Some Interesting Findings on the Dinan Stage 1 Kit

[rzm3]

So, I finally installed the Dinan Stage 1 kit today. I've only driven it on city streets so far, and it feels only slightly stiffer vs. OE. The drop is definitely noticeable but still practical for everyday driving.

I also had H&R on my red bull before, and I feel that Dinan is a much better balance between drop, comfort, and sportiness.

Now the interesting stuff...

Dinan's kit differentiates itself from other lowering springs because it has 1) shorter front guidesupport and 2) shorter bump stops, which effectively increases the suspension travel before hitting the bump stops.

So how did Dinan come up with these two parts? Turns out, right from BMW. See pictures for details.

[rzm3]

For those of you who don't want to spend $900, buy two bump stops and get a shop to modify your stock guide supports!

[isugoo]

Holy SHyT! That's just wrong.
Unless they priced at no more than 600 bucks (400 for spring with premium DINAN tax + 200 for those stock parts with Dinan tax), it's kinda upsets me.

I'm not any Dinan hater. In fact, I had Dinan Stage III engine, Stage III suspension + a few other Dinan parts on my previous E46M3 so I loved their stuff but it really upsets me.

Thanks for the information.


(PS. did you get my PM about RE SSK question?)

[spoonf20c]

good find!

[MrHarris]

Good find. So get 1999 M3 front bump stops, and shave off the rear stock guide supports by .3"? Can you do an exact measurement since the shop wouldn't have the "modified" dinan bump stop?

Any idea how much it would cost to install/reinstall these 4 things?

I have H&R springs, think this will be an upgrade/improvement in performance/comfort?

[albert1028]

Thanks for investigating ridzhao! I think this would help a bit for other spring installations as well.

[lucid]

Originally Posted by rldzhao

For those of you who don't want to spend $900, buy two bump stops and get a shop to modify your stock guide supports!

Yes, that is a valid point, but if you want the shorter and slightly stiffer springs, you need to pay for those as well. (I can feel the DINAN springs are slightly stiffer, but is their natural length any different--I must assume it is?).

Anyway, so perhaps the statement is: if you don't want to spend $900, buy two bump stops and a set of Eibachs, and modify your guide support.

[Alias]

So much for all that R & D

[aus]

Is that guide support hard?
Can you just take a sander and work at it for a while?

Originally Posted by lucid

Anyway, so perhaps the statement is: if you don't want to spend $900, buy two bump stops and a set of Eibachs, and modify your guide support.

I was thinking the same thing since people say the Eibach's are only a little stiffer and lower than stock. Hell, maybe the Dinan's are just rebadged Eibach's.

[Radiation Joe]

Here we go again.

[foosh]

Originally Posted by Alias

So much for all that R & D

I guess you could look at it one of two ways (AKA glass half-empty or half-full): 1) Dinan did some amount of R&D to learn and develop what they felt was the best solution-- one which happened to involve some existing OEM BMW parts; OR 2) Dinan is ripping people off because they didn't develop their own solution and parts from scratch.

Either way, they obviously did do the R&D and arrived at the solution they felt offered the best compromise, which upgraded performance handling, without rendering it unpleasant for street use. The simple fact that their solution is something that we now know you can do yourself (with readily available parts) does not mean that they've done anything deceptive or predatory, because they did fund the R&D to arrive at their proposed modification.

[rzm3]

Originally Posted by lucid

Yes, that is a valid point, but if you want the shorter and slightly stiffer springs, you need to pay for those as well. (I can feel the DINAN springs are slightly stiffer, but is their natural length any different--I must assume it is?).

Anyway, so perhaps the statement is: if you don't want to spend $900, buy two bump stops and a set of Eibachs, and modify your guide support.

yes the dinans are slightly shorter than OE, but not by much. And you are right about the springs.

[M GmbH]

That one way to keep the OEM warranty.

[H Bomb]

i don't know if they still make them or carry them but on my E46 M3 i had the stage 3 JRZ susp and i can tell you there was nothing that was more comfortable but handled so much better then stock. i couldn't believe how much more comfortable it was then stock but yet it would out handle alot of stuff out there. it was worth every penny

[slicer]

Thank you for the information.

Two Questions:

The bump stops are for the front suspension Correct?
Are the Guide Supports for the front or rear?

[Technic]

Originally Posted by Alias

So much for all that R & D

That's R&D... those parts did not end up in the Dinan's kit by the Wholly Spirit.

Somebody at Dinan has to go thru several OEM parts looking for what their requirements (research) were and then testing (development) what they thought was a match to what they wanted.

And I don't think that that was done in an afternoon, sipping Jack Daniels and talking BS while looking at realoem.com.

[Big Windy]

Originally Posted by Technic

That's R&D... those parts did not end up in the Dinan's kit by the Wholly Spirit.

Somebody at Dinan has to go thru several OEM parts looking for what their requirements (research) were and then testing (development) what they thought was a match to what they wanted.

And I don't think that that was done in an afternoon, sipping Jack Daniels and talking BS while looking at realoem.com.

hahahahaha

thanks for the info rldzhao

[isugoo]

Originally Posted by Technic

That's R&D... those parts did not end up in the Dinan's kit by the Wholly Spirit.

Somebody at Dinan has to go thru several OEM parts looking for what their requirements (research) were and then testing (development) what they thought was a match to what they wanted.

And I don't think that that was done in an afternoon, sipping Jack Daniels and talking BS while looking at realoem.com.

True. It's just a bit overpriced.
I think I'll still go with Dinan just because that's what I'm looking for - slightly firmer and least drop. And nobody makes exactly what I want other than Dinan. And whatever reason it is, it's OEM parts so... quality is proven for sure.

I just wish its price was around 600 dollars.

[H Bomb]

i like there stuff bc out of everything i have tried on my M cars i feel there stuff has worked the best, and i never had one problem with warranty when bringing my car to the dealer.

[nusevad]

Great find...wish i knew about this sooner before i installed my H&Rs, I had to cut my bump stops a bit...

[JAJ]

When BMW lowered the M3 by 10mm (0.4") for Japan they changed the struts and the springs (but not the bumpstops or the guide support). Actually, until I read this thread, I thought that all Dinan had done was bring the Japanese market components to North America and match them up with their special springs.

Reducing the height of the bump stop risks damaging the valving inside the damper. I guess it doesn't happen, otherwise Dinan wouldn't do it.

If you tell REALOEM that you've got a European car, it will give you the part number for the Japanese struts.

[aus]

Originally Posted by M GmbH

That one way to keep the OEM warranty.

Buying Dinan can still void your OEM warranty. They just offer to pick up the OEM warranty with their own policy.