E85 M- views please on suspension
- Thread starter bigwinn
- Start date
North West Surrey
I also had OE engine mounts fitted to mine. Ross said vibra-tech ones would probably be too harsh on a road car, and given the harshness of my suspension I didn't need any more!
TBF while mmm-five has vibra-tech mounts he visits the Ring.
TBF while mmm-five has vibra-tech mounts he visits the Ring.
I have the kw v3 on mine, the only thing I am not sure about is at road bumps that the tyres seem to hit the top of the inside arches, I can feel it and the mot chap mentioned it in the video. I assume I have to adjust them a bit then (but not sure in what direction and by how much)
V3s aren't a track damper, they are a well damped fast road damper. They give much more body control and wheel control down a typical British road. On a smooth track they are not even close to stiff enough. Clubsports i'd class as semi track use for reference.
When I mean poor handling, I don't mean out right grip. I mean the balance of the car, the feel, going down a twisty/bumpy B road at 40mph on OEM Vs V3s anyone could tell the huge improvement.
The Z4M has some weird things going on as standard, I'm 14 or 15 years into my MR, it's a keeper car for me. They are ultimately a fast road car, not a track car (even though they can pretty well) setup properly they are very very capable though and I'd argue, way safer, especially in the wet.
Just an honest view from someone who is passionate about these cars. Buy nice parts or keep it stock, cheap aftermarket parts are cheap for a reason.
Liverpool
Here's my ride height for comparison - looks quite a bit higher and I have no bottoming out on UK roads, track days (and only touches the rear liner on two 100mph+ compression spots at the Nurburgring). Mine is on 225/45r18 front, and 265/40r18 rear Michelin Pilot SuperSport.
BTW, the reasoning for the VibraTechnics road mounts was to stop the rocking motion of the engine when accelerating / braking - and they've not failed yet (fitted in 2014, 60,000 miles ago) - although they are rebuildable if they do.
Most of my upgrades were budgeted using 'man maths', as they tended to be replacing failed/failing/old components (brakes, suspension, engine mounts, exhaust mounts, etc.) that would have needed renewing anyway...so paying a little more for 'better' items was the sensible choice...and nothing was upgraded until after 100,000 miles as I had a BMW Insured Warranty on it until then.
Don't forget that I had this car from 9,000 miles (2008) and would probably not notice the very gradual changes over the miles/years until they failed or my mechanic noticed they were past their best.
BTW, the reasoning for the VibraTechnics road mounts was to stop the rocking motion of the engine when accelerating / braking - and they've not failed yet (fitted in 2014, 60,000 miles ago) - although they are rebuildable if they do.
Most of my upgrades were budgeted using 'man maths', as they tended to be replacing failed/failing/old components (brakes, suspension, engine mounts, exhaust mounts, etc.) that would have needed renewing anyway...so paying a little more for 'better' items was the sensible choice...and nothing was upgraded until after 100,000 miles as I had a BMW Insured Warranty on it until then.
Don't forget that I had this car from 9,000 miles (2008) and would probably not notice the very gradual changes over the miles/years until they failed or my mechanic noticed they were past their best.
Last edited:
That is unusual. There is a lot of space in the rear arch (you can do 285/30 or 265/35 19” rears, for example, which are significantly larger than stock).
It could be the damper settings or height, but I would suspect wheel/tyre fitment first. Are those OEM CSLs and do the rears have spacers? Looks great, either way.
To check the number of clicks you “unwind” (lefty loosey / counter clockwise), listen and count the number of clicks. Then you can dial back in the same number of clicks (clockwise, increasing the damping) or change, as suits. Write the settings down as not all of the adjusters are numbered.
Rebound is adjusted at the top of the dampers and has a max of 16 clicks; compression is at the bottom and has a max of 12 clicks.
Ride height is a bit more complicated to measure and is easier with the wheels off. You measure the position of each spring perch relative to the damper.
Last edited:
Mine rubbed badly on the genuine CSL wheels it came on, so they only lasted 12 months before I swapped them for OE wheels (plus cash my way)...and I didn't like the jumpiness of the 19" wheels, skinny profile and standard suspension. The OE 18's helped a lot, and then later on the suspension made it perfect (for me, and my driving style).That is unusual. There is a lot of space in the rear arch (you can do 285/30 or 265/35 19” rears, for example, which are significantly larger than stock).
It could be the damper settings or height, but I would suspect wheel/tyre fitment first. Are those OEM CSLs and do the rears have spacers? Looks great, either way.
To check the number of clicks you “unwind” (lefty loosey / counter clockwise), listen and count the number of clicks. Then you can dial back in the same number of clicks (clockwise) or charge, as suits. Write the settings down as not all of the adjusters are numbered.
Rebound is adjusted at the top of the dampers and has a max of 16 clicks; compression is at the bottom and has a max of 12 clicks. More clicks = more damping.
Ride height is a bit more complicated to measure and is easier with the wheels off. You measure the position of each spring perch relative to the damper.
That was on 225/40r19 and 265/30r19 Michelin PS2.
KWV3’s on mine, with RTAB limiters, Vibra tech mounts, and it’ll get H&R front and rear anti roll bars when it’s back on the road, and tbh having the H&R roll bars on my 35is they have made a huge improvement, probably the one mod I wouldn’t be without now, personally I really the KW’s, but if the budget isn’t high enough then I’d go for Eibach springs with Bilstein shocks and H&R roll bars, it’ll make a big improvement.
Simon 3.2M
Senior member
Just remember that whilst we wax lyrical about KW, if they aren’t setup properly then you might as well through your money on the fire. If they aren’t set up properly the balance of the car will be 100 times worse than standard suspension that is way past its best, especially at high speed corners where the weight shifts so much!
In terms of setting them up Simon- I’m confident installing but what would you recommend to get them adjusted and properly fettled?
The KW manual gives you their recommended settings, good base, from there tweak the same number of clicks front and rear to keep the balance.
Manual also as pdf on their site if you don't have it anymore.
Is that before you are 85?
3002 tii
Active member
Are KW V3 on the same level as JRZ Pros? No but you’re kidding yourself if you think you need double adjustable coilovers for backroad twisties. In fact the majority of people who buy coilovers don’t know how to set compression & rebound, let alone spend the time or money to get them corner balanced. And yes, the CS are more track oriented but not everyone wants to spend $5,000 on coilovers (including many competent drivers I know who run v3 on track).
Saying there is a huge difference between OE vs KW V3 doesn’t mean much. I could say the same about OE vs Bilstein HD with stock springs. Similarly, I could say the same for OE vs MCS 3-way remotes, but will OP know the difference between KW V2 and V3, or a Koni-based SA kit vs KW V3? For his defined use case I doubt it.
I stand by my comment, $4000 KW V3 is overkill for a non-tracked car. Can one benefit from them on the street? Of course, but I can think of other options that get you there for much less.