Shocks & Springs for the E60
10-14-2005, 01:04 AM
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Originally Posted by soc_fans' date='Oct 14 2005, 04:21 PM
Do you know that H&R coilover will start to rust after being used for about 30,000 miles?
Can't win them all, can you?
Long before rust on my coilovers becomes a concern, I'll have my E60 M5 with all the trimmings.
Does anything on the M5 break down in 30,000 miles that I should be aware of?
10-14-2005, 10:00 AM
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Originally Posted by 6spdMan' date='Oct 14 2005, 02:04 AM
[quote name='soc_fans' date='Oct 14 2005, 04:21 PM']Do you know that H&R coilover will start to rust after being used for about 30,000 miles?
Can't win them all, can you?
Long before rust on my coilovers becomes a concern, I'll have my E60 M5 with all the trimmings.
Does anything on the M5 break down in 30,000 miles that I should be aware of?
[snapback]184087[/snapback]
[/quote]Little known fact is that all coilovers need to be re-worked/finished after certain amount of mileage/use. Nothing new or disturbing about this.
10-14-2005, 01:08 PM
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Originally Posted by ipse dixit' date='Oct 15 2005, 02:00 AM
Little known fact is that all coilovers need to be re-worked/finished after certain amount of mileage/use.? Nothing new or disturbing about this.
10-14-2005, 02:08 PM
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Originally Posted by 6spdMan' date='Oct 14 2005, 02:08 PM
[quote name='ipse dixit' date='Oct 15 2005, 02:00 AM']Little known fact is that all coilovers need to be re-worked/finished after certain amount of mileage/use.? Nothing new or disturbing about this.
[snapback]184320[/snapback]
[/quote]It's a bit more involved than just re-painting and doing cosmetic work.
Generally speaking, after a certain amount of use the coilover system needs to be inspected to ensure all internal and external parts (ie., shell casing, upper mounts, piston shaft, piston rod, shims, etc.) are intact. Will also need to check for possible gas/oil leakage. Depending on the situation, the coilovers may need to be overhauled, which generally include refilling gas/oil to the appropriate levels, replace o-rings, dust boots, and cleaning/assembling the system.
10-14-2005, 02:18 PM
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Originally Posted by ipse dixit' date='Oct 15 2005, 06:08 AM
It's a bit more involved than just re-painting and doing cosmetic work.
Generally speaking, after a certain amount of use the coilover system needs to be inspected to ensure all internal and external parts (ie., shell casing, upper mounts, piston shaft, piston rod, shims, etc.) are intact.? Will also need to check for possible gas/oil leakage. Depending on the situation, the coilovers may need to be overhauled, which generally include refilling gas/oil to the appropriate levels, replace o-rings, dust boots, and cleaning/assembling the system.
Generally speaking, after a certain amount of use the coilover system needs to be inspected to ensure all internal and external parts (ie., shell casing, upper mounts, piston shaft, piston rod, shims, etc.) are intact.? Will also need to check for possible gas/oil leakage. Depending on the situation, the coilovers may need to be overhauled, which generally include refilling gas/oil to the appropriate levels, replace o-rings, dust boots, and cleaning/assembling the system.
The roads here in Singapore are, for the most part, billiard table smooth, and the speed limits are ridiculously low (90km/h or 55mph on the freeways, 50km/h or 30mph on surface roads.
I only drive 3,000 to 4,000miles a year on my Singapore car, so I guess time would be the determinant as to when I would have to do the maintenance you mentioned.
Thanks for sharing your valuable experience and insight with us on the forum.
10-14-2005, 02:19 PM
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Originally Posted by ipse dixit' date='Oct 14 2005, 03:08 PM
[quote name='6spdMan' date='Oct 14 2005, 02:08 PM'][quote name='ipse dixit' date='Oct 15 2005, 02:00 AM']Little known fact is that all coilovers need to be re-worked/finished after certain amount of mileage/use.? Nothing new or disturbing about this.
[snapback]184320[/snapback]
[/quote]It's a bit more involved than just re-painting and doing cosmetic work.
Generally speaking, after a certain amount of use the coilover system needs to be inspected to ensure all internal and external parts (ie., shell casing, upper mounts, piston shaft, piston rod, shims, etc.) are intact. Will also need to check for possible gas/oil leakage. Depending on the situation, the coilovers may need to be overhauled, which generally include refilling gas/oil to the appropriate levels, replace o-rings, dust boots, and cleaning/assembling the system.
[snapback]184341[/snapback]
[/quote]i'm a novice to suspension and thought that coilover was a better solution than spring/shocks combo. sounds like coilover is more of a hassle? do shocks need the same attention?
10-14-2005, 02:58 PM
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Originally Posted by ro11dice' date='Oct 14 2005, 03:19 PM
[quote name='ipse dixit' date='Oct 14 2005, 03:08 PM'][quote name='6spdMan' date='Oct 14 2005, 02:08 PM'][quote name='ipse dixit' date='Oct 15 2005, 02:00 AM']Little known fact is that all coilovers need to be re-worked/finished after certain amount of mileage/use.? Nothing new or disturbing about this.
[snapback]184320[/snapback]
[/quote]It's a bit more involved than just re-painting and doing cosmetic work.
Generally speaking, after a certain amount of use the coilover system needs to be inspected to ensure all internal and external parts (ie., shell casing, upper mounts, piston shaft, piston rod, shims, etc.) are intact. Will also need to check for possible gas/oil leakage. Depending on the situation, the coilovers may need to be overhauled, which generally include refilling gas/oil to the appropriate levels, replace o-rings, dust boots, and cleaning/assembling the system.
[snapback]184341[/snapback]
[/quote]i'm a novice to suspension and thought that coilover was a better solution than spring/shocks combo. sounds like coilover is more of a hassle? do shocks need the same attention?
[snapback]184348[/snapback]
[/quote]For most of us, coilovers are overkill. Changing springs will do the trick.
While the ultimate in handling can be had with coilovers, the truth is that unless you are doing serious Auto-X or tracking your car, you don't need a fancy aftermarket coilover system. One of the biggest advantage of coilovers is corner-weighing the car -- transferring weight from one corner to another to achieve better balance. (Most folks with coilover systems never do this.
) A couple of other advantages of coilovers is the ability to change spring rates and to adjust ride height. For regular street driving, none of this is really necessary.If all you want is to dress up your car and lower it a bit, then springs are fine. The E60 has great OEM shocks to begin with -- good compression and rebound rates. No need for coilovers if you are looking to improve these rates.
So to answer your question - do shocks need the same attention? Well, yes and no. Like all mechanical parts, the struts/shocks on the E60 will wear out in time. Because of cost/time, most people will just replace the struts with new ones. Coilovers are much more expensive, which is why an overhaul is an option.
*(By the way, the strut-type system used in the front suspension for the E60 is technically a "coilver" -- that is, the strut (or shock) sits inside the coil spring.)
10-14-2005, 03:23 PM
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[/quote]
*(By the way, the strut-type system used in the front suspension for the E60 is technically a "coilver" -- that is, the strut (or shock) sits inside the coil spring.)
i knew that
thanks for the post. that helps out. out to look for springs....
*(By the way, the strut-type system used in the front suspension for the E60 is technically a "coilver" -- that is, the strut (or shock) sits inside the coil spring.)
[snapback]184364[/snapback]
[/quote]i knew that
thanks for the post. that helps out. out to look for springs....
10-14-2005, 05:25 PM
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Originally Posted by ipse dixit' date='Oct 15 2005, 06:58 AM
For most of us, coilovers are overkill.? Changing springs will do the trick.
While the ultimate in handling can be had with coilovers, the truth is that unless you are doing serious Auto-X or tracking your car, you don't need a fancy aftermarket coilover system.? One of the biggest advantage of coilovers is corner-weighing the car -- transferring weight from one corner to another to achieve better balance.? (Most folks with coilover systems never do this.? )? A couple of other advantages of coilovers is the ability to change spring rates and to adjust ride height.? For regular street driving, none of this is really necessary.
If all you want is to dress up your car and lower it a bit, then springs are fine.? The E60 has great OEM shocks to begin with -- good compression and rebound rates.? No need for coilovers if you are looking to improve these rates.
So to answer your question - do shocks need the same attention?? Well, yes and no.? Like all mechanical parts, the struts/shocks on the E60 will wear out in time.? Because of cost/time, most people will just replace the struts with new ones.? Coilovers are much more expensive, which is why an overhaul is an option.?
*(By the way, the strut-type system used in the front suspension for the E60 is technically a "coilver" -- that is, the strut (or shock) sits inside the coil spring.)
While the ultimate in handling can be had with coilovers, the truth is that unless you are doing serious Auto-X or tracking your car, you don't need a fancy aftermarket coilover system.? One of the biggest advantage of coilovers is corner-weighing the car -- transferring weight from one corner to another to achieve better balance.? (Most folks with coilover systems never do this.?
)? A couple of other advantages of coilovers is the ability to change spring rates and to adjust ride height.? For regular street driving, none of this is really necessary.If all you want is to dress up your car and lower it a bit, then springs are fine.? The E60 has great OEM shocks to begin with -- good compression and rebound rates.? No need for coilovers if you are looking to improve these rates.
So to answer your question - do shocks need the same attention?? Well, yes and no.? Like all mechanical parts, the struts/shocks on the E60 will wear out in time.? Because of cost/time, most people will just replace the struts with new ones.? Coilovers are much more expensive, which is why an overhaul is an option.?
*(By the way, the strut-type system used in the front suspension for the E60 is technically a "coilver" -- that is, the strut (or shock) sits inside the coil spring.)
I appreciate the fact that aftermarket coil overs are overkill for street use. But then, aren't most of the toys that we like also overkill?
Who (in their right mind) would regularly track a car as massive as an E60? I never thought of the E60 as a track/autocross kind of car. I have no intentions of ever tracking my limo.
I liked the looks of the H&R Coilover Suspension Set and bought them on a whim because Tirerack sells at a reasonable price, and they had a set in stock when I called in July. Best US$1,450 (next day FedEx to California) I have spent on my car so far. Installation only cost me US$125, and I managed to sell my Sports Suspension and get a stock suspension in the bargain. All in all, not an overly expensive upgrade.
I take your point about the cost effectiveness of overhauling the coilover struts, but here in Singapore, our mechanics are not that experienced in doings overhauls. Shops here would much rather sell new product because there's more margin and less work involved.
Once I reach the stage when my suspension needs overhauling, I probably would have saved enough for a new suspension kit.
Keep up the great posts.
Next bit of overkill will probably be an E60 M5 with all the gee gaws factory fitted.
10-14-2005, 09:09 PM
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Originally Posted by 6spdMan' date='Oct 14 2005, 06:25 PM
[quote name='ipse dixit' date='Oct 15 2005, 06:58 AM']For most of us, coilovers are overkill.? Changing springs will do the trick.
While the ultimate in handling can be had with coilovers, the truth is that unless you are doing serious Auto-X or tracking your car, you don't need a fancy aftermarket coilover system.? One of the biggest advantage of coilovers is corner-weighing the car -- transferring weight from one corner to another to achieve better balance.? (Most folks with coilover systems never do this.? )? A couple of other advantages of coilovers is the ability to change spring rates and to adjust ride height.? For regular street driving, none of this is really necessary.
If all you want is to dress up your car and lower it a bit, then springs are fine.? The E60 has great OEM shocks to begin with -- good compression and rebound rates.? No need for coilovers if you are looking to improve these rates.
So to answer your question - do shocks need the same attention?? Well, yes and no.? Like all mechanical parts, the struts/shocks on the E60 will wear out in time.? Because of cost/time, most people will just replace the struts with new ones.? Coilovers are much more expensive, which is why an overhaul is an option.?
*(By the way, the strut-type system used in the front suspension for the E60 is technically a "coilver" -- that is, the strut (or shock) sits inside the coil spring.)
While the ultimate in handling can be had with coilovers, the truth is that unless you are doing serious Auto-X or tracking your car, you don't need a fancy aftermarket coilover system.? One of the biggest advantage of coilovers is corner-weighing the car -- transferring weight from one corner to another to achieve better balance.? (Most folks with coilover systems never do this.?
)? A couple of other advantages of coilovers is the ability to change spring rates and to adjust ride height.? For regular street driving, none of this is really necessary.If all you want is to dress up your car and lower it a bit, then springs are fine.? The E60 has great OEM shocks to begin with -- good compression and rebound rates.? No need for coilovers if you are looking to improve these rates.
So to answer your question - do shocks need the same attention?? Well, yes and no.? Like all mechanical parts, the struts/shocks on the E60 will wear out in time.? Because of cost/time, most people will just replace the struts with new ones.? Coilovers are much more expensive, which is why an overhaul is an option.?
*(By the way, the strut-type system used in the front suspension for the E60 is technically a "coilver" -- that is, the strut (or shock) sits inside the coil spring.)
I appreciate the fact that aftermarket coil overs are overkill for street use. But then, aren't most of the toys that we like also overkill?
Who (in their right mind) would regularly track a car as massive as an E60? I never thought of the E60 as a track/autocross kind of car. I have no intentions of ever tracking my limo.
I liked the looks of the H&R Coilover Suspension Set and bought them on a whim because Tirerack sells at a reasonable price, and they had a set in stock when I called in July. Best US$1,450 (next day FedEx to California) I have spent on my car so far. Installation only cost me US$125, and I managed to sell my Sports Suspension and get a stock suspension in the bargain. All in all, not an overly expensive upgrade.
I take your point about the cost effectiveness of overhauling the coilover struts, but here in Singapore, our mechanics are not that experienced in doings overhauls. Shops here would much rather sell new product because there's more margin and less work involved.
Once I reach the stage when my suspension needs overhauling, I probably would have saved enough for a new suspension kit.
Keep up the great posts.
Next bit of overkill will probably be an E60 M5 with all the gee gaws factory fitted.
[snapback]184416[/snapback]
[/quote]Please don't misunderstand what I'm getting at. I am not saying people should not get coilovers (or any other type of sophisticated suspension system). I am only saying that there is no need necessarily to get coilovers to dress up the car, lower it, etc.
It's just like getting new wheels. Do we need 20" chromed-out wheels with fat lips? Probably not, but if they make you happy, then it' all good.
By the way, I used to track my E39 540i/6. Great car, lots of fun.
Yeah, I know, I'm out of my mind .... 