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This weekend, I raised back up my x5 to stock height. What a pita! Especially with edc, it’s almost impossible to get the spring compressor on. I definitely recommend using an impact gun for this job. It took me about 6 hrs and a mouth full of profanity. Now, it rides much better and never again will I drop an suv! If anyone is looking for h&r springs for the e70, holla at me. Will come with 2 front springs and 2 drop links for the rear. 230 shipped to your door.

Drive safe.

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewwynn (Post 1216296)

I was a little nervous as I was about to buy an e70. However wow the ride is just beautiful!

I have 255/55/19s. Not RFT (Michelin defender sumtun sumtin). And not only a great ride handles better than wife's 50i and my old e53. I haven't figured out of either of our e70 have speed sensitive steering.

AW: Isn't your e70 supposed to ride on 255/50/19? The 255/55 is more like a 30" OD as opposed to the std 29". Just curious.

My35d had 3rd row and air springs in the rear. It also had AD shocks and after refurbishing the suspension it was a magic carpet IMO. A lot of the last few years I had Michelin Latitude Tour 255/50/19 on it and that was a great tire for it. Quite and tracked very well but not too soft. One thing I did notice was that the suspension gets very "crashy" when it wears out. The noise is terrible but once replaced even my wife commented it felt like new.

On the other hand my e53 has the sport suspension, that is quite a harsh ride on anything other than newly paved roads.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TriX5 (Post 1216334)

AW: Isn't your e70 supposed to ride on 255/50/19? The 255/55 is more like a 30" OD as opposed to the std 29". One thing I did notice was that the suspension gets very "crashy" when it wears out. The noise is terrible but once replaced even my wife commented it felt like new.

Particularly from the the strut mount insulators, the little doughnuts clamped down beneath a large washer, lol. Once they go bad, it rides like garbage. Replacing the inner ones require removal of the strut, pain in the butt.

2007 x5 very harsh ride

Quote:

Originally Posted by TriX5 (Post 1216334)

AW: Isn't your e70 supposed to ride on 255/50/19? The 255/55 is more like a 30" OD as opposed to the std 29". Just curious.

That could explain things. Like why is my tire clearance so close around my front shock hardware.

The PO must have upsized. I was a little surprised to see /55 and /19 as I was expecting 255/55/18 like every other X5 I've worked on. It didn't occur to me that the upsize to 19 without downsize on ratio would explain a couple things like why my dashboard reads a mpg better than receipt math hmmmmm.

That is almost enough to put my Speedo at the correct speed at 75 which probably good to figure that out sooner than later.

Also: if it helps explain why my ride is premium all the better. They are highly rated non RFT tires and nice ride that definitely feels more sporty than wife's 50i which is a hoot.

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18" wheels would prob be best for ride quality. My winter setup uses 235/60/18 and the ride is plush, probably like a Japanese SUV like an RX350. Took a quick look, even their 2022 used a 55 sidewall with 20" wheels.

Also, 20" Michelin Ps4 non RFT aren't too bad. Previous 20" RFTs were rock hard but initial turn in was car-like. I generally run around 33psi all around fwiw.

Wife's e53 came with 235/65/17. Wow that was a spongy soft ride.

Interesting that the 255/55/18 vs. 255/55/19 seems appreciably different.

I have to double check the shock model on mine vs. wife's car since hers with the '18 seems to be a harsher ride. (Not terrible like causing this thread just I noticed when I got my car it's definitely a smoother ride)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greggo (Post 1215174)

Just trying to recap some of the remarks.

leafsrule531 states that it is a 3 row X5, but no airbags. But did not elaborate beyond 'the shocks look like regular shocks.' To that point, there are different shocks, depending on the suspension type. They look identical, but are very different. Unless you have adjustable suspension, which is clearly different.

Air suspension has a unique shock vs. the standard setup. Putting the standard shock on an air suspension car will cause very harsh ride. There is a YouTube about replacing rear shocks on the E70, he was originally shipped the wrong units.

I would be curious to run the VIN to determine the actual suspension from factory. And where all the replaced parts OEM or aftermarket 'upgrades?'

Also, unless it was modified to have springs in the rear and the correct shock/spring, I do not believe that any 3rd row vehicles came without air suspension. Anybody have comment about this? I have never heard of or seen one.

I have heard several comments (and thus did not purchase,) sport suspension is far too harsh for daily driving anywhere that has questionable roads. Sport suspension on rough roads is a handling nightmare.

I have a 2012 with standard suspension, no 3rd row. The ride is fantastic, rough road or smooth. And the steering is not heavy or too light. Very nice balance. Yokahama non-RFT 19's.

leaferules531, if you would not mind, share the VIN and part numbers for replaced parts. That would provide much more information about the situation.

I apologize for getting back so late on this and I do appreciate it if you can help me figure out what’s going on because there’s no way in hell I can conclude that my smooth or like a magic carpet after I swapped out the whole suspension. My car is a 2007 x5 3.0 non sport suspension with 3rd row. The vin number is:

5UXFE43597L018367

I’m still confused by what air suspension really means. I have air bags in the rear of the car that I can hear inflate which makes the height of the car go up and down. But when I replaced my shocks and struts, I replaced the OEM ones with the following set from Fcp which my understanding is not an “air” suspension which is why I said I don’t have air suspension.

Shock absorber;

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...-sachs-315-314

Struts:

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...hs-31326781917

My assumption is that these are the correct parts as they were verified by fcp but maybe someone can confirm ?

The front of my car is actually fairly smooth but the rear feels exactly how the previous poster described it - “very crash”

I definitely understand they tires play a big and my tires are close to being worn out so maybe new tires will help ? That being said, I definitely thought that after replacing the shocks and struts (even replaced the strut mounts) my truck would get the “magic carpet” ride that others describe.

Thanks for everyone’s help!

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Air springs (not bags those are for crashing), hold the weight of the car. Shocks only absorb bumps. Strut is similar to shock but used in the front in the center of a coil spring.

It's very easy to see if you have air or coil spring and very common to have air spring in back and coil spring/strut in front.

The shock is likely the biggest difference in how firm the drive feels as higher performance shocks resist the motion of the tires following bumps and dips in the road. That's why "sports suspension" will perform better with the trade off of harsher ride.

BMWs are supposed to have a firm ride. It stems from the handling requirements by BMW. I don't understand buying a BMW then trying to make it ride like it is floating down the road and compromising handling and safety. I suggest 4 inches of foam over the seats and staying with stock specs for shocks, struts and tires would be a better solution.

I agree that most of the suggestions that have been made could result in a softer ride but IMO not worth the resulting collateral damage. I have driven a Lexus crossover. Nice soft ride. It wasn't mine so I don't know how it handled. I would suggest finding an X5 as much like yours that is for sale and drive it to see if the ride is the same as yours.