BMW E82 1 Series Coilover Buyers Guide

BMW E82 1 Series

Production dates: 2004-2013. US Models: 128i, 135i

Kit Options:

Öhlins Road and Track BMS MI01
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 KIT)

New for 2020! This kit replaces the previous BMS Mi00 kit.

Updates Include:

Front spring rate: 70 N/mm (400 lbs/in)-180mm front spring to aid in clearance of wider aftermarket wheels/tires.-Rear spring rate: 120 N/mm (685 ln/in) to better control higher HP cars
Front and rear shock valving changed to match new spring rates
Rear droop travel reduced to keep springs retained on upgraded rear ball joint suspensions.

The result... the ultimate suspension kit for your E82 1 series right out of the box!

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.

Kit Includes:

Front struts with lower and upper spring perches
Rear dampers
Front spring: (Rate: 70 N/mm - 400 lbs/in)
Rear spring: (Rate: 120 N/mm - 685 lbs/in)
Rear height adjuster
Height adjuster wrenches
Mounting instructions
Ohlins sticker and plaque book

ÖHLINS ROAD AND TRACK RTR KIT
(BASIC KIT - READY TO RUN)

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.

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

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.

All Kits Include:

Springs:
We use an 80 N/mm (450 lb/in) front spring that is short enough to clear many different size track wheels. With 3+ deg camber we were able to fit 18x9.5 35mm offset wheels with 275/35/18 tires.
We use a 140 N/mm (780 lb/in) rear spring to help with squat and balance powering out of turns. Swift thrust sheets are also provided for the rear spring.
Racing camber plates w/65mm perches
Spherical bearing lower rear Shock Mount
Hard urethane rear upper shock mount
New front spindle clamp hardware

ÖHLINS DEDICATED TRACK KIT
(COMPETITIVE, NOT COMPLICATED)

This kit has been developed and tested by 3DM Motorsport and is currently undergoing fitment details.

These kits have been designed for cars that see a majority of track use and occasional street use. They use much higher spring rates and valving to match including a modified Dual Flow Valve setup.

OHLINS MOTORSPORT KIT
(THE ULTIMATE RACING SUSPENSION)

This kit has been developed and tested by 3DM Motorsport and is currently undergoing continued testing and fitment details.

These are for the serious racer looking for the extra edge. The TTX damper is the culmination of three decades of Öhlins’ successful participation in world championship events winning more than 200 World Championships. Many years of working together with some of the world’s most successful racing teams together with advanced dynamic analysis methods developed at Öhlins Racing headquarter in Sweden has given Öhlins the unique knowledge needed to design the TTX damper. The Öhlins TTX damper, originally developed for formula racing, is designed to handle the demanding damping characteristics needed for all types of tracks, from street courses to super speedways. The TTX damper is fully adjustable with maximised damper response together with qualities you’ve never seen before when it comes to ”settings”.

TTX 46 Strut Damper

The TTX 46 strut damper is rebound and compression adjustable with through rod technology removing gas pressure from the piston shaft reducing friction tremendously.

Upgrade Options:

TTX 46 Strut 4 way upgrade. This allows for both high and low speed compression/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 Eye to Eye Damper

A more economical compliment to the TTX 46 Strut damper. Both rebound and compression adjustable but in a non through rod application. The inline reservoir creates a compact package as there is no need for an external reservoir.

Upgrade Options:

TTX 36 ILX 4 way upgrade. This allows for both high and low speed compression/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.