To add Sway Bars or Not?

[EngPhys09]

Ok, I'm getting a Sach/Eibach suspension kit into this week from BMA. I plan in mid December to do the swap. I was wondering if at the same time its worth swaping the sway bars and end links out for some Racing Dyanmic (or other) stiffer sway bar.

I have a Stock 525im m20.
I was reading on bmw4life web page and it suggests removing the sway bar endlinks, so I was wondering if I should just swap everything while i'm under there?

Opinions?

[M20Turbo]

I'm always thinking "since I'm already there" Yes you should consider replacing what is worn. A car that is 17+ years old, yea go ahead a replace the sway bars and end links out. If you do a search you will find all the information you could ever want on suspension upgrades, also don't forget to check the E34 web site, http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main.htm Check both under upgrades and maintenance.

[Qube]

Have you tried the subframe inserts yet? racingking.ca

[bahnstormer]

sway bars
ssk
and stickey tires

those are my top 3 mods in order of best/fav/most bestest

i did them inthis order
wheels/tires
suspension
ssk
sways

and i must say those sways made cornering much better

[uscharalph]

What is SSK?

[bahnstormer]

short shift kit

[uscharalph]

short shift kit
No wonder I didn't know that, my BMW's got an automatic transmission. LOL!!!

[EngPhys09]

Well i got the SSK, Suspension is here, Rims come after winter.

Maybe i should look into some bars, are racing dynamics the best? Or are there better?

[Torque]

Well i got the SSK, Suspension is here, Rims come after winter.

Maybe i should look into some bars, are racing dynamics the best? Or are there better?decide what size bar you want and get the cheapest one ... it's just a chunk of metal ... sure, it may be a pretty green color or whatever, but nobody is going to see it anyway.

[bahnstormer]

and honestly unless you like crawling under your car and playing with dirty grease you're not going to be adjusting the adjustable ones very often


i set mine and liked it then when i changed wheel/tire sizes from 17 > 16 i changed again....

so two adjustments in 2 years heheh

[Denton]

How much $$$ is the Sachs kit?

[gale]

Definitely get the swaybars. They are about the best bang for the buck for improving cornering, that and stickier lower sidewall profile tires. Check www.realoem.com for the factory M-tech swaybars and plug the part number into Pelicans. Sometimes the factory performance stuff is priced better than aftermarket.

[Sam-Son]

I'd go for the RD one...really no particular reason. It seems to be the same price as a bavauto one

[BigKriss]

keep the old swaybars and just get new bushes and endlinks simple.

[EngPhys09]

I paid around 800$ for shocks springs and all the bushing and stuff including shipping to canada


How much $$$ is the Sachs kit?

[EngPhys09]

Does anyone know the stock sway bars size and construction?
Hollow or solid?

and
Where is a good place to buy bars? Anything out there other then RD?

[John 535is (Sydney)]

I gotta agree with bigkriss. Replace the shocks, I also replaced the springs and the sway bar links. The car will handle heaps better but not skip through corners. I like to feel it slide under power, the thicker bars are fine if you track it, but not for street.
John 535is

[BigKriss]

Stock is 23mm front and 15mm for the rear and are solid. you may want to look into whiteline bars.


Does anyone know the stock sway bars size and construction?
Hollow or solid?

and
Where is a good place to buy bars? Anything out there other then RD?

[BMWCCA1]

Oh for Crise-sakes; I run little BMW 2002s on the street with 22mm or 25 mm front bars and 19mm rears. Nothing's "skipping" around corners, either. Y'all are a bunch of wusses. ;)

[Paul in NZ]

I gotta agree with bigkriss. Replace the shocks, I also replaced the springs and the sway bar links. The car will handle heaps better but not skip through corners. I like to feel it slide under power, the thicker bars are fine if you track it, but not for street.
John 535is
so what springs shocks did you go for John?you would have had the sports supension????

[EngPhys09]

I agree with BMWCCA1, if you have the right set up you should not have any skipping at all. Sway bars are designed to flatten the car in cornering. Now if you doing 100mph through a thighed corner you are going to have under steer no matter what you drive.
I'm trying to decide between the M5 Touring 25mm front 20mm back or the RD 27mm front 19mm back bars.

I would like some firm data on why one setup to better to the other. I know the RD bars are adjustable which will be a head ache unless someone can come out and tell me put the fronts on 2 and rear on 1 for example.

Thanks

[BMWCCA1]

put the fronts on 1 and rear on 2 ;)

[Sam-Son]

put the fronts on 1 and rear on 2 ;)
hmm why do you say this? is this a good setup
ps I have no knowledge when it come to setting up swaybars

[EngPhys09]

put the fronts on 1 and rear on 2 ;)


So would you say it was worth the $450 investment on them, or would a $220 investment in M5 touring bars be better?

[nixter]

The 20mm swaybar and subframe inserts are being installed on mine as we speak. I'll report back with results!

[EngPhys09]

The 20mm swaybar and subframe inserts are being installed on mine as we speak. I'll report back with results!


Are you changing your front bars?

[Sam-Son]

ANybody know if the RD kit comes with endlinks? cuz mine are shot

[BMWCCA1]

So would you say it was worth the $450 investment on them, or would a $220 investment in M5 touring bars be better?Neither. My car came with the RDs. I didn't have to pay for them. :D

I don't see why the M5 bars wouldn't be a nice improvement. Pretty much a bar's a bar. If Suspension Techniques or Adco sold them, I'd consider those, too. I have what I have. I adjusted them to get them to work the way I thought they should work. But, I drive a modified 2002 and an E28 535is with Dynan Stage 3 suspension so I'm not ever going to get an E34 to handle the way I'd like it to. All-in-all, the stock E34 M5 is a nice driving car. So...

[EngPhys09]

ANybody know if the RD kit comes with endlinks? cuz mine are shot


As fair as I you need to buy the front endlinks