suspension replacement....what else

[anditsoundslikebells]

Hello,

The drive 600km drive back to the UK confirmed what I already knew. The 'last' part of the puzzle for mine is the suspension and I need to get it sorted. My dampers are shot and the drive was at times a little uncomfortable:

I'd like to ask your advice again on a few parts. I'm after the 'while I'm there' advice again.

I already have fitted:

Control Arm Kit Upper
034 Motorsport DENSITY LINE ADJUSTABLE UPPER CONTROL ARM KIT
https://store.034motorsport.com/034moto ... 6-rs6.html

Control Arm Kit Lower
034 Motorsport DENSITY LINE LOWER CONTROL ARM KIT, EARLY B5/C5
https://store.034motorsport.com/density ... ights.html

Tie Rods
034 Motorsport TIE ROD, METAL, HEAVY DUTY
https://store.034motorsport.com/tie-rod ... 4-rs4.html

Anti-Roll Bar
H&R ARB 33524-1
https://www.autodoc.co.uk/h-and-r/15746354

Sway-Bar Links Rear
034 Motorsport SPHERICAL REAR SWAY BAR END LINKS
https://store.034motorsport.com/spheric ... otion.html

Sway-Bar Links Front
034 Motorsport SWAY BAR END LINKS, MOTORSPORT
https://store.034motorsport.com/sway-ba ... a6-s6.html

Strut mounts
SKF Top Strut Mounting
https://www.vsm.skf.com/ie/en/products/VKDA35118T

I have settled on Bilstein BMR16 PSS9, including new developed bleed valves in the piston shafts and custom revalved damper settings supplied/fitted by Madeno Racing in Holland
(http://www.madenoracing.com/performance/)

I will also replace the bushings with a combination of Powerflex Purple (80A) & OEM.

I have OZ OZ Superturismo LM 9.5 x 19 ET40 and will fit 15mm spacers.
At 15mm I guess the bolts would need to be 45mm if I used the 'simple' spacers.
Are 45mm bolts OK with our cars?
Is it better to find spacers that have the integrated outward facing bolts?

I've read the Plus had a revised steering rack, with a reduced ratio of 14.3 for firmer steering feel. Has anyone switched to one of these? (not for now, just to know)

Is there anything else I should consider while I'm there?

Cheers

[Shoppinit]

Never heard that about the plus steering rack. Sounds like folklore. Quick check of the parts catalogue will tell you f there’s a part number specific to the plus. I’d bet a beer there isn’t but can’t be arsed to check.

As for the dampers, why the modified ones? Do you drive the car in a way that would benefit from them over the standard pss9?

I’d be comfortable with 45mm bolts. I might torque them slightly tighter than standard though. And I’d want floating seats.

[ChrisA]

Sorry to interrupt but what are floating seats on a bolt and what’s the purpose?

[Shoppinit]

They are the loose washers that are the interface between the alloy wheel and the bolt. Like shaped washers. The OE bolts have them, as do the longer ones I got for use with my spacers.

They are so you can torque the bolts correctly without the biting of the alloy against a solid bolt causing the apparent torque to be too high. If that makes sense.

[ChrisA]

[anditsoundslikebells]

thought i'd follow up on this.
the car has been sat up for ages. been renovating my apartment from a concrete shell and it has completely overtaken my life lately (as expected).

i read up more about RS6+ steering rack and checked the parts nos, no difference. I think it was an over enthusiastic journalistic:
http://rs6.online/rs6-c5-plus/

Although the Madeno redesigned appeal to ne and sound like a step up I can't justify the extra cash. Maybe next time.
You might find their rationale interesting:

"fenomenal improvements ! the quality of the Bilstein dampers are very..very good, the PSS9 dampers have the adjustment in the knobs, there is a space between
click 1 & 2 (first adjust to open the by pass bleed valve) and 8 & 9 (9 is full open) damper clicks 2 to 8 are very close to each other. this means that there is
a big step fromt click 1 to 2 and from 8 to 9. there is a very small amount of adjustments between 2 and 8

we re-disigned the bleed valve which gives a much more accurate adjustment between all clicks and each click is fully noticeable to fine-tune the damper range
setup. Bilstein is almost using the bumpstops at lower ride-heights and compensate this with low-speed damping, we prefer to drive and use springs and damping
instead of undamped foam bumpstops. (almost all car manufacturers do the same these days, dramatically !)

attached dyno plots of a stock BMW Z3 PSS9 front damper and with new designed bleed valves (same valvings)"

I'll leave the bushes for another time unless they're trashed.
I will try some Eibach 15mm spacers on my 9.5Jx19 et40.
For the PSS9s, these seem correect & well priced:
https://www.extreme-carstyling.nl/bilst ... 01-05.html

is it weird that i enjoy being back to forever fixing the RS?