Sway bar kit recommendations ?

General conversations about BMW E28s and the people who own them.
Post Reply
Tom4444
Posts: 141
Joined: Jan 21, 2022 11:42 PM
Location: Virginia

Sway bar kit recommendations ?

Post by Tom4444 »

Any sway bar kit recommendations?

25mm front / 19mm rear is the appropriate size.


Thanks !
Blue Shadow
Posts: 10281
Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: SE PA

Re: Sway bar kit recommendations ?

Post by Blue Shadow »

Buy what you can find in a size close to what you want.

Suspension Techniques, ST, hasn't made em in years.
M5 take offs are probably hard to find, best choice, had BMW engineers working on them.
Dinan
Racing Dynamics hard to find today
Chimi-Changa
Posts: 1648
Joined: Nov 08, 2011 11:02 PM
Location: West Bro, MA

Re: Sway bar kit recommendations ?

Post by Chimi-Changa »

25/19's would need welded in bracket kits, like the ones that were sold on this forum.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=128272&hilit=sway+reinforcement
szacsi72
Posts: 286
Joined: Nov 13, 2022 3:41 AM
Location: Hungary

Re: Sway bar kit recommendations ?

Post by szacsi72 »

Depends on your location, but in Europe, you can still get new M5 bars which I believe are 25/18mm. Which fits the car nicely, and you can get a set for around 500$
Blue Shadow
Posts: 10281
Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: SE PA

Re: Sway bar kit recommendations ?

Post by Blue Shadow »

The €///M5 uses a 15.5 or less rear bar which is available. The 18 rear bar is for US cars and NLA. The front 25mm bar is available couple bills. Maybe someone has something in their parts hoard they can part with.
szacsi72
Posts: 286
Joined: Nov 13, 2022 3:41 AM
Location: Hungary

Re: Sway bar kit recommendations ?

Post by szacsi72 »

Blue Shadow wrote: Aug 28, 2023 6:25 PM The €///M5 uses a 15.5 or less rear bar which is available. The 18 rear bar is for US cars and NLA. The front 25mm bar is available couple bills. Maybe someone has something in their parts hoard they can part with.
The 15.5mm rear bars are also available for Non-M5, just M-sport cars. You could buy the sports suspension kit which would also include bilsteins for most EU cars.
The EU M5 uses 15.5 and 18.0mm depending on options and years. Here's the part number for the 18mm rear bar:
33552225888
Most online pages say out of stock, but a friend of mine said he can still get them trough a dealer. He bought some coupla months ago.
Blue Shadow
Posts: 10281
Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: SE PA

Re: Sway bar kit recommendations ?

Post by Blue Shadow »

Well that is the part number for the US bar so it seems a set of M5 bars could be found since the front bar is available and you say the rear 18mm bar can be found. If I needed big bars, I would look for those and see if a supplier can source that rear bar.
Tom4444
Posts: 141
Joined: Jan 21, 2022 11:42 PM
Location: Virginia

Re: Sway bar kit recommendations ?

Post by Tom4444 »

So if we use the m5 bars what’s the mounting situation?

Are there specific mounting brackets for the m5 bars? If so part numbers? Would these also need to be welded?

Has anyone used the 25/19 kit from Ireland engineering?
Blue Shadow
Posts: 10281
Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: SE PA

Re: Sway bar kit recommendations ?

Post by Blue Shadow »

Tom4444 wrote: Oct 29, 2023 9:52 AM Are there specific mounting brackets for the m5 bars? If so part numbers? Would these also need to be welded?
Yes, 41112230014, NLA, yes it is welded onto the frame rail
Image

But there are aftermarket ones that were advertised in the parts section.

Will also need to reinforce the spot weld on the rear bracket and the sway bar link attachment point on the strut tower.

Not doing these upgrades and the brackets might rip off the car.
Last edited by Blue Shadow on Oct 31, 2023 11:09 AM, edited 1 time in total.
athayer187
Posts: 1623
Joined: May 10, 2006 11:27 AM
Location: Cheshire, CT

Re: Sway bar kit recommendations ?

Post by athayer187 »

I'd also recommend reinforcing the bracket on the strut tube (I fairly simply boxed mine in). You'll understand when you look at it.
Post Reply