPs) were praised for their amazing handling and ride quality, in part because they had Boge Turbo and Sachs Advantage shocks. The annoying part is that these shocks aren't made anymore! Well, sort of. The fronts became Sachs Advantage with the same part number and similar performance. Nice. But the rears became low performance Sachs Super Tourings. Yuck. They are 30% softer than the old ones according to ZF. So no good for my performance goals. ZHPizza also warned me against the FSDs for the same reason of lackluster performance.

36995

Regardless of the downgrade, what's worse is that ZHP owners won't even find the M package shocks because due to how the part numbers are allocated, searching for ZHP (facelift car) parts will direct you to the post-2001 regular sport suspension for non-ZHP peasants. This is the case for pretty much all sites, be it FCP or Turner.

But if you search for the PART NUMBER as opposed to compatible parts, you will find that the current M package shocks, or MTech dampers as they are usually called (Advantage (https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-strut-assembly-front-left-e46-w-sport-suspension-556-873) + Super Touring (https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-shock-absorber-rear-e36-e46-sachs-556-882)), are sold in America. On FCP, they only cost $330 for a full set!

36993
(Pay attention to the red stickers, which denote the Advantage line, the high performance line for Sachs shocks. Low performance will have blue or white stickers.)

Using more German forum knowledge will shine some light on what I was going for. Here, stock shocks are usually avoided for lowering springs. But over in Germany, you will be surprised to hear that Bilsteins are built to a different (worse) standard and considered to be absolute trash that barely lasts 30k miles, while Koni is considered to be ricer garbage (they have no idea what they are missing out on, typical German narrow-mindedness). People still buy B8s and some people even buy Koni, the former out of necessity for performance and the latter because they might just want to be different.

Generally though, the number one recommended shocks over there for lowering springs are in fact the MTech dampers. Both for price and longevity (since Bilsteins don't last and Koni is very niche). Regardless of opinions, we can all agree that Sachs produces high quality parts. The Advantage dampers also have the short shock body as opposed to the standard length body of the Koni FSD/Special Active, making them a better fit than you might imagine for lowering springs like the Eibach Pro-Kit. According to some posts I've read around here, even the stock Super Touring dampers perform better than FSDs, so the Advantage shocks definitely have the performance pedigree. Fun fact 2: The Alpina FE 3 suspension (https://www.fmw-tuning.de/bmw/3er-e46/e46-alpina-parts/alpina-chassis-fe-3-wheel-e46.html?language=en) is composed of Eibach springs and Sachs dampers. Needless to say, I'm feeling pretty good about my proposed Eibach Pro-Kit/Sachs combo.

The only issue are the rears, which are no longer Advantage line, having been replaced by softer Super Touring units. Then I came across this thread (https://www.e46fanatics.com/threads/koni-e36-m3-rear-shock-on-e46-non-m.978028/) on E46F, talking about using the beefier E36 M3 rear shocks on the non-M E46. Compared to the E46, the E36 M3 rear shocks are about 9mm thicker (50mm vs 41mm) and the shock body is supposedly shorter too. Then it hit me. If E36 M3 shocks fit our cars in the rear, why not use the stock Sachs shocks from the M3 to replace the soft Super Tourings that we were given?

A quick check and they are only $8 more than the Super Tourings (https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-shock-absorber-rear-m3-e36-290-816)! I don't know how stiff they are, but they can't possibly have less performance than the thinner non-M shocks.

So here I am, about to pull the trigger on some Sachs Advantage struts with E36 M3 rear shocks. At $346 with higher promised performance than the FSDs and better lowering spring compatibility, how could I not? I will update the thread with more links and pictures in the near future. Stay tuned.

[JPMo]

Super interested in this, but you got me feeling some type of way, considering I just spent a lot of $$$ on Bilstein B8s and H&R sports thinking I was legit :eek

[holyc0w]

What is an M package car?

edit: Oh, the M sport package E46s in Europe?

As far as I knew, the regular sport and ZHP package cars have largely the same suspension.

[Galapolis]

Super interested in this, but you got me feeling some type of way, considering I just spent a lot of $$$ on Bilstein B8s and H&R sports thinking I was legit :eek

Well you've got US spec Bilsteins, which is the really good stuff. They should last you forever and the combination with H&R sports is proven and works well. If budget weren't an issue I'd probably have gotten the B12 kit with some camber plates.


What is an M package car?

It's what BMW calls Msport today. It usually consists of a body kit, Msport suspension and wheels. I'm just using the literal translation ("M-Paket"). The US never got the M package on the E46, but they did on the E39 in 2003. The ZHP package is basically the same as the E46 M package, except that it adds even more items like the cams.


As far as I knew, the regular sport and ZHP package cars have largely the same suspension.

That's what I was talking about, searching FCP and similar sites you get the impression that they have the same dampers, but that is not case. M package came with its own set of higher performance dampers (previously Boge Turbo + Sachs Advantage). I assume the ZHP came with the exact same dampers (also referred to as MTech dampers).

[t.er]

You got so lucky with the Eibach Pro Kit. The seller of my camber plates was also selling a set for a similar price, but they were gone by the time I picked up the plates.

[holyc0w]

I could see BMW putting in different dampers for the American market.

[Galapolis]

I could see BMW putting in different dampers for the American market.

My thoughts as well, hence why I differentiate between M package and ZHP and why I used the exact part numbers to source the dampers I wanted. I asked ZHPizza if he could check what dampers his car originally came with (any other ZHP owner who still has the stock shocks is welcome to look as well). That might clear up the ZHP mystery. According to one of the posts in that for sale thread I linked though, the ZHP did come with the special MTech shocks (although it's still possible the US received differently valved versions).

I do know that Bilstein uses different dampers for the American market (B4, B6, B8 etc.) that are superior to the German market versions (they last forever here vs. crapping themselves almost instantly over there). Unlike Bilsteins though, from what I've read the Sachs dampers in the US are very good too (based on what Mango says over at E46F), so I'm not too worried about potential valving differences between markets on these Sachs Advantage dampers.

[fredo]

From my research, the ZHP came from the factory with these shocks & struts:

31312282459 = Left front
31312282460 = Right front
33522282461 = Rear (x2)

Maybe someone on original suspension can confirm. Mine was refreshed earlier this year.

[Galapolis]

Well lads, I just went ahead and ordered the Advantage fronts and M3 rears. I verified with FCP customer support that I will indeed receive red label Advantage shocks. Pinging @ZHPizza to borrow his non-Chinese non-deadly spring compressor (and RTAB tool). I'll make sure to document the process and provide some feedback on the ride comfort and performance.


From my research, the ZHP came from the factory with these shocks & struts:

31312282459 = Left front
31312282460 = Right front
33522282461 = Rear (x2)

Maybe someone on original suspension can confirm. Mine was refreshed earlier this year.

Those are the BMW part numbers that take me to the standard sport package shocks. Would be interesting to know the actual manufacturer part number.

[jlodge]

Good work @Galapolis. Keep us posted on your experiences with the Advantage fronts and E36 M3 rears. I'm in the market for new shocks and struts and am trying to re-create the original setup as closely as possible. Appreciate you looking into this!

Separately, what's the brand of @ZHPizza spring compressor?

[ZHPizza]

Here is the dope spring compressor. It's actually very safe and works great with our suspensions.

https://www.amazon.com/8MILELAKE-Macpherson-Spring-Compressor-Interchangeable/dp/B01DP2CDJU/

[jlodge]

Thanks, @ZHPizza - appreciate the quick response. Will check it out.

[Galapolis]

The dampers arrived today and already there is a problem.

First, read this:

37012

Then, look at this:

37013

37014

At least the rear shocks are heckin beefy.

[fredo]

No bueno.

[Galapolis]

Someone over at the German forums was able to solve the mystery.

Looks like we can throw out most of this thread. Sachs straight up got rid of all their shocks, both Super Touring and Advantage, and replaced all of them with white sticker shocks that have all sorts of different valving combination. That took one mess and created an even larger, worse mess. I've really lost a lot of respect for the company.

This also means that ZHP shocks don't exist anymore (the blue sticker ones).

That being said, I was told the new white label fronts should perform similarly to the old ones and possibly even be identical. As previously discussed, the rears are the only problem, but I addressed that with my beefy E36 M3 dampers.

If anyone reading this isn't from America or Canada, you also get the option of TRW JGT439T​ rear shocks. These are supposedly closer to the performance of the old Advantage rear shocks. So definitely get those instead of the 556 882 if your country has strict aftermarket laws or M3 shocks are too expensive. On a side note, several countries don't receive updated E46 shocks anymore. It seems we have entered the time period where the age of our cars is starting to show. You can use this link (https://webcat.zf.com/index.asp?PKW=1&KAT_KZ=P&FZART=1&KTYPNR=14923&KHERNR=16&KMODNR=4088&LASTPAGE=nc2_dialog_teile.asp) to look at the parts list yourself. Just choose dampers and then select show parts. The 330i is pre-selected.

As for my project, I'll carry on with the current setup. I think it's still a interesting alternative, even if we don't get hotboi red stickers anymore.

[NachoB]

Hi everyone,

Over the past few days I've been doing a ton of research on shocks. Obviously this topic has been discussed to death, but I believe I may have pieced together something new. The backstory is that I replaced my aging suspension on my 330i with Koni STR.T and H&R sport springs. This was the biggest mistake I have ever made on my car. Ride is horrible and handling is just meh. I also moved to Raleigh recently where the roads are awful, so I've been longing for more ride height.

While taking my sweet time and not rushing anything, I have slowly been collecting parts for a second attempt. Having already refreshed my suspension, my budget was low, but I knew I couldn't cheap out on parts this time either. Luckily, everything seemed to fall in place.

I found $80 Eibach Pro-Kit (https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-pro-kit-performance-springs-set-of-4-springs-eibach-2067-140) springs on FB marketplace in great shape. Unlike H&R, these are consistent in their lowering and much less aggressive. They won't be much lower than ZHP springs and will pair nicely with my Eibach sway bars (it's important to match springs and sway bars for optimal handling).

Thanks to ZHPizza, I also got some super cheap E36 M3 strut mounts. This will help dial in a healthy amount of front camber, even after raising my car. Add to that some Bimmerworld RSMs (https://www.bimmerworld.com/Lifetime-E30-E36-E46-3-Series-Rear-Shock-Mount-Set_2.html) that were on sale for $30 and I've got a full set of upgraded mounts. Since I wanted my stance to be similar to the Alpina B3, I bought a double set of front spring pads to stack them.

36989

Everyone runs stock bump stops on aftermarket spring/shock setups for our cars. But even after cutting mine, I was riding the bump stops (cursed be thee, H&R springs!) I did some research and found that the E36 M3 front bump stops (https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-additional-damper-front-31332225377) were sold by Dinan as part of a complimentary package for using lowering springs on various BMWs. They are wider but only 2/3 as tall as the stock units. Combined with the expected ride height increase, they should be ideal for maintaining both performance and ride comfort. Fun fact: The Alpina FE 3 suspension (https://www.fmw-tuning.de/bmw/3er-e46/e46-alpina-parts/alpina-chassis-fe-3-wheel-e46.html?language=en) uses these bump stops as well.

36990

Not the cheapest at $19 a piece but absolutely worth it after my horrible experience. I also added some 6$ Üro rear shortened bump stops (https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-3251-rear-bump-stop-for-lowered-suspensions-e36-all-e46-all-except-xi-m3/) from Turner.

But one question remained: WHICH DAMPERS TO GET?

Reusing my terrible Konis was out of the question. B8s, Yellows or even new Special Actives were out of budget. ZHPizza offered his old FSDs since he wants to go yellow, but then a discussion about the stock M package shocks on our cars came up in a for sale thread here. I did some research, using the German forums as my resource, and pieced together this information:

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?23177-CL-imola-red-2004-100k-6-speed&p=598017#post598017

The TL;DR version is: M package cars (and by extension ZHPs) were praised for their amazing handling and ride quality, in part because they had Boge Turbo and Sachs Advantage shocks. The annoying part is that these shocks aren't made anymore! Well, sort of. The fronts became Sachs Advantage with the same part number and similar performance. Nice. But the rears became low performance Sachs Super Tourings. Yuck. They are 30% softer than the old ones according to ZF. So no good for my performance goals. ZHPizza also warned me against the FSDs for the same reason of lackluster performance.

36995

Regardless of the downgrade, what's worse is that ZHP owners won't even find the M package shocks because due to how the part numbers are allocated, searching for ZHP (facelift car) parts will direct you to the post-2001 regular sport suspension for non-ZHP peasants. This is the case for pretty much all sites, be it FCP or Turner.

But if you search for the PART NUMBER as opposed to compatible parts, you will find that the current M package shocks, or MTech dampers as they are usually called (Advantage (https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-strut-assembly-front-left-e46-w-sport-suspension-556-873) + Super Touring (https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-shock-absorber-rear-e36-e46-sachs-556-882)), are sold in America. On FCP, they only cost $330 for a full set!

36993
(Pay attention to the red stickers, which denote the Advantage line, the high performance line for Sachs shocks. Low performance will have blue or white stickers.)

Using more German forum knowledge will shine some light on what I was going for. Here, stock shocks are usually avoided for lowering springs. But over in Germany, you will be surprised to hear that Bilsteins are built to a different (worse) standard and considered to be absolute trash that barely lasts 30k miles, while Koni is considered to be ricer garbage (they have no idea what they are missing out on, typical German narrow-mindedness). People still buy B8s and some people even buy Koni, the former out of necessity for performance and the latter because they might just want to be different.

Generally though, the number one recommended shocks over there for lowering springs are in fact the MTech dampers. Both for price and longevity (since Bilsteins don't last and Koni is very niche). Regardless of opinions, we can all agree that Sachs produces high quality parts. The Advantage dampers also have the short shock body as opposed to the standard length body of the Koni FSD/Special Active, making them a better fit than you might imagine for lowering springs like the Eibach Pro-Kit. According to some posts I've read around here, even the stock Super Touring dampers perform better than FSDs, so the Advantage shocks definitely have the performance pedigree. Fun fact 2: The Alpina FE 3 suspension (https://www.fmw-tuning.de/bmw/3er-e46/e46-alpina-parts/alpina-chassis-fe-3-wheel-e46.html?language=en) is composed of Eibach springs and Sachs dampers. Needless to say, I'm feeling pretty good about my proposed Eibach Pro-Kit/Sachs combo.

The only issue are the rears, which are no longer Advantage line, having been replaced by softer Super Touring units. Then I came across this thread (https://www.e46fanatics.com/threads/koni-e36-m3-rear-shock-on-e46-non-m.978028/) on E46F, talking about using the beefier E36 M3 rear shocks on the non-M E46. Compared to the E46, the E36 M3 rear shocks are about 9mm thicker (50mm vs 41mm) and the shock body is supposedly shorter too. Then it hit me. If E36 M3 shocks fit our cars in the rear, why not use the stock Sachs shocks from the M3 to replace the soft Super Tourings that we were given?

A quick check and they are only $8 more than the Super Tourings (https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-shock-absorber-rear-m3-e36-290-816)! I don't know how stiff they are, but they can't possibly have less performance than the thinner non-M shocks.

So here I am, about to pull the trigger on some Sachs Advantage struts with E36 M3 rear shocks. At $346 with higher promised performance than the FSDs and better lowering spring compatibility, how could I not? I will update the thread with more links and pictures in the near future. Stay tuned.

Really intereresting and i have contacted ZF to try to get some answers on the new combo Sport/ZHP shock they sell. I am really interested in these M-Tech shocks. I don't recall the original BMW ZHP ones I removed to shorter but I didn't actually measure them. I can say this though. The Super Touring are really, really good. I own two ZHP sedans right now. One I refreshed the whole suspension with everything stock and Sachs Super Touring for Sport/MTechnik. The second one is also all stock except for Koni FSDs. Side by side, the car with Super Tourings is outstanding and feels perfect to me as the right blend of firmness yet not as firm as hard as my 1M Coupe. The other ZHP has a 1 year old set of Koni FSDs. These have no place in a ZHP in my humble or not-so-humble opinion. They are floaty and i just spent 4 days driving 1500 miles down the oregon and california coast line in that car. I don't see any point to the FSDs except maybe a non-sport E46. I had a previously an E46 325i Sport and it was also more composed in the twisties than these FSDs.

So I guess what I'm saying is that I would be very interested in the M-Tech but if I can't find them, the Super Tourings are really, really good and I think they are excellent. Conversely, the FSDs neuter a ZHP and the only way I can understand how so many are happy with them is perhaps they had completely blown shocks and then, maybe then, the FSDs might feel like an improvement. I have been a huge Koni fan for years, but everyone lays and egg every now and then and these FSDs are it.

[Galapolis]

Really intereresting and i have contacted ZF to try to get some answers on the new combo Sport/ZHP shock they sell. I am really interested in these M-Tech shocks. I don't recall the original BMW ZHP ones I removed to shorter but I didn't actually measure them. I can say this though. The Super Touring are really, really good. I own two ZHP sedans right now. One I refreshed the whole suspension with everything stock and Sachs Super Touring for Sport/MTechnik. The second one is also all stock except for Koni FSDs. Side by side, the car with Super Tourings is outstanding and feels perfect to me as the right blend of firmness yet not as firm as hard as my 1M Coupe. The other ZHP has a 1 year old set of Koni FSDs. These have no place in a ZHP in my humble or not-so-humble opinion. They are floaty and i just spent 4 days driving 1500 miles down the oregon and california coast line in that car. I don't see any point to the FSDs except maybe a non-sport E46. I had a previously an E46 325i Sport and it was also more composed in the twisties than these FSDs.

So I guess what I'm saying is that I would be very interested in the M-Tech but if I can't find them, the Super Tourings are really, really good and I think they are excellent. Conversely, the FSDs neuter a ZHP and the only way I can understand how so many are happy with them is perhaps they had completely blown shocks and then, maybe then, the FSDs might feel like an improvement. I have been a huge Koni fan for years, but everyone lays and egg every now and then and these FSDs are it.

Read my last post, I already got an answer from ZF.

Super Touring doesn't exist anymore. They stopped production of the blue sticker. You can't get them anymore. You can't get Advantage (red sticker) anymore either.

ALL Sachs shocks are going to be white sticker from now on.

The info I posted in that other thread is basically useless.

[fredo]

My suspension was refreshed 5 months ago with Sachs. I'm very happy with the results. You can see the new parts here, shocks and struts have white labels.

37077

[fredo]

From my research, the ZHP came from the factory with these shocks & struts:

31312282459 = Left front
31312282460 = Right front
33522282461 = Rear (x2)

Maybe someone on original suspension can confirm. Mine was refreshed earlier this year.


Those are the BMW part numbers that take me to the standard sport package shocks. Would be interesting to know the actual manufacturer part number.

Mafia member d-rod posted this pic when he replaced the OE struts. The P/N is 31312282459 with prod date 12-05-04. Now I'm sure the ZHP shares struts with standard sport package. Original pic is in post #50.

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?21446-Imola-sedan-DD

37141

[Galapolis]

My suspension was refreshed 5 months ago with Sachs. I'm very happy with the results. You can see the new parts here, shocks and struts have white labels.

37077

Can't wait to get mine in! The crystal pizza ball says Sept. 5 so stay tuned everyone.


Mafia member d-rod posted this pic when he replaced the OE struts. The P/N is 31312282459 with prod date 12-05-04. Now I'm sure the ZHP shares struts with standard sport package. Original pic is in post #50.

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?21446-Imola-sedan-DD

37141

Thanks for finally solving this mystery.

Looks like MTech dampers must have been reserved for other countries. Not that it matters anymore anyway, since all the shocks have been combined into white stickers globally now.

[fredo]

Can't wait to get mine in! The crystal pizza ball says Sept. 5 so stay tuned everyone.

Sounds good. I believe you are going with these Sachs struts:

317-541
317-542

That's different from mine:

Front Left = 290-949
Front Right =290-950

Hope things work out for you.

[Galapolis]

Sounds good. I believe you are going with these Sachs struts:

317-541
317-542

That's different from mine:

Front Left = 290-949
Front Right =290-950

Hope things work out for you.

Interesting, looks like Sachs has discontinued those as well.

37142

According to Sachs, the replacement for your new shocks is 317-539 and 317-540. I wonder what the difference is between those and the 317-541 and 317-542.

What's interesting is that 317-539 and 317-540 replace the 290-949 and 290-950 (Sachs Super Touring).

37143

But the 317-541 and 317-542 replace 556-873 and 556-874 (Sachs Advantage).

37144

That would suggest that they are different, but they do share the first three digits in their part numbers. This might suggest a certain similarity but I would have to ask Sachs to clarify for a clear answer.

Nevertheless, the part numbers are starting to make more sense. I might give the whole summary thing another shot soon and build on the first post of this thread.

[Hoonin88]

I, for one, would be interested in another summary post of a budget friendly performance suspension setup.

[Galapolis]

I, for one, would be interested in another summary post of a budget friendly performance suspension setup.

I definitely want to amend the errors in the first post now that the past few weeks have uncovered new information. I'm leaning towards starting a new thread for that. I also want to present the information in a more reader-friendly table, and I've already been working on compiling links and part numbers. Hopefully I'll have that posted shortly after I install all my parts.

[BMWCurves]

I definitely want to amend the errors in the first post now that the past few weeks have uncovered new information. I'm leaning towards starting a new thread for that. I also want to present the information in a more reader-friendly table, and I've already been working on compiling links and part numbers. Hopefully I'll have that posted shortly after I install all my parts.

If you do make a new threat, post a link in the original post of this thread so people can find correct info!

[Galapolis]

I finally got a chance to install everything this weekend. The process was pretty straightforward since this is like the 3rd time I've done the full suspension on this car (don't even ask). The only issue I had is that it was impossible to stack front the spring pads like I hoped. The spring seat always ended up crooked, so I just went back to the normal setup. Many thanks @ZHPizza who let me borrow his non-deadly spring compressor. Made the install so quick and easy.

I also used this opportunity to check for subrame mount cracks. My car is a Feb. 2004 unit, so no structural foam. The wheel well seams are all fine and the area around the subframe bushings is good too. I did have a medium sized crack at the left rear inner fold though, so it's definitely time for a reinforcement sooner than later.

37204

As you can see my old setup was looking very sad. It has 35k miles and a lot of abuse behind it. Several Tail of the Dragon trips and other twisties, at least a dozen autocross events and a road trip through the deep south (some of those New Orleans potholes are endless pits), just to name a few.

37203
37196

The E36 M3 rears are thicker but surprisingly also slightly taller than the Konis. My old rubber RSMs were in good shape. I think they are Lemförder so those get a thumbs up from me. The Bimmerworld RSMs are definitely a nice step up though.

37197

I also installed the rear reinforcement for the lower spring perch. Makes the rear a little taller than I'd like but those rear Eibach springs are crazy stiff compared to the H&Rs. Speaking of, holding both springs side-by-side for comparison really cemented my disdain for H&R. The Eibachs are basically half the weight. They are so light, the car must have lost at least 10lbs! It's hard to explain, but compressing the H&Rs feels "jittery." They just feel cheap in every aspect. The Eibachs on the other hand feel so nice and premium. I will definitely steer clear of all H&R products from now on. The Eibach spring rates are also interesting. The fronts are extremely soft, softer than the H&R fronts. The rears, like I mentioned, are extremely stiff, much stiffer than the H&R rears. I haven't pushed the car much yet but in theory this setup should drastically improve driving dynamics as the Eibach setup would favor oversteer, unlike the H&Rs which favor understeer.

37198

Front strut with the shorter E36 M3 bump stop.

37200

I installed the E36 M3 strut mounts correctly, so left side on the left and right side on the right. This should drastically increase caster and minimally increase negative camber. Supposedly, if you switch them left to right you can get up to -3° of camber, but I want to stick with caster since MacPherson struts benefit more from that. I might end up just getting some fixed Turner camber plates if I feel like I still need more camber.

37201

The final ride height is so nice. Just compare that to the pic in my signature.

37202

I'm getting an alignment tomorrow and I won't really push the car much with the crack, but comfort alone has increased so dramatically, it's like the car didn't even have suspension before. Now I can go over bumps and feel like something is dampening the impact. I can also put the car in first gear now without the whole body seesawing all over the place. It just behaves normally now. Probably quite unremarkable to most people here but compared to the absolute junk suspension I had before, this is a revelation. Whenever I used to hit bumps with the H&R and Koni combo, it felt like the car was crashing into the road. Literally the opposite of what suspension should be doing.

I did do a couple of hot laps just to get a feel for performance. The caster was most noticeable. It feels like the car becomes increasingly capable the more you turn in. Very different from what I'm used to. I usually have to dial back or feel like I'm getting closer and closer to the limit the more I steer. The overall setup is also considerably more responsive and no longer floaty.

All in all: :like

[t.er]

Sweet! I wonder what the Eibach and H&R spring rates are, compared to stock which I think is around ~180/380 lbs F/R. If the H&Rs don't maintain the front to rear ride frequency ratio same as stock then that would explain the pitching you seem to have, the fact that the rear Eibach springs are much stiffer than the front is a good sign. I haven't pushed mine but I'm at 440/550 lbs F/R and have a slight hint of pitch, but I haven't driven on really bad roads yet or really pushed it.

Also those E36 M3 strut top mounts look like a very nice option for a budget. That's a good amount of caster and camber by my best guess looks like -1.8 to -2.0 deg.

[Will]

Nice! Looks like a much more useful ride-height, too. Looking forward to your impressions after alignment.

[BMWCurves]

So what orange Konis were on there before? Are those the STR.Ts?

[Galapolis]

Sweet! I wonder what the Eibach and H&R spring rates are, compared to stock which I think is around ~180/380 lbs F/R. If the H&Rs don't maintain the front to rear ride frequency ratio same as stock then that would explain the pitching you seem to have, the fact that the rear Eibach springs are much stiffer than the front is a good sign. I haven't pushed mine but I'm at 440/550 lbs F/R and have a slight hint of pitch, but I haven't driven on really bad roads yet or really pushed it.

Also those E36 M3 strut top mounts look like a very nice option for a budget. That's a good amount of caster and camber by my best guess looks like -1.8 to -2.0 deg.

Never realized that was the reason for the extreme pitching but I guess it makes sense. Supposedly, the German Eibach Pro-Kit for E46 M3 is 155/375-750 lbs F/R. Not sure what that tells us about non-M but it was the only number I could find. German H&R for E46 M3 is 240/370 lbs F/R. Stock E36 M3 rates are 165/360 lbs F/R, so I think the E36 M3 rears are probably matched quite nicely to the non-M Pro Kit.

I'm really happy with the E36 M3 mounts as well. Camber really depends on the ride height though, which I'll get to in a bit.


So what orange Konis were on there before? Are those the STR.Ts?

Yes they are STR.T. Honestly, they weren't half bad when I had the stock springs. And despite the abuse, they still mostly work to my utter surprise, so I put them up for sale along with the H&R springs. I'd like to be able to say the oranges are good for the price but boy do these Sachs shocks perform. The comfortable ride really just comes down to the fact that I have working suspension now. Outside of that, these babies are STIFF. They really feel more like what I'd imagine B8s or Yellows on max stiffness would feel like.

I don't really have much to compare it to outside ZHPizza's car and my buddy's E46 M3 with ST X coilovers. The Sachs are definitely leagues above the FSDs in terms of stiffness. They are also considerably stiffer than the ST X. I was able to whip it around a little after the alignment and the body control and response is just mind blowing to me. Granted, even Super Tourings would have probably been a huge improvement over the worn oranges, but still. Really wish I could compare this setup directly to a ZHP with Koni Yellows, B8s or even just stock Super Tourings.

Here is the alignment sheet. Took it to a VW dealer since they have a Hunter machine and one of my friends knows a guy there.

37207

Camber has basically stayed the same compared to the H&R setup, but my ride height is now a good deal higher, so I'd say camber gains were probably around the -0.5° mark. I'm happy with -2.1° of camber, but I was secretly hoping for either -2.5° or -2.8°. That being said, caster has increased tremendously from 5.2°/4.7° to 7.6°/7.3°. Roughly a 2.5° increase in caster. Very happy with that result. I decided to go for max performance, so about 1° less camber in the rear than front and my usual 0° front toe and 0.1° rear toe. I'm somewhat tempted to throw some Turner fixed camber plates onto the E36 M3 mounts, as that would both increase front ride height a little (there's still some rake) and increase camber (might even hit -3°), but I think the RACP reinforcement takes priority for now.

[rkman]

From my research, the ZHP came from the factory with these shocks & struts:

31312282459 = Left front
31312282460 = Right front
33522282461 = Rear (x2)

Maybe someone on original suspension can confirm. Mine was refreshed earlier this year.

Just checked. This is what's on my 2004. I'm assuming they are original but kind of scary because the car has 145k miles. I'm not the original owner.

[Vas]

Thanks for sharing your findings.

I do believe though a lowering spring is better matched with a performance shock that has dampening adjustments. Back in the day there was a Koni Sport kit which included Koni Yellows and H&R sport springs and there was also the Dinan Stage 1 Kit which had the same parts. Down the line that kit was changed and now is sold with Eibach lowering springs.

My wife's car is on the Koni sport kit and my only gripe with it is the rake of the car. However the wheel gap is equal between the fenders and tire on all 4 corners. As far as the ride quality goes, it drives great over bumps, potholes and other road imperfections.

[fredo]

Just checked. This is what's on my 2004. I'm assuming they are original but kind of scary because the car has 145k miles. I'm not the original owner.

Rkman, thank you for following up. My car was on original suspension until 150k miles. It was still driving fine IMO. But the tires were cupping, that was my signal to replace the struts and shocks.

[Hoonin88]

Noticed my passenger rear shock was leaking when changing over to the winter wheels. More than likely going the route you post up in the updated thread.

[Galapolis]

You are making me feel guilty that I haven't posted the updated guide yet. It's basically done, just need to spend more time editing it. Grad school has kept me busier than I would like.

[Hoonin88]

Hahaha sorry! I won't rush you. I was talking to a co-worker and he might sell me his H&R sport cup kit for a bargain...

[BMWCurves]

You are making me feel guilty that I haven't posted the updated guide yet. It's basically done, just need to spend more time editing it. Grad school has kept me busier than I would like.

Whatcha graduating in? Procrastination?

FUCKING ZING.

I kid. What're you studying?

[t.er]

Grad school has kept me busier than I would like.

Omg, story of my life. The only good thing in having my car in storage for winter now is that it's not as big of a distraction. But still, I find myself browsing this forum, others, and kijiji multiple times a day. And have started designing some stuff I want to make that will support more tracking next year

[AM1GO]

Just checked. This is what's on my 2004. I'm assuming they are original but kind of scary because the car has 145k miles. I'm not the original owner.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201008/6d3f87c7907c54f2f68e2ba580f148ff.jpg
Rear shocks from my project car.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Vas]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201008/6d3f87c7907c54f2f68e2ba580f148ff.jpg
Rear shocks from my project car.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What is the mileage on them? And do you mind compressing the shaft to see if it comes back up from the shock body? Thanks

[Galapolis]

Whatcha graduating in? Procrastination?

FUCKING ZING.

I kid. What're you studying?

Lol I might as well be studying procrastination. It's also hard to get motivated with all these online classes and just being stuck in my room all day. I'm studying Technical Communication. So far it's more composition studies and rhetoric, but we've done some API documentation, procedure writing and are about to start a collaborative DITA project.


Omg, story of my life. The only good thing in having my car in storage for winter now is that it's not as big of a distraction. But still, I find myself browsing this forum, others, and kijiji multiple times a day. And have started designing some stuff I want to make that will support more tracking next year

Man I'd be depressed if I had to put my E46 into storage every winter. What do you even drive now? Chevrolegs?

[BMWCurves]

My patients after I've explained to them why they need a paracentesis:
https://i.imgur.com/k5XUGwD.gif


Lol I might as well be studying procrastination. It's also hard to get motivated with all these online classes and just being stuck in my room all day. I'm studying Technical Communication. So far it's more composition studies and rhetoric, but we've done some API documentation, procedure writing and are about to start a collaborative DITA project.

Me, after reading that:
https://i.imgur.com/k5XUGwD.gif

[AM1GO]

What is the mileage on them? And do you mind compressing the shaft to see if it comes back up from the shock body? Thanks

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201009/1e7b47503724daf987690ee0caa52510.jpg
123.000 miles totally shot


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Galapolis]

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?23374-BUDGET-PERFORMANCE-SUSPENSION-GUIDE-(Ultimate-E46-OEM-SACHS-Setup)&p=601064#post601064