Interesting Discrepancy: Bentley vs. ETK on Shocks

[DallasBill]

I have been doing some research on getting some Bilstein HDs for all 4 corners. While doing that, I discovered the two different dust cap sizes (1.125 and 2.5) and 2 different nut sizes for the 2.5 on the front struts.

In Bentley 310-4, it shows the smaller dust cap for 93 onwards -- and my '94 (Oct 93 manuf date) and has that smaller cap. In the online ETK linked to a few weeks back, it only shows the larger one: http://rust.mine.nu/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD53&mospid=45167&prod=19931000&btnr=31_0128&hg=31&fg=10&x=73&y=73

Seems strange, since in that ETK site you enter your Vehicle ID and year when setting yourself up. Makes me wonder what would have happened had I called BMA and ordered it that way!

Anyway, for newbies like me, just beware -- check it yourself!

[winfred]

a lot of 93 and up 525s had the "sport" suspension with the small cap, i don't really see much if any difference besides needing to order different inserts to do a strut job. i come across differences all of the time between books cd's and the cars, including the allmighty etk

[DallasBill]

a lot of 93 and up 525s had the "sport" suspension with the small cap...Thanks Winfred! Can you elaborate more for me on the "sport" differences or provide a link? I am the second owner and always thought I had a plain ol' e34.

I searched here and Googled, but only found a post by Bruno a few months back where he mentions bigger sway bars on a sport suspension (vs. stock). Is that it, or is anything else different?

Update: every site I have researched for HDs only lists them for 2.5" dust cap e34s. Nothing for the 1.125 dust cap that I have.

Now, I understand the Sport is the essentially same, but for shorter springs. Does this "sport" suspension I supposedly have actually have shorter springs that will support the Sport?

So, am I SOL on HDs? :(

Thanks for the help... this is great board!

[winfred]

i don't remember anything as cool as bigger sway bars just different strut housings, mabie when new the struts were something special but 10 years later they are just as worn out as the others, it's hard to explane the difference, the bottom of the strut is a slightly different shape then the earlyer cars, the mounting points are the same. we did some research a while back and it was desribed as sport by our buddys shop that competes with the bmw dealer. i found sport bilsteins at bmp for $130 i have run sport bilsteins on the front of my e30 for the last 50k with stock springs and they are as tight as they were when i installed them, bmp has better deals on bilsteins then baverian auto sport, i was looking online for some bilsteins for a project and bav auto had it for about the same price i can get from my usual supplyer and bmp had em for $34 less each then i can get from world pac


Thanks Winfred! Can you elaborate more for me on the "sport" differences or provide a link? I am the second owner and always thought I had a plain ol' e34.

I searched here and Googled, but only found a post by Bruno a few months back where he mentions bigger sway bars on a sport suspension (vs. stock). Is that it, or is anything else different?

Update: every site I have researched for HDs only lists them for 2.5" dust cap e34s. Nothing for the 1.125 dust cap that I have.

Now, I understand the Sport is the essentially same, but for shorter springs. Does this "sport" suspension I supposedly have actually have shorter springs that will support the Sport?

So, am I SOL on HDs? :(

Thanks for the help... this is great board!

[DallasBill]

Thanks~!