[ap46]

I bought a pair of front springs, the seller claimed they're factory sport springs. I couldn't see any thread about the springs with a single red stripe, and whether this color represents standard or sport springs.

Thing is, the car sits a bit high up front. On R16 wheels with 205x55 tires fitted. I can fit 3 fingers through the wheelgap, and there is still ~1 cm of space left.

So can I ask, do you know if those springs are sport or not? And what is a normal ride height or wheelgap for an E46 with sport suspension vs standard? Cheers

 

[CylonRed]

Springs are a mess with BMW. So many different cars, so many different colors. Ever notice that you can hit up any of the popular BMW sites and order BMW springs - BMW branded springs? Coupe, base, ZHP, M3, wagon (check your local country), Xi, sport package - all can have different spring colors... I saw an Excel spreadsheet awhile back that tried to list all of the combinations for E46 (maybe E36/90 mixed in) and it was VERY bare for confirmed combinations.

In all of my research - there are a lot of guesses but most are just that - not sure I have ever found a one true source of truth.

 

[ap46]

Unfortunately, you are spot on. It's a complete mess, no reliable info and I bet BMW themselves aren't sure what they did with the spring colors.
I am wondering if anyone else saw such springs, or can tell whether they're sport/standard by certain visual cues of the spring itself

 

[Bali]

By the colored stripes on them.

 

[ap46]

@Bali I looked in the other threads regarding the stripe on the springs, I couldn't find anything about the ones with a single red stripe

 

[4aceman]

Long shot but perhaps a call to the local dealer?
Not sure how much details they'd give but you can pretend they're broken and you need to order a replacement.

 

[CylonRed]

By the colored stripes on them.

Which are a mess and there seems to be no good info for the end user/owner. If BMW has the info - they are VERY tight with it. This was the info in the Excel spreadsheet that used info from owners because that info could not be gotten anywhere else, including RealOEM.

 

[cphes]

Dealer is not likely to help you. They will ask you for your vin, and get you exactly that from the motherland. I have an e39 540iT, sport suspension car. I gave my vin to people looking for the right spring.

 

[burntoutrubber]

Springs also differ by body type

 

[kylanjohnson]

I believe the single orange stripe is just a regular spring. Not m-sport or zhp.

Read this:

BMW Spring Color Codes

I’m trying to crack BMW’s color coding system for their springs. Based on a review of spring photos in the classified section and some guesswork, here’s my working theories: Front springs – * M3 springs have 1 yellow stripe * manual transmissions have 1 white stripe on the sport springs *...

www.e46fanatics.com

 

[ap46]

Oof! You may be right
Although I can't find a reference, explicitly for the single red stripe

 

[4aceman]

Thing is, the car sits a bit high up front. On R16 wheels with 205x55 tires fitted. I can fit 3 fingers through the wheelgap, and there is still ~1 cm of space left.

Did you happen to change out the strut mounts too?

Are the springs seated correctly on the struts?

 

[ap46]

@4aceman hey! I changed the mounts too, I used KYB mounts. Don't know if they're seated correctly but they should be, according to the markings on the spring plate (don't know how it's called).

I found an image about ride height with stock vs sport springs, so I will compare to that one. Thank you for your help!

 

[4aceman]

@4aceman hey! I changed the mounts too, I used KYB mounts. Don't know if they're seated correctly but they should be, according to the markings on the spring plate (don't know how it's called).

I found an image about ride height with stock vs sport springs, so I will compare to that one. Thank you for your help!

They redesigned the strut mount and they're a lot taller than the old ones.
Could be a big part of your problem Strut mount difference.. old vs new.

 

[ap46]

@4aceman LOL! That is quite something, and a rather sad sight. Here are the mounts I used (the Kayabas)

 

[4aceman]

@4aceman LOL! That is quite something, and a rather sad sight. Here are the mounts I used (the Kayabas) View attachment 971473

Yup, that's the redesigned ones.
I reused my m-sport springs with m-sport bilstein B4s and new Lemforder strut mounts.

Installed Z4 Strut Mounts

After changing my struts out I saw my replacement OEM strut mounts were way taller than my stock ones. Turns out the part was updated and redesigned and ended up much taller. After putting up with some comically high front suspension for a year or so I found people using Sachs 802 066 mounts...

www.e46fanatics.com

This is what I ended up with. I replaced with Z4 strut mounts and got a much more reasonable ride height.

Then I went a bit too far and put on some Eibach pro-kits... 😅

 

[ap46]

@4aceman That's amazing! Thank you very much. Your car looks amazing, moreso with the proper ride height

I'm now angry as hell that I bought those pieces of $h!e# that make my front look like a tractor, and that I will have to do the same thing over again... Buy new parts, install them, then re-do an alignment yadayada... I gotta decide for the future whether I'll get lower aftermarket springs, Z4 mounts or both, haha! As a sidenote, did you use Z4 E85 (generation) mounts?

EDIT: also, do you happen to know if the OEM codes for the E46 vs Z4 strut mounts are different? Cheers

 

[kylanjohnson]

Oof! You may be right
Although I can't find a reference, explicitly for the single red stripe

Re-read through that thread. That is an orange stripe on your springs making that sport spings.

auto transmissions have 1 brown or orange stripe on the sport springs

 

[ap46]

oof, my bad you're right! Turns out my culprit may be the strut mounts, as discussed earlier. Frustrating!

 

[4aceman]

The OE part numbers are very different, but pretty much all Exx chassis cars share the same strut mount fitments. People even put E36 M3 strut mounts in to change their caster and camber.

Fortunately the Z4 strut mounts are very affordable, https://www.autodoc.co.uk/sachs/1229634 - Sachs part number 802 066, which is OEM.

Nice thing about the strut mounts is that they do not affect suspension travel or function whatsoever. Pretty much guilt-free lowering without worrying about suspension bottoming out or which bump stops to run.