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BC Racing coilovers have arrived!
Posted: Mar 07, 2013 7:41 PM
by clongo
Came home from work and found this 50lb package waiting for me!
Removed the box to find another box.
I love the black and gold color scheme.
And more photos of them out of the box.
Pic of the front strut tube brackets.
Notched so it's easy to line them up when welding them on.
These are not available on their website yet. The first shipment won't be in the states for a few more months. You can chose custom spring rates when ordering and they will re valve the struts to the spring rate you choose. Here is some info from the BC Racing website.
BR Type
Our BR model is perfect for street driving and occasional road course duty. With easily accessible adjustment knobs for fine tuning your compression/rebound and separately adjustable ride height, having a performance coilover system couldn't be any easier. You choose how low or high you want your vehicle, no preset ride height here, and our patented concave lower locking ring keeps it locked in. All of our systems come with pillowball mounts to provide the most feedback possible from your suspension and to sharpen your steering response. Available front and rear camber plates also allow you to get the perfect alignment setup without compromise. All this while providing a strong, attractive looking coilover system.
-Mono-tube shock design-
30 levels of damping force adjustment, adjust compression/rebound
Pillowball mounts and adjustable camber plates included (where applicable)-Adjustable rear camber plates available-Separate full length height adjustable-One year warranty-Rebuildable
I will post detailed pics of the install and give you full review of them once installed. I'm really excited to see another coilover option for us E28/E24 owners!
Posted: Mar 07, 2013 7:50 PM
by WilNJ
The few reviews I've read speak well of them. I think they still have a bit of the stink of the asian import scene keeping them from taking hold in the euro market.
Posted: Mar 07, 2013 8:24 PM
by ACHTUNG
Fucking a. I called them 5 months ago asking if these were in development and the guy said no. So I went with the Spax kit. Wish I got correct info since I would have waited for them.
Posted: Mar 07, 2013 9:11 PM
by shagrath
Fucking awesome.
Posted: Mar 07, 2013 9:40 PM
by clongo
ACHTUNG wrote:Fucking a. I called them 5 months ago asking if these were in development and the guy said no. So I went with the Spax kit. Wish I got correct info since I would have waited for them.
Sorry to hear that. I have a good friend that used to work for them that helped me get this into production. He also owns a E28 so they did the prototype kit on his car. They literally went into production a few weeks ago. They first shipment won't be stateside for a few months.
Also, I forgot to post the price. They will retail for $1250 with camber plates and your choice of spring rates.
Posted: Mar 07, 2013 9:47 PM
by winfred
installed a set on a e39 m5 a year or two ago, worked pretty good but the springs started sagging and i had to keep adjusting the system for him to maintain height, before we could nail down a set of replacement springs he got a job offer out of the country, and a couple days before it was time to leave and turn the car over to family he nailed a pothole and the right front piston snapped off of the strut at the point it entered the upper bearing, the impact wasn't enough to damage the wheel or tire so.........now it sits with a collapsed wheel at the shop waiting for another assembly to arrive
the mangled spring and other carnage

Posted: Mar 07, 2013 10:03 PM
by ACHTUNG
winfred wrote:installed a set on a e39 m5 a year or two ago, worked pretty good but the springs started sagging and i had to keep adjusting the system for him to maintain height, before we could nail down a set of replacement springs he got a job offer out of the country, and a couple days before it was time to leave and turn the car over to family he nailed a pothole and the right front piston snapped off of the strut at the point it entered the upper bearing, the impact wasn't enough to damage the wheel or tire so.........now it sits with a collapsed wheel at the shop waiting for another assembly to arrive
the mangled spring and other carnage

Ouch!
Posted: Mar 08, 2013 12:25 AM
by fastcrs
Posted: Mar 08, 2013 9:44 AM
by Coldswede
So, just cuz I don't know, what is the advantage of these coil-overs over a fully adjustable set of SPAX (Which is also a coil-over BTW) for street use?

Posted: Mar 08, 2013 10:00 AM
by skip535i
Coldswede wrote:So, just cuz I don't know, what is the advantage of these coil-overs over a fully adjustable set of SPAX (Which is also a coil-over BTW) for street use?

LOOOWWWWW
Posted: Mar 08, 2013 10:08 AM
by tsmall07
ACHTUNG wrote:Fucking a. I called them 5 months ago asking if these were in development and the guy said no. So I went with the Spax kit. Wish I got correct info since I would have waited for them.
Why didn't you just get a GC setup?
Posted: Mar 08, 2013 11:37 AM
by Niterider03
Those look awesome. Please take lots of pics of the install process. Especially the line up and welding of the front struts

Posted: Mar 08, 2013 11:41 AM
by wkohler
I have to say that with those at $1250, I'd rather buy the Ground Control kit which has Koni shocks and Eibach springs with a lifetime warranty on the shocks to the original purchaser. None of it seems to be made in Taiwan, either. I do drive a German car after all.
Good luck with it though!
Posted: Mar 08, 2013 11:43 AM
by wkohler
Coldswede wrote:So, just cuz I don't know, what is the advantage of these coil-overs over a fully adjustable set of SPAX (Which is also a coil-over BTW) for street use?

The Spax dampers are all that's adjustable and they're not fully adjustable (I don't believe these are either). The adjustment knobs affect both rebound and compression in some way. What makes these different is that they have threaded spring perches and you can use any number of 2.5" or 2.25" springs to get the desired height and spring rates necessary.
Posted: Mar 08, 2013 12:12 PM
by Tammer in Philly
wkohler wrote:I have to say that with those at $1250, I'd rather buy the Ground Control kit which has Koni shocks and Eibach springs with a lifetime warranty on the shocks to the original purchaser. None of it seems to be made in Taiwan, either. I do drive a German car after all.
Good luck with it though!
+1. BC has been a mainstay of the "hard parker" E36 scene for a while. They go great with headlight eyebrows and lime green wheel centers, but not so great with actual driving.
-tammer
Posted: Mar 08, 2013 1:55 PM
by clongo
wkohler wrote:I have to say that with those at $1250, I'd rather buy the Ground Control kit which has Koni shocks and Eibach springs with a lifetime warranty on the shocks to the original purchaser. None of it seems to be made in Taiwan, either. I do drive a German car after all.
Good luck with it though!
I can see where some people would be inclined to go that route. What most people don't realize is BC Racing is one of the largest coilover manufacturers in the world. They are built and engineered in Taiwan. They are also the largest manufacturer of private label coilovers in the world. Simply put, most of the big name suspension companies use BC to produce their coilovers. (I am not stating that they are superior to GC coilovers. I do not track my car and am aware that GC makes a great product.)
To get the equivelent setup via GC would run you close to $2k. At $1250 I feel this is a great middle ground coilover setup that works well and will save you some cash. Struts are serviceable unlike the NEX kit and they are offered at any springs rate desired with revalved struts at no additional cost.
Coldswede wrote:So, just cuz I don't know, what is the advantage of these coil-overs over a fully adjustable set of SPAX (Which is also a coil-over BTW) for street use?

SPAX are not height adjustable and these are. I believe its 6" of total adjustment. They will actually go higher than stock, lol.
Tammer in Philly wrote:+1. BC has been a mainstay of the "hard parker" E36 scene for a while. They go great with headlight eyebrows and lime green wheel centers, but not so great with actual driving.
-tammer
This is true. But a lot of that is due to their design. BC Racing coilovers have full height adjustability through shock body, not spring (GC is through the spring.) As you lower the car the strut insert moves with the spring so you get full shock travel even when the car is really low.
I know slamming a E28 on the ground isn't everyones cup of tea on this site, but there are quite a few people on here that are into that look. I'm just happy we have another coilover alternative. More and more companies are starting to see the need for aftermarket parts for the E28 chassis.
Posted: Mar 08, 2013 3:16 PM
by T_C_D
I wouldn't knowingly put anything made in Asia on my BMW. Made in USA is OK.

Posted: Mar 08, 2013 4:35 PM
by clongo
T_C_D wrote:I wouldn't knowingly put anything made in Asia on my BMW. Made in USA is OK.

You would be suprised at how many parts in the new BMW's are built in asia. Even more scary.... how many of the cars are assembled in South Africa!

Posted: Mar 08, 2013 4:49 PM
by slammin_e28
clongo wrote:T_C_D wrote:I wouldn't knowingly put anything made in Asia on my BMW. Made in USA is OK.

You would be suprised at how many parts in the new BMW's are built in asia.
Even more scary.... how many of the cars are assembled in South Africa! 
.....or even America for that matter.
If I buy a German car, I want the Slavs and Czechs to build it themselves.
Posted: Mar 09, 2013 3:23 AM
by Nebraska_e28
2 questions:
1. Do the camber plates allow for correction to get the front end back to factory spec when the car is lowered? With my spax springs front camber wear is an issue for me.
2. What's the reduction in unsprung weight (if any) going with this setup?
I too am curious to hear the review when installed.
Posted: Mar 09, 2013 7:06 AM
by clongo
Nebraska_e28 wrote:2 questions:
1. Do the camber plates allow for correction to get the front end back to factory spec when the car is lowered? With my spax springs front camber wear is an issue for me.
2. What's the reduction in unsprung weight (if any) going with this setup?
I too am curious to hear the review when installed.
Great questions. I do my own alignments so i will take pics/provide the printout when I'm done. I will also throw the stock strut assembly on the scale and compare it to the assembled bc coilover over when its welded to the spindle.
Posted: Mar 09, 2013 12:51 PM
by wkohler
Lowering the front of the car doesn't change the camber. The spindle is at a 90° angle to the strut. Your toe is probably what is wrong.
Posted: Mar 10, 2013 12:03 PM
by Scottinva
wkohler wrote:Lowering the front of the car doesn't change the camber. The spindle is at a 90° angle to the strut. Your toe is probably what is wrong.
Really now?
Posted: Mar 10, 2013 12:12 PM
by tsmall07
Scottinva wrote:wkohler wrote:Lowering the front of the car doesn't change the camber. The spindle is at a 90° angle to the strut. Your toe is probably what is wrong.
Really now?
Yes, really. Rear camber changes with lowering, not front.
Posted: Mar 10, 2013 6:51 PM
by symmat001
clongo wrote:T_C_D wrote:I wouldn't knowingly put anything made in Asia on my BMW. Made in USA is OK.

You would be suprised at how many parts in the new BMW's are built in asia. Even more scary.... how many of the cars are assembled in South Africa!

Nothing wrong with the Bmw plant in South Africa!
That plant gave you guys the 1st M Car, the 530 MLE , which lead to the m535
Posted: Mar 10, 2013 7:47 PM
by wkohler
They also have the best E28 radiators, too. I don't look down upon South Africa.
Posted: Mar 14, 2013 6:14 PM
by Fuel
Just ordered my set from
http://www.precision-sport.com. You do have to call to place your order and they are selling them for $999 shipped. Part number is "I-34".

Posted: Mar 14, 2013 9:18 PM
by clongo
UPDATE!
They are installed and drive great! I still have some tweaking to do on them but overall I am very happy with these coil overs. I will post pics tomorrow of them installed.
One note I will make is I have to run a 4mm spacer in the front. I am running 17x8.5 et13 wheels with 245-40's. If I were running 225's up front they should clear.
The struts are incredibly long. I initially left the coil overs at the height I received them and the car was practically on the ground. The car is now 1" higher than it was on my previous suspension setup and I still have 3" more to raise the car if desired.
I'm also really surprised at how much of a difference a few clicks on the adjustable makes a difference in the ride. I have them set 4 clicks from full soft currently. I tried setting them in the middle (16 clicks) and the ride was VERY firm. Tomorrow morning I plan on setting it to full stiff to see how they feel.
Posted: Mar 15, 2013 7:18 AM
by davidu
very cool , i just got my xyz coil overs in 2 days ago and cant wait to get them installed, maybe this weekend

.
Posted: Mar 16, 2013 8:12 AM
by shagrath
Pics!