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Floaty Suspension?

Specific discussion about the E89 2009 Z4 (sDrive35is, sDrive35i, sDrive30i, sDrive23i)
john-e89
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Floaty Suspension?

Post by john-e89 » Sat Feb 17, 2018 6:29 pm

supafly wrote: Sat Feb 17, 2018 4:53 pm
john-e89 wrote: Sun Feb 11, 2018 10:41 pm
Maniac wrote: Sun Feb 11, 2018 10:07 pmThat’s interesting you felt the 28 to be floaty, to me it’s lighter engine made the handling more agile.
Pushing on through twisties the 35is feels as though it has a barrel of water in the boot that sloshes and is slow to transfer weight, then when it catches up it it really slams to one side, something that doesn’t happen in the M roady, with the ligher front it felt even more apparent.
This is good description of what I am feeling. The rear of the car is slow with weight transfer. Giving the steering a wiggle at say 50mph feels like there is excessive body roll but more at the rear of the car. I drove my girlfriends standard diesel A-Class last night and it feels tighter and more responsive than my Z4 :?
Yep, as far as I’m concerned it’s an E89 trait. I’ve fiddled with tyre pressures on MPSS’s but it’s still there, which is what Smartbear is getting at, they’re just not very well designed imho. Fine as a small GT car.

Having said that Stuartinzig who occasionally pops on here has modified his 35is chassis. I can’t recall what he did exactly, but he reported a significant improvement in the handling. I’m not sure if that included steering feel though. Worth dropping him a PM if you want to modify, he’s a nice chap.
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Floaty Suspension?

Post by Smartbear » Sat Feb 17, 2018 6:43 pm

Busterboo wrote: Sat Feb 17, 2018 6:23 pm
Smartbear wrote: Sat Feb 17, 2018 5:28 pm Hi, are you still using rf pressures on your new non rf tyres?
Rob
1 They're the same.
2 If he is, they won't be the cause of the car being 'floaty'.
Don’t start that again!
Oh no they’re not, oh yes they are etc etc etc
Lower the pressures & take it for a drive :thumbsup:
Rob
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e89 Sdrive 30i, this ones busted, pass me another...
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Floaty Suspension?

Post by Busterboo » Sat Feb 17, 2018 8:25 pm

Smartbear wrote: Sat Feb 17, 2018 6:43 pm
Busterboo wrote: Sat Feb 17, 2018 6:23 pm
Smartbear wrote: Sat Feb 17, 2018 5:28 pm Hi, are you still using rf pressures on your new non rf tyres?
Rob
1 They're the same.
2 If he is, they won't be the cause of the car being 'floaty'.
Don’t start that again!
Oh no they’re not, oh yes they are etc etc etc
Lower the pressures & take it for a drive :thumbsup:
Rob
And this from the man who had ragged rfts on his front axle and non-rfts on the rear at the ZEDfest last year. :rofl:
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Floaty Suspension?

Post by Twin Turbo » Tue Feb 20, 2018 7:13 pm

Hi,

My first question is what pressures are you running, and have you tried increasing there pressure.

Yes the e89 is quite floaty in my experience especially when changing direction as it does not handle weight transfer well. One trick if your driving through s bends at speed, between courners try and settle the car, before transferring directly from an right to left courners. Sorry I not asking you to suck eggs.

I had an z4, and was an track girl, so I installed kw3’s Coilovers - what totally transformed the cars handling.

https://youtu.be/0n7gLJg7ACk

To the point it quite a few mates in m-lights 135i’s were unable to keep up with through the courners.

Improving the suspension there lots of options, I have an full set of stock suspension for sale that done 15k miles, and you can have them for £150.

Other options are thicker anti-role bar, improved springs and dampers.

It depends what you looking for, real track monster coilovers - B road worrier anti role bar, etc

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Floaty Suspension?

Post by Smartbear » Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:02 pm

Busterboo wrote: Sat Feb 17, 2018 8:25 pm
Smartbear wrote: Sat Feb 17, 2018 6:43 pm
Busterboo wrote: Sat Feb 17, 2018 6:23 pm 1 They're the same.
2 If he is, they won't be the cause of the car being 'floaty'.
Don’t start that again!
Oh no they’re not, oh yes they are etc etc etc
Lower the pressures & take it for a drive :thumbsup:
Rob
And this from the man who had ragged rfts on his front axle and non-rfts on the rear at the ZEDfest last year. :rofl:
“Ragged rfts” eh? My front tyres had about 6mm of tread?
Stop changing the subject Buster :poke:
Rob
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e89 Sdrive 20i, plenty of mumbo & good economy-the thinking bears z4
e89 Sdrive 30i, this ones busted, pass me another...
e85 3.0si sold

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Floaty Suspension?

Post by Busterboo » Wed Feb 21, 2018 1:53 am

supafly wrote: Sun Feb 11, 2018 10:47 am When I change lanes quickly on the motorway, there is slight wobble when I straighten up.
This definitely isn't right on any car, is it? Time to find a good garage.
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Floaty Suspension?

Post by extaz » Thu Feb 22, 2018 1:30 am

Sorry to say but the handling characteristics being described are serious problems that no car much less a z4 should have. For your information my Z4 35i definately does not and I could not tolerate it if it did. It is fairly low mileage but now I fear that this will happen to mine as well. If it does I will do the things I mention in a previous post before being rid of it.

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MACK
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Floaty Suspension?

Post by MACK » Thu Feb 22, 2018 2:31 am

The fact that OP thinks it feels a bit like when his e86 needed new shocks might be critical here. I know his car is low mileage but tired shocks that are a bit softer in the first place coupled with softer springs than his e86 had might be all it is. I'd be tempted to try something like eibach springs coupled to bilstein b4 shocks or even the full b12 kit etc. But id first only have someone give the suspension bushes etc the once over to make sure there's nothing else coming into play here.
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