Bilstein B16/Clubsport AST 5300, KW v3, etc. Whichever tickles your pickle.

Have it corner weighted and aligned by someone who knows their onions, Centre Gravity for example.

I'd lose the ****ty heavyweight rims too.

 

Thanks Marco - going to copy you with BBS CHR - square with 245
Which of the above would you buy?
Btw Bilstein Clubsport any good?

 

Pretty much the above is as good as it gets.
Would maybe stiffen the bushes up as well if going for serious track work to help maintain that geometry under load. But be prepared for poly bushes needing a little grease every now and then to keep them all good.

 

Clubsport are great if you genuinely have a bottomless budget, Ohlins & Nitrons are worth a goose too.

 

Thanks guys
This car is not my daily so if I am going to change the suspension might as well do it once
Polybushings - sure.
Anyone placed solid ones in before?

 

I'm unsure if they do a fitment, but Ohlins is about as good as it gets.

 

Ohlins - I'll go and find out!
Not sure whether to go to Evolve, MMR or anyone else you know of?
Cheers

 

Cost no object? I'd be talking to Exe-TC or Reiger...but I think cost might become an issue once you had

Ohlins would be up there for off the peg though

 

I'll keep ya posted - thanks for your help - good projects you got going on 👍

 

Only experienced an S3 with 620hp and solid bushings. On the road it felt good but every shock was put through the car. Obviously if its only going on a trailer or just getting driven to the track it's well worth it but obviouslys compromises comfort on the road. Ohlins would be a shout if you really want the best of quality but unless you're chasing tenths of a second semi pro/pro i would go with kw or bilstein for cost.

 

One of the interesting things about the Ohlins kits is that they have separated ride height adjustment from spring preload.

 

One of the interesting things about the Ohlins kits is that they have separated ride height adjustment from spring preload.

This has a big advantage when setting up the suspension 👌

 

One of the interesting things about the Ohlins kits is that they have separated ride height adjustment from spring preload.

This has a big advantage when setting up the suspension 👌

The Ohlins road and track doesn't seem to have much adjustment/ top plate? KW Clubsports seem to have all options ?

 

Only experienced an S3 with 620hp and solid bushings. On the road it felt good but every shock was put through the car. Obviously if its only going on a trailer or just getting driven to the track it's well worth it but obviouslys compromises comfort on the road. Ohlins would be a shout if you really want the best of quality but unless you're chasing tenths of a second semi pro/pro i would go with kw or bilstein for cost.

Thanks for the feedback on bushings. I will drive to and from the track.
Assuming the poly bushings are a good balance. Do you change the bushings everywhere?
Cheers

 

Money no object and we're bottoming out at 2k€?

Nitron, real ohlins not road and track, penske, Quantom QRS zero...

Apparently Nitron is the name of the game nowadays, but the good ones are north of 4000 pounds.

If the question is money sort of no object but still reasonable, then yes, Bilstein B16 for mixed use or KW V3, KW Clubsport or Bilstein Clubsport for track work. I would even consider the BC ER series.

 

The Ohlins road and track doesn't seem to have much adjustment/ top plate? KW Clubsports seem to have all options ?

The Ohlins struts and dampers have all the adjustment you could ever need of them, bump/compression and rebound on the damping, ride height separated from spring preload (which is a huge advantage from a track set up), they really are high end, the only way you could go better would be to have separate reservoirs and bump and compression then separated out, but then you are into big money and serious set up time. Yes they don't package them with adjustable platforms to play around with geometry settings as that is a separate issue that they leave to others while Ohlins concentrate on their core expertise.

 

Money no object and we're bottoming out at 2k€?

Nitron, real ohlins not road and track, penske, Quantom QRS zero...

Now we're talking proper suspension, custom valved nitrons or real ohlins would probably be enough for anyone but if money REALLY is no object I would go visit Wurth and see what they could do for me.

 

There's different levels of compliance available in poly bushes.
I would do the full works when suspension is off. Would do the subframe bushes as well rather than using inserts just to make it a track weapon and stiffen it all up. Hope that helps. You'll need to get some pics up if you go ahead with the track build.

 

There's different levels of compliance available in poly bushes.
I would do the full works when suspension is off. Would do the subframe bushes as well rather than using inserts just to make it a track weapon and stiffen it all up. Hope that helps. You'll need to get some pics up if you go ahead with the track build.

Ill be doing a fully bushed exchange subframe to make it easier for people wanting to go that route

 

I'll be doing a fully bushed exchange subframe to make it easier for people wanting to go that route

I like that idea. Simplifies the swap so much.

 

Money no object and we're bottoming out at 2k€?

Nitron, real ohlins not road and track, penske, Quantom QRS zero...

Now we're talking proper suspension, custom valved nitrons or real ohlins would probably be enough for anyone but if money REALLY is no object I would go visit Wurth and see what they could do for me.

'Proper' is what I am wanting - JRZ is another option although seemingly hard to get hold of. I'll let you all know once I have placed an order! Should see lots of track time from Easter 👍

 

There's different levels of compliance available in poly bushes.
I would do the full works when suspension is off. Would do the subframe bushes as well rather than using inserts just to make it a track weapon and stiffen it all up. Hope that helps. You'll need to get some pics up if you go ahead with the track build.

Cool I'll get it done at the same time front and rear

 

Money no object for track I'd be looking at a set of Nitrons, heard good things about AST 5300 coilovers too. However I'm not sure there are many available for the M135i...

 

If the question is money sort of no object but still reasonable, then yes, Bilstein B16 for mixed use or KW V3, KW Clubsport or Bilstein Clubsport for track work.

KW V3 is NOT not a track suspension, it's a better (better valves = more comfortable / compliant) version of V1 or V2 which are also pure street suspension.
All V1,V2,V3 have same springs which are more on the soft/comfortable side with ca 40N/mm front and 110N/mm rear.
KW V3 is probably the best road suspension you can buy, very comfortable but still handles well, probably the perfect compromise between comfort and sport handling.

B16 is a bit stiffer than V3, so maybe between street & some mild track use.

Both Bilstein Clubsport & KW 2way or 3way Clubsport are far more hard & track focused than KW V3:
Stiff spring rates, adjustable camber plates ...

 

Money no object for track ... why not start with something designed for the track rather than modifying a heavy family hatchback? You'll end up at best with something uncomfortable to drive on the road and average on track.