[mlifxs]

Good afternoon and happy Friday!

I bought the BMW Perf suspension V1 kit, will be installing soon and decided to inventory the parts in the kit. Was surprised by a couple things. Wondered if those of you who bought and installed this kit might comment on my pics and questions here.

Pic one shows parts I would expect to see on realoem.com (in addition to shock and strut tubes not shown.

Pic two shows sway bar bushings. Didn't expect this and I'm not complaining.

Pic three shows a whole bunch of hardware I didn't expect, or at least not all of it. I know there's a nut that holds the top hat in place on the struts along with three nuts under the hood to hold the assembly in place....and there's at least one top and bottom nut for the rear shocks....but all this other stuff?

Question 1. The sway bar bushings in pic two. Are these comparable to my sport package bushings or are they better? In other words, are they worth the time to install, by themselves (without a sway bar upgrade)?

Question 2. All of this extra hardware in pic 3 (notably the six large bolts), what do you think this stuff is for?

Don't get me wrong no complaints here....just a little puzzled.

[nikitino25]

I thought the performance suspension comes with a front sway bar also-26.5mm?

[mlifxs]

Originally Posted by nikitino25

I thought the performance suspension comes with a front sway bar also-26.5mm?

thanks for responding.
I believe the "new version" does, such as the one shown here:http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...4462&tab=27626
but I don't think the original version did.

[cvc 22349a]

In pic 2, those are just sport susp sway bar bushings. The rears 'could' be for the 14mm rear sway bar (european msport) or the 13mm sport susp rear sway. It doesn't take much time to replace the front sway bar bushings, so why not?

I'd use all those new parts in pics 1 and 3. Why not? You're going to be pulling it all apart anyway. You've got new F/R bumpstops, spring pads, dust boots, and shock mounts in pic 1. Can't tell what's in the plastic. I'll take those nuts and bolts off your hands if you don't use 'em

Hope you're not installing lowering springs with those bumpstops..

[mlifxs]

Originally Posted by cvc 22349a

In pic 2, those are just sport susp sway bar bushings. The rears 'could' be for the 14mm rear sway bar (european msport) or the 13mm sport susp rear sway. It doesn't take much time to replace the front sway bar bushings, so why not?

I'd use all those new parts in pics 1 and 3. Why not? You're going to be pulling it all apart anyway. You've got new F/R bumpstops, spring pads, dust boots, and shock mounts in pic 1. Can't tell what's in the plastic. I'll take those nuts and bolts off your hands if you don't use 'em

Hope you're not installing lowering springs with those bumpstops..

thanks. Definitely not installing lowering springs, with these bump stops or any others. I like the lowered look but I do a great job scraping my bumper on curbs without them
Any idea what those six bolts are for? Maybe I'll know when I start working? I'll PM you what's left over.

[AlanAZ]

I thought the performance suspension comes with a front sway bar also-26.5mm?

That's for the "NEW" Performance Suspension.

The rears 'could' be for the 14mm rear sway bar (european msport)

Correct. They are for the optional 14mm rear sway bar. The best thing I ever did for my car (when I installed my "Old" Performance Suspension), helping dial out the hideous understeer.

The new bumpstops are only applicable if you install the BMW Performance springs or other mildly lowered springs. If you're keeping the same springs, keep the same bumpstops.

Many of the bolts and especially the nuts, as they're a lock-type, are technically single use only, are replaced -- just match them up before you re-assemble.

Most of these Questions have been answered before. Please search on "old performance suspension". There's been a ton of discussion on this suspension.

[cvc 22349a]

Originally Posted by AlanAZ

That's for the "NEW" Performance Suspension.



Many of the bolts and especially the nuts, as they're a lock-type, are technically single use only, are replaced -- just match them up before you re-assemble.

Correct. They are for the optional 14mm rear sway bar. The best thing I ever did for my car (when I installed my "Old" Performance Suspension), helping dial out the hideous understeer.

The new bumpstops are only applicable if you install the BMW Performance springs or other mildly lowered springs. If you're keeping the same springs, keep the same bumpstops.

Most of these Questions have been answered before. Please search on "old performance suspension". There's been a ton of discussion on this suspension.

That's not true and adds to the confusion that's been going on for a few years. Those bumpstops the OP pictured are to be used with the sport susp springs. That's how BMW chose to add spring rate to the performance susp prior to coming out with the new performance susp that uses the yellow lowering springs. You don't have to use them but again they add spring rate in hard cornering. They'll also reduce ride comfort some. They're quite a bit taller and firmer than the zsp bumpstops. They're definately not designed to be used with the new, yellow, performance springs. Ask 'luckyu' or a couple others that made that mistake. If you used those bumpstops with lowering springs, you'd be riding on them and pogoing up and down the hwy..

[mlifxs]

Originally Posted by AlanAZ

That's for the "NEW" Performance Suspension.



Correct. They are for the optional 14mm rear sway bar. The best thing I ever did for my car (when I installed my "Old" Performance Suspension), helping dial out the hideous understeer.

The new bumpstops are only applicable if you install the BMW Performance springs or other mildly lowered springs. If you're keeping the same springs, keep the same bumpstops.

Many of the bolts and especially the nuts, as they're a lock-type, are technically single use only, are replaced -- just match them up before you re-assemble.

Most of these Questions have been answered before. Please search on "old performance suspension". There's been a ton of discussion on this suspension.

Thanks AlanAZ. Appreciate the rear sway bar comment, something I'll keep in mind after I finish this mod.

Have done some searching / following on this topic for awhile. My understanding is the bump stops that come with this kit are intended for use with ZSP springs, not yellow springs, or other lowering springs. I think that's what you're saying here as well? I intend to use the ZSP springs I have now.

On the extra hardware, guess it will be clear as I take things off, as you note. Per my orig post, took a look at realoem.com and didn't see as many bolts as they gave me here.

[AlanAZ]

There were optional lowering springs available for the old kit (not the yellow ones for the new kit), the bumpsstops were designed for those. The kit provides for ALL possible options, therefore the bumpstops and swaybar bushings for front and back. And all the new bolts, nuts and rubber buffers.

If you're not changing the ride height with different springs, keep the same bumpstops.

[mlifxs]

thanks everybody for your input on this. Looking forward to the results

[nikitino25]

I had another question about sway bars used with the performance suspension....I always thought that putting on a stiffer than stock rear sway bar would help dial out understeer; like in alanaz's experience with going from 13mm to 14mm in the rear. So why does the new performance suspension come with a supposedly stiffer 26.5mm FRONT sway bar and no rear bar? Wouldn't that just worsen the understeer?

[cvc 22349a]

^ To limit front camber changes in hard corners due to the MacPherson strut susp design thereby reducing understeer.

[nikitino25]

So a stiffer bar in the front or the rear will reduce understeer?

[123Britt]

Kit comes with everything - replacement of rear struts was very easy although it took me 3 hrs . Actuall the hardest part was removing the carpet plug fasterers without breaking them. I do not have a plug puller -- just used a screw driver . The DIY was good and it was not that hard compressing the strut to install the upper 16mm.
.
.
Test drive --- rear just feels like it was when new -- can't tell if
its any firmer.

I am sure the the fronts R&R will really show improvements over my
70k old suspension.
.
Purchased V1 because of price -- just looking for a good replacement of my worn out struts.

[mlifxs]

Originally Posted by 123Britt

Kit comes with everything - replacement of rear struts was very easy although it took me 3 hrs . Actuall the hardest part was removing the carpet plug fasterers without breaking them. I do not have a plug puller -- just used a screw driver . The DIY was good and it was not that hard compressing the strut to install the upper 16mm.
.
.
Test drive --- rear just feels like it was when new -- can't tell if
its any firmer.

I am sure the the fronts R&R will really show improvements over my
70k old suspension.
.
Purchased V1 because of price -- just looking for a good replacement of my worn out struts.

I did mine a couple weeks ago. Did the rears first DIY. Agree taking the trunk apart is time consuming; everything is a tight fit. I don't have it back together yet, to my liking, Once I understood how to compress the rear shocks for removal and install, it went smoothly. The ride was improved, but once I had the fronts done, the change was significantly improved.

Could not DIY the fronts though. In spite of some good advice, getting the struts free of pinch bolt was not happening. Had a pro do it to get it over with.

Overall, highly recommend this mod. I did nothing with springs to lower it but have no complaints with the results. Paid under $300 for the parts, a great value for a mod/replacement.