tires and wheels Best suspension set up for a daily driver

[Poon]

Guys, I'm looking to redo my suspension this winter, while the car goes in the garage, and am trying to figure out what the best suspension set up is for a daily driver.

I'm not looking for anything too crazy, and to be honest I doubt I will ever use it as a track car, BUT I would still like to improve my handling quite a bit.

First thing I'm doing is ordering all new rubber bushings/mounts all around. Everything is original and is cracked/stressed or falling apart. All the steering components are being replaced as well.

As for the struts I'm thinking either Bilstien HDs or Sports. Currently I have old KYB's in the rear, and old Bilstiens in the front. I believe they are HD's but cannot confirm this.

The springs I believe are stock. I'm thinking IE stage 2, or else Eibach?

And lastly, for wheels I'll be running E30 14'' basketweaves.

Anyways, for all you guys out there who have recently done your suspension, or use your car as a daily driver, what do you recomend? I don't want a race car, and don't want to feel EVERY damn bump in the road, but my car feels much too soft now and I would definitely like a much sportier feel. What is the best compromise of both?

Thank you,

Andrew Poon

[76duece]

I would suggest some thicker swaybars. I think that will give you a big wow factor in the handling. I have the IE setup and the car is glued to the road. Sports might be a little harsh for a DD, try HD's. I'm running IE stage one's and they are fun, but my car's not a DD, so I made the car kinda stiff. I cut 1/2 coil off them, and it sits nice.

Larry

[BLUNT]

for a daily id do bilstein hd's or sports and h&r's

but its so subjective. im running stage 2's on both my cars with all rubber in my M2 and all poly in my 69. sports in both. i dont mind a stiff car so this is fine for my needs. i have carls old 72 here that avi and i drove back from calif and its got sports and h&r's and its a more comfortable car and handles quite well.

[Poon]

Oh yeah! I completely forgot about the sway bays. The IE set up is what I'm going to go for. I don't think anyone else (other than BMW) makes a swaybar set up, do they?

-Andrew Poon

[Poon]

for a daily id do bilstein hd's or sports and h&r's

but its so subjective. im running stage 2's on both my cars with all rubber in my M2 and all poly in my 69. sports in both. i dont mind a stiff car so this is fine for my needs. i have carls old 72 here that avi and i drove back from calif and its got sports and h&r's and its a more comfortable car and handles quite well.

I remember in a separate thread you said you put rubber tubing or something similar on the ends of your shocks, to reduce vibration. Did you use anything special, or just some PVC clear tubing or something?

[752dbl02]

I have koni adjustables with H&R springs. Running the rears all the way stiff and the fronts about midway, my car is stiff, but not over the top. on bumpy roads, you feel it, but it does handle pretty damn good.

My next step, suspension wise, will be the IE sways. oh, and my car is my DD, but im 17 and enjoy a bit of a stiff ride.

[Chris_B]

I second the emotion for Bilstein and H&Rs. I have that setup with IE front and rear bars, and have been very happy with the mix of ride comfort and handling. Just replacing all of the original bushings and steering components with factory parts will make a huge difference. A strut bar may make a tiny difference in tightening up the front end, if you have a tired chassis. The other elements to consider, particularly if you are going with the IE sway bars, are (i) an LSD diff, and (ii) 15" wheel/tire combo. If your setup changes the factory weight transfer dynamics, you will be having a lot of wheelspin without an LSD. There is a significant difference in the performance characteristics of 14 and 15" tires (give properly sized wheels), and there are very few good high performance tires available in 14".

[BLUNT]

for a daily id do bilstein hd's or sports and h&r's

but its so subjective. im running stage 2's on both my cars with all rubber in my M2 and all poly in my 69. sports in both. i dont mind a stiff car so this is fine for my needs. i have carls old 72 here that avi and i drove back from calif and its got sports and h&r's and its a more comfortable car and handles quite well.

I remember in a separate thread you said you put rubber tubing or something similar on the ends of your shocks, to reduce vibration. Did you use anything special, or just some PVC clear tubing or something?

that was actually clear vinyl tubing you might use to run fluids thru,.... i removed all spring pads and put this tubing on the first top and bottom coil of each spring. i did it to get a little more drop and not have metal on metal

[Napes]

FWIW Your Bilstein shocks are guaranteed for life. I've had mine on all 4 corners for the past 26 yrs. and corners are still very firm with no rebound after depressing a corner hard and releasing. I've still got the registration cards that came w/ my Bilstein HDs (who says we're an anal group) and they may require something like that if your shocks need re-doing. Check with them. And, are you sure your Bilsteins need replacing?

Bob Napier

[752dbl02]

I have koni adjustables with H&R springs. Running the rears all the way stiff and the fronts about midway, my car is stiff, but not over the top. on bumpy roads, you feel it, but it does handle pretty damn good.

My next step, suspension wise, will be the IE sways. oh, and my car is my DD, but im 17 and enjoy a bit of a stiff ride.

[smithdog57]

I've een very happy with ST springs which are not as low as the HR and give good clearance with the E30 wheels. Shocks Bill HD. I'm also using ST sways. If you go with ST jegs has the best price by far.

[cj]

I'm gonna go against the grain a little.

If you're not looking to track the car and just looking for improved handling, go with the Boge Turbogas and H&R springs. The Boge's are a hydraulic unit that will do a great job of controlling the increased spring rate of the H&R's or Eibachs. They're not high pressure monotube gas dampers like a Bilstein or KYB. Make sure you replace the old bumpstops with a new pair.

Couple that with ST bars and you'll have great ride quality with good dampening and performance.

You'll also save a few bucks with going the Boge route as well.

Cris

[Jim_75Sahara]

I have the std. sway bars, Bilstein HD's, H&R springs, & deleted the front spacers. Works great for me. Also it did not hurt to get new ball joints, tierod ends, center steering link, etc. New tires are next and I cannot wait to see how they improve things.

[bluedevils]

I'm gonna go against the grain a little.

If you're not looking to track the car and just looking for improved handling, go with the Boge Turbogas and H&R springs. The Boge's are a hydraulic unit that will do a great job of controlling the increased spring rate of the H&R's or Eibachs. They're not high pressure monotube gas dampers like a Bilstein or KYB. Make sure you replace the old bumpstops with a new pair.

Couple that with ST bars and you'll have great ride quality with good dampening and performance.

You'll also save a few bucks with going the Boge route as well.

Cris

Boge Turbogas? I though they were gas charged. Do you mean Boge Turbo, oil shocks? I haven't seen them for years (red shocks), they are about 20% stiffer than the regular Boge oilers. I have a NOS pair installed in front of my 74tii with stock springs and ST sway bar, and regular Boge oils in the back, the ride is great, very confi and handle fine, more than enough for street.

[cj]

I'm gonna go against the grain a little.

If you're not looking to track the car and just looking for improved handling, go with the Boge Turbogas and H&R springs. The Boge's are a hydraulic unit that will do a great job of controlling the increased spring rate of the H&R's or Eibachs. They're not high pressure monotube gas dampers like a Bilstein or KYB. Make sure you replace the old bumpstops with a new pair.

Couple that with ST bars and you'll have great ride quality with good dampening and performance.

You'll also save a few bucks with going the Boge route as well.

Cris

Boge Turbogas? I though they were gas charged. Do you mean Boge Turbo, oil shocks? I haven't seen them for years (red shocks), they are about 20% stiffer than the regular Boge oilers. I have a NOS pair installed in front of my 74tii with stock springs and ST sway bar, and regular Boge oils in the back, the ride is great, very confi and handle fine, more than enough for street.

My mistake.

What I meant is they have characteritics(ride, dampening) like a hydraulic unit but are low pressure gas to help with aeration.

Cris