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The Daily Grind – Setting Up an E28

Published in Stanceworks.com

It was a few weeks ago, with the shop door wide open, that a fellow BMW enthusiast spotted the slew of E28s inside the StanceWorks HQ. Driving an absolutely gorgeous 535iS of his own, he pulled up outside, eager to talk shop and gather opinions. It wasn’t long before he asked about suspension options, having eyed a few different setups, but expressing some doubts about the results they might offer. With an interest in helping to set his car up similarly to my own, we put together a plan, and before long, his car was on the lift, getting the StanceWorks treatment.

Our friend had his heart set on a coilover system, seeking out adjustability and a rather serious drop, instead of the common alternatives like a spring and shock combo.  As a huge fan of the bolt-on simplicity of H&R's coilover system, as well as the incredible engineering behind it, it was an easy an obvious decision. As one of the only kits available with a complete spindle, it takes out any guesswork or fabrication, making for a rather straight-forward installation. As a kit designed and engineered specifically for the E28, it also allows for a ride that is stiff and sporty, yet friendly enough that even my own mother could tolerate it on a daily basis.

With just the need for a brake shield swap and a set of new hubs, it took no time before the kit was installed, topped by Ground Control camber/caster plates (yet to be fully tightened in the pics, for those keen readers.) The rear coilovers were an equally simple, bolt-on affair. Within a few hours, the car was ready for its next upgrades: a set of ST sway bars.

As someone who enjoys driving his car hard, our friend expressed interest in a set of stiffer, aftermarket sways. The ST bars bolted right on, within minutes, with new bushings to boot. With multiple holes for the endlinks allowing for adjustability in stiffness, we set the front bar to its mid-range, and the rear bar to full-stiff, in an effort to liven up the sedan and make it a bit more tail-happy.

And just like that, within an afternoon, the car was on the ground - lower than ever before, with heaps of adjustment in both the up and down directions for ride height. Having asked for a significant drop, we set the up to hunker down over the tires, while still allowing for all the needed clearance for daily driving. It's safe to say, he's happy, and so are we. It's always fun to spread our knowledge and experience to others, and now there's yet another E28 out there, being enjoyed even more than before. That's a win in my book.