I'm too much to handle...ing

[Kulasstar]

i was talking to my friend (325is) over the weekend about me wanting better handling. i said i want better handling and to lower my 525i. But i dont want to sacrifice the smooth ride by lowering too much and then becoming a bouncy ride. he said for better handling without lowering too much i should get better shocks and better tires. does this sound like a good plan. is sway bars not a good idea?

[Anthony (M5 in Calgary)]

i was talking to my friend (325is) over the weekend about me wanting better handling. i said i want better handling and to lower my 525i. But i dont want to sacrifice the smooth ride by lowering too much and then becoming a bouncy ride. he said for better handling without lowering too much i should get better shocks and better tires. does this sound like a good plan. is sway bars not a good idea?


Lowering a car doesn't always improve handlng as it changes the roll center and the camber gain/reduction you get during roll at the factory ride height. I'd hit sway bars first, then tires/wheels, then shocks with maybe a slightly stiffer but not significantly lower spring. Read here too:

http://www.e30m3performance.com/myths/Weight_Transfer/weight_transfer.htm

[Jay 535i]

I got the Sachs suspension kit and moved to 17" tires at the same time.

The handling is amazing. A 1000% improvement.

The ride is harder, but not objectionable. No passenger has ever complained or even commented on it. In Ontario the roads are pretty good, and it doesn't bother me one bit. If the roads are bad where you are, you may find it a bit jarring, but then comfort/handling is a zero sum game.

[Kulasstar]

sways bars huh?...I knew it.

[Jay 535i]

I'm thinking about sway bars, too. After the big wheels and Sachs kit, they seem to be the next logical step.

While my car handles great, I would like to reduce body roll a bit more.

I worry, though, that thicker sway bars will hurt my winter traction. Is that the case? It's winter a lot here.

[Anthony (M5 in Calgary)]

I'm thinking about sway bars, too. After the big wheels and Sachs kit, they seem to be the next logical step.

While my car handles great, I would like to reduce body roll a bit more.

I worry, though, that thicker sway bars will hurt my winter traction. Is that the case? It's winter a lot here.

I have a 20mm bar from the M5T on the rear of mine and 25mm on the front (stock). No problems with traction in winter. But then, I have LSD and run Nokian RSi snows :D :D :D