Re: V8 Suspension upgrade

[Dave Weiss <dzweiss@worldnet.att.net>]

Ingo,

> You ever figure anything out regarding different springs for your V8 (I
> believe it was 2 months ago)?  As I recall, you have the H&R's with
> factory-correct valved bilsteins.
 
Still do.  Finally got a good alignment and think this hardware is now
set up the best it's going to be.  I want to get it on the track before
changing the springs.  For daily driving, it's pretty stiff right now.

> I thought Eibach made a spring set for the V8, and I believe the
> Eibachs are linear springs, whereas the H&Rs are progressive rate?
 
The guy I talked w/ at Eibach tech service in CA doesn't know the V8
exists.  Per Ivor, there were some Eibach V8 springs in Europe at one
time, but they are not available in the US.  John Beckius at Sport
Wheels recommends the S4 springs (progressive) for the V8.  The rears
work fine, drop the car .625 w/ the Bilsteins, but the front...  I still
need to post the results of the corner weight adjustments, but it looks
like the Eibachs should work on the 5-spd (a bit lighter in front than
your car?) given the adjustable rear spring perches.  W/ the mildly
progressive (and very stiff) H&R's, there's plenty of camber adjustment
left, and the lower control arm is about horizontal.

> And then there's APEX (Canada,  believe).

There's also Intrax (Dutch, w/ US distributor).  They lower the V8 1.75
in front, 1.5 in back-- too low for me!  Do you have a contact for APEX?
 
> Anyhow, though mine's an Auto, I plan on keeping it for a while and
> just uprated the wheels to 8x17 Compomotive  five-spoke 30mm offset
> with Dunlop SP8000 235/45/17s.  They really ride well considering the
> reduced sidewall height and look awesome.

Does sound awesome; hope to see it at a QClub event.  Most folks 
wouldn't consider anything but an auto in these cars; NADA says a 5-spd
is a deduct.  So you've moved the outside of the tires out 15 mm.
Clearance look good?  I went w/ the 16" S4 wheels and 225 mm Conti
CZ-91's (got a good deal on take-offs), kept the rear equal and moved
the front out ~5 mm.  How's road noise?  Mine increased markedly w/ the
wheel/tire combo and stiffer springs/shocks.
 
> I had fun at the Quattro Club USA Safety Seminar at Grattan Raceway in
> Michigan three weeks ago and was planning on Denver this weekend, but
> know I wouldn't have fared well after driving 20 hrs each way without a
> copilot.
 
Sounds like a blast.  20 hrs-- where do you live?  We have had all kinds
of family things going on, and the car wasn't ready, anyway.  I'm going
to try at least for Blackhawk, and we'll see what else.  BMW Club in St.
Louis will have Gateway in early Nov.  How did you get the (I assume)
wife/SO interested?

Dave Weiss
'91 V8 5-spd
'93 90 CS UnQ