[335i E92]

Ok, wedding is paid for and money is now available so time to get crackin with a few more mods.

As most of you know I have an E92 335i with an Evolve stage 1 remap. I’m keen to get to stage 3 (fmic & downpipes) however I struggle with traction as it is so grip and handling are next on the list.

I currently have Eibach pro sport springs & Falken 452’s and I’m ready to press the button on the below set up to be fitted in the next couple of weeks.

• M3 Arbs
• Powerflex rear subframe bushes.
• Koni Yellows (adjusted to ¼ turn from full soft)
• Quaife diff

The reason for powerflex over M3 subframe bushes is they are half the price and according to Darren Wood, just as good!!

1st question: Will the above be a harsh ride? Obviously I want to improve the handling but don’t want to trade it completely for a bone shaking ride.

2nd Question: With the above fitted would I be able to get an M3 alignment done?

Cheers

H

[idnan]

I was at Darren Woods' on Friday and the lads mentioned that someone was going for Powerflex bushes and a Quaife diff on their 335i.

The ride quality would depend more on the spring and shocks more than the Powerflex bushes in my experience. I've only heard good things about the Birds B3 suspension setup but as you've probably seen, it is a very expensive conversion.

I'm thinking of going for the Quaife diff, stiffer ARBs and Powerflex bushes, leaving the shocks and springs as standard.

[335i E92]

Originally Posted by idnan

I was at Darren Woods' on Friday and the lads mentioned that someone was going for Powerflex bushes and a Quaife diff on their 335i.

The ride quality would depend more on the spring and shocks more than the Powerflex bushes in my experience. I've only heard good things about the Birds B3 suspension setup but as you've probably seen, it is a very expensive conversion.

I'm thinking of going for the Quaife diff, stiffer ARBs and Powerflex bushes, leaving the shocks and springs as standard.

Yeah they would be referring to me, they priced everything up for me last week.

I just don’t want to spend all this cash and not be happy. I know the Powerflex bushes will firm up the back end a little and give a more connected mechanical feel to gear changes of which I welcome.

Tbh I’m not looking to track the car I just want to improve on the slightly soggy set up I have now and still enjoy driving it on today’s UK roads without loosing fillings.

I’ll need to change the shocks soon anyway as the car is now approaching 68k. I’ve read a lot on here about the Koni Yellows being the choice selection with Eibach springs so going for another set of oem’s just seems a bit backwards.

I’m aware of the birds set up but as you said it’s major $$$ and I’ve got other mods to be cracking on with.

[fastloop]

Any reason for going with the PowerFlex bushes vs. the M3 ones?

[idnan]

Originally Posted by 335i E92

Yeah they would be referring to me, they priced everything up for me last week.

I just don’t want to spend all this cash and not be happy. I know the Powerflex bushes will firm up the back end a little and give a more connected mechanical feel to gear changes of which I welcome.

Tbh I’m not looking to track the car I just want to improve on the slightly soggy set up I have now and still enjoy driving it on today’s UK roads without loosing fillings.

I’ll need to change the shocks soon anyway as the car is now approaching 68k. I’ve read a lot on here about the Koni Yellows being the choice selection with Eibach springs so going for another set of oem’s just seems a bit backwards.

I’m aware of the birds set up but as you said it’s major $$$ and I’ve got other mods to be cracking on with.

I'm suprised to hear that the suspension on your car feels soggy, I'm well over 70k and it's not bad although the majority of miles were done in the first year on the m-ways.

I do understand what you're saying, lowering springs and new OEM shocks don't make sense and you might as well go for uprated shorter shocks. As said above, I'm going for a Quaife diff but I'm not sure what to do about the suspension at the moment. BTW, could you please PM me the price of the diff from Birds?

Originally Posted by 335rocks

Any reason for going with the PowerFlex bushes vs. the M3 ones?

Initial purchase price is cheaper and so is labour as they don't required pressing in like OEM bushes.

[335i E92]

[QUOTE=idnan;10138271]I'm suprised to hear that the suspension on your car feels soggy, I'm well over 70k and it's not bad although the majority of miles were done in the first year on the m-ways.

I do understand what you're saying, lowering springs and new OEM shocks don't make sense and you might as well go for uprated shorter shocks. As said above, I'm going for a Quaife diff but I'm not sure what to do about the suspension at the moment. BTW, could you please PM me the price of the diff from Birds?



Initial purchase price is cheaper and so is labour as they don't required pressing in like OEM bushes.[/QUOTE

Don't get me wrong, the car is sure footed but when pushin on a bit you find the limits pretty quickly and under hard cornering it doesn't instil much confidence.

Looking forward/apprehensive to getting it all fitted as in one hit I'm gonna be able to corner well and get the bloody power to the tarmac for once.

Pm'd you the cost of quaife.

[idnan]

Originally Posted by 335i E92

Don't get me wrong, the car is sure footed but when pushin on a bit you find the limits pretty quickly and under hard cornering it doesn't instil much confidence.

Looking forward/apprehensive to getting it all fitted as in one hit I'm gonna be able to corner well and get the bloody power to the tarmac for once.

Pm'd you the cost of quaife.

Thanks mate for the PM

I find the open diff and vagueness of the rear end from the soft bushes a huge limitation but I guess improving the suspension will only add to the ability of the car.

I also felt today the car squatting quite a bit on gearchanges which might mean that a stiffer setup might be on cards for me as well.

[Mike in Hampshire]

Originally Posted by idnan

I find the open diff and vagueness of the rear end from the soft bushes a huge limitation but I guess improving the suspension will only add to the ability of the car.

Agreed, I find the Quaife makes a big difference in traction - no point in huge power if you spin it away uselessly. I have the full Birds set up which gives you a car that can cope with our "challenging" road surfaces beautifully, so I recommend it heartily. Not cheap though.

I definitely think once you get to 350+ hp (maybe even on stock power, come to think of it) the stock chassis becomes the weakest link, on UK roads anyhow.

Keep us updated guys, all interesting stuff.

Mike.

[335i E92]

I put a review on here for sure in a few weeks when its all fitted and i've had chance to get used to it.

Going back to my second question, will it be worth while getting an M3 wheel alignment with the new parts??

[m1bjr]

Originally Posted by 335i E92

I put a review on here for sure in a few weeks when its all fitted and i've had chance to get used to it.

Going back to my second question, will it be worth while getting an M3 wheel alignment with the new parts??

No, you wont achieve that at all.
You haven't changed out any suspension arms or droplinks so the geo wont change much by lowering slightly.
The M3 arms front and rear are very different, all of them.

I would go for the ZSP settings, which will be a good start point for your setup and data exists on most alignment rigs already.

The ride WILL be hard, no matter what anyone tells you.
ARBs will introduce some more 'jiggle' across the car that was not there before on uneven bumps.

Rear bushes (I have M3 parts) make for slightly more road noise, but its very minor tbh.

HTH?
Steve
Steve

[335i E92]

Originally Posted by m1bjr

No, you wont achieve that at all.
You haven't changed out any suspension arms or droplinks so the geo wont change much by lowering slightly.
The M3 arms front and rear are very different, all of them.

I would go for the ZSP settings, which will be a good start point for your setup and data exists on most alignment rigs already.

The ride WILL be hard, no matter what anyone tells you.
ARBs will introduce some more 'jiggle' across the car that was not there before on uneven bumps.

Rear bushes (I have M3 parts) make for slightly more road noise, but its very minor tbh.

HTH?
Steve
Steve

Hi Steve

Thanks for the input, I take it the ZSP alignment is the standard OEM alignment for my car?

All I know at the moment is I’m done with spinning the inside wheel every time I want to get on the power. The side to side wallow on motorways when the road switches camber and the dull dead centre steering is become tiresome to say the least.

The current set up just isn’t equal to the power available so something needs to be done!!

I’m sure what ever comes back from the Darren Woods when its all fitted will be a massive improvement on what I have now and a great platform for the impending Evolve stage 3.

I suppose I’ll just have to accept that I might be trading a little comfort for a lot more traction and stability, bring it on!!

[Bee Pee]

I have an LCI 335i with Michelin non RF PS3's, full Birds suspension package and quaife LSD.

Its all good however the dullness in the steering abt the centre is better but still there so I agree with Mike that the birds kit is the business and with chassis mods you get what you pay for but would welcome any advice/suggestion on how to sharpen the steering feel.

I have the solid bushes and road noise was more noticeable in the touring but BMWP exhaust soon took care of that !!!!!

Pave

[m1bjr]

Originally Posted by 335i E92

I take it the ZSP alignment is the standard OEM alignment for my car?

No, ZSP is the BMW lowered sports suspension.
As you are doing something VERY similar with lower springs but not altering the arms and other angles, it'll get you in the ballpark as far as the geo is concerned.
When you lower the car you normally gain some static camber and toe is altered.

You could just apply the regular out-of-box alignment for your car too.
The difference isd not much.

To sharpen the steering, try some toe out, only a few minutes per side at first.
And pump the fronts up 2-3psi...

[335i E92]

Originally Posted by m1bjr

No, ZSP is the BMW lowered sports suspension.
As you are doing something VERY similar with lower springs but not altering the arms and other angles, it'll get you in the ballpark as far as the geo is concerned.
When you lower the car you normally gain some static camber and toe is altered.

You could just apply the regular out-of-box alignment for your car too.
The difference isd not much.

To sharpen the steering, try some toe out, only a few minutes per side at first.
And pump the fronts up 2-3psi...

Thanks for that Steve, i'll look around for a decent local with a hunter that can apply this set up!!

[m1bjr]

My cheap local shop has the ZSP settings on his Jim Bean machine too - often branded as a Snap-On machine.

Most will have them.

I always used Chris Franklin at Centre Gravity for the S2000 track toy.
But that is a far more involved and sensitive car to chassis tune and worth the £400 of time.

Steve