BMW E46 M3 Coilver Buyers Guide

3DM Motorsport has been racing the E46 chassis for many years. Before Öhlins released the Road and Track kits in 2009, we made our own version, circa 2006, using a modified Öhlins SportLine strut and Öhlins Motorsport damper. The next evolution of Öhlins dampers for the E46 is the “Dedicated Track” and 3DM has been working with Öhlins to develop these kits. See the shaker rig testing below.

Kit Options:

Öhlins Road and Track
3DM Motorsport Öhlins Road and Track Kits Ready to Run (RTR)
3DM Motorsport TrackDay Kit
3DM Motorsport/Öhlins Dedicated Track Kit
3DM Motorsport Öhlins TTX Motorsport Racing Kit

WHICH SUSPENSION KIT IS FOR ME?

Everyone is a little bit different, or perhaps a lot different. Driving styles differ, mechanical skills differ, car upgrade paths differ, the list goes on. Before recommending a kit to someone these are some of the questions we ask…

What is your Personality?
Are you a “gearhead” and like to tinker with your suspension or do you like to leave it alone and enjoy it for what it is?
What is the Use Case? How do you use your car… is it a daily driver, occasional “Sunday” driver, a dual duty street/track car, or a dedicated track car?
What level of NVH can you tolerate?

When discussing suspensions, you have probably heard the term NVH which stands for Noise, Vibration, and Harshness. For example stiff springs and damper valving can be harsh while spherical bearing mounts can create excessive noise. It is important to remember that other pieces of the suspension puzzle such as differential or subframe bushings can also affect NVH.

We suggest thinking through the answers to the above questions and then browsing our kit options below to see what best fits your needs. We are always an email or phone call away if you have any questions. Contact Us

ÖHLINS ROAD AND TRACK KIT
(BASIC KITS)

Öhlins Part Number: BMS Mi40
Shop: BMW M3 (E46) Öhlins Road and Track (BMU MR41)

These are the basic kits out of the box and un-assembled. This is what you will find on most other eCommerce sites which are drop shipped straight from Öhlins.

These kits are designed to use the OEM mounts. Depending on your application, you may need special tools such as a spring compressor to dismantle your old suspension if you intend to reuse the original OEM mounts. Alternately, can purchase new mounts and the associated specialty hardware before assembly. You will need to be fairly mechanical savvy to install this kit, otherwise we recommend a professional shop perform the install and setup.

Assuming you use OEM mounts, these kits will have factory like NVH. The spring rates are increased so there will be some slight increase in harshness.

All Kits Include:

Front/Rear dampers with perches
Front spring: (70 N/mm)(400 lbs/in)
Rear spring: (110 N/mm)(630 lbs/in)
Rear spring ride height adjuster
Adjuster tools
Stickers
Instruction manual

ÖHLINS ROAD AND TRACK RTR KIT
(READY TO RUN)

Shop: BMW M3 (E46) Öhlins Road and Track RTR

3DM pre-assembles the basic Öhlins Road and Track Kits with OEM mounts so they are ready to bolt up to your car out of the box. This removes the need to research and source all the pieces yourself. It also reduces the risk of getting caught mid install with an incorrect part. New mounting hardware is also included depending on the application. All ride height settings are set to Öhlins recommended starting points with spring perch jam nuts torqued. You can always request a different setting or change it yourself before install.

In most cases, basic hand tools are all that are needed to install these kits. There should be no need for complicated special tools such as a spring compressor. Every DIY mechanic operates at a different pace but with these kits you will likely cut install time in less than half over a basic kit.

If you are having your favorite shop perform the install, the RTR kits will save you labor costs as well, offsetting the extra cost of the new mounts and hardware. We recommend letting your shop know this setup comes pre-assembled so they can adjust their labor estimate accordingly.

Much like the basic kits, the RTR kits will have factory like NVH. The spring rates are increased so there will be some slight increase in harshness.

All Kits Include:

Ohlins Road and Track kit
OEM Front Top Mounts
OEM Rear Upper Shock Mounts
New Hardware

3DM TRACKDAY SERIES KIT
(TRACK FOCUSED, STREET FRIENDLY)

Shop: BMW M3 (E46) Öhlins 3DM TrackDay

Our ‘TrackDay Series’ kits take the Öhlins Road and Track dampers to the next level while still retaining street-ability.* While you certainly can “set it and forget it” with these kits, they are geared more towards the person who wants to tinker with their suspension on a regular basis.

These kits are not “shopping cart” developed. Tweaks to each component have been made to ensure proper fitment and the ultimate performance. The camber plates AND dampers have been modified to ensure proper bump/droop travel. Springs have been spec-ed to have sufficient compression travel and dampers and been re-valved for better performance on track.

Kits Includes:

Dampers
Ohlins Springs
Camber plates
Optional rubber bushing or spherical bearing rear lower shock mounts
Optional urethane or spherical bearing rear upper shock mounts
Öhlins Rear Ride Height Adjuster and Spring Perches

ÖHLINS DEDICATED TRACK KIT
(COMPETITIVE, NOT COMPLICATED)

Shop: BMW M3 (E46) Öhlins Dedicated Track

These kits have been designed for cars that see nothing but track use. They are similar in fitment to our TrackDay Series kits but with much higher spring rates and valving to match including a modified Dual Flow Valve setup. All mounts are spherical bearings.

Kit Includes:

Re-valved dampers
Race Springs
Camber/Caster plates
Spherical bearing rear upper shock mounts
Ohlins Rear Ride Height Adjuster and Spring Perches

OHLINS TTX MOTORSPORT KIT
(THE ULTIMATE RACING SUSPENSION)

Öhlins Part Number: BMV MU10
Shop: These kits have been developed, tested, and are currently being manufactured with a release date of late 2020 or early 2021. We can provide a bespoke kit for those looking for something immediately. Contact Us.

These are for the serious racer looking for the extra edge. TTX is a twin tube damper that is fully pressure balanced eliminating the risk of cavitation, enabling the use of low gas pressure which keeps friction at bay. The low amount of hysteresis results in excellent short stroke/high force performance.

TTX 46 Strut Damper

The TTX 46 strut damper can be modified to fit a wide range of car types and models. This kit comes as “2 way” adjustable where low speed compression and rebound are tunable. Through rod technology removes gas pressure from the piston shaft reducing friction tremendously.

TTX 36 ILX Eye to Eye Damper

A more economical compliment to the TTX 46 Strut damper. This kit comes as “2 way” adjustable where low speed compression and rebound are tunable. The inline reservoir creates a compact package as there is no need for an external reservoir.

Kit Upgrade Options:

TTX 46 Strut 4 way upgrade. This allows for both high and low speed compression and rebound adjustability.
TTX 46 Strut blow off valve. The through rod technology, low gas pressure, and low friction already make curb hopping with the TTX 46 strut fantastic. With the blow off valve you can carry even more speed over the curbs without losing grip.
TTX 36 ILX 4 way upgrade. This allows for both high and low speed compression and rebound adjustability.
TTX 40 Eye to Eye Damper. The perfect complement to the TTX 46 strut damper. Available in both 2 way and 4 way adjustable. These dampers have through rod technology like the TTX 46 struts. This removes gas pressure from the piston shaft reducing friction tremendously.