Z4M Suspension settings questions after refurbishment.

P

PDJ

Senior member
 Worsley Manchester
I have changed/edited the title so as to keep it together (right or wrong)

Will now post the after I have fitted the B12 kit question at the end of the thread so it makes sense (maybe)

So after a few weeks of ownership I have done the following

Returned to stock air filter system (I know some would have kept the GruppeM, personal choice)
Changed the engine oil and filter
Changed the gearbox oil
Changed the diff oil
Changed the power steering fluid
Changed the coolant
Changed the cabin filter (I wondered why, when upside down in the footwell as well it's a roadster)
Brake fluid
Two front brake callipers
Full Vanos service by Mr Vanos
Checked loads of little bits
Drove it a bit as well


So there are two big jobs on the radar to do as I see it, one is a winter job the other a weekend job Change the big end bearing shells and upgrade the oil pump as recommended by Mr Vanos the other is a suspension refurbishment.

So to this end I have searched the forum and a popular choice is the Bilstein B12 kit and for the Z4M this is a set of B6 shocks and a set of springs.

Or stay OEM I have some H & R springs all round so the car is 25mm lower that stock. Not sure this is the best set up as a lot of people suggest leaving the ride hight OEM.

Would the H & R springs go on the B12's saving the cost of springs?

Also those that have fitted the B12 kit what else would I need to fit a complete unit as apposed to just the shocks and springs.
i.e. top mounts/top bearings.

The reason for doing the suspension is preventative maintenance as my 1 series had a strut fail around 90,000 and my Z4M has done 82,000

Thanks Paul.
 
All good stuff. Will be watching your choices with interest, as my Zed fast approaching 70k. Though as it has put on the miles with me behind the wheel I realy don't notice it being less sharp than it was 50 k miles ago. :)

Was your vanos noisy?
 
buzyg said:
Was your vanos noisy?
Click to expand...

Only just to the knowable ear so had it done as it was a days work i.e. drive to Mr Vanos wait until it was cool enough for hime to work on exchange the vanos then drive home.
 
Will be watching your choices with interest, as my Zed fast approaching 70k. Though as it has put on the miles with me behind the wheel I realy don't notice it being less sharp than it was 50 k miles ago. :)
Click to expand...

You will not notice it as it decays so slowly until you drive a re freshed one as a comparison it is a bit like getting old it just creeps up on you.
 
Can't give much advice on the bilsteins, I'd recommend changing the dampers at that mileage though, so I'd go for the B12 kit.

If you doing a full refresh, I'd add to the list, top mount bushes on the front, rogue engineering inverted top mounts on the rear (makes the job easier and they are a lot better quality), rear trailing arm bushes (rogue again), you have the front camber arm bushes, I'd go oem on them, I'd change the arb bushes too and check the drop links too probably past their best and cheap to replace.

One of them jobs, while it's in bits you might as well do the lot :thumbsup:
 
I have ordered yesterday OEM top mount service parts as best I could work it out from real oem and ordering the bilsteins in the next few days
 
Yes and wanted to stay with what could pass as a standard ish set up
 
Also I have been to the bottom of my bank account with a Westfield and cycling I am trying to resist another visit
 
PDJ said:
Yes and wanted to stay with what could pass as a standard ish set up
Click to expand...

Good quality coilovers (if set at regular / slightly lower ride height) can pass for a ‘standard-ish set up’.

It’s the cheap ones which are then super slammed which ruin the car...

Have a look at the likes of KW, if set correctly they will offer a more complaint ride than the Bilstein shock / Eibach spring combination.

Not to mention the BMW M4 GTS uses KW coilovers from factory as opposed to other OEM suspension set ups.
 
So after searching the web found the B12 kit for around £794, but I had had a good chat with Bilstein uk and Adam had been helpful and he did want £824 posted so called him asked if they would do them for £800 posted

They are now ordered and one their way for £799.99

The BMW bits came to £188ish

So I asked if Bilstein would do the same deal for forum members and he said yes

So here is a copy and paste of his e mail

Hey mate,

Happy to Honour This price of £799.99 for B12 kit number 46-000033

This fits the Z4 E85 Roadster and the Z4 E85 coupe 343BHP

Hope this helps.
Best Regards
Adam

Adam Kelly
Sales Manager
Performance On The Net
40 Huxley Close, Park Farm,
Wellingborough NN8 6AB
Tel 01604 212142
Direct Tel 01604 212142
www.potn.co.uk
 
PDJ said:
So after a few weeks of ownership I have done the following

Returned to stock air filter system (I know some would have kept the GruppeM, personal choice)
Changed the engine oil and filter
Changed the gearbox oil
Changed the diff oil
Changed the power steering fluid
Changed the coolant
Changed the cabin filter (I wondered why, when upside down in the footwell as well it's a roadster)
Brake fluid
Two front brake callipers
Full Vanos service by Mr Vanos
Checked loads of little bits
Drove it a bit as well


So there are two big jobs on the radar to do as I see it, one is a winter job the other a weekend job Change the big end bearing shells and upgrade the oil pump as recommended by Mr Vanos the other is a suspension refurbishment.

So to this end I have searched the forum and a popular choice is the Bilstein B12 kit and for the Z4M this is a set of B6 shocks and a set of springs.

Or stay OEM I have some H & R springs all round so the car is 25mm lower that stock. Not sure this is the best set up as a lot of people suggest leaving the ride hight OEM.

Would the H & R springs go on the B12's saving the cost of springs?

Also those that have fitted the B12 kit what else would I need to fit a complete unit as apposed to just the shocks and springs.
i.e. top mounts/top bearings.

The reason for doing the suspension is preventative maintenance as my 1 series had a strut fail around 90,000 and my Z4M has done 82,000

Thanks Paul.
Click to expand...

Sorry for the unrelated reply, but I have an MR on 54k and wondered what made you go for the Vanos work and plan for the rod bearing work? Any sign of issues from the car or just preventative?

I have just bought it and want to keep it for the very long term, and am debating whether the spend the £ on getting these things done, even though my Indy and members on here seem to say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it...

Had the shims checked and all is well, plus the Inspection 2 but I still have a niggle about a big problem down the road. I like to err on the side of caution but it’s a tough one.

Keen to hear your thoughts.
 
I did the Vanos or Mr Vanos did it as a precaution due to the Vanos making a small but detectable noise it is £900 well spent as the effect of it falling is not a cheap repair. Also it is something that can be done in a few hours, I drove to Mr Vanos and waited then drove home so all done in a day.

The big end bearings will fail as some point and the point at which they will fail is not an exact science but somewhere between 65K and 120K with a lot of factors affecting when there is little warning when they let go. The repair bill would not be something I would want to be faced with so the plan is to replace them this winter as it a couple of days work for a garage or a few weekends for me, my plan is to remove all the bits that are in the way of getting the sump off the first weekend, remove the sump pan and oil pump the next weekend at this point I will clingfilm the open bottom end of the engine to keep it clean and let the rest of the oil drip out into the clingfilm as i will be in no rush when the oil has stopped dipping out I will change the bearing shells with the minimum amount of oil being dripped on me them rebuild the bits that had to come off, there could easily be an add on cost of bits that get replaced on the re build.

The shocks I am replacing as my 1 series 120d M Sport had a front shock fail around 90K so the Z4M is getting to the end of its life for the shocks
 
Collected this lot today on the way home from work.

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Just need the Bilstein bit to turn up and a spare weekend and it will be done.
 
Hi, I have the B12 kit on mine, few mm drop on the rear, almost 20mm on the front

Living in the worst road county in the U.K. - Kent - I’ve decided just on the front to keep the lovely shocks, but revert back to standard springs, The eibachs simply don’t have enough travel on medium bumps & anything major will make u shed a tear.

I’ve ended up driving it like a motorbike... watching out for holes & drains... & now am fed up, as never had to worry before

Good luck & don’t forget the RTABs & RTAL’s
 
I thought it was on standard springs until I look at the part number and it is on H & R springs so already 25mm lower all round so actually going up a little.

don’t forget the RTABs & RTAL’s (rear trailing arm bushes)

So whats the full name of these I have been under the a fair bit and the rubber mounts and the visible suspension bushes look in early good nick so may have been done already

will be looking at the bits around the suspension when doing the shocks.
 
These turned up today

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So I am hoping for a few dry days in Manchester so I can fit them.
 
Get them on :trampoline:

Edit to add, it's easier to work on one full axle at once, the arbs can be a pain other wise
 
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