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Z4M - Suspension Help

"M" Specific discussion
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TomK
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Z4M - Suspension Help

Post by TomK » Fri May 11, 2018 11:09 pm

autobahner wrote: Fri May 11, 2018 10:14 pm I've had 3 e46 M3 and all were far nicer to drive than the Z4M I had for a short time. Handling as you described and I felt completely detached from the road, the opposite to the M3. Sold and looking for another M3 :wink:
Sounds like you had a duff one, shame :(
MC[IB], CSL airbox, Schrick 288/280 cams, 4.44FD, UUC SSK, SS race cat back, AP CP9660[F]/5144[R] brakes, Apex ARC-8 with AR-1 or PS5, KW ClubSport 2-way, Turner spherical arms, PMC uniball rtab, VB engine mounts, Rogue pulleys & RSMs, Tillett B6, half cage

Muckinonthesofa
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Z4M - Suspension Help

Post by Muckinonthesofa » Tue Jun 05, 2018 7:55 pm

InterlagosZ4MR wrote: Tue May 08, 2018 5:56 pm So I'm at my wits' end with what to do with the suspension on my Z4M... and it's now unloved, forlorn and undriveable.

The car has done 42,000 miles on original suspension and like many others find it too hard, imprecise, floaty and a bit understeery...
On the advice of this and other forums I put on an Bilstein B12 kit on it that has ruined the car. It's too low, but worse, it's trashy to the point where it just feels broken and the smallest pothole makes it feel like theres no suspension. It's impossible to drive fast as the smallest imperfection will unbalance the car and make it unpredictable. The crashyness is awful - and frankly I loathe the car. Yes, it's been back and checked, and yes I've had an alignment done...

All I want is for the Z to be as good as any of my M3s. I never want to do track days - it's simply for fast B and A roads, and is solely a weekend car.

I'm really not sure what to do - I'm not going to persevere with the B12 kit any more and am going to ditch it on eBay to some other poor unsuspecting M owner and put the original suspension back on. Short of selling the car (which I'll probably do as after 4 years I've had enough) - any last resorts as regards suspension fixes...?
After reading about your problems with the B12 kit I actually started doubting myself as my car has been sorned since December. I could not believe someone else had such an opposite experience to me.

With my car now back on the road after it's winter lay off, I'm honestly convinced you've been sold a duff kit or the fitting was incorrect in some way. My car feels great with this kit, the quality of the damping is massively improved. It will thud over potholes but it did this before to a slightly lesser extent.

I hope you've got it sorted and didn't sell it? :(
Z4MC, Silver/Grey, Imola Red Leather, Sat Nav, Heated Seats, DSP, Intravee, Stubby, ZHP, Gruppe M, CDV, Bilstein B12's, Vibra-Technics engine mounts.

InterlagosZ4MR
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Z4M - Suspension Help

Post by InterlagosZ4MR » Tue Jun 05, 2018 9:57 pm

Yes sorted thanks. Got rid of Eibachs and went back to new OEM springs but with Bilsteins, and geo settings half way between CSL and factory. Much better than before and certainly a million times better than Eibachs that ruined the car (for me!)

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Z4M - Suspension Help

Post by InterlagosZ4MR » Wed Jun 06, 2018 6:11 am

InterlagosZ4MR wrote: Tue Jun 05, 2018 9:57 pm Yes sorted thanks. Got rid of Eibachs and went back to new OEM springs but with Bilsteins, and geo settings half way between CSL and factory. Much better than before and certainly a million times better than Eibachs that ruined the car (for me!)
PS the issue was that the Eibachs meant it was on its bump stops all the time and b) far too hard. Spoke to Kevin Bird who recommended current set up - and agreed along with BMW technicians I spoke to that Zs should never be lowered...

dgm
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Z4M - Suspension Help

Post by dgm » Wed Jun 06, 2018 11:41 am

I’m glad the change to OEM springs worked out with the Bilstein B6 shocks as that’s the route I’m going to go down shortly, I have no interest in lowering the car at all. Do you have a copy of your geo set up that you could post, I’d be keen to give that a go?
06 Z4MC, Sapphire black, Aero sideskirts, BMW strutbrace, CSL's, Remus back boxes, Intravee and Alpine DAB

InterlagosZ4MR
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Z4M - Suspension Help

Post by InterlagosZ4MR » Wed Jun 06, 2018 8:45 pm

dgm wrote: Wed Jun 06, 2018 11:41 am I’m glad the change to OEM springs worked out with the Bilstein B6 shocks as that’s the route I’m going to go down shortly, I have no interest in lowering the car at all. Do you have a copy of your geo set up that you could post, I’d be keen to give that a go?
I don’t sadly. I had a long conversation about what I wanted with a technician at my main BMW dealer - more turn in than factory, not as agressive as CSL and he got it spot on.

dgm
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Z4M - Suspension Help

Post by dgm » Thu Jun 07, 2018 9:19 am

InterlagosZ4MR wrote: Wed Jun 06, 2018 8:45 pm
dgm wrote: Wed Jun 06, 2018 11:41 am I’m glad the change to OEM springs worked out with the Bilstein B6 shocks as that’s the route I’m going to go down shortly, I have no interest in lowering the car at all. Do you have a copy of your geo set up that you could post, I’d be keen to give that a go?
I don’t sadly. I had a long conversation about what I wanted with a technician at my main BMW dealer - more turn in than factory, not as agressive as CSL and he got it spot on.
Thanks anyway, I’ll maybe have to do something similar.
06 Z4MC, Sapphire black, Aero sideskirts, BMW strutbrace, CSL's, Remus back boxes, Intravee and Alpine DAB

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abar121
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Z4M - Suspension Help

Post by abar121 » Thu Jun 07, 2018 4:16 pm

InterlagosZ4MR wrote: Wed Jun 06, 2018 6:11 am
InterlagosZ4MR wrote: Tue Jun 05, 2018 9:57 pm Yes sorted thanks. Got rid of Eibachs and went back to new OEM springs but with Bilsteins, and geo settings half way between CSL and factory. Much better than before and certainly a million times better than Eibachs that ruined the car (for me!)
PS the issue was that the Eibachs meant it was on its bump stops all the time and b) far too hard. Spoke to Kevin Bird who recommended current set up - and agreed along with BMW technicians I spoke to that Zs should never be lowered...
That's great to hear. Yes, spot on advice from Birds as usual.
'07 Z4M Interlagos Blue. All options except extended leather.

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