lowering my e34

[saty]

i have a 1990 518i i have put 18 inch wheels on but the front sits really high while the back is fine. the only lowering springs you can get are 40mm. i was wondering is it best to lower the front only because this is where the problem or should i lower the back as well. i dont want a rubbage at the back

[bjl4776]

I think most sets of lowering springs lower about twice as much in the front than in the back anway

[632 Regal]

yes any good name brand lowering spring will do the job, dont just lower the front as the balance and handling of your car can go negetive if you dont lower both.

[DueyT]

Saty, common lowering is about 1.5" in the front and 1" in the rear. That what mine is. How wide are the 18" wheels and how big are your tires? This will determine whether your tires will likely rub the inner fender-wall. Even with the proper wheel offset and proper sized tires, you may have to have the front inner fender-wall "rolled"...flattened with a special roller that smoothly presses the lip of the fender to make more space for the tire. My front fenders are rolled and the 235/45-17's fit nicely with no rubbing of either the fender or the strut. If you have 235/40-18's up front you may need to have a body shop roll the inner fenders for you.

Cheers,
Duey
http://www3.sympatico.ca/dnatown/540whl-2.JPG

[Robert K]

I have the factory M-Technik springs on my 1991 535i with Boge struts. I also have style 5 wheels with 235/45-17 tires. Although I do have some rubbing at full steering lock, I've never noticed any marks on the sidewalls from rubbing the lip of the fenders, which are completely stock. Granted, the factory M-Technik springs don't drop it as much as others, but I wouldn't figure that factory size wheels/tires should rub in the first place. Just wondering why your car needed the fender lips rolled and mine didn't. What springs do you have on your car and what kind of drop did you experience in front?

Grace and peace,

Robert K
1991 535i

[Julius]

I have those wheels, with a pedders spring and bilstein shock setup. Stock the rear of the car is higher then the front, i had mine measured on a service before i lowered the car. After lowering the car it looks uneven like that only because your rear guard is lower anyway. If you draw a parallel line across the car the front guard is higher. Here is a photo of mine.

Large pic.
http://anoxia.auscstrike.com/jenolan_caves/images/104_0417.jpg

[saty]

i have 234-40-18 all round will this still rub

[Julius]

i have 234-40-18 all round will this still rub

No

[Black530i]

Hi,

I personally un-lowered my car a week ago. 40mm is just way too much for driving in city areas in the Netherlands. In some cities I would try to crawl over road-bumps (speed bumps) and each time I would hit the bottom of the car. I think that about 20mm is the max you can go to prevent such trouble. Perhaps in the US there are no roadbumps like the ones in the Netherlands. But at least in the Netherlands, but probably also other European countries, lowering 40mm is like committing to buying a new exhaust and mountings and plates for the bottom of the car really soon.

Good luck,
Ed

[632 Regal]

the engine is heavier and you got more drop, I got the same thing going on and ordered new Eibach springs that should firm it up a bit.

[Jose]

Saty,
Having a 518, a 40 mm job just won't do the trick, you just miss the extra weight al big sixes have. For example, I have a 535 which I lowered with a 55mm schock&spring set from G&M . I should have lowered the car 55 mm, but it did a total of 65 mm in the front and a stunningly goog looking 50 mm in the back.
So I guess lowering your 518 in order to improve the looks and handling, try a spring kit of at least 50 mm on the front and 35 mm on the back, prefereblya complete kit. If you want to know what it's gonna look like, take a look at www.fahrwerke.de , it's got a small picture gallery of a few lowered 5's. Check under "bilderkatalog"

[Robin-535im]

That's my 535 on the left.
http://www.bimmer.info/bmw/Robin.Ritter/MyCarJeffsCar.jpg

[632 Regal]

Saty,
Having a 518, a 40 mm job just won't do the trick, you just miss the extra weight al big sixes have. For example, I have a 535 which I lowered with a 55mm schock&spring set from G&M . I should have lowered the car 55 mm, but it did a total of 65 mm in the front and a stunningly goog looking 50 mm in the back.
So I guess lowering your 518 in order to improve the looks and handling, try a spring kit of at least 50 mm on the front and 35 mm on the back, prefereblya complete kit. If you want to know what it's gonna look like, take a look at www.fahrwerke.de , it's got a small picture gallery of a few lowered 5's. Check under "bilderkatalog"