balbs

Don't mean to hijack, but would you need to have the car re-aligned after installing wheel spacers?

Thanks!

Mr5

Thanks for all the helpful responses.

I thought you couldn't do this because it was an Xi and you NEED to buy a full coil over suspension kit.
If I can just do springs only, I'd definitely go with the H&R's!

Can anyone else with an Xi confirm that you can install aftermarket SPRINGS ONLY without seeing a problem or weird behavior from the X-Drive?

info@trinityautosport

H&R is the only company that makes springs for the e60 xi models

info@trinityautosport

no need for alignment if only adding spacers. an alignment is needed if the ride-height changes, or if its the regular time for having an alignment.

Mr5

Looks like I'm going with H&R's

Now a common question: How much of a drop would I see from the stock SUV ride height that the xi has?

As I asked in a PM... what would the total installation cost considering that the car needs to be put on a lift and I'll need an alignment after?

Diamond

I know people dont like to hear this but spacers worsen handling-not improve it. It also worsens body role due to the worsened suspension set up. How ? By using spacers you start to change all the angles at wich the wheel/tire (and corresponding contact patch) intersects with the shock, springs, control arms. The reason this is important in simplistic words is you can think in terms of a couple things
1. By chaning the rear:front track ratio-this effects corerning ability-this can be kept the same if you use equal spacers front and rear.
2.more importantly if you think of one wheel/tire and its strut/or shock/spring and other ocmponents. It is setup for that setup to put a maximum force linearly (through imaginary line) through the hub and contact patch of the wheel/tire. This force (like a compressed spring) provides the force that keeps the tires glued to the ground. When you start changing this angle, the force is not "off center and not applied equally to the contact patch thus giving you worsen traction on each wheel and changing the ratio on each corner of contact patch to one another.

This also is dangerous as the maximum force is now largely absorbed by the outer edge of the spacer which is MUCH weaker than the true hub of the car-so you are putting force in the wrong direction on a weaker part of the setup-this also does not allow transfer of the force linearly. Since the spacer area is weaker, it is unable to absorb and transmit force consitently to the contact patch and tire.

Popele like the looks but if you are serious about handling it really is not in your best interst.

Mr5

Thanks for the info. I found it very helpful and agree.

I will be going with H&R Sport springs... now if only I can find someone local to install them for me.

Diamond

I hate to rain on another parade but changing the springs alone to a stiffer setup (especially if you are non-sport but sport still is bad)-is not a good idea. Changing spring rates without a matching adjustment in shock absorbers will cause an imbalance between spring compression and bounce back and the shocks inability to absorb this increased spring back force from the stiffer spring. It provides a more bouncy ride since the shock is not equipped to hand the pressure/force of the spring. The bounce back also mean your tires are not staying planted properly through handling moves as the spring is bouncing back too quickly instead of a nice even uncoiing aided by proper shock pressures.

If you want to have better handling, dont skimp-the only way to go is if you do aftermarket struts. They take into account the springs with the right shocks but even those-unless you know how to adjust them you most often are looking at worsening your handling unless you know what your doing.

Sway bars would be the safest most noticable benefit to your car without adversly effecting anything else. After that going with bmw OEM sport package setup springs and shocks-will provide the best handling car that will be good enough for track use. Unless you are competitive with your 5, you will gain no performance with aftermarket struts and likely will lose performance since unless you are a pro-you wont know how to adjust them properly. Its not just a matter of making them tighter for sportier and less tight for less sporty. It is the ratio between front and rear that is key and what that ratio is-is what takes skill.