Suspension and steering
The 2002 suspension is where most of us get our
jollies --it's what makes the car handle well. With
age, however, the great handling suspension begins to
suffer. Like all old cars, the rubber bushings in the
suspension tend to dry out and crack, or, if
there's oil leaking onto the bushing, the bushing will absorb
the oil and become soft. A quick look with a
flashlight will tell you what kind of shape the rubber
is in. When planning any suspension upgrades or
repairs, also do the corresponding rubber bushings,
and you'll notice a world of difference.
A set of racing style coilover shocks and struts.
Photo courtesy of www.2002bmw.com.
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2002s have MacPherson struts in the front, and shock
absorbers in the rear. How do you tell when they're ready
for replacement? Easy, the car will be easy to
bounce, or will make a bumpy road feel like a
waterbed. Different brands of replacements are
available, but the most commonly used ones are
Bilstein, Boge, Tokico, and KYB.
Springs are a common subject of discussion among
enthusiasts. By now, the stock springs on many '02s
are old and have begun to sag, especially the rears on
some of the big bumper cars ('74-'76). Aftermarket
replacement springs are available, but many of them
will lower the car a little bit, and may cause
problems with tires rubbing if you have larger than
stock wheels and tires on the car (and who doesn't?).
Swaybars are another popular upgrade, and they simply
help to reduce the amount of body lean in a turn.
Lots of people have added bigger sway bars (22mm
front, 19 mm rear) and harder (usually urethane)
bushings.
To enjoy the suspension you have to steer. The
steering is often forgotten on these cars, unless the
car has wide tires and a small steering wheel. Then
you'll be reminded of the steering every time you park
the car. Replacing the big "bus" steering wheel with a
smaller one is a common upgrade. But it may make the car
harder to steer in parking lots for some folks. The
steering boxes last many years, but they do get old
and need adjustment and rebuilding. A rebuilt
steering box isn't cheap, nor is it the easiest to
install.
