Eibach Pro Kit, Koni Yellows, and Dinan Toe Links Review

[matreyia]

This is an initial review of the Dinan Toe Links with Koni Yellows at 90% firm settings, and Eibach Pro Kit springs set.
Initial impressions:

1. Noticeably firmer than stock sport springs.
2. Oddly enough...also noticeably quieter and no more squeaks in car...springs absorb most road imperfections.
3. Car stays super flat in turns and braking and acceleration.
4. Car is 1 inch lower in front and .6 inch lower in back from the Eibach springs.

Have not had a chance to go all out with curves and throttle to test the Toe Links.
I am satisfied with the improvements and minor lowered look.
Notes: Toe Links are about 230 grams lighter than stock.

 

[Asbjorn]

Im running Koni FSD + Eibach pro kit on the Zed, and my experience is the same as yours. High speed stability improved alot. My only complaint is that the front now bottoms out more easily on bad roads. Happened around 10 times already in 5000kms.

 

[Bmac]

Eibach's have similar spring rates to the stock sport springs, but they're shorter so you lose suspension travel, which is not something these cars have a lot of to begin with. That's why you're bottoming out. I experienced the same thing with Eibach + Bilstein B8's. OP may not be experiencing that because the Konis are set so firm. The yellow BMW Performance springs and Dinan springs are shorter as well but with increased spring rates.

 

[matreyia]

Eibach's have similar spring rates to the stock sport springs, but they're shorter so you lose suspension travel, which is not something these cars have a lot of to begin with. That's why you're bottoming out. I experienced the same thing with Eibach + Bilstein B8's. OP may not be experiencing that because the Konis are set so firm. The yellow BMW Performance springs and Dinan springs are shorter as well but with increased spring rates.

Yeah, could be FSD is soft enough that causes bottom out. Mine are almost max firm on yellows so feels super flat... rough on rough roads but quiet on normal roads. Potholes are the bane of firm settings... oh lord.

 

[Rob09msport]

Do the fsd have internal bump stop? With new bump stop and short body shock you shouldn't lose any travel.

 

[matreyia]

I was also thinking about the FSD because I actually wanted the smoother stock lux drive with sport abilities...but I suppose it can only go so far. Koni Sport Yellows are pretty drastic on max settings and they do hold straight but you do sacrifice a lot of the lux feel.

 

[Asbjorn]

Alright, I finally got tired of bottoming out all the time. I also didn't like the front height with the eibach springs. It looked too low, especially with the 3deg camber:

I have now reinstalled the front OEM springs. It turns out they are 12mm in diameter, whereas the Eibachs were 12.5mm. Very minor difference as @Bmac also said. This is how the car looks with Eibach rear springs and OEM front springs:



@yuli8466 showed me this site listing various spring rates for E9x. I wish there was a similar source for E89. I would like to know what my spring rate was before and after installing Eibach pro-kit rear springs.

 

[matreyia]

Alright, I finally got tired of bottoming out all the time. I also didn't like the front height with the eibach springs. It looked too low, especially with the 3deg camber:

View attachment 17230

View attachment 17232

I have now reinstalled the front OEM springs. It turns out they are 12mm in diameter, whereas the Eibachs were 12.5mm. Very minor difference as @Bmac also said. This is how the car looks with Eibach rear springs and OEM front springs:

View attachment 17231 View attachment 17233

@yuli8466 showed me this site listing various spring rates for E9x. I wish there was a similar source for E89. I would like to know what my spring rate was before and after installing Eibach pro-kit rear springs.

My car started to rub after installing spacers...15mm and 18mm so...Gonna roll inside of fenders. Should take care of rubbing. I like the mpg and stability improvements too much to go back to stock.

 

[orangescene]

Did you ever consider trying out Bilstein Shocks?

 

[matreyia]

Did you ever consider trying out Bilstein Shocks?

I read too many reviews of people who had both and recommended Konis over Bilstein.

 

[EthanolTurbo]

My car started to rub after installing spacers...15mm and 18mm so...Gonna roll inside of fenders. Should take care of rubbing. I like the mpg and stability improvements too much to go back to stock.

What mpg improvements did you notice and how?

 

[matreyia]

What mpg improvements did you notice and how?

Hyper-mile driving yielded previously only 30mpg, after install, it was 34mpg. highway speed.

 

[EthanolTurbo]

Hyper-mile driving yielded previously only 30mpg, after install, it was 34mpg. highway speed.

Just from spacers? That's really strange/unexpected. What is your guess on why?

 

[matreyia]

Just from spacers? That's really strange/unexpected. What is your guess on why?

Not from the spacers, from the lower eibach springs. The spacers only improved curvy driving as the car is more flat on cornering and also soaks up bumps more due to more metal absorbing the bumps.

 

[Asbjorn]

Those of you who like the pro-kit, are you using the 11-20-013-02-VA springs or the 11-20-013-01-VA springs?
I had the 01VA, and bottomed out all the time. I am told the 02VA should raise the front by 10-15mm over 01VA.
I am currently running stock front and eibach rear. I miss the front spring rate of the eibach, but want to keep the stock ride height.

PS do M springs fit with our front dampers?

 

[matreyia]

Those of you who like the pro-kit, are you using the 11-20-013-02-VA springs or the 11-20-013-01-VA springs?
I had the 01VA, and bottomed out all the time. I am told the 02VA should raise the front by 10-15mm over 01VA.
I am currently running stock front and eibach rear. I miss the front spring rate of the eibach, but want to keep the stock ride height.

PS do M springs fit with our front dampers?

 

[Asbjorn]

View attachment 30516

Do you remember the numbering on the front springs? I guess you have the type ending on 02VA?

 

[matreyia]

Do you remember the numbering on the front springs? I guess you have the type ending on 02VA?

30mm is 1.2 inches so these are the 01A. According to you the 02A are 20mm or .78 inch. but I can find no information on this. otherwise, I would change them out for the .78 inch

 

[matreyia]

30mm is 1.2 inches so these are the 01A.

Do you remember the numbering on the front springs? I guess you have the type ending on 02VA?

you may have mixed up numbers... the 02A is the rear spring which is .6 inches and the front is the 01A which is 1.2 inches.

 

[Asbjorn]

you may have mixed up numbers... the 02A is the rear spring which is .6 inches and the front is the 01A which is 1.2 inches.

Got the numbers directly from Eibach asia. They are also both sold in Europe. But 02A is not listed for Z4, probably because the front is a bit lighter than 1/3series.