[TxBeem]

Is this true?

[SSW]

Originally Posted by TxBeem

Is this true?

If you are going to lower your car at all, the general recommendation is to go w/the E36 M front and Z4 rear bump stops when swapping out your shocks and struts. The relevant part numbers are: 31332225377 for the front and 33536770350 for the rear.

They don't cost much and I bought mine from ECS (but other vendors sell them as well) and installed them w/a new set of Koni FSDs, even though I am still running with the "stock" Sport Package springs, because I "might" go slightly lower w/the Eibach Pro-kit springs later.

[mlifxs]

Originally Posted by SSW

If you are going to lower your car at all, the general recommendation is to go w/the E36 M front and Z4 rear bump stops when swapping out your shocks and struts. The relevant part numbers are: 31332225377 for the front and 33536770350 for the rear.

They don't cost much and I bought mine from ECS (but other vendors sell them as well) and installed them w/a new set of Koni FSDs, even though I am still running with the "stock" Sport Package springs, because I "might" go slightly lower w/the Eibach Pro-kit springs later.

did you install shorter bumps at the same time or did you do so later? Curious if any noticeable difference.

[SSW]

Originally Posted by mlifxs

did you install shorter bumps at the same time or did you do so later? Curious if any noticeable difference.

Installed them at the same time as the Koni FSDs were installed last week. No noticeable difference to me, but I didn't expect any difference since I didn't change the springs or lower the car.

Think you'd only notice the difference if you lowered the car w/shorter springs and didn't install the shorter bump stops at the same time, which could result in the shocks/struts bottoming out after hitting dips/bumps in the road at speed. Installing the shorter bump stops after lowering the car would eliminate that problem, which you would then notice later.

[mlifxs]

Originally Posted by SSW

Installed them at the same time as the Koni FSDs were installed last week. No noticeable difference to me, but I didn't expect any difference since I didn't change the springs or lower the car.

Think you'd only notice the difference if you lowered the car w/shorter springs and didn't install the shorter bump stops at the same time, which could result in the shocks/struts bottoming out after hitting dips/bumps in the road at speed. Installing the shorter bump stops after lowering the car would eliminate that problem, which you would then notice later.

thank you.

[TxBeem]

Originally Posted by SSW

Installed them at the same time as the Koni FSDs were installed last week. No noticeable difference to me, but I didn't expect any difference since I didn't change the springs or lower the car.

Think you'd only notice the difference if you lowered the car w/shorter springs and didn't install the shorter bump stops at the same time, which could result in the shocks/struts bottoming out after hitting dips/bumps in the road at speed. Installing the shorter bump stops after lowering the car would eliminate that problem, which you would then notice later.

Just curious, any reason why you chose FSD over the other dampers? I have read a ton on this but I still like to hear first hand on someone who drives on it.

[SSW]

Originally Posted by TxBeem

Just curious, any reason why you chose FSD over the other dampers? I have read a ton on this but I still like to hear first hand on someone who drives on it.

I probably read all of the same threads you did on the topic. I chose the Koni FSDs because:

1) My car is a "daily driver" and I was more interested in comfort over performance. The FSDs provide somewhat better handling than the stock/sport shocks/struts but give up some performance for comfort/compliance -- that was an acceptable compromise to me.

2) I do not intend to significantly lower my car. I already have the sport suspension and, if I am not entirely satisfied w/the FSDs, I may install the Eibach Pro-kit springs later, which are approved for use w/the FSDs. They will lower the car marginally (about another 1/2") below the sport package height, but anything lower would require the use of Koni Sport yellow (or other shocks/struts) or coilovers, which (as explained below) I was not interested in using;

3) The main advantage of the FSDs to me is that they are "self-adjusting." Are they "perfect? All accounts are that they are not BUT, if I bought adjustable shocks/struts or coilovers, I would never expect to "adjust" the them once they were installed and dialed in for my type of driving and desired "comfort" level. I also didn't want to be "bothered" with ever having to do adjust them again, particularly since the Koni yellow rears apparently have to be removed in order to "adjust" them. Other shocks/struts and coilovers were also an option but again there's no point buying anything else, if I never need or want to adjust them once they are "dialed" in.

The only reason to switch to adjustable shocks/struts or coilovers later is if I am unhappy w/the FSDs but, in that case, I would install the Eibach Pro-kit springs and swaybars before replacing the Koni FSDs with something else.

[Pr335bob]

Originally Posted by SSW

I probably read all of the same threads you did on the topic. I chose the Koni FSDs because:

1) My car is a "daily driver" and I was more interested in comfort over performance. The FSDs provide somewhat better handling than the stock/sport shocks/struts but give up some performance for comfort/compliance -- that was an acceptable compromise to me.

2) I do not intend to significantly lower my car. I already have the sport suspension and, if I am not entirely satisfied w/the FSDs, I may install the Eibach Pro-kit springs later, which are approved for use w/the FSDs. They will lower the car marginally (about another 1/2") below the sport package height, but anything lower would require the use of Koni Sport yellow (or other shocks/struts) or coilovers, which (as explained below) I was not interested in using;

3) The main advantage of the FSDs to me is that they are "self-adjusting." Are they "perfect? All accounts are that they are not BUT, if I bought adjustable shocks/struts or coilovers, I would never expect to "adjust" the them once they were installed and dialed in for my type of driving and desired "comfort" level. I also didn't want to be "bothered" with ever having to do adjust them again, particularly since the Koni yellow rears apparently have to be removed in order to "adjust" them. Other shocks/struts and coilovers were also an option but again there's no point buying anything else, if I never need or want to adjust them once they are "dialed" in.

The only reason to switch to adjustable shocks/struts or coilovers later is if I am unhappy w/the FSDs but, in that case, I would install the Eibach Pro-kit springs and swaybars before replacing the Koni FSDs with something else.

This is how I feel. I trac maybe twice A year so i don't need to adjust my shocks or anything. But i would like an improvement on handling over stock. I don't want to lower my car because i don't want bushings or provide anymore stress on the suspension and have to replace them prematurely. So I'm really considering these shocks. I'm in between this and bilstein.