Advice needed for body roll reduction/new struts-shocks

Solidjake · 06-13-2019, 08:02 AM

Hey guys. My stock m-sport struts/shocks are due for replacement and after this past weekends autocross event I can see how the car behaves in high speed tight turns. I do track the car maybe twice a year so any suggestions for a comfortable ride without dropping the car more than 1/2" would be great. I do live in NYC and the roads/speed bumps do suck. I already scrape on speed bumps as is with the lip.

I saw that there are Bilstein B6's but their site states it's for non-sport suspension. For sport suspension they recommend B8's. I assume the B4 sport model would still result in the body roll or at least reduce is since the stock suspension is dead.

As for sway bars I think I will do that later on as well. I did see a good tread on it and saw that H&R/Eibach are good options. The Hotchkins looked to be too stiff. Thanks for any help.

alohasurftoad · 06-13-2019, 10:59 AM

https://www.getbmwparts.com/oem-part...w0LWdhcw%3D%3D

cfm56d7b · 06-13-2019, 02:40 PM

What's your budget for the suspension upgrade?

You mentioned several requirements which I think will warrant a closer look at adjustable coilovers: desire to maintain comfortable ride in NYC, occasional visit to the track, body roll reduction.

scostu · 06-13-2019, 08:11 PM

https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1501682

Koni Special Active plus Eibachs.

exE36M3 · 06-22-2019, 08:46 PM

BEFORE you do any of that... have you replaced the Control/Thrust arm bushing?

If you have over 50k miles, you may be extremely surprised with a replacement... how the car loses the floaty feeling, gets a crisper turn-in, and lose that weird oversteer. I just added the Turner Monoball and holy smokes, it made me rethink suspension work on our F3X platofrm altogether. If ride quality is an issue, then consider poly or just replacing the old ones.

Solidjake · 06-23-2019, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by percychow

BEFORE you do any of that... have you replaced the Control/Thrust arm bushing?

If you have over 50k miles, you may be extremely surprised with a replacement... how the car loses the floaty feeling, gets a crisper turn-in, and lose that weird oversteer. I just added the Turner Monoball and holy smokes, it made me rethink suspension work on our F3X platofrm altogether. If ride quality is an issue, then consider poly or just replacing the old ones.

Really appreciate that. I'll take a look into that part as well. Thanks!

Jvac · 06-25-2019, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by percychow

BEFORE you do any of that... have you replaced the Control/Thrust arm bushing?

If you have over 50k miles, you may be extremely surprised with a replacement... how the car loses the floaty feeling, gets a crisper turn-in, and lose that weird oversteer. I just added the Turner Monoball and holy smokes, it made me rethink suspension work on our F3X platofrm altogether. If ride quality is an issue, then consider poly or just replacing the old ones.

How much of the difference is due to your old bushings reaching the end of life? I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has done this mod on a lower mileage f30. I would love to have a better idea of where the car intends to go when I chuck it into a corner, and I would be willing to trade some ride quality for that. My car has gotten pretty quiet since I ditched the run flats, so I figure I can tolerate a little more chatter. I am just now about 23k on the odo so I doubt my bushes would be worn out already. Could you elaborate on the additional noise a bit more? I was thinking of doing shocks/springs but the body control and comfort on my m-sport rwd isn't that bad for my current habits and roads. Shocks and springs would be much more $ as well

exE36M3 · 06-26-2019, 02:42 PM

JVac:
I started a thread around the monoball set-up here...
https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1624895

But even stock... you might be able to start noticing things:
1. Go into a sharp turn - does your car feel like it wants to oversteer
2. Excessive movement going over things like a speed bump
3. Vague turn-in feel

For me, I bought the car at 49k miles so the bushings were almost within 10%-15% of their life (assuming destroyed by 60k).

A monoball or even poly bushing is going to product some/more noise/vibration/harshness (NVH). For me, the noise is if I actually drive over something... like a road divot or rough pavement, but not road surfaces that are smooth-ish. No real harsh ride quality. Some vibration is the road surface undulates.

But against handling and steering, you'd swear you were in a well tuned M car or God-forbid, a Miata or BRZ.

Jvac · 06-26-2019, 04:41 PM

Many thanks for the update. I have read the other thread as well and it all sounds good to me. Vague turn in is the biggest annoyance for me. There is a long moment of uncertainty before it becomes obvious where the car will go and sometimes that requires a secondary input. Would be nice to have a more direct feel and be able to place the car consistently on the mark straight off, instead of playing the guessing game. My car has the LSD now, so oversteer is a different deal- I can induce it pretty easily with power input. Corner grip is much better and predictable up to the limit though and I don't remember seeing the dsc light up once in the 1200 miles since I got the diff in. Removing the abrupt, unsettling response from nanny dsc (or delaying it too a much higher threshold) was a great change. Together with monoballs I could rule the world! Lol

06-13-2019, 08:02 AM	#1
Solidjake ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 945 Rep 1,762 Posts Drives: '13 328i Msport 6MT Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: NYC/SNJ iTrader: (2)	Advice needed for body roll reduction/new struts-shocks Hey guys. My stock m-sport struts/shocks are due for replacement and after this past weekends autocross event I can see how the car behaves in high speed tight turns. I do track the car maybe twice a year so any suggestions for a comfortable ride without dropping the car more than 1/2" would be great. I do live in NYC and the roads/speed bumps do suck. I already scrape on speed bumps as is with the lip. I saw that there are Bilstein B6's but their site states it's for non-sport suspension. For sport suspension they recommend B8's. I assume the B4 sport model would still result in the body roll or at least reduce is since the stock suspension is dead. As for sway bars I think I will do that later on as well. I did see a good tread on it and saw that H&R/Eibach are good options. The Hotchkins looked to be too stiff. Thanks for any help. Attached Images __________________ Tensioner/belt DIY \| Side skirt extension DIY Apex SM-10/DWS06+ \| 400m/X-ice Xi3 \| Injen Exhaust \| Stoptech SS Lines \| 335 Front Brakes Hawk HPS 5.0 \| RBF600 \| ER Charge Pipes \| Wagner Evo Comp 2 FMIC
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06-13-2019, 10:59 AM	#2
alohasurftoad Brigadier General 3078 Rep 4,329 Posts Drives: 440i gran coupe w/mppsk Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: hawaii iTrader: (0)	https://www.getbmwparts.com/oem-part...w0LWdhcw%3D%3D
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06-13-2019, 02:40 PM	#3
cfm56d7b Lieutenant General 5886 Rep 10,256 Posts Drives: 2017 440i Gran Coupe & 2015 X5 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Orange County, CA iTrader: (2)	What's your budget for the suspension upgrade? You mentioned several requirements which I think will warrant a closer look at adjustable coilovers: desire to maintain comfortable ride in NYC, occasional visit to the track, body roll reduction.
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06-13-2019, 08:11 PM	#4
scostu Colonel 1623 Rep 2,036 Posts Drives: 2016 F25 Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Space Coast Florida...aka NASA area iTrader: (0)	https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1501682 Koni Special Active plus Eibachs. __________________
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06-22-2019, 08:46 PM	#5
exE36M3 BMW CCA Member 488 Rep 808 Posts Drives: 2015 435i M Sport Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: NorCal iTrader: (4)	BEFORE you do any of that... have you replaced the Control/Thrust arm bushing? If you have over 50k miles, you may be extremely surprised with a replacement... how the car loses the floaty feeling, gets a crisper turn-in, and lose that weird oversteer. I just added the Turner Monoball and holy smokes, it made me rethink suspension work on our F3X platofrm altogether. If ride quality is an issue, then consider poly or just replacing the old ones.
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06-26-2019, 02:42 PM	#8
exE36M3 BMW CCA Member 488 Rep 808 Posts Drives: 2015 435i M Sport Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: NorCal iTrader: (4)	JVac: I started a thread around the monoball set-up here... https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1624895 But even stock... you might be able to start noticing things: 1. Go into a sharp turn - does your car feel like it wants to oversteer 2. Excessive movement going over things like a speed bump 3. Vague turn-in feel For me, I bought the car at 49k miles so the bushings were almost within 10%-15% of their life (assuming destroyed by 60k). A monoball or even poly bushing is going to product some/more noise/vibration/harshness (NVH). For me, the noise is if I actually drive over something... like a road divot or rough pavement, but not road surfaces that are smooth-ish. No real harsh ride quality. Some vibration is the road surface undulates. But against handling and steering, you'd swear you were in a well tuned M car or God-forbid, a Miata or BRZ.
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06-26-2019, 04:41 PM	#9
Jvac Captain 432 Rep 785 Posts Drives: 2015 335i rwd Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Usa iTrader: (1)	Many thanks for the update. I have read the other thread as well and it all sounds good to me. Vague turn in is the biggest annoyance for me. There is a long moment of uncertainty before it becomes obvious where the car will go and sometimes that requires a secondary input. Would be nice to have a more direct feel and be able to place the car consistently on the mark straight off, instead of playing the guessing game. My car has the LSD now, so oversteer is a different deal- I can induce it pretty easily with power input. Corner grip is much better and predictable up to the limit though and I don't remember seeing the dsc light up once in the 1200 miles since I got the diff in. Removing the abrupt, unsettling response from nanny dsc (or delaying it too a much higher threshold) was a great change. Together with monoballs I could rule the world! Lol
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