Lowered the 7 series Saturday

[ChrisV]

Well, more changes. Lowered it this weekend with H&R Springs (Springs installed with no spring compressor, just unbolt the top center nut on the struts, jack the car up, tilt the struts/wheel outward and pull the springs off by hand. Easy). Like I said, I wasn't going to slam it, just drop it to get rid of the 4x4 look it had previously.

Afterward, took it on a long drive yesterday, around the NE corner of Maryland, and down the eastern shore to Chestertown and Chesapeake City (had a nice, romantic dinner in Chesapeake City with my wife for our anniversary). Car rode and drove perfect. Much more aggressive, crisper handling. And the nose now drops away to the point where you really can't see it from teh driver's seat. the road (and the bumpers of cars ahead of you) feels right there making the car feel quite a bit smaller. Anyhow, now I have to clean it up and get some new pictures...

[Onslaught]

Funny, that's the first time I've ever heard someone say a BMW has a 4x4 look stock. Overall I think they do the best job at keeping the gap small.
However, it's good that you like the look and that it still rides nice. And that it's darn easy to do compared to other cars.

[BimmerM3]

I thought it looked just fine before, but now it looks mean! Looks great Chris.

[sportyaccordy]

Did you lower the back too? Looks good man, very understated. I love lowered q-ships

[ChrisV]

Well, compare the way it was before:



To the way it is now. The previous version looked really tall in front especially.



So more fresh pics from this morning:

[sportyaccordy]

Ah ok. Hopefully the rear will settle out, it's very raked. Looks great though nonetheless.

[ChrisV]

They are slightly raked, stock, and the fronts are more of a drop than the rears. Plus the body has a very wedge-shaped profile. The tires have the same gap front and rear now. And, you know, I kind of like like the rake, actually.

[cawimmer430]

Here are some shots of a new BMW 7er that appears to have been slightly lowered. Or maybe it's the big wheels...

[Madman]

Nice job Chris, but the front does look a little TOO low.  I think an intermediate spring, about halfway between the "Before" and the "After" photo would be the way to go.  Glad to see you're keeping the mods of the right side of tasteful. 


Cheers,
Madman of the People

[ChrisV]

Here are some shots of a new BMW 7er that appears to have been slightly lowered. Or maybe it's the big wheels...

It's just big wheels. You can put your fist between the tires and wheel well openings... lol!

[ChrisV]

Nice job Chris, but the front does look a little TOO low.  I think an intermediate spring, about halfway between the "Before" and the "After" photo would be the way to go.  Glad to see you're keeping the mods of the right side of tasteful. 


Cheers,
Madman of the People

It's almost not low enough for me. lol! There's still a gap above the tires..

Coilovers would be the ultimate way to go, to set it exactly the way I want it (not quite as far as the one in this link: http://baoser.smugmug.com/gallery/8056206_TuNGW#524740907_aStDn but I could level it out perfectly)

[sportyaccordy]

Yea if I lower a car I always go with coilovers. I'm too anal about ride height

[ChrisV]

Yea if I lower a car I always go with coilovers. I'm too anal about ride height

Well, it was $250 vs $1300, so a no-brainer on that one. (though I guess a group buy is being done for NEX coilovers on the E38 board, that drops the price to $799 or so... But yeah, I can't do that right now)

[Byteme]

I never thought the 7 series sat particularly high, but that looks pretty good.  The tires fill the wheelwells nicely.  Can you still get a jack under it if you have a flat  in the middle of no where?  

[TBR]

I never thought the 7 series sat particularly high, but that looks pretty good.  The tires fill the wheelwells nicely.  Can you still get a jack under it if you have a flat  in the middle of no where?   

Shouldn't be an issue, doesn't look much lower than my Prelude and I have had a jack under it far too many times.

[Vinsanity]

Funny, that's the first time I've ever heard someone say a BMW has a 4x4 look stock.

Do you happen to remember the pics of Beetles and mini-trucks he posted here?




The car looks very sinister; it's amazing how lowering springs do wonders to complete the big black sedan

[hotrodalex]

That's about the perfect ride height, Chris. I'm wanting to lower my 3er once I get my El Camino together.

[SVT666]

It's too raked for my liking, but it does look good.  Nice job!

[Cookie Monster]

It's too raked for my liking, but it does look good.  Nice job!

Finally agree with Hemi here.

It does looks nice but if It were my car I'd lower the back some more.

[ChrisV]

I've got 1.3" to go lower in the rear after I save up for some Bilstein HDs. Yeah, I can get a floor jack under it as it is (it may be lowered, but it's still higher off the ground than any of my lowrider cars, or even some of the stock stuff I've had). My only concern is that in the rear I might encounter rubbing issues if I carry rear seat passengers after lowering it more.

[hotrodalex]

I've got 1.3" to go lower in the rear after I save up for some Bilstein HDs. Yeah, I can get a floor jack under it as it is (it may be lowered, but it's still higher off the ground than any of my lowrider cars, or even some of the stock stuff I've had). My only concern is that in the rear I might encounter rubbing issues if I carry rear seat passengers after lowering it more.

You could always roll the fenders a bit.

[ChrisV]

You could always roll the fenders a bit.

Oh, I'll definitely have to, but it's not just the fender lip that's the issue, but the inner wheelwells.

[sportyaccordy]

Well, it was $250 vs $1300, so a no-brainer on that one. (though I guess a group buy is being done for NEX coilovers on the E38 board, that drops the price to $799 or so... But yeah, I can't do that right now)

Of all the Taiwanese coilovers out there I would say Nex is the best. I had them on my last Maxima and they rode decently (if not a bit soft).

[Raza]

Looks pretty good Chris.

[Onslaught]

I prefer a little rake myself over flat.

[S204STi]

Looks nice Chris.

I've been thinking about the H&R "OE Sport" springs for my car.  Very slight lowering, but I don't know what the spring rates are.  Tire rack doesn't tell me.   How am I to know if I also "need" the Koni inserts?

[Raza]

Okay, just to make sure, when you say "rake", you mean that the car looks as if it is pointed downwards at the front?  So if you drew a line from the front to the back of the car, it would be slanted, as opposed to flat?

[Minpin]

Okay, just to make sure, when you say "rake", you mean that the car looks as if it is pointed downwards at the front?  So if you drew a line from the front to the back of the car, it would be slanted, as opposed to flat?

Honestly, I thought Rake was the other direction, but his car is definitely pointed downward, so I don't know.

[S204STi]

Okay, just to make sure, when you say "rake", you mean that the car looks as if it is pointed downwards at the front?  So if you drew a line from the front to the back of the car, it would be slanted, as opposed to flat?

Yes.

[Raza]

Yes.

Oh good.  In that case, yes, I too like a little rake.