spring rates

[beckley]

i've been trying to get an idea of how stiff non-oe springs are as compared to the oe springs for my e30. does anyone know of anyplace where the spring rates for various replacement springs are published? (for instance, h&r, eibach, bav auto) or do i have to get this info from the manufacturers?

thanks,
jim

[OwnedbyDuncan]

Eibach will give you the spring rates if you call. iused to have he rates for their E30 M3 comp springs which I had on my old E30325i. I check and see if I saved the info. From my memory 165lbs for the fronts and 435lb for the rear. The fronts on a 325i OEM were about a 125lbs if I remmber correctly. At the time back in 1992 the E30M3 springs were the only ones that worked correctly for a ds car. Eibach's other springs, Racing Dynamics springs and Suspension Technique springs were all as soft or softer than stock which resulted in the springs binding or bottoming out.
H&R wasn't around then. At the time Dinan would not give me their spring rates. Bilstein HD and Sports are valved the same for the E30. Sports are for cars with shorter springs. Car is and still was stiffly sprung with 237K miles on it. On a cold day I could count change on the ground by running over it. Eibach E30M3 springs, eibach sway bars and Bilstein sport shocks along with camber plates made for a very tossable and neutral car that could be steered with both pedals and the steering wheel. I like stiff spings and shocks and prefer smaller sway bars for tuning. Smaller sway bars dont rip out the stock mounting points.

BTW I probably owe Roy and Ed a few beers for doing the research on E30 srpings many years ago so that I didnt have to. Coil bind from what I hear isnt fun down the chute.

Dave Apker, Duncan and Kate