Lowered 2016 F36 RWD on H&R Sport Springs but Not Happy with Drop

DeeM55 · 07-22-2019, 05:29 PM

The car has the M-Sport Package (non-adaptive) suspension. I figured I'd go with H&R Sport Springs to close the wheel gap. I did not want the car slammed as I have dealt with that in my past and it's fun and all but it can get annoying after a few broken lips and pot holes from hell.

To make a long story short, I'm not happy with the drop. I feel like my rear left side is sitting higher than my rear right side and it's as if there was no change in ride height. The wheel gap is still there (see pics). I'm almost certain I installed the springs correctly. I say this because the rears were nothing compared to the front in terms of time and energy spent with the installation. It was pretty straight forward.

Btw, the front did drop and I'm happy with it.

Has this happened to anyone else? I've read on here that the springs will settle after a bit but I am not seeing any signs of that (yet).

I included pics. Maybe I'm overthinking? You tell me.

DeeM55 · 07-22-2019, 05:50 PM

Sorry for the crappy cell phone pics. I can take better ones at home.

FaRKle! · 07-22-2019, 05:54 PM

Have you had the car aligned? IME I often see that after changing springs it drops a slight bit more after alignment.

You really need to measure before/after hub to fender distances too to really gauge lowering.

DeeM55 · 07-22-2019, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FaRKle!

Have you had the car aligned? IME I often see that after changing springs it drops a slight bit more after alignment.

You really need to measure before/after hub to fender distances too to really gauge lowering.

Not yet. I read about that too. I feel like another .5 inches is needed to close the wheel gap. Maybe slightly more than that.

cfm56d7b · 07-22-2019, 07:07 PM

Based on pictures, I think the wheel gap isn't as onerous.

It's not coincidental that there is another parallel thread started by 340girl discussing the same issue: whether lowering springs will close the wheel gap. Lowering springs have one "setting" without any tuning mechanisms: what the springs have been designed to offer plus any post installation settling. Will it be satisfactory? Only you can decide.

For precise suspension height adjustment, coilovers remain the optimal choice although at a higher price.

DeeM55 · 07-22-2019, 11:45 PM

I completely agree with what you're saying about coilovers being the optimal choice for height adjustments. I knew that before I bought the springs. In fact, I had coils on my previous car and enjoyed them for a while.

I based my decision on these sport springs because of the many reviews and pics with similar cars on these exact springs. I saw the approximate height that the sport springs should lower the car to. Of course no two cars are the same but there's a range that I was expecting it to drop to. I wasn't expecting a slammed or tucked look either. That's definitely not what I was going for. What I also wasn't expecting were my results, so I'm somewhat confused that it turned out this way.

I'm hoping they settle a bit more or else I'll just have to get rid of them and go with coilovers. For now, if anyone has seen an uneven side and has somehow fixed it then then please point me in the right direction. I'd greatly appreciate it.

340girl · 07-23-2019, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeeM55

I completely agree with what you're saying about coilovers being the optimal choice for height adjustments. I knew that before I bought the springs. In fact, I had coils on my previous car and enjoyed them for a while.

I based my decision on these sport springs because of the many reviews and pics with similar cars on these exact springs. I saw the approximate height that the sport springs should lower the car to. Of course no two cars are the same but there's a range that I was expecting it to drop to. I wasn't expecting a slammed or tucked look either. That's definitely not what I was going for. What I also wasn't expecting were my results, so I'm somewhat confused that it turned out this way.

I'm hoping they settle a bit more or else I'll just have to get rid of them and go with coilovers. For now, if anyone has seen an uneven side and has somehow fixed it then then please point me in the right direction. I'd greatly appreciate it.

I will pull out my car today and take a picture that is 100% stock and put a tape measure next to the front and back wheel gap.

I think yours looks good!

340girl · 07-25-2019, 10:16 AM

As promised here are the pics - completely stock '18 340i xDrive Msport package

Tape measure location is not 100% accurate due to where I could place the end of the tape measure but you get the point - it appears that the front has more gap than the rear.

pic 2 is front
pic 3 is rear

kern417 · 07-25-2019, 12:31 PM

Sport springs will reduce the gap but not eliminate it. I still had a gap even with super sport springs. So I finally sucked it up and bought coilovers to get the ride height I wanted.

It's also common for the ride height to be slightly different from left to right due to the battery location, gas tank, etc.

Etto · 07-27-2019, 04:36 PM

It seems to be pretty common to find people complaining about their wheel gap with Sport Springs. What you have to realize is, disregarding that they're not coilovers, they're only a 1" drop at most. If you want to make a wheel gap almost unnoticeable until you can afford coilovers ( what I'm gonna be doing ) get Super Sport Springs, they should have about double the drop as the Sport

07-22-2019, 05:29 PM	#1
DeeM55 Private First Class 28 Rep 100 Posts Drives: 2016 F36 435i Join Date: May 2019 Location: Socal iTrader: (0)	Lowered 2016 F36 RWD on H&R Sport Springs but Not Happy with Drop The car has the M-Sport Package (non-adaptive) suspension. I figured I'd go with H&R Sport Springs to close the wheel gap. I did not want the car slammed as I have dealt with that in my past and it's fun and all but it can get annoying after a few broken lips and pot holes from hell. To make a long story short, I'm not happy with the drop. I feel like my rear left side is sitting higher than my rear right side and it's as if there was no change in ride height. The wheel gap is still there (see pics). I'm almost certain I installed the springs correctly. I say this because the rears were nothing compared to the front in terms of time and energy spent with the installation. It was pretty straight forward. Btw, the front did drop and I'm happy with it. Has this happened to anyone else? I've read on here that the springs will settle after a bit but I am not seeing any signs of that (yet). I included pics. Maybe I'm overthinking? You tell me. Attached Images
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07-22-2019, 05:50 PM	#2
DeeM55 Private First Class 28 Rep 100 Posts Drives: 2016 F36 435i Join Date: May 2019 Location: Socal iTrader: (0)	Sorry for the crappy cell phone pics. I can take better ones at home.
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07-22-2019, 05:54 PM	#3
FaRKle! Brigadier General 4007 Rep 3,535 Posts Drives: 328d Wagon, M2 Comp, i4 eD35 Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (4) Garage List 2023 BMW i4 eDrive 35 [0.00] 2017 BMW 328dx Wagon [0.00] 2021 BMW M2 Competi ... [0.00]	Have you had the car aligned? IME I often see that after changing springs it drops a slight bit more after alignment. You really need to measure before/after hub to fender distances too to really gauge lowering. __________________ -328d Wagon Build Log (with helpful reference links) -My YouTube Channel for some of the best DIYs and in depth information Please don't PM me for suspension recommendations unless interested in paid private consultations.
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07-22-2019, 07:07 PM	#5
cfm56d7b Lieutenant General 5876 Rep 10,249 Posts Drives: 2017 440i Gran Coupe & 2015 X5 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Orange County, CA iTrader: (2)	Based on pictures, I think the wheel gap isn't as onerous. It's not coincidental that there is another parallel thread started by 340girl discussing the same issue: whether lowering springs will close the wheel gap. Lowering springs have one "setting" without any tuning mechanisms: what the springs have been designed to offer plus any post installation settling. Will it be satisfactory? Only you can decide. For precise suspension height adjustment, coilovers remain the optimal choice although at a higher price.
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07-22-2019, 11:45 PM	#6
DeeM55 Private First Class 28 Rep 100 Posts Drives: 2016 F36 435i Join Date: May 2019 Location: Socal iTrader: (0)	I completely agree with what you're saying about coilovers being the optimal choice for height adjustments. I knew that before I bought the springs. In fact, I had coils on my previous car and enjoyed them for a while. I based my decision on these sport springs because of the many reviews and pics with similar cars on these exact springs. I saw the approximate height that the sport springs should lower the car to. Of course no two cars are the same but there's a range that I was expecting it to drop to. I wasn't expecting a slammed or tucked look either. That's definitely not what I was going for. What I also wasn't expecting were my results, so I'm somewhat confused that it turned out this way. I'm hoping they settle a bit more or else I'll just have to get rid of them and go with coilovers. For now, if anyone has seen an uneven side and has somehow fixed it then then please point me in the right direction. I'd greatly appreciate it.
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07-25-2019, 10:16 AM	#8
340girl New Member 3 Rep 7 Posts Drives: BMW 340i Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Pittsburgh, PA iTrader: (0)	As promised here are the pics - completely stock '18 340i xDrive Msport package Tape measure location is not 100% accurate due to where I could place the end of the tape measure but you get the point - it appears that the front has more gap than the rear. pic 2 is front pic 3 is rear Attached Images
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07-27-2019, 04:36 PM	#10
Etto New Member 11 Rep 24 Posts Drives: 328i F30 Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Irvine, CA iTrader: (0)	It seems to be pretty common to find people complaining about their wheel gap with Sport Springs. What you have to realize is, disregarding that they're not coilovers, they're only a 1" drop at most. If you want to make a wheel gap almost unnoticeable until you can afford coilovers ( what I'm gonna be doing ) get Super Sport Springs, they should have about double the drop as the Sport
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