Strut time. Recommendations? Sachs, Bilstein, Monroe?
 

2011 35d with standard suspension, no third row, and 179k miles.Thinking Sachs will be more than "good enough" but am considering Bilstein also. Thought I remembered reading about someone using a Monroe product on their 35d and loving it. Going to use new Lesjöfors springs and replace all the mounts, stops, and hardware. Love to hear any experiences.

Think it was Sachs I installed couple years ago.

https://www.bimmerfest.com/index.php?posts/13134155
Sent from my TMAF035G using Tapatalk

Monroe OEspectrum worked great for me.
Feels like OEM but less harsh on rough pavement/potholes.

Shop around, Amazon, rock auto... Prices vary wildly.

I recommend Bilstein B4s if they offer this model for X5. I typically use that for most bmws I work on.

I just did a full rear refresh with the B4s and like them. Feels just like OE, even with the small lift I have on my E53. I guess that is the point of the B4's - OE ride? I definitely didn't want a firmer ride. I need to do the struts, bushings, etc., the whole schmeer up front too and would love to have the yellow Bilstein color, but I think the B4s only come in black.

I've so far found that springs for the E53 are BMW only and pretty pricey unfortunately, if you dont want to go the ultra cheap chinese parts. Maybe I'm missing an OE mfr for the front springs tho.

Those were the ones! I recognize your name from the post.

Lesjöfors may be the OEM. Bilstein may make some. Eibach or Koni may be able to make a recommendation.

https://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j...ray-Paint.webp
Here ya go....


http://https://image.made-in-china.c...ray-Paint.webp

Ha! nice. But I don't have an excavator.

And my spray paint skills are sorely lacking.

I just did the fronts in my 2010 e70 with the B6s. I’m happy with them for what I was looking for (firmer than stock but able to deal with nj roads). If you’re looking for “comfort “ I looked really hard at the koni fsd’s. Supposed to be premium comfort but stockish in the twisties.
When I did mine, the foam doughnuts that sandwich the spring hat/upper chassis mount were completely toast. Since these aren’t a McPherson strut (no strut bearing on top) the doughnuts won’t effect comfort. Because of this, I went with polyurethane. It’s the only place I have poly in the entire steering and suspension system. I actually bought the monoball tension strut for the front because I keep toasting meyle HDs. I refuse to put poly anywhere else. In this application, however, it won’t hurt and will far outlast the oe ones.

refresh
 

I just installed the Koni FSD's and they's great, you can for sure feel them firm up during quick side to sides. Nice controlled and comfortable ride. Also did a front suspension refresh (all arms). Installed everything a week ago, so still evaluating but the ride is great and its at least as good as factory with a better ride. Also installed the Conti Crosscontact lx25 255/50R19 highway tire (not run flat, so keep that in mind).

Really happy with this Combo and the M brakes (need 10 - 12mm spacers to clear the 19's with M brakes).

Haha. I just put the same tires on mine a few weeks ago. I really like them for commuting. If you’re into the sticky tires, they’re probably not for you but a tough tire suited for NJs roads.

Awesome. Get the Koni’s and we can be brothers. The LX25’s are good. I don’t notice a difference coming from the MICHELIN Premier LTX in terms of handling for my driving profile, which is aggressive commuting and general grand touring. They do follow grooved concrete a bit more right now but they haven’t settled in and I’m sure my toe is hideous and the rear thrust line is off (right rear seems to be the sacrificial tire based on previous wear patterns). Alignment visit next week.

We must be brothers. Haha I got it aligned when I did the tires. I replaced everything you could think of up front. I still have a knock if I’m hard on brakes or going from r to d. It’s only in the front driver side. Weird. I still have the back to do but they don’t make B6s for my rear since I have bags with the 3rd row. The B6s are only harsh-ish in construction zones but I’m thinking about swapping the B6s for fsd when I do the rear shocks, arms and links. I have other issues atm (low pressure underboost) so I’ll have to wait on the rears.
Op, I have no regrets about the B6s and ultimately decided on them over the konis because of brand and longevity. With no options for the rear, I may swap them to see if I like the konis rather than a hard front and softer rear suspension. I just think it would feel weird and should have done more homework before I got the B6s. So make sure you can get what you want with your setup (if you have 3rd row), before you decide.

You can put the B6’s in the rear if you swap in the taller rear upper shock mounts. That’s what I did.

Koni Special Active looks interesting. Not terribly priced and they're red so that's good for 5 or 10 horsepower.

I love the Michelin Premier LTX so much. Sad they're discontinued. Michelin says the Primacy Tour A/S is an "equivalent" but I'm not sure. The Premier LTX did everything very well, even winter driving. Fortunately, I have only about 10k miles on my latest set so I have time to wait and see what they come out with.

@Diesel_Spectre where did you get your polyurethane parts?

Bimmerworld…
This

Are you happy with the B6s all around and what are the average conditions of the roads you drive? I was looking into the taller mounts to do the B6s rear, just have other issues at the moment so my underboost will take priority🙄

I have Koni’s in the rear with the tall mounts. I’m in the Cali Bay Area. Roads suck. Great ride even compensating for the move to non-run flats. The Koni’s are worth it. Not harsh but controlled. Can’t comment on them vs. the OE shocks since never had those new. All I can say is I’m very satisfied.

If I had known about these I would have used them. Too late now. With 136k mine were fine though.

Awesome! This thread was worth posting for me. It's giving me options I hadn't considered.

Monroe OE Spectrum
Koni FSD, now called Special ACTIVE
Bilstein B4
Bilstein B6 (w/taller top mounts for rear)
the venerable Sachs

Poly bushings for front

Lesjöfors springs

I'm going to price out each of the strut options and see what I'm looking at.

Rear shocks
 

Keep in mind that certain options come with shorter shocks in the rear. For example, if you have the air springs in the back, the vehicle has shorter rear shocks and the rear shock mount is essentially a plate. Here is the upper mount, which is ~3 inched taller:

Attachment 83489

It's kind of confusing when searching for the right part number(s). I know air suspension uses the low upper rear mounts. It's easy to check, so I recommend all do that before buying after market shocks. I'm not sure what "3rd seat only" uses - might depend on sport or non-sport options. I suspect "3rd seat" and "air suspension" use the low.

To lower the vehicle with air suspension you will need the need the rear tall mounts if you want to use the B8's, but it's unclear if the air spring "spring constant" will be ok at the lower pressure to enable the lower ride height and one would probably need to re-calibrate the air spring ride height sensors. You can buy spring kits / perches to replace the air springs.

Attachment 83490

Yes, robiasu is correct so be careful. The B6s that I have are not made in a short version for a car with 3rd row seating or air springs in the rear so I would need the taller rear mounts to run them because I have a 3rd row. If you don’t (have a 3rd row or rear airbags) you already have the correct top mounts in the rear for the B6s. Incidentally, the fsds (special active konis) also are not made in a “shorter” version for my 3rd row setup but are for the standard “taller” mount.
(standard setup)tall mounts + tall(er) shocks=OK/good=short mounts + short(er) shocks(rear airbag setup)
Short shocks+tall mounts & tall shocks + short mounts = bad.
Don’t let this nonsense confuse you. Figure out what you have (real OEM) by vin and stick with parts that cross to those OEM numbers. If there’s a need to do something “off label”, like robinasu (and soon myself) have done, you can wade into the minutiae.
I’m glad to actually be able to contribute instead of just asking for help like I usually do.

I have the base suspension, no third row.

More thoughts..
 

I was thinking last night about the extra X5M bump stops I bought when I was collecting parts for my recent suspension work. I wound up not using them because the opportunity to use a lift came up quickly and honestly forgot why I bought them. I remembered last night. On the non-M E70 the strut / rear shock isolator foam donuts are compressed by the lower dust cover and the upper washer as you torque the nut on the shock piston. The lower dust cover is made by moulding the plastic dust cover to a washer like the top washer.

The M version front upper strut mount doesn't use the foam isolators and relies on rubber isolation in the upper mount, only. Because of this there are no washers in the assembly, so the X5M uses the secondary shock absorber (bump stop) to hold the dust cover.

If I was to do it over again I would remove the non-M dust cover and replace it with a washer like on the top of the assembly, then use the X5M bump stops with integrated dust cover. I have the X5M bump stop w/covers if anybody wants to buy. Brand new. The X5M bump stops are softer at the tip so they allow more undamped movement before the solid portion kicks in, which will be more abrupt and sporty. The non-M bump stops will be more progressive because they are more uniform. At least this is my take on it.

I would do the above with the poly donut isolators. Somebody should check to see if the poly donut isolators can be adapted to the non-M rear shocks. They need to slide on the aluminum sleeve or at least engage the sleeve properly (with care) when the piston nut is torqued.

The poly donuts with the non-M upper mounts would probably put NVH between the regular E70 and X5M.

When you install the upper mount to the front strut, mind the proper orientation of the rubber mount in the upper mount. You rotate it depending on the side of the car - seems to aid installation. I don't see how a different rotation of the spring around the central axis of the strut would affect anything once installed. Best to follow instructions though.

A lot of parts are interchangeable with some analysis. X5M springs are probably shorter, but would need to check.

The Bilstein B12 kit is pretty attractive if you want a X5M type stance; B12 kit (with correct rear upper mount), poly donuts, B8's have integrated bump stops, then X5M rear bump stops or use the bump stop in the kit. Initially was going to get the B12 but it was on pandemic back-order and I switched to a sport/comfort concept due to that and uncertainty how the air springs would perform at the pressure needed to lower the rear because I do like the air suspension. I bought the rear spring perches just in case I ever need them.

Pics below are the X5M (Forget the date), like 2012. The others are around a 2012 35d. Hope this helps. :thumbup:

Attachment 83493

Attachment 83497

Attachment 83494

Attachment 83495

Attachment 83496

Attachment 83498

I forgot to mention that I think they're a poor man's koni special active/fsd, with a similar variable damping, but with a couple of differences.

These Monroe OEspectrum shocks have been used in Audi and some other cars that marketed smooth yet quick handling...

I haven't tried the konis so I can't say they're equal to them, but I did shy away from koni because the reds I had on my vw tdi rusted quickly... when I heard they still have crap paint, I decided to try something else.