Spring opinions: H&R Sports w/ Koni Yellows?

[ThirdPedalNirvana]

I was going to start with swaybars first, but this past weekend I broke my exhaust while leaving a parking lot because my rear springs (original) are so sagged that I bottom out when I have back seat passengers. My car came with the original springs and Koni yellows. So it's time for some springs.

My ideal setup would, of course, be the Dinan setup, but that setup is very much NLA. I really liked how the Dinan setup had stiff rear springs and not as stiff front springs, but I recognize that having adjustable swaybars will also allow me to adjust for under/oversteer.

When I was first looking into E28's a couple years ago, I drove one with the popular H&R/Bilstein setup (fairly freshly executed). I found it to be significantly too stiff for my tastes, so I wrote it off. However, recent research has led me to believe it is the Bilsteins, not the H&R springs, which cause the excessive bump stiffness. Can anyone confirm this? I'm getting lots of advice to go with a variable rate spring option and I know the H&R's are that.

I'm lucky my koni yellows are in good condition because I can adjust them to whatever springs I get, but I would like to know if anyone has run H&R springs with koni yellows, or with non-bilstein dampers, and what you think of the springs (especially the front bump stiffness). I like driving quickly around corners but I don't like slamming on my brakes for every crack in the road nor do I like limiting my driving to well-paved roads.

I am also thinking about the custom springs from e28goodies, but I'm concerned about lead time, and of course, if I don't like the springs it's my fault for ordering the wrong stiffness. I'm thinking I would order 190 in-lb up front and 220 in-lb in the rear to try to replicate the Dinan springs. If anyone has experience with those springs I'd like to hear it.

I know that the IE springs are supposed to be similar to the Dinan springs but I think the front springs are too tall and too stiff.

Thanks everybody for your input!

[ThirdPedalNirvana]

A tiny bit of detail to avoid confusion: The transition out of the parking lot was not smooth or well paved, it was in Monterey. It's not a problem with my exhaust hangers or anything. The thing that broke was the clamp between the header and the cat. So I got to hear what my exhaust would sound like straight piped. It would sound amazing, if it were 15-20 dB quieter

[Rich Euro M5]

I don't know about H&R with the Koni yellows. I do know they are a good match with the original RD Sport springs, and the Koni stab bars. I had this combo on my deceased 535i, except I was running Moosehead's SPAX shocks in the rear. I pulled the suspension before I donated the 535i to Sherman's Bimmer Garten. I'll probably install this suspension in the M5 unless I find something more interesting.

Richard

[Ju@n]

Subscribing to this thread since I'm also looking into a lowering setup that does not give a rock hard suspension.
I used to have B6 or B8 bilsteins (don't remember right now which, they were yellow for sure) and I didn't like the ride quality

[ElGuappo]

I had a 535 with Koni yellow front and red rear, with Eibach springs, and it was the best overall setup I've ever had.
I've also owned Bilstein/Eibach, Bilstein/Dinan, IS sport shocks/springs and I regret selling the Konis the most.

[ThirdPedalNirvana]

I had a 535 with Koni yellow front and red rear, with Eibach springs, and it was the best overall setup I've ever had.
I've also owned Bilstein/Eibach, Bilstein/Dinan, IS sport shocks/springs and I regret selling the Konis the most.

I'm surprised to hear that you liked the Konis and Eibach's better than the Dinan setup. I drove a dinan setup once and that's the type of feel I'm looking for. I especially liked how the dinan setup seemed to have stiffer rear springs than front springs.

Do you know what the spring rates were on your Eibach springs? Eibachs seem to be NLA from the source, but IE claims their offering is made for them by Eibach, and they claim 250 up front 190 in back. Are those specs similar to what you had?

[ThirdPedalNirvana]

Well, it seems there is a vacuum in both spring availabilities and anecdotal evidence. I have been unable to reach E28 goodies to ask questions about the custom springs, so that leaves me with IE and H&R. I was tempted by Bavauto because they are cheap and not very stiff, but I've found nothing but complaints online that they bottom out. No good.

I called Ireland Engineering and tried to get them to sell me on their springs over the phone. The information I got was not impressive. The fact that the springs are fixed rate (not variable) makes H&R seem better, and the fact that they are 250 lb-in in the front (which is reportedly more than the H&Rs) makes me think they must be harsher than the H&Rs. The rep didn't have any info about the reported extra high front ride height of the IE springs. The IE rep simply expressed surprise that anyone was looking for E28 parts instead of E30 parts

More research into H&R's seemed to suggest that the too-low look at the front was due to old worn out strut mounts. Whenever I saw a picture of H&R sports on a car where the owner reported replacing the strut mounts, the ride height looks good. So, I pulled the trigger. I'm getting ST swaybars, H&R springs, and new strut mounts on all 4 corners, and I'm going to keep my koni yellows.

I will report back here with how it works out, hopefully to help advise others.

[willyv124]

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts as I'm due for a refresh as well and also want to prioritize ride quality/minimal bump harshness over a stiff suspension

[norcale28]

Following

[dsmith]

Koni + H&R springs are my favorite. Dinan springs and B8 is a close second. Neither were harsh like with Bilsteins + H&R.

[austin8753]

Koni or Spax are infinitely superior to Bilstein, on a lowered car, IMHO.

[Ju@n]

Am I wrong in thinking that right now the only lowering spring/shock combo you can buy is Bilsteins with H&R?

[chilone]

Am I wrong in thinking that right now the only lowering spring/shock combo you can buy is Bilsteins with H&R?

Seems to be.