F80 M3 suspension revisions each model year?

[YanTai]

I've searched and read through dozens of pages referring to pre and post LCI revisions, with about 99% content on taillights, headlights, indicator stalks and colours. Very little on what suspension revisions were made down the years.

Can someone please provide a summary of year by year changes in suspension geometry? Also, if it was specific to the competition package or not. Differences from standard to the comp pack/CS is that they got 20" wheels, stiffer sway bars and springs. Correct, or not?

My understanding is that there were some revisions to geometry in 2016 to all F80's, and there were no further changes to production end.

Also seems in Australia we call the 2016 LCI, however many cosmetic changes actually occurred in 2017. It would be nice to know the commencing build dates for any changes that impacted handling.

Thanks.

[Arcades]

I don't mean to criticize but if you did read through the post, how did you miss out on the information clearly posted about it?

F80's LCI came first. The updates happened in line with the F30 3ers.
There was another slight update that some of us call LCI 2. It happened because the F32/F82/F83 got some upgrades that were applied to the F30/F80 side also.

There weren't any suspension changes aside from Firmware changes. Suspensions are different from Standard, ZCP, CS and GTS. Some are only software/firmware changes (M3), some are minor hardware changes (M4). Handling changes are generally minor unless you are a tracker that you notice it.

Look at the top of the Sticky Post. There is a reason why its there.

[YanTai]

Thanks. The majority of that sticky on LCI is about lights and indicators! And yes, I read it all. There are a handful of posts in it on suspension, but no details on what exactly was changed.

I've done a further Google search. Seems most changes are software related, not hardware, as you state, and it seems all years can get the software updates.

For anyone who finds this thread later, there's a good comp vs non comp thread here - https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1247423

[Arcades]

No problem. Cars now a days are almost 50/50 software and hardware.

A lot of current gen cars updates are purely firmware changes. There isn't much reason for BMW to spend more money to do a hardware change. They only do that for cars w/ different trims but even then the M3cs hardware isn't even that different from the ZCP version. The M4 changes between Stock, ZCP and CS are also extremely minor. Only the M4 GTS has the biggest changes.

It is almost all software when it comes to tuning.

[Tommy L Garage]

Comp has lower and recalibrated suspension
As thicker sway bars

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by Tommy L Garage

Comp has lower and recalibrated suspension
As thicker sway bars

Incorrect, ride height is unaltered with CP.

[CanAutM3]

BMW improved the EDC firmware throughout the F8X lifecycle, it is however not clear exactly when each iteration was released.

They mixed and matched different hardware to create the base, Competition and CS variants, with each having its own EDC tuning optimized for its specific hardware combination. I've tried to summarize below the different suspension arrangements:

M4:
Component Base / CP / CS
Front Springs B / C / C
Rear Springs B / C / C
Front Dampers B / C / C
Rear Dampers B / C / C
Front Sway bar B / C / B
Rear Swaybar B / C / C

M3:
Component Base / CP / CS
Front Springs B / C / B
Rear Springs B / C / B
Front Dampers B / C / C
Rear Dampers B / C / C
Front Sway bar B / C / B
Rear Swaybar B / C / C

[YanTai]

Thanks all.
So when journos first reported "twitchy" handling, this was revised via the EDC?
All reviews I've seen speak of improved handling of post LCI tend to review the competition, not the base car.

I'm after a 2016 or later LCI base, and would like to know if the main changes to eliminate "twitchy" handling was via the EDC updates, or hardware in the comp pack.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by YanTai

Thanks all.
So when journos first reported "twitchy" handling, this was revised via the EDC?
All reviews I've seen speak of improved handling of post LCI tend to review the competition, not the base car.

I'm after a 2016 or later LCI base, and would like to know if the main changes to eliminate "twitchy" handling was via the EDC updates, or hardware in the comp pack.

It's not only EDC that got revised, the E-Diff, DSC and EPS were also tweaked. Further, they also changed the engine tune to reduce torque at low rpm (peak torque used to start at 1,850rpm and was later changed to 2,350rpm).

[YanTai]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

It's not only EDC that got revised, the E-Diff, DSC and EPS were also tweaked. Further, they also changed the engine tune to reduce torque at low rpm (peak torque used to start at 1,850rpm and was later changed to 2,350rpm).

[scoale]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

BMW improved the EDC firmware throughout the F8X lifecycle, it is however not clear exactly when each iteration was released.

They mixed and matched different hardware to create the base, Competition and CS variants, with each having its own EDC tuning optimized for its specific hardware combination. I've tried to summarize below the different suspension arrangements:

M4:
Component Base / CP / CS
Front Springs B / C / C
Rear Springs B / C / C
Front Dampers B / C / C
Rear Dampers B / B / B
Front Sway bar B / C / B
Rear Swaybar B / C / C

M3:
Component Base / CP / CS
Front Springs B / C / B
Rear Springs B / C / B
Front Dampers B / C / C
Rear Dampers B / B / B
Front Sway bar B / C / B
Rear Swaybar B / C / C

Thoughts on what BMW was trying to accomplish by switching to base springs and front sway bar on the M3?

Thoughts on the suspension differences between M3 and M4 in terms of the various aspects of handling and compliance?

[maddmatth]

Originally Posted by YanTai

Thanks all.
So when journos first reported "twitchy" handling, this was revised via the EDC?

Yep, all in software. My 2015 (US 2016) M4 has considerable handling differences when I had the software updated to the latest release. The "twitchiness" of the 2015 software was smoothed out nicely. I think diff behaviour was a major factor as much of the twitchiness came from sudden power-on oversteer, even in a straight line it tended to veer off.
After the software update, it tracks straight even if the rear wheels are breaking traction, and power-on oversteer is much more gradual making it easier to do controlled powerslides.

Some reviewers incorrectly attribute that to the competition pack. Comp pack will be a bit different of course, but software improvements were made to the standard variant too.

[spdrcrgtr]

I'm trying to figure out if the Bilstein B16 (DampTronic) will work on a 2020 M4 Comp. On their site, it only shows it's for the base.

Any feedback would be appricated.

[sappersix]

2016 F82 ZCP 6MT here.

FWIW, based on "feel", update to F020-20-07-540 made a significant difference in steering, EDC and smoothed out lower RPM torque. MDM was a little more nuanced and diff seemed better (able to put down more power in aggressive turns, but that could also be my new PS4S tires, went 265F and 295R).

[n_ac]

[QUOTE=scoale;26840381]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

BMW improved the EDC firmware throughout the F8X lifecycle, it is however not clear exactly when each iteration was released.

They mixed and matched different hardware to create the base, Competition and CS variants, with each having its own EDC tuning optimized for its specific hardware combination. I've tried to summarize below the different suspension arrangements:

M4:
Component Base / CP / CS
Front Springs B / C / C
Rear Springs B / C / C
Front Dampers B / C / C
Rear Dampers B / B / B
Front Sway bar B / C / B
Rear Swaybar B / C / C

M3:
Component Base / CP / CS
Front Springs B / C / B
Rear Springs B / C / B
Front Dampers B / C / C
Rear Dampers B / B / B
Front Sway bar B / C / B
Rear Swaybar B / C / C

It also appears the rear dampers on the base and ZCP are similar in later model years from a few other threads on here.