Self Leveling Suspension

[rodolfo]

I want to order some springs.

But how do I know if my 2008 X5 3.0 has self-leveling suspensión or not?

I suppose it doesn`t, but want to be sure.

[Singh97]

if you have 3rd row seats, then it is confirmed that you have self leveling.
If not you need to look for air cylinders in the rear suspension usually where you find springs.

Originally Posted by rodolfo

I want to order some springs.

But how do I know if my 2008 X5 3.0 has self-leveling suspensión or not?

I suppose it doesn`t, but want to be sure.

[MikesX5m]

I just installed H&R springs last week and I didn't know either. Self leveling actually means air bags. If you have air bags you can actually hear them when you start and stop your car. If you are getting the H&R springs with rear links make sure your rear is level or slightly higher than your rear, otherwise, your ride is going to be extremely bouncy and unsafe.

[rodolfo]

Do the H&R springs come with the rear links?

or do you have to buy them separately?

[JVX6M]

Originally Posted by rodolfo

Do the H&R springs come with the rear links?

or do you have to buy them separately?

Depends on the kit you order from H&R. If you have the self leveling suspension then yes the H&R kit does come with the links. But if you don't have the self leveling then you need to order the other kit from them with 4 lowering springs.

[rodolfo]

So I guess the problem is for people with SELF LEVELING SUSPENSION?

If you have the normal suspensión, you just order the normal springs and you are set?

[JVX6M]

What do you mean by problem though? Since the air leveling suspension uses the lowering links instead of the springs, what the links do is basically trick the cars computer into what the actual ride height is in so many words.... As apposed to the X5 with out air leveling, like the front they are also a set of springs that need to be replaced to have a lowered more desired ride height... If problems your referring to ride quality with the links what they mean is if you set the links to be to short the rear ride height will be dropped liwer than the front which in turn make the bumps and bouncy rear feel like your car is broke. I have lowering links and they were set too low initially and needed to be adjusted slightly for a bareable ride quality.

[rodolfo]

Yes,

What I ment is lots of people were having problems with the truck being to bouncy, because of the lowering links being set to low. When they adjusted them everything was great.

I guess the complaints were mainly form people WITH SELF LEVELING SUSPENSION?

Or were people WITHOUT SELF LEVELING SUSPENSION were having bouncy problems too?

I have lowered lots of cars, and it is weird to hear there are problems lowering trucks that have so much clearance, I supose it was more of a problema of bad setting of the lowering link, than a bad ride because of lowering.

[JVX6M]

I had the 1.2" kit on my previous E70 and no rear links and it was not too harsh for me and obviously no problems with the linkage system since it was just 4 springs! No bounce at all...

[rodolfo]

Originally Posted by JX5M

I had the 1.2" kit on my previous E70 and no rear links and it was not too harsh for me and obviously no problems with the linkage system since it was just 4 springs! No bounce at all...

Thats just what I wanted to hear, thank man

Will order springs, and spacers today.

Aero kit and fender flares are already on their way.

Will post pics as soon as everything is on.

Thanks

[zombiemaniac]

Originally Posted by rodolfo

Thats just what I wanted to hear, thank man

Will order springs, and spacers today.

Aero kit and fender flares are already on their way.

Will post pics as soon as everything is on.

Thanks

I have a Bmw X5 50i 2012 don't have a 3rd row but does have air suspension.
I was looking on the H&R springs with the 2 links but when I checked my rear
suspension it only have one stock link in the driver side only. no link
in the passenger side,it has the hole where it attach but no links.

[xtractime]

Resurrecting the thread since I wasn't finding a clear answer. I've seen most answers talking about 3rd row optioned x5's having self leveling suspension. I did a VIN look up for my non-3rd row diesel x5 and I have both "S220 Self-leveling suspension" and "S225 Standard suspension" options.

Does this mean I need the H&R kit with the rear links or the standard one with 4 springs? Thanks for the help!

[jandref321]

All you have to do is reach over top and around of one of your rear tires and feel. If you do this directly in the center and keep reaching toward the car then you will feel either springs, or a smooth vertical cylinder. The smooth one is an air bag or "air spring" and the spring is just a spring. Count yourself lucky if it's air bags because those are way easier to lower than actually pulling out a real spring.

[xtractime]

Originally Posted by jandref321

All you have to do is reach over top and around of one of your rear tires and feel. If you do this directly in the center and keep reaching toward the car then you will feel either springs, or a smooth vertical cylinder. The smooth one is an air bag or "air spring" and the spring is just a spring. Count yourself lucky if it's air bags because those are way easier to lower than actually pulling out a real spring.

Thanks for that. I got the bagssss. Any adverse effect on towing or the rear suspension with the lowering links installed? I know about the problems others were having with dropping it too low and bounce but was wondering if it affected that functionality of the air suspension itself.

[jandref321]

Originally Posted by xtractime

Thanks for that. I got the bagssss. Any adverse effect on towing or the rear suspension with the lowering links installed? I know about the problems others were having with dropping it too low and bounce but was wondering if it affected that functionality of the air suspension itself.

It's going to affect almost all of your suspension components negatively because they weren't designed to be lowered, but it's not too concerning. This just means that your shocks and dampers will wear out faster and more likely that you will bottom out the bump stops depending on how low you go. It's not like they will fail right away, just slightly shorter life span. To save your control arm bushings, you need to loosen and retorque them at the lowered height. They are torqued at normal height so when you lower the truck the bushings are sitting in a twisted position and getting yanked on while driving around...this tears up the rubber.

I think what most people describe as "bounce" is the extra play in your suspension travel. Your shocks and dampers are a certain length, when you install shorter springs this doesn't shorten the shocks and dampers so you have some extra suspension travel left over. The springs are designed for the car so it won't be "spring bouncy" but if you hit a large change in elevation on the highway you may feel the suspension extend higher than the spring length and "bounce." Coilovers will have matched or adjustable shocks and dampers so there is no extra play...if that makes sense...Plus softer dampers depending on your spring rate and if they are progressive.

I'm actually unsure how this affects the air ride components. My X5M is the first vehicle I've had with air ride and I haven't messed with the suspension on her yet. Coilovers for air ride suspensions don't replace the air bags, so I'm guessing there is no downside in the rear...maybe just reduces the life of the bag slightly. They do replace the damper though, which has the bump stop. I'm thinking about lowering the M with springs and links, but need to find a replacement bump stop option that isn't expensive. Some people just cut the stock ones shorter, but that eliminates the "progressive" nature of the stock bump stops.

[BOOF-M3]

I would like to add to this since I have a suspension question.

I'm pulling my hair out looking for a 2012 or 2013 X5 50i or 35i with M-Sport. I'm running Vin codes and looking at the options as none of the dealers seam to have a clue as to what these vehicles have as options other than to say "yes, it's fully loaded". The problem I'm having is I can't figure out what a fully loaded M -Sport should have. If it has 337 is that everything in a nutshell? 226? I don't see anything on any of the vehicles so far that show as ZMP from the vin. Also I see that when I find one with the 337 it also has 7M5. And when I say fully loaded M-Sport I'm speaking of suspension and the 40hp upgrade for 50i and the 15hp upgrade for 35i. I don't want to get caught in buying an M-Sport vehicle but it's only half an M. Much appreciated.

[jiggz]

Originally Posted by BOOF-M3

I would like to add to this since I have a suspension question.

I'm pulling my hair out looking for a 2012 or 2013 X5 50i or 35i with M-Sport. I'm running Vin codes and looking at the options as none of the dealers seam to have a clue as to what these vehicles have as options other than to say "yes, it's fully loaded". The problem I'm having is I can't figure out what a fully loaded M -Sport should have. If it has 337 is that everything in a nutshell? 226? I don't see anything on any of the vehicles so far that show as ZMP from the vin. Also I see that when I find one with the 337 it also has 7M5. And when I say fully loaded M-Sport I'm speaking of suspension and the 40hp upgrade for 50i and the 15hp upgrade for 35i. I don't want to get caught in buying an M-Sport vehicle but it's only half an M. Much appreciated.

1st off, good call not trusting a dealer in regards to vehicle packaging/options, 99% of them will be wrong. And to date I've yet to find a 'fully loaded' E70 X5. Seen some really close, but never one with every available package & option, and I've decoded hundreds.

Now then, I'm not sure what you mean by fully loaded M Sport? M Sport is simply a package, not a model. If you're decoding VINs, the M Sport will come up as P337. It appears in the decoder that other components to this package have their own code, such as the S7M5 code you mention (M exterior equipment). You're not going to find every M Sport component listed in the VIN...for example the ///M door sills. I wouldn't get to granular with that though - if it shows P337, it has M Sport. And if it has M Sport it will have all the M Sport components - body kit, ///M steering wheel (which is slightly different from the X5M steering wheel), door sills, wheels (20's were still optional BTW), etc.

The HP/TQ upgrade you're referring to is the M Performance Package - S767 in the VIN decoder. This package is completely separate from P337/M Sport, however a vehicle must have been equipped with M Sport to open up the M Performance Package option. That package increased HP/TQ in the 50i by 40/30, and in the 35i by 15/30, along with aluminum pedals and gloss black exhaust tips. If you want M Performance, you will need to shop 2013 models only, it was not offered any other model year.

Run this VIN and you'll see M Sport and Performance listed separately - 0C16137

[BOOF-M3]

Originally Posted by jiggz

1st off, good call not trusting a dealer in regards to vehicle packaging/options, 99% of them will be wrong. And to date I've yet to find a 'fully loaded' E70 X5. Seen some really close, but never one with every available package & option, and I've decoded hundreds.

Now then, I'm not sure what you mean by fully loaded M Sport? M Sport is simply a package, not a model. If you're decoding VINs, the M Sport will come up as P337. It appears in the decoder that other components to this package have their own code, such as the S7M5 code you mention (M exterior equipment). You're not going to find every M Sport component listed in the VIN...for example the ///M door sills. I wouldn't get to granular with that though - if it shows P337, it has M Sport. And if it has M Sport it will have all the M Sport components - body kit, ///M steering wheel (which is slightly different from the X5M steering wheel), door sills, wheels (20's were still optional BTW), etc.

The HP/TQ upgrade you're referring to is the M Performance Package - S767 in the VIN decoder. This package is completely separate from P337/M Sport, however a vehicle must have been equipped with M Sport to open up the M Performance Package option. That package increased HP/TQ in the 50i by 40/30, and in the 35i by 15/30, along with aluminum pedals and gloss black exhaust tips. If you want M Performance, you will need to shop 2013 models only, it was not offered any other model year.

Run this VIN and you'll see M Sport and Performance listed separately - 0C16137

Thank you for the help. Another forum member BMWX5ER led me down the right path. He sent me the 2013 build sheet and I was able to determine the packages through the bmw Vin decoder. I was getting hung up on the ZMP and the ZMX. Dealers have a ZMP car and have no clue that's not the HP/TQ option. Now to pull 100 vin#'s like yourself and find them both on one vehicle. I am at least aware already to look for rims on the front page of a listing to narrow down the choices. Much appreciated you responding. Thank you.

[BOOF-M3]

Hey Jiggz, since we have opened this can of worms. 2013 50i with ZMP only compared
to the 35i with ZMP and ZMX? Being an M3 driver I guess it's a no brainer but it's for my girl and she would rather have low mileage as opposed to packages if you get my drift. But if she/we just can't afford a 50i with both packages will settling for a35i with both be ok as far as performance? Or just the 50i with the ZMP and call it a day.

[jiggz]

Originally Posted by BOOF-M3

Hey Jiggz, since we have opened this can of worms. 2013 50i with ZMP only compared
to the 35i with ZMP and ZMX? Being an M3 driver I guess it's a no brainer but it's for my girl and she would rather have low mileage as opposed to packages if you get my drift. But if she/we just can't afford a 50i with both packages will settling for a35i with both be ok as far as performance? Or just the 50i with the ZMP and call it a day.

Let's take this to PM since we're way off topic now

[LooneyMC]

Originally Posted by MikesX5m

I just installed H&R springs last week and I didn't know either. Self leveling actually means air bags. If you have air bags you can actually hear them when you start and stop your car. If you are getting the H&R springs with rear links make sure your rear is level or slightly higher than your rear, otherwise, your ride is going to be extremely bouncy and unsafe.

Hi there, so I have replaced both my rear air springs with some aftermarket ones and used the adjustable links for the rear. I have Godspeed lowering springs in the front but the rear is super bouncy. Any thoughts on these?

[NewerE70Owner]

Originally Posted by LooneyMC

Hi there, so I have replaced both my rear air springs with some aftermarket ones and used the adjustable links for the rear. I have Godspeed lowering springs in the front but the rear is super bouncy. Any thoughts on these?

Dang... You brought one from 2017 back from the dead? Lol! From what I've read, the rear being "bouncy" has either been attributed to the links not being adjusted to the correct length or the shocks/components needing to be replaced. Maybe someone who has experienced a similar situation can shed some additional light on their specific causes/remedies.