Experiences with lowering car?

[Karlooch]

Want to lower my 2016 M4 with 19's and just have a couple questions.

1. I have adaptive M suspension, anyone had any issues with lowering springs conflicting with this?

2. If I want to go with a wider tire once my current ones are due for a replacement will that be fine?

3. A few people on the forums have recommended these: https://www.ecstuning.com/b-emmanuel...ies&utm_term=1

Are these decent? Any regrets with lowering? I do find the ride height is a little high on these cars.. especially in the front.

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by Karlooch

Want to lower my 2016 M4 with 19's and just have a couple questions.

1. I have adaptive M suspension, anyone had any issues with lowering springs conflicting with this?

2. If I want to go with a wider tire once my current ones are due for a replacement will that be fine?

3. A few people on the forums have recommended these: https://www.ecstuning.com/b-emmanuel...ies&utm_term=1

Are these decent? Any regrets with lowering? I do find the ride height is a little high on these cars.. especially in the front.

1. You shouldn't have any issues with Adaptive Suspension, provided you use a spring with a rate somewhat similar to stock (like Eibach). Otherwise the stock damping maps may struggle, and ride quality may suffer.

2. Depends how wide you're talking. As long as they fit the wheels properly and fit the car properly, you should be fine. Don't go too wide for the wheels, or you will just buy yourself more sidewall flex, which will usually make the car squirm and feel like crap.

3. Emmanuelle Design springs are too low for my taste (-1.3" in the front is pretty slammed for stock dampers on a car that's supposed to handle, IMO), but a lot of people like the way they look and seem to like or at least not mind the ride.


I have now had three sets of lowering springs on my car in the past three months. First was a set of Swifts, which were too hard and made the car hop and skip all over the place while cornering, if the road surface wasn't perfectly smooth.
Then I switched to a set of Eibach "Euro V1" springs, which rode beautifully but left too much fender gap in the front on my car and looked not much different from stock. Other people seem to get more drop than I did. No idea why.
Now I'm running Eibach "V2" Pro-Kit, which is a perfect amount of drop, IMO, and near-stock ride quality.

If you are looking to improve handling and steering, there are a few other things that you can do which make a big difference.

[IRNM3]

Originally Posted by 1000hp

1. You shouldn't have any issues with Adaptive Suspension, provided you use a spring with a rate somewhat similar to stock (like Eibach). Otherwise the stock damping maps may struggle, and ride quality may suffer.

2. Depends how wide you're talking. As long as they fit the wheels properly and fit the car properly, you should be fine. Don't go too wide for the wheels, or you will just buy yourself more sidewall flex, which will usually make the car squirm and feel like crap.

3. Emmanuelle Design springs are too low for my taste (-1.3" in the front is pretty slammed for stock dampers on a car that's supposed to handle, IMO), but a lot of people like the way they look and seem to like or at least not mind the ride.

I have now had three sets of lowering springs on my car in the past three months. First was a set of Swifts, which were too hard and made the car hop and skip all over the place while cornering, if the road surface wasn't perfectly smooth.
Then I switched to a set of Eibach "Euro V1" springs, which rode beautifully but left too much fender gap in the front on my car and looked not much different from stock. Other people seem to get more drop than I did. No idea why.
Now I'm running Eibach "V2" Pro-Kit, which is a perfect amount of drop, IMO, and near-stock ride quality.

If you are looking to improve handling and steering, there are a few other things that you can do which make a big difference.

Can you share a pic?

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by IRNM3

Can you share a pic?

I need to take some decent ones. Haven't done that since I did the most recent set of springs.

[Karlooch]

Originally Posted by 1000hp

1. You shouldn't have any issues with Adaptive Suspension, provided you use a spring with a rate somewhat similar to stock (like Eibach). Otherwise the stock damping maps may struggle, and ride quality may suffer.

2. Depends how wide you're talking. As long as they fit the wheels properly and fit the car properly, you should be fine. Don't go too wide for the wheels, or you will just buy yourself more sidewall flex, which will usually make the car squirm and feel like crap.

3. Emmanuelle Design springs are too low for my taste (-1.3" in the front is pretty slammed for stock dampers on a car that's supposed to handle, IMO), but a lot of people like the way they look and seem to like or at least not mind the ride.


I have now had three sets of lowering springs on my car in the past three months. First was a set of Swifts, which were too hard and made the car hop and skip all over the place while cornering, if the road surface wasn't perfectly smooth.
Then I switched to a set of Eibach "Euro V1" springs, which rode beautifully but left too much fender gap in the front on my car and looked not much different from stock. Other people seem to get more drop than I did. No idea why.
Now I'm running Eibach "V2" Pro-Kit, which is a perfect amount of drop, IMO, and near-stock ride quality.

If you are looking to improve handling and steering, there are a few other things that you can do which make a big difference.

Thanks for the response. Would also be interested in a pic and as far as handling goes what other suggestions do you have?

[izzyM2]

You should be fine lowering with just springs with your adaptive. Wider tires are fine and can even fill up the wheel fender more just be aware of your sidewall and offsets if you are adding spacers or new wheels.

My friend went with Emmanuel and has since messed up a lip. Although it really looks nice if you are into that plenty of drop look It is really too low for daily for me. I got to ride on it back to back together with my car and his ride and steering feel was considerably firmer than stock but still compliant.

Here is a photo of my car with Eibach V1s replacing the fronts only.
I thought the drop was perfect and very close to stock feel.

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by Karlooch

Thanks for the response. Would also be interested in a pic and as far as handling goes what other suggestions do you have?

The three things that I did that really improved the handling and steering were monoball thrust arm bushings, coding the damping, steering, and diff with Alpine, and swapping the stock rear sway bar for the thicker/stiffer ZCP rear bar. Totally different car with those, IMO.

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by izzym3

Here is a photo of my car with Eibach V1s replacing the fronts only.
I thought the drop was perfect and very close to stock feel.

My car did not drop anywhere near that low with V1s. I bought V1s expecting that, but my car sat probably half an inch higher than that.
I now have V2 fronts on the car, and it sits about that low. I'm starting to wonder if people are actually receiving V2s when they order V1s.

BTW what lip is that?

[izzyM2]

Originally Posted by 1000hp

My car did not drop anywhere near that low with V1s. I bought V1s expecting that, but my car sat probably half an inch higher than that.
I now have V2 fronts on the car, and it sits about that low. I'm starting to wonder if people are actually receiving V2s when they order V1s.

BTW what lip is that?

First few days on the V1's was higher. This is 3rd week. Is your car ZCP?

It's OEM M Performance Lip. https://www.bimmerworld.com/Body-Aer...192350711.html

Anyway I gathered this information comparing drop on OEM, Eibach and EMD Auto.

F80 spring data

Front
OE = rate - 177 lbs/in
Eibach V1 = rate - 183 lbs/in, drop .7”
Eibach V2 = rate - 183? lbs/in, drop .8”
EMD = rate - 194 lbs/in, drop 1.3”

Back
OE = rate - 591 lbs/in
Eibach V1 = rate - 628 lbs/in, drop .2”
Eibach V2 = rate - 628? lbs/in, drop .5”
EMD = rate - 645 lbs/in, drop .3” with puck, .8” without

It is said EDC non comp vs EDC comp.
OE Springs are the same. Difference is dampers in front is stiffer and sway bars are thicker.

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by izzym3

First few days on the V1's was higher. This is 3rd week. Is your car ZCP?

It's OEM M Performance Lip. https://www.bimmerworld.com/Body-Aer...192350711.html

Anyway I gathered this information comparing drop on OEM, Eibach and EMD Auto.

F80 spring data

Front
OE = rate - 177 lbs/in
Eibach V1 = rate - 183 lbs/in, drop .7”
Eibach V2 = rate - 183? lbs/in, drop .8”
EMD = rate - 194 lbs/in, drop 1.3”

Back
OE = rate - 591 lbs/in
Eibach V1 = rate - 628 lbs/in, drop .2”
Eibach V2 = rate - 628? lbs/in, drop .5”
EMD = rate - 645 lbs/in, drop .3” with puck, .8” without

It is said EDC non comp vs EDC comp.
OE Springs are the same. Difference is dampers in front is stiffer and sway bars are thicker.

My car is non-ZCP, but I have ZCP dampers and ZCP wheels. I had the V1s on the car for ~250 miles. They settled a little, but never got anywhere near the drop that other people get. The V2s were probably 10mm lower ten minutes after install than the V1s were after two weeks, and then they (or the insulators or whatever) settled even more.
I left the V1s on the rear since I didn't want the rear any lower, and the rates are the same.

[ntg44]

Tried lowering springs, Bilstein B16 damptronic EDC integrated coil overs, and then the M performance HAS kit.

Save yourself the money in the long run and just get the M performance kit. It's worth it and I wish I trusted my instincts before spending over 6k in suspension and labor to figure that out.

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by ntg44

Tried lowering springs, Bilstein B16 damptronic EDC integrated coil overs, and then the M performance HAS kit.

Save yourself the money in the long run and just get the M performance kit. It's worth it and I wish I trusted my instincts before spending over 6k in suspension and labor to figure that out.

6k!
Get this man some tools!

[ntg44]

Originally Posted by 1000hp

6k!
Get this man some tools!

Haha. Well that includes the hardware itself. The labor was reasonable in comparison and it was getting corner balanced anyways.

[trehlo]

Originally Posted by izzym3

You should be fine lowering with just springs with your adaptive. Wider tires are fine and can even fill up the wheel fender more just be aware of your sidewall and offsets if you are adding spacers or new wheels.

My friend went with Emmanuel and has since messed up a lip. Although it really looks nice if you are into that plenty of drop look It is really too low for daily for me. I got to ride on it back to back together with my car and his ride and steering feel was considerably firmer than stock but still compliant.

Here is a photo of my car with Eibach V1s replacing the fronts only.
I thought the drop was perfect and very close to stock feel.

This looks perfect.

I have a set of V1's sitting in the garage waiting to go on the car. Plan is to do front only, but I've noticed a big difference in how they look depending on sidewall height.

Would you mind sharing your front tire specs?

[izzyM2]

Originally Posted by trehlo

Would you mind sharing your front tire specs?

265x35x19 f and 285x30x20 r (cup2s)

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by ntg44

Haha. Well that includes the hardware itself. The labor was reasonable in comparison and it was getting corner balanced anyways.

At least you're doing it right 👍🏼

[EricP3]

Originally Posted by 1000hp

My car did not drop anywhere near that low with V1s. I bought V1s expecting that, but my car sat probably half an inch higher than that.
I now have V2 fronts on the car, and it sits about that low. I'm starting to wonder if people are actually receiving V2s when they order V1s.

BTW what lip is that?

It may just be the angle, also like others have said I think the tires can make the drop look more or less depending. Here are my v1s front only the day they were installed.

[IRNM3]

Originally Posted by EricP3

It may just be the angle, also like others have said I think the tires can make the drop look more or less depending. Here are my v1s front only the day they were installed.

Are you running spacers?

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by EricP3

It may just be the angle, also like others have said I think the tires can make the drop look more or less depending. Here are my v1s front only the day they were installed.

Mine came down to around that height or slightly higher after a couple hundred miles. The V2s were a few mm lower than that on day one.
The ZCP and non-ZCP tires (20s vs 19s) are the same height. The sidewalls on the 19s might be a little taller, but with the same height they shouldn't affect the fender gap 🤔

Whatever it was, on my car I never could shed what felt like a 4x4 look to me with the V1s. It was enough that I bought yet another set of springs to make it look the way I wanted it to.

Pics are finally working.
Top is V1s after 200+ miles.
Bottom is V2s after about the same mileage.

[trehlo]

Originally Posted by 1000hp

Mine came down to around that height or slightly higher after a couple hundred miles. The V2s were a few mm lower than that on day one.
The ZCP and non-ZCP tires (20s vs 19s) are the same height. The sidewalls on the 19s might be a little taller, but with the same height they shouldn't affect the fender gap 🤔

Whatever it was, on my car I never could shed what felt like a 4x4 look to me with the V1s. It was enough that I bought yet another set of springs to make it look the way I wanted it to.

Pics are finally working.
Top is V1s after 200+ miles.
Bottom is V2s after about the same mileage.

I can't speak to the ZCP and non-ZCP diameters, but izzym3 said he's running 265/35/19's up front and I have 275/30/19's, which means there's a fair bit of difference. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe I'll end up with .4" more fender gap than he has on his v1's. Makes me think v2's are probably the better move. Or new tires...

Are you running OEM tires?

[EricP3]

Originally Posted by IRNM3

Are you running spacers?

yes, 12mm front 15mm rear.

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by trehlo

I can't speak to the ZCP and non-ZCP diameters, but izzym3 said he's running 265/35/19's up front and I have 275/30/19's, which means there's a fair bit of difference. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe I'll end up with .4" more fender gap than he has on his v1's. Makes me think v2's are probably the better move. Or new tires...

Are you running OEM tires?

Edit: just realized you said that you are running the 275/40s. Yep, your tire should be 0.4" farther from the fender.


Yes my tires are the stock sizes (265/35R20 front, 285/30R20 rear) and compared to other cars that were also running the stock-size tires, some guys seem to get more drop than I did. The fact that what they got with V1 is about what I got with V2 made me wonder if they were actually receiving V2 springs.
But, Eibach's QC seems to have gone downhill of late. I have seen similar discrepancy with other people's cars. Your results may vary, but I got exactly what I was looking for with the V2s, with no change in ride quality.