Suspensions dont work/ or smthngg else aka extremely bumpy ride

[9M71]

sorry I skimmed the thread quickly but when's the last time you checked alignment?

after doing a control arm installs (camber and toe messed up on all four corners) and before alignment cars typically track all wonky similar to your description.

[deli333]

9M4N71U
just before I open this topic I did alignment and balancing.

[deli333]

whitstap

I have tried so many things so far, some so called bmw specialists etc checked, could not find anything. swapped all tyres didnt make any change etc. all shocks, sprints are fine except one.

the rear right one seems not straight, we will check it in my garage (the garage i regularly go i mean) . I hope that it is the issue.

if you guys can notice the weirdness in spring

https://ibb.co/qrkV4Xd

[whitstap]

Originally Posted by deli333

whitstap

I have tried so many things so far, some so called bmw specialists etc checked, could not find anything. swapped all tyres didnt make any change etc. all shocks, sprints are fine except one.

the rear right one seems not straight, we will check it in my garage (the garage i regularly go i mean) . I hope that it is the issue.

if you guys can notice the weirdness in spring

https://ibb.co/qrkV4Xd

Brutal sorry I’m sure you are frustrated... springs are generally super durable and rarely fail, but at this point you have to consider everything, and from what you’ve described maybe that spring is broken and/or getting bound up or just not seating properly... don’t give up you will figure it out and when you do let us know thx

[deli333]

yeah or i will just throw the car from a cliff. seriously bored with this problem. it is like someone making fun out of me, laugh at me while I am jumping in the car.

and to the people who tell me i should havent lowered the car, go bigger wheels sorry but those cars have to be lowered. i don't want an suv-like sports car.

my eyes hurt so badly when I look at this.
https://ibb.co/6yf08N1


this photo below is clearer. even on ramp it was not straight. wish me luck guys, i can even get new ones i dont mind if I am going to have the car normal again.

https://ibb.co/wg8brwp

edit : forgot to add, noticeably understeer feeling sometimes in the corners.

[deli333]

whitstap

the issue, "the acne on the rear tyres feeling" is all of a sudden gone. the car seems ok now but some jumps are deepier in bumps that is all I feel. I didnt do or change anything.

anyways I am still after this, all of a sudden acnes cant grow on my rear tyres and then disappear.
in the long term my plans are:

-bilstein b6 edc dampers
-cs-gts dct,edc,diff flash ( i should have bought m4 cs rather than this 4.20d like stock m4)
-if I find a good deal on MP Has, i'll go for it.
-i'll try a diffrent tyre setup next time I change my tires. 285/30/20 ps4s seems to have some issues

I also have a feeling that it will come back randomly anytime soon.

one more question, do you think should I give it a go to bilstein b6 non edc dampers? I have found them at a great price.

about tracking : bmw specialist, bmw approved garage did a really weird tracking. my right front tyre is like 1cm above than the left front tyre. some ppl say it is definetly wrong car will have mindfuck, some say it is how it should be in some cars. Is it another topic that I need to educate myself enough for having an m4?

[whitstap]

Well glad to hear the rear is feeling smoother anyway... I like Bilstein shocks and valving in general but never had first hand experience with them on f8x chassis I remember seeing in a few posts that their full damptronic system (springs and shocks b16 I think?) is a bit stiffer than oem but again I’m not sure how it compares to the b6’s...the few times I’ve called Bilstein USA about products in the past they would not share dyno plots but are otherwise very helpful with their products I’m sure if you call them (UK or Europe office) they will give you some good info/insight as to how they compare with oem edc valving and how b6 compares to b16(?) damptronic ride/valving and spring rates vs oem as well... I’ve always been impressed with their stuff for other platforms I’ve worked on so yes I would be inclined to try them myself... not sure exactly what you mean by front right is 1cm higher than left is that when calibrating the edc or wear on the tires (the latter would show an alignment issue but I know you’ve had that checked) I will say that if you get new tires try to find some ps4s in similar sizes 285 or 295/30 20 would work and same for front 265 or 275/30 as they are quite a bit more grippy and more comfy than the pss and will improve the ride quality and handling

[deli333]

whitstap
btw I meant 1 cm ahead / behind. it islike tyre to bumper 10cm, other tyre to bumper 11cm

the only this I noticed in calibration was this.

View post on imgur.com

I don't know, everytime they sent different values. I think this car made me paranoid and I am just super sensitive to any jumps. For example when parking car rebounded 2-3 times until it settles itself, rebound effect from right to left. ( i was reversing 4mph/hour lol, imagine the disappointment I had)

I will firstly try the hardcore option : bilstein b6 non edc ones and code out edc.

stifness over jumpiness.

[Racer20]

Originally Posted by deli333

whitstap

the issue, "the acne on the rear tyres feeling" is all of a sudden gone. the car seems ok now but some jumps are deepier in bumps that is all I feel. I didnt do or change anything.

That's my experience as well . . . it just sort of goes away out of the blue. The interesting thing is that this seems to happen in most in the first couple weeks of spring when I get my car out of storage, then it goes away for the rest of the summer and I don't have an issue. I haven't driven my car since November now, it's still wet and crappy in Michigan. I'm hoping I don't have the same problem when I pull it out in the next week or two.

[whitstap]

Cool, well none of these f8x cars seem to have perfectly equal camber and caster b/w the front axles from the factory anyway and it’s not adjustable so that part would be normal...I’m not familiar with the edc calibrations so I have no clue on that part... and I’m totally cool with going passive (not that I don’t appreciate the capability of the edc it has so much potential but wish the oem valving had more low speed force and less high speed and the aftermarket is just not there yet I’m sure someday it will be unbeatable) I’m about to put some AST 5200 coilovers on my car... Bilstein standard b6 valving is good and not that agressive for the street I’ll be suprised if you don’t like it let us know what you think

[Teeone]

Deli33, you might give Imran a call over at Evolve since you are in the U.K. I just ordered a set of MSS springs from them and may even buy the Bilstein B6, but he suggested I get the springs first as that may be good enough for me. Check out the post in this section on the MSS springs if you have not already.

[deli333]

Teeone

thanks mate I am already done with trial and errors of bmw and most importantly their overpriced kits ( the kits that should have come default, lets say at least with CP). I can still give it a try for a used, good bargain. But not for 1200£ new set, definitely no.

So for 1200£+ there are so many other things that can be spent in this car. Not for a spring set, that is for sure. overpriced af. I would rather get 4 bilstein b6 edc dampers and new set of lowered springs(eibach,hr you name it) for 1600£.

whitstap Racer20

I just got those beatiues, almost new! (non edc) at a great bargain, cost me around 225£ + 40£ fuel cost, had to pee in public, and maybe a speed camera(hopefully no - 80mph)

drove car around 4-5 hours without a break today, car mostly was straight apart from some weird bounces. but that acne feel is gone. however like I said this issue made me extremely sensitive to the jumps/bounces. I sometimes go on holes or imperfections on the road by purpose to feel that stiffness, imagine how much I am bored with this shit. my first plan is to code out edc, try those dampers. if they are good enough they will give me some idea about sport+ stiffness of edc version. I will firstly try the dampers without coding out edc. Maybe I also replace top mounts as well. I have already ordered bump stops and dust covers. I will never give up until I find a proper combo of spring/shock/tyre. Until I have this car properly drives by any means. At least I might help others who are struggling with similar issues.

View post on imgur.com

off topic
the guy had an m2 who sold me shocks, he was a nice guy thanks to him. but that m2 competiton seemed wayy to small to me, even the seats were a bit like not for an adult. I definetly wouldnt fit into it, 120kg, 6 feet. I was thinking an m2 competiton as so many people praise about it but i think i can't fit into driver seat properly lol.

[whitstap]

That’s a good deal on those shocks interested to hear how it rides/handles... you can always go for something like damptronic or kw ddc and code back edc in future if you miss the adjustments but not sure you will... yeah I like the idea of M2 but I’m 6’4” and have an 8 & 11 year old so no chance plus they are not any lighter than M4 from a pure performance perspective

[deli333]

as soon as I get top mounts for non edc models I will put the new shocks in and update you guys. I am not sure for front what kind of strut mounts do they use, I suppose they arent the same with edc ones?
new ones seems like difficult to find and bmw is closed as well :/

[deli333]

whitstap

Update after shocks :

look:
The car definitely sit lower now, especially front.

feel: shocks are not that stiff, that like I expected, I would say moderate, something like sport setting.
drive: at high speeds it is super stable, especially when you floor you just feel that straight feeling.
braking : I was not expecting any braking change but car feels like I have new pads, braking is more sensitive,quicker now.

wobble/bounce/shake ( I no longer know how to describe this) : especially when I am slow I can feel that car is like as if some people shake it and disappear. Btw I no longer have that "bumps, acnes on the rear tyre feeling" . It is gone all of a sudden. However I can still feel that shakiness for example:

I was leaving garage yesterday, when reversing on a straight road, 4 mph coasting, the car shaked from all corners and settled. ppl tried and confirmed it. bouncy/bumpy drive continues but all around the car. I watched the car from behind and it is clearly visible from 50meters away that the car is shaking from right to left or vice versa.

my garage tried it afterwards, they confirmed. Possibilities we have thought :

1- RTAB related squirming issues. ( learning new things everyday) They say that one of my right rear lower arm is bend which is causing the issue (considering most of my jumps start from left front or right side, can it be true?).

2- there is something wrong in subframe, causing car stabilization issues

3- differential/gearbox. this topic comes up mostly when I describe the feeling like "1st/2nd gear DCT jerking" and DCT rear end hit when shifting manually at D3. ( it was happening in e46 too, so should be normal i think)

4- tyres again, but why would a tyre shake a car at 4mph coasting?

additionally there is a noise coming from either left front or rear left wheel bearing. but i cant think that one wheel bearing shakes the whole car. ( i replaced front bearing last year around this time)

Does anyone know in UK who can pinpoint the issue straightaway, probably same day and help me out before i give up from this car?

[whitstap]

Glad you like the shocks sorry it didnt fix your issue... I always felt like the wheel bearings/hubs on the f8x are pretty stout especially compared to previous generations but miles and rough roads etc take their toll... I don’t have answer for ya but understand what you’re saying... I would check all the bushings for play at this point

[deli333]

whitstap
Racer20
update,
finally problem found : rear lower camber arm. it is sad that it took ages for this to be found by garages here. But unfortunately most places don't consider your problem something important because the stupid society have an image of ppl who drive such cars ( such cars, m4? this shouldn't count in that category) most of the time my problem was like they didnt understand the issue(this car is superb, grips perfect etc, it happens, this is a performance car type answers) or gave me generic answers.

anyways this issue supported my idea that lower arms etc in this car is not good, I am planning to update all of them at some point if I find proper comments/reviews about how they handle in daily drive. I mean the colorful fancy stuff lower arms, camber arms etc.

Why I think lower arms etc is shit because I have seen them fail so easily and in some occassions they feel that they are not good enough for this car. For example my e46 m3 was hitting hard when shift manually in D3 (knock noise from rear end) and I was also having this in this car. So I thought it is normal. But after this change I noticed that the noise is very less. It made me think that other components also wear fast or can't hold it together so makes the noise. I will also check the sub frame because there was a big hole in my e46 m3 which was having hard knocks in manual shifting. my garage who found this issue also recommends subframe check.


https://ibb.co/SvLdPSp

https://ibb.co/zNPzF0p

Since my initial bouncy/jump/wobble/shake issue is resolved I can have a better comment on b6 non edc shocks. However i would not recommend anyone to take this comment as a reference to these shocks as I still did not code out/delete edc. ( I might switch to edc b6)
The shocks are great especially in corners I now understand what people say "corner balancing". I feel that I have full control.
Bumpy and windy bridge test: The bridge in wales is terrible windy and I was noticing that car struggle sometimes, last night in a windy weather and endless bumps I can say that car did not need second bounce for settling the car. I mean instead of couple of bounces just once.

Again, when throttling the car feels super straight and you feel all the the tyres and grip. However in side roads, if road is bad bumps are not that nice. in potholes etc the response of the car is better, does not make you feel you just broke something.

thanks everyone for helping in the comments for trying to help me. it was a long drama but finally solved.

[whitstap]

Finally! Nice work I can’t see exactly what was worn or failing but if the alignment was changing on the fly and/or the spring was not seating properly that would make sense... sounds like the damping on the b6 shocks is working there’s no doubt these cars are too high stock and need to be lowered, are a bit harsh over the bumps, but floaty at the same time, and struggle for traction so any improvement is welcome even on a brand new perfectly performing example EDC is def the way of the future but the stock shocks simply lack low speed rebound and have too much high speed bump and rebound at full closed for softer oem/lowering spring type spring rates

[deli333]

if you check the blue marks, the bolts were moving so the spring and shock were not sitting properly.

for the shocks, I sometimes like I want edc back but sometimes I am like I never have them back. so time will tell. I dont know does it make sense but in side roads I am like I want edc back so time will tell.

Other than that I am really looking for upgrades for daily driving. seems like there alot can be improved