I recently replaced my stock springs on my track car with H&R Sport springs. They dropped the total ride height by a good 1" all around. I was very pleased with the new ride and feel of the springs.

This is a 95 M3, with a stock suspension. Other than racing brake pads, I've not changed the suspension to date. The springs were my first adventure into a lower ride. Last weekend, I jacked up the rear of the car to inspect the new brake rotors, and when I dropped it back down the driver side was 3/4" higher than the passenger side.

The problem was the new rear spring is 1.5" shorter than the stock spring, and it popped out of the upper tray when the weight was removed from the wheel. The OEM shock lets the wheel drop enough to free up the spring! As long as I leave the car on its wheels the spring is under compression, but I don't like the idea that taking the weight off the wheel can dislodge the spring. I don't really want to change the rear shocks, without changing all of them (front and rear), and if I do that I may as well go to coil overs. So what can I do for the time being?

 

You really should change out the shocks/struts if it's the original set-up. They don't last that long.

As for the springs, you can add another spring pad after cutting the center part of the stock pad out. The stock spring pad ranges from 5mm to 7.5mm and there's a 10mm pad available too. I stacked my stock 5mm pad to a 10mm pad and it raised the rear of the car nicely and the spring didn't fall out easily either. It may just be the stock shocks are just too loose now.

 

Let me get this straight, you have the stock shocks on your 14 year old 'track car'?

If this really is a track car, you need to get GC coilovers street/track kit (at a minimum) and go from there.

H&R sport springs are good for the street, but they are NOT designed to work with the 'stock' shocks. You need to at least upgrade to bilstein or koni sports.

Not to mention that the stock 'boge' shocks are probably shot.

If you get the GC coilovers, it comes with a plastic and rubber piece that seats the spring and guides the spring back after jacking the car, or if you get REALLY light.

Either way, just make sure the spring is sitting on the pad correctly and you should be fine.

SoCal

BTW...I have the GC street/track kit (500f/550r). It is great. For some reason though, it won't let me change my sig without removing a bunch of lines.