just thought I'd share my suspension upgrade experiences.

1995 940 2.3 SE Turbo estate

I needed to replace the front shocks and top bushes as one had popped
out hitting the bonnet. I already had Bilstein sport shocks in the
back and Ventura standard springs for a saloon (resulting in a
uppointing front, a mistake from ECP).

After 2 failed attempts to deliver the top bushes by ECP (aftermarket
parts) with bearings or in a decent quality they eventually delivered
the correct parts. On the other hand Europerformance provided the
expensive front Bilsteins and all round Cobra springs (progressive,
uprated and lowered by 40mm) quickly and efficiently. I would recommend
them but noticed their T&C seems to infringe the Sale of Goods act,
saying that all warranties are with the manufacturer (a common web
company problem these days).

The Bilsteins are impressive units with the shaft about 95% the width of
the outer body, and very stiff.

The replacement work was straight forward. On the fronts I used a pry
bar/jemmy to seperate the bottom ball joint and plumbers shifters to
undo the shock retainging bolt and do up the new one. Otherwise very
similar to 340/360 shock replacement. The rears the main difficulty was
getting the jacking points onto axle stands as you are lowering the
suspension while trying to lower the car onto the axle stands. The car
tends to move on the front wheels (maybe some wheel chocks would help
next time), and the axle stands tend to tip over as the weight transfers
onto them. The rear spring retaining bolt was difficult as usual
needing a deep socket and the stud tends to come out as the end and bolt
are rusted together.

now the performance;
The new springs and shocks are impressive for fast driving, this is now
one of the tightest cars I have ever driven, and it really takes the
corners. I havn't been brave enough to really try the limits yet, needs
return of the GY F1 to the rear, which is under respray for
corrosion/leakage the Pirelli on it now from the spare is not as good.
Having said that I have over commited on speed once and been badly
positioned on the road comming up to a corner and met another car
suddenly, the car now responds immediately to swerves and corrections
without large tail slides.

The down side is the car is definately not a practical load carrier now
(unless the load is not fragile), and loaded up with people does scrape
the mud flaps occasionally. It doesn't look too low, still a reasonable
clearance, but the progressive bit of the springs is very short,
especially at the rear. On dropping the car to the ground the rear
springs are binding at the bottom (but this maybe a design intention).
Ramps are not too bad on the entrance, but comming out it really seems
to crash onto the road. Previously the car was under damped and under
sprung, but now overly so, much more than my partners 323i which I
called a go-kart when she got it. I would have loved this in my 20s,
but that was some time ago.

I'm thinking a more inbetween spring on rating and lowering might be a
more reasonable compromise, anyone tried any other sports springs.

--
Tony

sounds nice Tony...on my 93 940t (300k miles) I
did the IPD upper and lower chassis braces, the
stiffer belstein (sp?) struts and a wide radial...the
940 handles like its on rails now...its a nice 4 door
set up....



On Sep 29, 2:02*pm, Tony <n...@nospamplease.com> wrote:
> just thought I'd share my suspension upgrade experiences.
>
> 1995 940 2.3 SE Turbo estate
>
> I needed to replace the front shocks and top bushes as one had popped
> out hitting the bonnet. * I already had Bilstein sport shocks in the
> back and Ventura standard springs for a saloon (resulting in a
> uppointing front, a mistake from ECP).
>
> After 2 failed attempts to deliver the top bushes by ECP (aftermarket
> parts) with bearings or in a decent quality they eventually delivered
> the correct parts. *On the other hand Europerformance provided the
> expensive front Bilsteins and all round Cobra springs (progressive,
> uprated and lowered by 40mm) quickly and efficiently. *I would recommend
> them but noticed their T&C seems to infringe the Sale of Goods act,
> saying that all warranties are with the manufacturer (a common web
> company problem these days).
>
> The Bilsteins are impressive units with the shaft about 95% the width of
> the outer body, and very stiff.
>
> The replacement work was straight forward. *On the fronts I used a pry
> bar/jemmy to seperate the bottom ball joint and plumbers shifters to
> undo the shock retainging bolt and do up the new one. *Otherwise very
> similar to 340/360 shock replacement. *The rears the main difficulty was
> getting the jacking points onto axle stands as you are lowering the
> suspension while trying to lower the car onto the axle stands. *The car
> tends to move on the front wheels (maybe some wheel chocks would help
> next time), and the axle stands tend to tip over as the weight transfers
> onto them. *The rear spring retaining bolt was difficult as usual
> needing a deep socket and the stud tends to come out as the end and bolt
> are rusted together.
>
> now the performance;
> The new springs and shocks are impressive for fast driving, this is now
> one of the tightest cars I have ever driven, and it really takes the
> corners. *I havn't been brave enough to really try the limits yet, needs
> return of the GY F1 to the rear, which is under respray for
> corrosion/leakage *the Pirelli on it now from the spare is not as good.
> * Having said that I have over commited on speed once and been badly
> positioned on the road comming up to a corner and met another car
> suddenly, the car now responds immediately to swerves and corrections
> without large tail slides.
>
> The down side is the car is definately not a practical load carrier now
> (unless the load is not fragile), and loaded up with people does scrape
> the mud flaps occasionally. *It doesn't look too low, still a reasonable
> clearance, but the progressive bit of the springs is very short,
> especially at the rear. *On dropping the car to the ground the rear
> springs are binding at the bottom (but this maybe a design intention).
> Ramps are not too bad on the entrance, but comming out it really seems
> to crash onto the road. *Previously the car was under damped and under
> sprung, but now overly so, much more than my partners 323i which I
> called a go-kart when she got it. *I would have loved this in my 20s,
> but that was some time ago.
>
> I'm thinking a more inbetween spring on rating and lowering might be a
> more reasonable compromise, anyone tried any other sports springs.
>
> --
> Tony

~^ beancounter ~^ wrote:
> sounds nice Tony...on my 93 940t (300k miles) I
> did the IPD upper and lower chassis braces, the
> stiffer belstein (sp?) struts and a wide radial...the
> 940 handles like its on rails now...its a nice 4 door
> set up....
>
>
>
> On Sep 29, 2:02 pm, Tony <n...@nospamplease.com> wrote:
snip
>>
>> now the performance;
>> The new springs and shocks are impressive for fast driving, this is now
>> one of the tightest cars I have ever driven, and it really takes the
>> corners. I havn't been brave enough to really try the limits yet, needs
>> return of the GY F1 to the rear, which is under respray for
>> corrosion/leakage the Pirelli on it now from the spare is not as good.
>> Having said that I have over commited on speed once and been badly
>> positioned on the road comming up to a corner and met another car
>> suddenly, the car now responds immediately to swerves and corrections
>> without large tail slides.
>>
>> The down side is the car is definately not a practical load carrier now
>> (unless the load is not fragile), and loaded up with people does scrape
>> the mud flaps occasionally. It doesn't look too low, still a reasonable
>> clearance, but the progressive bit of the springs is very short,
>> especially at the rear. On dropping the car to the ground the rear
>> springs are binding at the bottom (but this maybe a design intention).
>> Ramps are not too bad on the entrance, but comming out it really seems
>> to crash onto the road. Previously the car was under damped and under
>> sprung, but now overly so, much more than my partners 323i which I
>> called a go-kart when she got it. I would have loved this in my 20s,
>> but that was some time ago.
>>
>> I'm thinking a more inbetween spring on rating and lowering might be a
>> more reasonable compromise, anyone tried any other sports springs.
>>
>> --
>> Tony
>

It has actually settled down quite a bit now, not crashing after ramps
and general comfort has returned. Wonder did the oil need to settle in
the shocks or the valves break in?

--
Tony

Tony.....that might have been it...let "things settle" into
one another...




On Oct 7, 11:14*am, Tony <n...@nospamplease.com> wrote:
> ~^ beancounter ~^ wrote:
> > sounds nice Tony...on my 93 940t (300k miles) I
> > did the IPD upper and lower chassis braces, the
> > stiffer belstein (sp?) struts and a wide radial...the
> > 940 handles like its on rails now...its a nice 4 door
> > set up....
>
> > On Sep 29, 2:02 pm, Tony <n...@nospamplease.com> wrote:
> snip
>
> >> now the performance;
> >> The new springs and shocks are impressive for fast driving, this is now
> >> one of the tightest cars I have ever driven, and it really takes the
> >> corners. *I havn't been brave enough to really try the limits yet, needs
> >> return of the GY F1 to the rear, which is under respray for
> >> corrosion/leakage *the Pirelli on it now from the spare is not as good.
> >> * Having said that I have over commited on speed once and been badly
> >> positioned on the road comming up to a corner and met another car
> >> suddenly, the car now responds immediately to swerves and corrections
> >> without large tail slides.
>
> >> The down side is the car is definately not a practical load carrier now
> >> (unless the load is not fragile), and loaded up with people does scrape
> >> the mud flaps occasionally. *It doesn't look too low, still a reasonable
> >> clearance, but the progressive bit of the springs is very short,
> >> especially at the rear. *On dropping the car to the ground the rear
> >> springs are binding at the bottom (but this maybe a design intention).
> >> Ramps are not too bad on the entrance, but comming out it really seems
> >> to crash onto the road. *Previously the car was under damped and under
> >> sprung, but now overly so, much more than my partners 323i which I
> >> called a go-kart when she got it. *I would have loved this in my 20s,
> >> but that was some time ago.
>
> >> I'm thinking a more inbetween spring on rating and lowering might be a
> >> more reasonable compromise, anyone tried any other sports springs.
>
> >> --
> >> Tony
>
> It has actually settled down quite a bit now, not crashing after ramps
> and general comfort has returned. *Wonder did the oil need to settle in
> the shocks or the valves break in?
>
> --
> Tony- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -