[[email protected]]

Okay so now that I have some shoes...I need to lower my car. I know for sure I am going with coilovers, but I am deciding between the PSS9's and the KW V2 coilovers. I need both the height and dampening adjustments because I drive it both in the street and race applications. I heard that the PSS9's have a fitment issue so I am a little worried about ordering these. The KW's seem like a perfect substitute because of the similar price and adjustments. So what setup would you go with? And no I am not going with H&R cause I have seen multiple threads about these suspension systems breaking. BTW, I would also like a system that will last a while, like 5 years...

 

[charge man]

what fitment issue?

 

[just_me]

Had my PSS9's for over a year, no problems.

 

[CtrlAltDel]

not aware of a fitament issue...i'm getting pss9's in the spring...

 

[e46boy]

actually.. both coils have fitment issues..

i believed bilsten fixed the pss9, it was discussed in a thread not long ago..

now the kw fitment issue depends on the rims u have, i know someone with acs rims require a spacer for the front to clear the kw v2.

but out of these 2.. i'll take the kw

 

[qzbeemer]

i heard that bilstein only had problems on the m3

 

[ryyster]

I'd go with Kw's, just got mines from sam @ renn-sport not to long ago, rides great. Only thing is you have to take the shocks out in the rear to adjust the dampening, besides that, its perfect!

 

[[email protected]]

I have BBS CH's 18x8.5 all around...so will there be fitment issues? Also why would u go with whatever you picked?

 

[Luke WL.]

you dont have to take out the rear to change the dampening or height on the rear of kw v2's to adjust the dampening, go into your trunk take out the liner, and sound proofing, then you will thee the little "keyhole" for the supplied tool, adjust at will...

 

[pmpn8ez]

If you're racing stop wasting time and f*cking around with all this street crap. Call Jay at Ground Control or TC Kline and get a real set up as well as advice on proper set up. You don't see any GT BMW team using KW or Bilstein. Why? Without even putting those kits on you can tell a difference in quality. KW and PSS9 are fine for impressing girls with your lowered ride, but don't bring that sh*t to the track or you'll get lapped.

The funny thing is that 90% of the M3s I see have one of those two set ups and 90% of those have the wrong settings. I'll say this again... Suspension is 40% components, 40% set up and alignment settings, and 20% testing and correction to get it right for your application. Most people get all 3 wrong.

 

[He and his]

you dont have to take out the rear to change the dampening or height on the rear of kw v2's to adjust the dampening, go into your trunk take out the liner, and sound proofing, then you will thee the little "keyhole" for the supplied tool, adjust at will...

yes u do mah brutha..........the M peeps dont have to do that but the regular E46's have to...........I also say KW II's all the way, INOX style:thumbup:

 

[He and his]

and this is why

http://www.kwsuspension.com/

 

[[email protected]]

If you're racing stop wasting time and f*cking around with all this street crap. Call Jay at Ground Control or TC Kline and get a real set up as well as advice on proper set up. You don't see any GT BMW team using KW or Bilstein. Why? Without even putting those kits on you can tell a difference in quality. KW and PSS9 are fine for impressing girls with your lowered ride, but don't bring that sh*t to the track or you'll get lapped.

The funny thing is that 90% of the M3s I see have one of those two set ups and 90% of those have the wrong settings. I'll say this again... Suspension is 40% components, 40% set up and alignment settings, and 20% testing and correction to get it right for your application. Most people get all 3 wrong.

yeah that'd be cool IF my car was dedicated to the track...but 95% of the time I am driving on the street and the other 5% is autox about once month. So I think the PSS9's or KW's would be a good setup for both applications...

 

[noBenz]

KW V3's here at the price of V2's lol great stuff I love them even though its overkill for my car but who could pass up a deal like that?

 

[John from jersey]

If you're racing stop wasting time and f*cking around with all this street crap. Call Jay at Ground Control or TC Kline and get a real set up as well as advice on proper set up. You don't see any GT BMW team using KW or Bilstein. Why? Without even putting those kits on you can tell a difference in quality. KW and PSS9 are fine for impressing girls with your lowered ride, but don't bring that sh*t to the track or you'll get lapped.

.

You have got to be kidding right? There are many race teams running KW suspensions. I have seen more european car race teams w/ a KW sticker on their ride and have only seen a handful sporting a GC sticker.

GC offers a nice setup but, the only thing that it has to offer over KW is an easier selection of spring choices. KW will let you order your choice of spring rate as well, but getting them to do anything outside of the standard setup is not easy as w/ GC. KW V3's spring rate, dampening and rebound allows for the optimal setting for majority of track enviroments. KW2's are ideally flexible for track, auto X, and street. The PSS9's I do agree with you and wouldnt recommend them to anyone who wants a serious coilover setup.

 

[Luke WL.]

he and his, then i must have the m3 shocks? cuz i can and have adjusted my dampening the way i explained....

 

[pmpn8ez]

I've spent a lot of days at a lot of tracks the last 5 years and I know most of the people racing BMWs in the US and a few in Europe. One of my close friends is a factory driver. KW is not a force in road racing. Their stuff is on a few cars in Europe. I've seen there stuff on a few European cars like the Viper that one at the ring, but on a comparative basis KW doesn't even show up on the radar.

I don't know of a US BMW team using KW. PTG uses Moton/Sachs and the factory team uses Sachs/Koni. Come to think of it, I can't think of any US GT Rolex team using KW.

I like GC for xover applications because you can choose spring rate and they use double adjustable Konis which are easy to adjust and have a long seal life. Koni have been used in track applications for decades. For the money and the support you get from Ground Control them they're tough to beat. Also, they supply bearings, bushings, rear control arms, and lots of other parts that are custom for the e46. Very few of the other companies just can't compete with that.

I'm laughing my a** off that so many people are in love with PSS9 or even KW for that matter. It is a total herd mentality. A bunch of people that don't know anything about suspension that have other people install their stuff because they don't know how to do it themselves telling each other that some average product is the best thing out there.

Go KW they're sweet dude.:thumbup:

 

[[email protected]]

I've spent a lot of days at a lot of tracks the last 5 years and I know most of the people racing BMWs in the US and a few in Europe. One of my close friends is a factory driver. KW is not a force in road racing. Their stuff is on a few cars in Europe. I've seen there stuff on a few European cars like the Viper that one at the ring, but on a comparative basis KW doesn't even show up on the radar.

I don't know of a US BMW team using KW. PTG uses Moton/Sachs and the factory team uses Sachs/Koni. Come to think of it, I can't think of any US GT Rolex team using KW.

I like GC for xover applications because you can choose spring rate and they use double adjustable Konis which are easy to adjust and have a long seal life. Koni have been used in track applications for decades. For the money and the support you get from Ground Control them they're tough to beat. Also, they supply bearings, bushings, rear control arms, and lots of other parts that are custom for the e46. Very few of the other companies just can't compete with that.

I'm laughing my a** off that so many people are in love with PSS9 or even KW for that matter. It is a total herd mentality. A bunch of people that don't know anything about suspension that have other people install their stuff because they don't know how to do it themselves telling each other that some average product is the best thing out there.

Go KW they're sweet dude.:thumbup:

Now that's the response I am lookin for! Thanks for the input. How do KW's compare for street use and durability against the PSS9's?

 

[noBenz]

hehe you must not watch much european racing b/c K&W is a force to be reckoned with in europe. I think you're makin statements from your personal experience, but you're not out there in the professional tracks with professionals in europe... maybe in the U.S. but this is the home of the round track...

 

[MCD007]

My KW make a ton of noise. If you're at the stanford meet ill show u.