Married with 5 - Back from the Dead - H&R Coilovers - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

Married with 5 · 16th December 2004, 20:29

Today, 13:24

#81

Married with 5
Junior Member, warming up (<31 posts)

Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Montgomery,AL
Posts: 5

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Re: H&R M5 Coilovers!

Quote:

Originally Posted by brad @ evosport
Pete,

As I told you, it needs to be really broken in. Just freeway driving will NOT do it. After button, it should be MUCH better. Let me know if we can help after the event if it is not.

BTW - never heard back from you after my last PM?

Thanks

Brad

Back From the Dead - It's M5 !

OK guys, let me have it ! I have no excuse for no reply other than work - we were just in the last 60 days of build out of our latest lifestyle center, and it's a freakshow keeping the GC's and subs in line...
To the important stuff - the H&R Coilovers. The first setup, 1.15 inches lower in front, 0.85 inches in the rear - I like the front to rear trail look and a slight Right Rear bias for engine torque - the 5 looked sooo shweeet ! but rode like a logging truck. I felt like a bobble head doll or a teenager w/a slammed mini pick up ! Ridiculous. On the track and that almost perfect world of smoothness - phenominal. The SOLO II ride was awesome. Scarcely any body roll ; Incredible feel and razor sharp turn in. Daily driver - not for me and my last post told you that I'll sacrifice ride for handling.
So, I raised the beast up to 0.75 in front and 0.25 in back - looks shweet, still lower and drives GREAT ! I have over 1500 miles on it, so it's broken in and relaxed. The ride is firm, sure, but confidence inspiring and hey, you're not putting on a somewhat racing type mod for a cush ride, are you ? The stocker's got that already. An undulating road(sewer lines settled, large truck braking/accelerating bumps, uneven freeway slabs, bridge sections; leave you with a little jounce at each, but it is tolerable. Note that if you hit these at speed - you remain in control - that's key to me. The stock setup got a little squirrely and many other kinds of car were unsettling, spooky. An improvement in steering, control, high speed manueverability, lack of body roll all made this a great decision for me. One must play with the height to find what one likes best. Not easy in the rear ,as the rear seat must be removed to adjust the shocks/coil over spacers, but not a big deal to an experienced BMW mechanic - they're used to stuff like that - just a little time consuming. If one were to install these coilovers and maintain the stock ride height(softer than mine now, so should be perfect), I don't see how one could say that the ride is objectionable. It will be much better than stock, although you must however, give the setup time to break in.
One thing I would urge each of you to do if you get this setup is to go out into an empty parking lot and find out precisely where that bad boy is going to break loose on you. The old feelings, nuances, sounds will not be there, and when you lose traction with this setup it's all of a sudden and it's all gone ! This is not a complaint, it's not a danger - unless you go into this deal with your eyes shut. There are new limits to adhesion and new ways that the car is going to tell you to back off - or else, and you need to find them. I've taken freeway circle onramps at 70+, where the old setup only allowed 50-55 mph. If the car breaks loose, I be in the wall instantly - but because i know the new limits and feelings to watch for - it's just freakin' fun !! I can't tell you how cool it is to go into some twisties or a ramp and have the Corvette, Viper, Mercedes, odd Porsche in your rearview struggling to stay with you - most just back off or bust the rear end loose and get nervous - hee, heee.
BTW, when on good roads, my wife likes it; she appreciates a solid, good handling car. When on rough roads, she looks over with that "you spent good money to do this to your car?" look......oh well, the rough sections don't last long , she ain't in it much and the 5 kids LOVE IT ! They fight for the right to get Dad's ride to school. The lower ride, the power, the bling plastic goodies, the sound, the wheels - it's all good to the kids...and to Dad, too !
PM me or message back here, I'll be better at responding now - sorry again for the delay.
__________________
- Eric
MX4EVR
Bone Stock since 2003 - dropped the sheep suit now!
2000 BMW M5 - Carbon Black, Napa Black
65,000+ miles and I'm still grinnin'
H&R Coilover Springs
Evosport Power Pulley Set
SuperSprint Exhaust
SSR GT3 Split 5 Spoke Wheels
Kumho MX Ecsta Tires
Stop Tech Stainless Steel Brake Lines
UCC Short Throw Shifter
Powerchip 93 Gold Stage I Software
Autotechnic Black Grilles
Angel Eye Upgrade w/full European Lenses(no yellow gook in the corner of my eyes)

RDSport Wing
RDSport Roof Spoiler
Hamann Front Splitters
Titanium Foot Pedals
BMWNav Mark IV Computer/Monitor Upgrade
K&N Air Filters
Dell Pod
Sucks Gas and Hauls *ss !

2003 M5!!! · 16th December 2004, 21:44

Sounds great.

If you can post a picture, it would be great to see your ride hight.

Married with 5 · 17th December 2004, 17:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2003 M5!!!

Sounds great.

If you can post a picture, it would be great to see your ride hight.

I'll post a pic in the next day or so - gotta clean all the road spoog off of her first. Don't you think that the SSR GT3's are the BEST lookin' wheel for this car !

Lscman · 17th December 2004, 18:09

Great write-up with detail, thnx for sharing.

Carrera2RS · 18th December 2004, 01:19

I agree on the ride height balance being marginally nose high compared to the front, my car handles superbly (Eibach coilovers) with 320mm R and 345mm front 35psi all round (I had run 35F and 34R for some time)

My final settings (which are superb) are as follows

F 345mm height (13.6 inches)
2.1 degrees neg camber
35psi
Standard caster
6 minutes of toe in per side
28mm eibach roll bar
powerflex bushes

R 320mm ride height (12.6 inches)
2.3 degrees neg camber
3 minutes of toe in per side
17mm roll bar
Powerfex bushes

I have yet to bottom the car, even 5 up

M5Kid · 19th December 2004, 01:44

Sitting at 12.6 inches rear, your car must be slammed! How is it negotiating steep driveways?

Travis