what type of suspension is on the e60 525i

hi all
does anyone know what the suspension in on te e60 525i 2004
i have the standard suspension i have been told and i want to make it
more comfortable .
i have removed the runflats to conventional tyres and whilst the
harshness has gone i can still feel a lot of bounce on seemingly
smooth roads. maybe i have to go to a softer coil spring or shock
absorber.
any thoughts appreciated.

On 26 May 2007 18:05:22 -0700, Derwood > wrote:

>hi all
>does anyone know what the suspension in on te e60 525i 2004
>i have the standard suspension i have been told and i want to make it
>more comfortable .
>i have removed the runflats to conventional tyres and whilst the
>harshness has gone i can still feel a lot of bounce on seemingly
>smooth roads. maybe i have to go to a softer coil spring or shock
>absorber.
>any thoughts appreciated.


US owner?

It is just fine as it is - go buy a Cadillac if you want a slush-puppy!

In article . com>,
Derwood > wrote:
> hi all
> does anyone know what the suspension in on te e60 525i 2004
> i have the standard suspension i have been told and i want to make it
> more comfortable .
> i have removed the runflats to conventional tyres and whilst the
> harshness has gone i can still feel a lot of bounce on seemingly
> smooth roads. maybe i have to go to a softer coil spring or shock
> absorber.
> any thoughts appreciated.

With the previous E39, the best riding one had standard suspension and 15"
wheels. As the wheels got bigger - and therefore the tyres lower profile -
the ride got worse. Are your wheels the smallest option?

Just guessing but I doubt you'd find softer springs easily as most
aftermarket types are handling orientated. And altering from standard to
softer would effect the load carrying capacity - as well as being
detrimental to the handling. It's a relatively easy job to beef up
suspension to make a car handle 'better' but not so easy to improve the
ride.

--
*Arkansas State Motto: Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Laugh.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 27 May, 10:23, "Dave Plowman (News)" > wrote:
> In article . com>,
> Derwood > wrote:
>
> > hi all
> > does anyone know what the suspension in on te e60 525i 2004
> > i have the standard suspension i have been told and i want to make it
> > more comfortable .
> > i have removed the runflats to conventional tyres and whilst the
> > harshness has gone i can still feel a lot of bounce on seemingly
> > smooth roads. maybe i have to go to a softer coil spring or shock
> > absorber.
> > any thoughts appreciated.
>
> With the previous E39, the best riding one had standard suspension and 15"
> wheels. As the wheels got bigger - and therefore the tyres lower profile -
> the ride got worse. Are your wheels the smallest option?
>
> Just guessing but I doubt you'd find softer springs easily as most
> aftermarket types are handling orientated. And altering from standard to
> softer would effect the load carrying capacity - as well as being
> detrimental to the handling. It's a relatively easy job to beef up
> suspension to make a car handle 'better' but not so easy to improve the
> ride.
>
>

There are companies that will make springs to your specification.

The ride on my 3 went up with eibach springs and sachs sport dampers,
although that was compared to 100k mile old original stuff.

On 27 May 2007 05:40:28 -0700, adder1969 > wrote:

>On 27 May, 10:23, "Dave Plowman (News)" > wrote:
>> In article . com>,
>> Derwood > wrote:
>>
>> > hi all
>> > does anyone know what the suspension in on te e60 525i 2004
>> > i have the standard suspension i have been told and i want to make it
>> > more comfortable .
>> > i have removed the runflats to conventional tyres and whilst the
>> > harshness has gone i can still feel a lot of bounce on seemingly
>> > smooth roads. maybe i have to go to a softer coil spring or shock
>> > absorber.
>> > any thoughts appreciated.
>>
>> With the previous E39, the best riding one had standard suspension and 15"
>> wheels. As the wheels got bigger - and therefore the tyres lower profile -
>> the ride got worse. Are your wheels the smallest option?
>>
>> Just guessing but I doubt you'd find softer springs easily as most
>> aftermarket types are handling orientated. And altering from standard to
>> softer would effect the load carrying capacity - as well as being
>> detrimental to the handling. It's a relatively easy job to beef up
>> suspension to make a car handle 'better' but not so easy to improve the
>> ride.
>>
>>
>
>There are companies that will make springs to your specification.

Interesting but only useful if you run an F1 team - or a master at suspension
dynamics and a lengthy time available for testing and type approval - Oh! this
is only for driving around a private test track then....!
>
>The ride on my 3 went up with eibach springs and sachs sport dampers,
>although that was compared to 100k mile old original stuff.

"Derwood" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> hi all
> does anyone know what the suspension in on te e60 525i 2004
> i have the standard suspension i have been told and i want to make it
> more comfortable .
> i have removed the runflats to conventional tyres and whilst the
> harshness has gone i can still feel a lot of bounce on seemingly
> smooth roads. maybe i have to go to a softer coil spring or shock
> absorber.
> any thoughts appreciated.
>

I hate to be a naysayer, but me thinks you paid extra for that.

One of the hall marks of a BMW is precision handling, a result of all that
precision is that you feel the road. If you are feeling stuff on the road,
you can be sure it's there and not coming from the car. If you feel some
roads differently than others, that's the car doing its job.

"Derwood" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> hi all
> does anyone know what the suspension in on te e60 525i 2004
> i have the standard suspension i have been told and i want to make it
> more comfortable .
> i have removed the runflats to conventional tyres and whilst the
> harshness has gone i can still feel a lot of bounce on seemingly
> smooth roads. maybe i have to go to a softer coil spring or shock
> absorber.
> any thoughts appreciated.
>

If you "still feel a lot of bounce", perhaps you should have the condition
of your existing suspension components checked. Have you owned the car
since 2004 and has there been a gradual deterioration of the ride and/or
handling?

Tom K.

In article <g_h6i.6702$4S5.5912@trndny01>,
Jeff Strickland > wrote:
> One of the hall marks of a BMW is precision handling, a result of all
> that precision is that you feel the road. If you are feeling stuff on
> the road, you can be sure it's there and not coming from the car. If
> you feel some roads differently than others, that's the car doing its
> job.

I have an E39 528 with standard suspension and 15" wheels and a neighbour
a new E36 535 diesel which I've driven. A most impressive performer, but
somewhat spoiled (to me) by the poor ride. It has sports suspension and
18"? wheels with the original runflats. It *may* handle very much better
at speed - I never had the chance to find out - but I've not found my car
lacking in that respect either. On my test drive I took it round local
roads I know very well and it certainly found potholes my car ignores. You
could both feel and hear them. I don't think there are dramatic
differences to the suspension so I concluded it's down to the bigger
wheels and run flat tyres.

--
*They call it PMS because Mad Cow Disease was already taken.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Mon, 28 May 2007 00:59:30 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)" >
wrote:

>In article <g_h6i.6702$4S5.5912@trndny01>,
> Jeff Strickland > wrote:
>> One of the hall marks of a BMW is precision handling, a result of all
>> that precision is that you feel the road. If you are feeling stuff on
>> the road, you can be sure it's there and not coming from the car. If
>> you feel some roads differently than others, that's the car doing its
>> job.
>
>I have an E39 528 with standard suspension and 15" wheels and a neighbour
>a new E36 535 diesel which I've driven. A most impressive performer, but
>somewhat spoiled (to me) by the poor ride. It has sports suspension and
>18"? wheels with the original runflats. It *may* handle very much better
>at speed - I never had the chance to find out - but I've not found my car
>lacking in that respect either. On my test drive I took it round local
>roads I know very well and it certainly found potholes my car ignores. You
>could both feel and hear them. I don't think there are dramatic
>differences to the suspension so I concluded it's down to the bigger
>wheels and run flat tyres.

Dave

Can you remember what I said a couple of months ago? I was on the lookout for a
nearly new (ex-demo) E65 730d and drove several but one in particular caught my
eye. A FULLY LOADED 730d Sport.

It had 20" wheels with very low profile tyres - don't think they were run-flat -
TV, IR camera, TV, Sat Nav, Bluetooth, Comfort access, fully powered boot lid
(trunk), comfort seats, rear AC, cool box etc. etc.

Took it for a run down the A3 from Streatham to just past Esher and back.

TOTAL CRAP......... Ride far to hard, Every bump, pot-hole, road join, repair,
white line, cats-eye.......

It wandered all over the road and made me feel queasy (hard to do to a driver)
and my wife sick.

Nice looking car but a definite NO NO.

Another I looked at was a very nice 730d SE pretty bare in goodies but it had
the 20" wheels and adjustable suspension.

Again on "sport" the dampers went hard but as it still had the stock springs it
was, again, bumpy, thumpy, and difficult to keep in a straight line and it too
found every pimple on the road surface. On Comfort (soft) ride it was like a
boat on a slightly choppy sea. Yawing and Pitching all over the place and the
tyres didn't help either. Thump --- whoa! up-down-around and around sway to the
left then right. My wife turned green and we had to stop the car.

I must say that this test drive took place in Hungerford and comprised of a
fairly fast A/B road and a local country hill/lane back road in need of a
complete resurface (not that it will ever happen).

No my friend - stay well clear of 20" wheels and sport suspension unless you are
only going to use the car once a month on a deserted airfield by yourself.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> I have an E39 528 with standard suspension and 15" wheels and a neighbour
> a new E36 535 diesel which I've driven. A most impressive performer, but
> somewhat spoiled (to me) by the poor ride. It has sports suspension and
> 18"? wheels with the original runflats. It *may* handle very much better
> at speed - I never had the chance to find out - but I've not found my car
> lacking in that respect either. On my test drive I took it round local
> roads I know very well and it certainly found potholes my car ignores. You
> could both feel and hear them. I don't think there are dramatic
> differences to the suspension so I concluded it's down to the bigger
> wheels and run flat tyres.

I have M-sport suspension and 17" wheels on my E39 540 and the ride is
noticeably worse than my E34 with standard suspension and 15" wheels.
The standard BMW suspension used to be an ideal compromise between
handling and comfort. Frankly I don't think firm suspension adds
anything. If you corner on a rough surface it feels like the car will
skitter off the road. The low ride height looks good but makes it more
likely you'll ground it out on something.