A few people have been asking me what's going on with this so I thought I'd update everyone
I was sick to death of this on-going EDC drama so a couple of months ago I started to seriously research a solution. After much searching I found a specialist suspension company who had the ability, but more to the point had the will to help us. These guys have many many years of experience with all manner of road and race suspension, they specialise in rebuilding old Ferrari and Lamborghini shocks amongst other things, and the boss is a good guy which is so important in these situations
Bottom line is that he's willing to help us. He currently has 2 front and 2 rear units in pieces and he's sourcing all of the necessary seals and gas sacs. They have the ability to manufacture their own seals if necessary so he's not anticipating any problems. There's nothing complex in the units and he's quite confident he can turn these around for us. Rebuild units would come totally refurbed, repainted and would be tested on their suspension dyno before being released. This is not just a hydraulics company, this is a bona fide suspension specialist who has all of these facilities in house, blast cabinets, dyno etc etc
The plan is the same as it always was, he'll hold a set of refurbed units in stock, people will buy them from him and pay a deposit which they will get back when they return their own units which will be refurbed for the next person
Target price is £100 per rear leg and £150 per front leg inc. VAT
I should be able to update you again next week. We will need to get him all of the blown units we have as there will be occasions where a solenoid or hardened shaft is too damaged to re-use so he has to salvage parts from another leg. Having said that, they can source the solenoids direct and manufacture their own rods if necessary but it would put the price up dramatically so while there are so many blown units available they might as well be recycled
Great news Sal and Luke .......Jon did one thing right making sure that the deputy editor of BMWCar magazine was looked after !
I read your longtermer's report in this month's issue after you had just replaced the fronts and look forward to hearing further progress reports going forward .
It's great to hear that this project is back on track !
I look forward to your posts :typing:, I really do ! :applause:
I guess that means I either have to become the next deputy editor of BMWCar Magazine or ship my car to the UK or both and everything should be sweet :1:..... yer right ! Still not too many success stories for people who either want to do the work themselves or are 1 of 5,950,000,000 people who live outside the UK. ;-)
Even Sal tried to get the parts I ordered, delivered to him and Sportsline wouldn't / couldn't achieve that. His place is less than 100 miles from Sportsline.
Sportsline still have a lot of improving to do before they can go remotely close to meeting the original claims made back in April.
This is true to an extent, although I think the real key is having a supply of decent donor units. The front left leg on my car was so corroded that it couldn't be re-used (it's since been repaired with a new spring platform) so if Jon didn't have a spare I would have been completely stuck.
Jon can replace the internals no problem, but if the EDC wires have been cut, or the spring platforms are completely rusted or the whole leg is bent out of shape (you get the idea) then this causes problems.
Actually there are a few key things that can cause problems but I'll keep you all in suspenders until the next longtermers report
the main thing is that Sportsline's EDC dampers work (so far, so good, I've only had them on the car for a few days) and that they cost a fraction of what you'd pay if you went to BMW
I have just had my complete EDC renewed in Budapest. The guy who did it is a rally suspension expert.
Of course, I have read everything before asking him to do it for me and I am curious to see if they last, but at least he provides guarantee and will redo them if they fail.
However, I have read a lot about how a new EDC system feels and I am not sure if mine is 100 % perfect. In S mode it is pretty stiff and involving to drive. In P on the other hand it is really bumpy, meaning that it might be undersprung (i.e. the back of the car springs too much, I guess). Maybe, my expectations were too high, after having read that a new or properly renewed EDC makes so much difference.
Can someone enlighten me in details as to what I should feel/look for in P or S mode?
However, I have read a lot about how a new EDC system feels and I am not sure if mine is 100 % perfect. In S mode it is pretty stiff and involving to drive. In P on the other hand it is really bumpy, meaning that it might be undersprung (i.e. the back of the car springs too much, I guess). Maybe, my expectations were too high, after having read that a new or properly renewed EDC makes so much difference.
Can someone enlighten me in details as to what I should feel/look for in P or S mode?
Have you checked to see how the rest of your rear suspension is doing? Check the rear subframe bushings, dogbones, etc. What your describing about the behavior of the back of the car sounds like you need some new bushings back there, not that the shocks aren't right.
The bushing had just been changed prior to the suspension.
Thanks for the tip on the pressure accumulators, I'll have them checked on Monday.
I'll let you know.
Also, make sure your Pentosin is absolutely clean. If the reservoir gets filled with the wrong fluid in the slightest, it will foul and rupture/ruin the accumulators and then soon after the rear EDC shocks will be affected first followed by the front dampers. You want it to be only green. If it's brown, it may be contaminated, and you will need to flush it and refill as soon as possible.
I have some REALLY GOOD NEWS regarding my experience with Sportsline and my dealings with Jon. Aside from my initial doubts of the service I'm managed to pick-up a complete used set, both fronts and rears off e-Bay in the UK (for cheap) and had them shipped to Sportsline for rebuilding. The process took approx 3 weeks to complete including shipping back to Canada via TNT Courier which was the cheapest. I had all 4 shocks installed yesterday and some maintenance done on the car and today I took it out for a test drive - WOW!!! I now have a brand new car! Both "P" and "S" modes work as they should and the handling is amazing. My mechanic flushed out the entire system with new Pentosin as it was contaminated from previous use. I just want to reaffirm that the service works and Jon makes every effort to see it thru.
Jon Slenzak
Sportsline Suspension Ltd
The Technical Centre
Unit 1 Glebe Farm
Turweston, Northants NN13 5JE
T 01280 702633
F 01280 843131
email jon@sportslinesuspension.com
Yes, he responsed to me very fast, after I saw your post and e-mail him to query if the rebuild service still avaiable, but now hold again for my second e-mail about the international shipping cost and VAT!
I've been meaning to get around to sorting out my leaking n/s/f edc leg but due to the lack of use it just hadn't happened, so last week i made some time to remove it.... After a chat with Jon at sportsline i was more than happy with that course of action having bought the last one from the dealer... I had been told that the damping rates are different to the oe version but Jon said that they are being rebuilt to the original spec.
I got the leg collected yesterday and fitted it today, after a quick run around the block i'm beginning to wish i'd sorted it a long time ago..
All i'd like to say is a big thanks to Jon & whoever has been involved in making this happen, i'm sure that for what Jon is charging he's not doing it for the money.......
I'd like to urge ANY board members who still have their service exchange dampers to send them back to Jon, this trust (and £50 surcharge) based facility helps speed up the procedure for others as it did yourselves....
You are luck that Jon done the work for you, but I sent the pictures about the EDC absorb to confirm that they are repairable or not, but without response, after many e-mail!
Do I sent them directly to Jon or wait for his respones? He responsed first but no more for advance question!
There was a post some time last year (if you search you may find it) from a Brazilian gent who'd found a hydraulics company qualified to rebuild the dampers. I think he was military or an aircraft tech or something so felt confident he'd found a good solution - I didn't see any follow-up posts though.
Best of luck.
Great to hear the Sportsline program coming through.
So I in the process of a track conversion and the whole suspension is blown. We are removing the factory system and replacing it with Bilsteins with Eibach springs. We are having some trouble plugging the fluid lines in the rear. Any tried and true methods to keep the lines from leaking?
You can't simply 'plug it' as it's a recirculating system. You'll need to do a loop in the system somewhere and remove the accumulators and plug the SLS valve.
I had sent 1 complete set of EDC absorb to Jon at 3/March, and the postoffice told me they will be arrive approx 20 days, but now is almost 30 days before any information from Jon!
I had sent many e-mail to him, but without any response from him!
Anyone near him can help me to ask him about that or I need to telephone him directly?
It is ok to telephone him, but for my poor English, I think it will be hard to me!
Right, quick update for you... I've just spoken with Sportsline and they have confirmed that your dampers have arrived (on the 11th March) I've also said if they have any issues contacting you they can call me and i'll relay any info via pm.. The current hold up is that Jon has been off for two weeks ill, they are hoping he'll be back next week fighting fit.
But I am very surprised that my dumpers arrived to Jon at 11/March? Are they sure that is mine?
I ship the set into 2 package each weight approx 14kg, I am living in Taiwan, the sender name is "Tsai Pao Hsu".
If you contact Jon again, please ask he to confirm the dampers is mine and any update is welcome.
Sorry to need your help again, at 19, April, Jon told me the absorbs are repaired, but wait for boot and buffer dumpers, they were outstock, so ordered them.
But now is halp of month gone, and some e-mail sent to Jon, no response again!
It is almost done the job, but now hold again! Please help me to contact he again, and ask Jon to e-mail me the condition! Thanks very much!
I thought it better to use an old thread than create a new one on this topic, but I have just been told by the MOT station that 3 of my shockers are leaking and the other is on the way out. I am looking for the most efficient way of replacing them, preferably staying with the stock set-up as I like the car to be close to original as poss.
Does the refurbished shocks work well and what are my options?
My car is a 1991 3.5 so no EDC (no EDC button that is). Thanks for any help.
I didn't see the car up on the ramp, I was however told that they were leaking when they were extended.
My options do depend upon cost, safety and drive ability I would also like to get the job done ASAP, I have no idea what BMW charge for the parts and was interested in getting them rebuilt by the company mentioned earlier in this thread but they seem to have gone quiet (the idea of the exchange set they offered appeal to me)
There are some on ebay I could collect listed as - BMW***ALPINA***M5*** E34 BILSTEIN STRUTS but I am not sure they would be correct. The rears do not look to be self levelling on the advert, Any ideas?
Richard
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