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Ride height

"M" Specific discussion
blobslosak
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Ride height

Post by blobslosak » Wed Mar 25, 2020 11:05 am

So I took the plunge after 4 years of missing my old si z4 coupe and bought a Z4m coupe 3 hours before lockdown was announced, cutting it fine! It's tucked up in the garage for the foreseeable but first job is sort the ride height as it's on coilovers and a little low for my liking.

What is the standard ride height of the Z4m coupe? And has anyone experimented with ride heights and found an optimum? I don't want to stray too far from the originally geometry as it will no doubt do strange things to the roll centre etc.

Thanks in advance!
MVIMG_20200323_202230.jpg
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RedUn
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Ride height

Post by RedUn » Wed Mar 25, 2020 11:42 am

Welcome to the club :thumbsup:

What coilovers are you on? They only go so high which will definitely be lower than OEM
IMOLA Z4///MR

blobslosak
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Ride height

Post by blobslosak » Wed Mar 25, 2020 12:28 pm

IMG_20200308_170421.jpg
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They're BC racing coilovers. I don't mind it being lower, just not as low. Also want to get the front to back height ratio right too.

blobslosak
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Ride height

Post by blobslosak » Wed Mar 25, 2020 3:35 pm

Bit of a search found the below for others benefit:

Attach tape measure to bottom middle of rim flange and measure to lower edge of wheel arch

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e86- ... on/FaPCnH1

front 607mm

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e86- ... al/6rbW8og

rear 594mm

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e86- ... de/5ksBi1f

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Mr Tidy
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Ride height

Post by Mr Tidy » Wed Mar 25, 2020 8:20 pm

Welcome to MC ownership, even if you can't really use it for now! :(

I had 3.0si Coupes for over 5 years and took the same plunge in December when I bought my MC, and am so glad I did. :D

Mine came fitted with H & R coil-overs and spacers and was stupidly low - I couldn't get over speed bumps without it grounding, and the front wheel-arch liners showed plenty of rubbing.

Spacers off and coil-overs set as high as possible, which according to H & R means it is 23mm lower than standard on the front and 19mm lower on the rear and it seems to work OK, but it can be a bit crashy on potholes.

I'll see how H & R's numbers check out tomorrow now you've found the OE figures. :thumbsup:
Coupes because stunning!
Current - Silver Grey MC, Imola Red heated Nappa & carbon trim. Aeros, H & R Coil-overs, 224s, OE Strut brace, Nav, cup-holders, DSP Hi-Fi, pdc, cruise, MFSW, no CDV! E90 330i daily
Gone - Montego Blue
Gone - Ruby Black

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wonkydonkey
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Ride height

Post by wonkydonkey » Wed Mar 25, 2020 8:36 pm

This is how my car currently sits:
20200321_170141.jpg
20200321_170141.jpg (265.7 KiB) Viewed 1370 times
On H&R springs and with the 14.5 mm rear spring pads. Measuring from the ground (level concrete, not grassy field) and passing the tape measure vertically up past the wheel centres to the wheel arch, I have the following dimensions:

OSF 665
NSF 667
OSR 652
NSR 658

Back end will vary with roof position (open or closed) and volume of fuel in the tank, but I like the way it sits now. Incidentally I noticed that the chassis on my 3.0i was around 20 mm lower than my Z4M. The 3.0i was on stock suspension but had smaller (17") wheels than the M. The 3.0i was occasionally a touch low at the front, but only when having to venture off road. The M could handle being lower I think, but I have no burning desire to lower it at the present moment. Perhaps when my lowering springs kill my shocks!
Previous:
~2006 Z4MR in Silver Grey
~2003 3.0i E85 in Sterling Grey

Click here for the Sticky Steering thread
<My name is James>

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BMWZ4MC
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Ride height

Post by BMWZ4MC » Wed Mar 25, 2020 9:11 pm

blobslosak wrote: Wed Mar 25, 2020 3:35 pm Bit of a search found the below for others benefit:

Attach tape measure to bottom middle of rim flange and measure to lower edge of wheel arch

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e86- ... on/FaPCnH1

front 607mm

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e86- ... al/6rbW8og

rear 594mm

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e86- ... de/5ksBi1f
Mr Tidy wrote: Wed Mar 25, 2020 8:20 pm I'll see how H & R's numbers check out tomorrow now you've found the OE figures. :thumbsup:
Blob, I presume these are the measurements for your Zed not the OEM ride height since wonkeydonkey’s car sits higher than the measurements you’ve posted?
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Z4MC - heavily fettled for track use
Lotus Exige - sensible daily driver on the mods slippery slope
Westfield SEiW - in hibernation
Modified RS4 Avant - back in Blighty
S2000 GT - gone

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wonkydonkey
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Ride height

Post by wonkydonkey » Wed Mar 25, 2020 9:25 pm

BMWZ4MC my measurements are taken from the ground, whereas his references measure from the wheel rim (which will do away with variation brought about by tyre pressures and sidewall heights).
Previous:
~2006 Z4MR in Silver Grey
~2003 3.0i E85 in Sterling Grey

Click here for the Sticky Steering thread
<My name is James>

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BMWZ4MC
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Ride height

Post by BMWZ4MC » Wed Mar 25, 2020 10:17 pm

Ah ok, that makes sense. I’ll check mine later.
Image
Z4MC - heavily fettled for track use
Lotus Exige - sensible daily driver on the mods slippery slope
Westfield SEiW - in hibernation
Modified RS4 Avant - back in Blighty
S2000 GT - gone

rsyed
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Ride height

Post by rsyed » Thu Mar 26, 2020 2:31 pm

i measured yesterday:
37,2cm front
36,9cm rear.

this is measured from teh middle of the hub to the top of the respective wheel arch..
sitting on standard 224 alloys with 225/45 and 255/40 tires.

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wonkydonkey
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Ride height

Post by wonkydonkey » Thu Mar 26, 2020 3:47 pm

So now we have three sets of measurements taken from three different places :rofl:
Previous:
~2006 Z4MR in Silver Grey
~2003 3.0i E85 in Sterling Grey

Click here for the Sticky Steering thread
<My name is James>

blobslosak
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Ride height

Post by blobslosak » Thu Mar 26, 2020 4:26 pm

:lol:

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RedUn
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Ride height

Post by RedUn » Thu Mar 26, 2020 8:33 pm

Centre of wheel is the best place :thumbsup:
IMOLA Z4///MR

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Mr Tidy
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Ride height

Post by Mr Tidy » Thu Mar 26, 2020 8:39 pm

Well now I'm more confused than ever. :?

If OE is 607mm front and 594mm rear I'd expect mine on H & R coil-overs to be lower even though they are on their highest setting, but it is 610mm front and 620mm rear. It is on 19s, but that only accounts for 12.5mm each end. :roll:

Oh well, it looks OK to me. :)
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Ride Height2 050220.JPG
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Coupes because stunning!
Current - Silver Grey MC, Imola Red heated Nappa & carbon trim. Aeros, H & R Coil-overs, 224s, OE Strut brace, Nav, cup-holders, DSP Hi-Fi, pdc, cruise, MFSW, no CDV! E90 330i daily
Gone - Montego Blue
Gone - Ruby Black

blobslosak
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Ride height

Post by blobslosak » Thu Mar 26, 2020 8:52 pm

must resist urge to want CSLs :roll:

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