Odd behavior from what I think is the suspension

[Ouhei]

I've had this problem appear with my F80 and I'm having a really hard time figuring out what it might actually be. The car is a 2018 DCT with about 50k on it.

I've had Ohlins R&T with OEM tophats installed for about a year and a half (~12k miles of daily driving). They've been perfect for most of this time, but about 2 months ago an issue started with a weird clunk/shift/creak in what feels like the drivers side front. It's really hard to describe, but I will do my best.

• When I'm stopped and start moving I can feel this clunk or thud/shift in what feels like the front suspension. It almost feels like something is like shifting position based on the car starting motion. There's not a loud noise, but I can feel it in the car and it's not the DCT shifting from what I can tell.
• It kind of feels like road bumps are slightly more noticeable on that corner, but not in a way that the car feels out of control or extra bouncy, more like a more noticeable vibration?
• Taking very slow turns (like into a parking deck, so there's elevation change) to the left I can ear/feel a creak in the suspension.
• I do not hear any hard/loud noises when driving or turning the wheel, all of the noises are subtle
• I can't fully confirm this, but it seems to be worse when it's warmer, I seem to notice it less when it's been cold.

I just had the tires rotated at my local performance BMW shop and had them look over everything quickly while they had it on the lift and they didn't see anything loose or wrong. Based on the issues and from what I've been reading about these cars on here, my current thinking is that it might be a failed top hat bearing, since the issues seem to coincide when that area might be getting more lateral force? Other culprits based on my research:

• Thrust bearings
• Sway bar end links
• Blown strut

I'd love to avoid replacing expensive stuff for it not to work, so I'm trying to see if anyone has dealt with similar symptoms. The blown strut seems the least likely as the car doesn't feel like it's enough different to warrant something that severe. The most common videos and posts I've found about suspension clunks and noises sound different than what I feel like I'm experiencing, so I'm just at a bit of a loss.

[jfritz27]

Originally Posted by Ouhei

I've had this problem appear with my F80 and I'm having a really hard time figuring out what it might actually be. The car is a 2018 DCT with about 50k on it.

I've had Ohlins R&T with OEM tophats installed for about a year and a half (~12k miles of daily driving). They've been perfect for most of this time, but about 2 months ago an issue started with a weird clunk/shift/creak in what feels like the drivers side front. It's really hard to describe, but I will do my best.

• When I'm stopped and start moving I can feel this clunk or thud/shift in what feels like the front suspension. It almost feels like something is like shifting position based on the car starting motion. There's not a loud noise, but I can feel it in the car and it's not the DCT shifting from what I can tell.
• It kind of feels like road bumps are slightly more noticeable on that corner, but not in a way that the car feels out of control or extra bouncy, more like a more noticeable vibration?
• Taking very slow turns (like into a parking deck, so there's elevation change) to the left I can ear/feel a creak in the suspension.
• I do not hear any hard/loud noises when driving or turning the wheel, all of the noises are subtle
• I can't fully confirm this, but it seems to be worse when it's warmer, I seem to notice it less when it's been cold.

I just had the tires rotated at my local performance BMW shop and had them look over everything quickly while they had it on the lift and they didn't see anything loose or wrong. Based on the issues and from what I've been reading about these cars on here, my current thinking is that it might be a failed top hat bearing, since the issues seem to coincide when that area might be getting more lateral force? Other culprits based on my research:

• Thrust bearings
• Sway bar end links
• Blown strut

I'd love to avoid replacing expensive stuff for it not to work, so I'm trying to see if anyone has dealt with similar symptoms. The blown strut seems the least likely as the car doesn't feel like it's enough different to warrant something that severe. The most common videos and posts I've found about suspension clunks and noises sound different than what I feel like I'm experiencing, so I'm just at a bit of a loss.

To rule in/out the endlinks, you could disconnect them on both sides (like from strut body) and tie them out of way. If they're causing the noise under different loading conditions, then it should disappear with them disconnected.

[M3SQRD]

It also could be the front strut upper mount. A failed/failing upper mount can make noise when driving over a bump and/or as the steering wheel is turned. I’d try turning the steering wheel while a second person listens closely for noise coming from the upper mounts. The other person can get close to the upper mounts with the hood open.

Different versions of the R&T have had noise issues due to a material change to an internal bushing. This is an “FYI” - it doesn’t have to be a blown damper to make noise because a properly functioning R&T can be noisy. I can’t recall if any of the different R&T f8x iterations used this bushing. The fix was having Ohlins rebuild the damper with the old bushing design. I’ll check to see if any of the f8x iterations had this issue.

[Ouhei]

Originally Posted by jfritz27

To rule in/out the endlinks, you could disconnect them on both sides (like from strut body) and tie them out of way. If they're causing the noise under different loading conditions, then it should disappear with them disconnected.

I’ll see if I can give this a try.

Originally Posted by M3SQRD

It also could be the front strut upper mount. A failed/failing upper mount can make noise when driving over a bump and/or as the steering wheel is turned. I’d try turning the steering wheel while a second person listens closely for noise coming from the upper mounts. The other person can get close to the upper mounts with the hood open.

Different versions of the R&T have had noise issues due to a material change to an internal bushing. This is an “FYI” - it doesn’t have to be a blown damper to make noise because a properly functioning R&T can be noisy. I can’t recall if any of the different R&T f8x iterations used this bushing. The fix was having Ohlins rebuild the damper with the old bushing design. I’ll check to see if any of the f8x iterations had this issue.

I can’t hear/feel anything with the car sat still but I’ll get my wife to put her ear up to the mount and try that haha.

Over the last week I can definitely notice it the most when going slow having the wheel turned to the left, adding in an angle (like entering a parking a parking deck) seems to make it more noticeable. It’s not a loud or harsh noise, it’s really hard to describe. Best I can think of is like a slight creek/rubbing noise. It definitely feels like something is moving/shifting but not in a large enough way that things are breaking?