thinking of lowering the X

[gdlbmw]

Hi everyone after some research i am thinking of lowering my X with some H&R front springs and the rear links that the kit comes with for the air bags.

I am currently running a style 214 replica 22" wheels and was wondering if anyone here is running anything similar.

Has the ride changed dramatically?

I will be doing an alignment once the X is lowered.

Thanks in advance for any input you might have.

Cesar

[romeokc10]

I'm running 22x10.5 wheels with lowering springs up front and lowering links in the rear because I have rear air suspension. Nothing to it, no advice to pass on, just do it and get an alignment, click on the link to see my pics in post #1588. Eventually I'm going to go with a coilover setup, I want it a little bit lower...lol!

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...our-x5-20.html

[gdlbmw]

What springs did you end up going with?

Your X looks nice with those wheels!

[absentmathis]

Personally I wouldn't lower, but I do appreciate the look.

[oztme]

Just lowered mine 1" with BC Racing coilovers. Ride is quite rough: rougher than I expected.. The BC coilovers fit my 2005 3.0d with no problems with fitting..

The spring rates on the BC coilovers is set for circuit/slamming use I think. The front spring rate is 9kg/mm,and rear is 12kg/mm = approx 700 lbs/inch, which is too aggressive for my preferences for city use; even with shockers set to softest setting. Way harder than original factory sport springs were..

FYI: My car is only lowered 1" . I have 20x9.5 and 20x10.5 wheels, running 295/45R20 and 315/35R20 non-runflats..

Hope this helps someone in future who is searching for info on the BC coilovers..

Scott.

[tmv]

Lower my 4.8iS 1" with coding by fooling the computer. I love the look and didn't feel any difference in ride comfort.

[JWMich]

Originally Posted by gdlbmw

Hi everyone after some research i am thinking of lowering my X with some H&R front springs and the rear links that the kit comes with for the air bags.

I am currently running a style 214 replica 22" wheels and was wondering if anyone here is running anything similar.

Has the ride changed dramatically?

I will be doing an alignment once the X is lowered.

Thanks in advance for any input you might have.

Cesar

I did this same lowering kit, along with a four-wheel strut and shock refresh at the same time, used Bilstein Touring Class (not HD). My starting point was factory sport suspension, 18 inch OEM wheels, at about 100k miles.

Ride has changed dramatically, entirely for the better. Tauter, better controlled, no additional harshness in the ride. And the roads here are not very good.

So I'd be a big thumbs up - but I really can't isolate the incremental impact of the new springs, the new shocks, or just the fact that the pieces are fresh.

[gdlbmw]

Hi guys thanks for the info. I am also on a sports package rear air suspension and have just replaced my OEM 19'' style 132 for replica style 214 22".

I am going to start with the lowering springs in the front and links in the rear and then depending on how I feel the ride I might just replace the front struts.

Should I replace the rear air bags to struts also?

[4.8isX5]

@gdlbmw, my X is super low, but i have a 4.8is and air.

General rule of thumb i follow though for cars i do suspensions on, and the like,,

Matters even more if your up there in mileage but i just follow it regardless,

If your going to lower the front, replace the struts as well, and doing the links in the rear, you might as well do the shocks (not called struts in rear).

Given, most of the cars i do have springs in all four corners, but matching struts/shocks/coils will work for you for the better (this is why coilovers always work better then having to match springs/shocks/struts all seperatly by yourself, some cars there is also limited aftermarket, meaning, ok H&R offers lowering springs, but you cannot find a better matched strut/shock combo for them, because all thats offered is OE spec replacements) .

And once again if your up there in miles, and going to be taking all of this apart, another thing i do is, why take it apart 20 times, when im doing a susp refresh on a car around 100k for example (recently did my fathers), i replace the balljoints, bushings, tierods, stabilzier links and bushings, etc, as well as the struts/shocks/springs, i put H&R lowering ones in as he wanted, just for the record but yeah.

[bcredliner]

Originally Posted by gdlbmw

Hi guys thanks for the info. I am also on a sports package rear air suspension and have just replaced my OEM 19'' style 132 for replica style 214 22".

I am going to start with the lowering springs in the front and links in the rear and then depending on how I feel the ride I might just replace the front struts.

Should I replace the rear air bags to struts also?

Not sure but sounds like you have air in the rear only?