Potential E70 lift kit - X5 needed in IL

[Deftronix]

Hey guys -
I have been in contact with Fluid Motor Union, a company out of the Naperville, IL that did a lift kit for an e53 (spacers) with quite a few custom fabricated off road bits.
http://www.build-threads.com/build-threads/fmu-bmw-x5/

There is some interest to do a lift kit for the e70 but they are unable to find someone local who wants a kit so they can use the platform to develop one. I am trying to convince them to do a spring / strut combo over spacers and maybe a bull /led bar and step bar.

If there is any interest, especially local to them in IL would be great to get development underway!

Did a quick photoshop of my x to get a rough idea and if it was something I wanted to pursue with them at all. Still haven't decided on rims, it will have to be something 19/20" due to F395/F385mm brakes.

Anyone else interested??

[boneca]

oh wow, talking about totally different approach!..

[jcm3]

Seen their e53 at a few shows..its a pretty killer "looking" setup. I was going to do it to my e53 (front bumper was 1600 and the lift spacers were 700 from them). Just decided that the platform is not really made of off-roading/wheeling and bought a 2015 Wrangler instead.

[Deftronix]

I asked them about diff lock conversions but I'm sure it would end up being a no-go due to xdrive codings. I'm running a tuned diesel, its a torque monster. But I know, no good if your wheels aren't turning haha. Still want to do it and see, the results may surprise us if done properly..

[Deftronix]

Originally Posted by boneca

oh wow, talking about totally different approach!..

You didnt say bad, let it grow on you a bit!

Body lines and plastic fenders / skirts and sheer amount of body panels make it work well IMO. Looked better than expected after doing the chop. The 120mm exhaust tips will fit right in.

[Naz24]

Now combine that look in the M model -- talk about an offroad BEAST

[Deftronix]

Thought there would be more interest than this, but didn't really consider the X5M guys. I wouldn't want to be the one to deal with the AD & EDC issues that would most likely come from it!

[jandref321]

Those guys have had “coming soon” on their e70 lift kit for a while lol...I’m glad they’re actually looking for cars now. I did custom coil overs on the wife’s 3.0si e70 to lift it
http://www.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1409971
http://www.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1388331
I could safely lift it an inch on all four corners and this worked great in the front but to lift more than 1/4” in the rear it was all adding preload due to suspension geometry and coil over design...this made it difficult to balance ride comfort with lift. After adjusting a lot I settled on 1/2” lift which still looked good on oversized tires, but you’re not getting more than 31” tire in there without a large lift to clear the wheel well. The front and rear need fabricated parts for the lift not just spacers. Would also need longer front lower strut mounts, new front lower control arms, maybe a rear lower control arm extension to lower the arm at the subframe mounting point(or new lower control arm in the rear) with longer sway bar links for front and rear and also spacers for the differentials to lower them. I’m eager to see the work they put in to your truck

[Deftronix]

Thanks for chiming in with this info. Was hoping to gain more interest with a mock-up to try to get the ball rolling a little more, have been asking them a while. Not really interested in a spacer lift and considered doing the same you did with the BC racing coil-overs I have sitting in the garage.

They spoke of a "Stage 2" that would be a strut/spring combo while the "Stage 1" would be the strut spacers (solid extended mounts).

Maybe can gain a little more clearance with a slight body lift so we dont have to go all out fabing new parts for the suspension lift. Dont the powerflex chassis bushings slightly lift the body? Maybe 2-3" suspension lift with 1/2" body lift would be my ideal. Want to fit 33s without modifying front/rear bumper sides

[Sabs1815]

hate to be that guy and obviously it all comes down to personal taste but I don't think the E70 platform looks too good as an off road machine. It works much better for the E53 because it has a bit more of a utilitarian look to it while the E70 looks a bit more luxurious. Just my 2 cents

[Poppyboy]

I’m 30 minutes from Naperville, but would never consider doing this to my E70.

[Deftronix]

Fair enough. Please keep it in mind in case you come across a neighbor with an E70 that does!

[Poppyboy]

Will do, but my pampered neighbors marvel when I’m just washing my car. They wouldn’t know how to do that, let alone the concept of a lift!

[neliconcept]

As someone who has been in the offroad community. Don't do it, it will put too much stress on joints and bearings and you will end up having to do some fabrication work for it to actually work correctly and then you have just cut on an x5 that will never resell.

[sirdaft1]

Originally Posted by Poppyboy

I’m 30 minutes from Naperville, but would never consider doing this to my E70.

I'm 15 mins away as well but would never do this to my X5 either.

[RichardR0404]

I wish I could running a 6 inch suspension lift +2 inch body lift with 36 inch fuel hostage rims + some n-fab side steps.

[OshBaKosh]

Originally Posted by Deftronix

Hey guys -
I have been in contact with Fluid Motor Union, a company out of the Naperville, IL that did a lift kit for an e53 (spacers) with quite a few custom fabricated off road bits.
http://www.build-threads.com/build-threads/fmu-bmw-x5/

There is some interest to do a lift kit for the e70 but they are unable to find someone local who wants a kit so they can use the platform to develop one. I am trying to convince them to do a spring / strut combo over spacers and maybe a bull /led bar and step bar.

If there is any interest, especially local to them in IL would be great to get development underway!

Did a quick photoshop of my x to get a rough idea and if it was something I wanted to pursue with them at all. Still haven't decided on rims, it will have to be something 19/20" due to F395/F385mm brakes.

Anyone else interested??

Just started thinking the same thing myself. Looking into building one as well. You make any more head way with them?

[rbryantaz]

I may do a small lift to mine soon and will be looking into making front and rear spacers. It will likely be 1" or less though.

It currently has 265/60/18's on it with 20mm offset wheels which are about as big as you can go without spacing the wheels a lot more.

I have the front spacers drawn up to send to the waterjet shop but I haven't done it yet I could have them in less than a month if people really want them. The rear will be slightly more work than the front from what I see. I will get my rig off from the jackstands this weekend and I am curious to see if the self leveling has enough range to just auto level the rear with a 1" spaced front. Mine is an adaptive drive 4.8i with self leveling so different suspensions might need different options.

I am also a BC coilover dealer (from a different car hobby) so I might be able to develop a lift kit using BC components if people want to go that route.

-Rich

[Deftronix]

Originally Posted by rbryantaz

I may do a small lift to mine soon and will be looking into making front and rear spacers. It will likely be 1" or less though.

It currently has 265/60/18's on it with 20mm offset wheels which are about as big as you can go without spacing the wheels a lot more.

I have the front spacers drawn up to send to the waterjet shop but I haven't done it yet I could have them in less than a month if people really want them. The rear will be slightly more work than the front from what I see. I will get my rig off from the jackstands this weekend and I am curious to see if the self leveling has enough range to just auto level the rear with a 1" spaced front. Mine is an adaptive drive 4.8i with self leveling so different suspensions might need different options.

I am also a BC coilover dealer (from a different car hobby) so I might be able to develop a lift kit using BC components if people want to go that route.

-Rich

Thanks Rich,
Would prefer not to run spacers. We need coilovers and a fabricator to make new arms, etc. specifically designed for lifting the e70.

Asked BC racing about a year or so back and they advised against modifying their coilovers that are made for lowering the e70. I happen to have a set sitting in the garage. I've also asked BDS and they have no plans to make a kit for the x5.

Would be great if you could use your contacts to get something rolling. Let us know, thanks!

[MillerMav]

I'm just watching this because it's something I would be interested in doing if someone ever creates a "kit", just like 1" of lift or something would be fine I think; you could run a bit meatier tire and get a little more clearance to boot.

Would definitely like to get a little more mild off road prowess out of my 35d.

[heatmizr]

LOL on the car washing comment! I know - in 11 years I have NEVER seen anyone else in my neighborhood wash their car! and I don't even live in that upscale of a hood.

They must think *I* am the freak...

[rbryantaz]

Originally Posted by Deftronix

Thanks Rich,
Would prefer not to run spacers. We need coilovers and a fabricator to make new arms, etc. specifically designed for lifting the e70.

Asked BC racing about a year or so back and they advised against modifying their coilovers that are made for lowering the e70. I happen to have a set sitting in the garage. I've also asked BDS and they have no plans to make a kit for the x5.

Would be great if you could use your contacts to get something rolling. Let us know, thanks!

Coilovers for lowering wouldn't be a good fit. They usually have only 5-6" of total travel and we would want more travel not less. (I am actually a BC dealer in another life/forum).

From looking at my e70 x5 with the 30.5" wheels (265/60/18) it rubs just a little in the front with a 24mm offset wheel. If I were to lift it only 1" or so it would likely be worse than it is now because of the shape of the front wheel arch. We would have to do a custom front bumper OR lift enough to get the center of the wheel below the arch.

So there are a few big limiters in going beyond 265/60/18 on an e70.

• The upper ball joint hits the wheel unless you offset well over 1".
• The wheel arch is closer at the bottom of the wheel well.
• Axle angles would have to be fixed as the suspension is lifted.
• Caster "should" be fixed as lifted, Adjustable upper control arms could fix that.

The wheel arch is the main reason I called it good with the 1.5" taller tires which gives a bit more than 3/4" of lift. Having AT tires that I can air down vs runflats is going to be by far the biggest bang for the buck on an e70 X5 that sees some dirt.

The rear seems easier to lift than the front but as with the front lifting it and having it be right is probably much more difficult...

If I wanted to really go off roading I would buy an older grand cherokee or a wrangler, or a 4runner (or perhaps not have sold my old XJ cherokee).

Where I am now I want to have some comfort on my way to camping or whatever. If I got super stuck I could probably just leave my e70 on the trail and buy another one and it would be more economical than buying a Wranger or 4runner which are both WAY overpriced....

-Rich