Retrofit CS Suspension on pre-LCI Car?

[RowanBuds]

*EDIT* - I mean to retrofit the CS suspension on a Pre-LCI 2015 F80. Thanks for pointing my confusion out CanAutM3

I know the part numbers to do this retrofit have been floating around the forums for quite some time.

I'm interested to see if there's any first-hand feedback on how the pre-LCI cars feel with the swapped CS Suspension components.

Even better if someone can give a comparison to driving one that was retrofitted vs. a ordered CS.

Thanks!

[CanAutM3]

In your title you mention CS suspension but not in your text.

You might want to go for the CS setup, it will be less expensive on your base F8X than going ZCP since you can retain your springs and front sway bar.

I believe Racer20 proceeded with the M3cs swap on his early base F80, albeit with the MP-HAS springs IIRC. I believe he was very happy with the improvement. He might want to chime in.

[RowanBuds]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

In your title you mention CS suspension but not in your text.

You might want to go for the CS setup, it will be less expensive on your base F8X than going ZCP since you can retain your springs and front sway bar.

I believe Racer20 proceeded with the M3cs swap on his early base F80, albeit with the MP-HAS springs IIRC. I believe he was very happy with the improvement. He might want to chime in.

You are 100% correct. I meant to say CS retrofit.

[Racer20]

Check my posts from summer/fall 2018. The M3 CS + MP HAS feels great on my 2015 M3. Much more Porsche like. Higher quality damping gives the car better ride, better handling, and more usability in all three modes. I picked up about 0.4s at the track from the suspension swap. No regrets at all.

Note that it's an all or nothing situation. The CS parts and software work as a package and won't be balanced if you try to mix/match with ZCP and base parts/software.

[marvinp]

What are the suspension differences between the CS and ZCP if I wanted to retrofit the CS suspension into my ZCP M3?

[Racer20]

Originally Posted by marvinp

What are the suspension differences between the CS and ZCP if I wanted to retrofit the CS suspension into my ZCP M3?

You would need:

-Base front sway bar
-Base springs that match your option package (M4CS uses ZCP springs, you can find the exact part numbers on BMW's ETK system)
-19/20" wheels and tires
-Coding of all the calibrations

In reality the critical points are the front bar and the coding. I have the MPHAS, which is rumored to be similar in rate to the ZCP springs and my car performs well so The ZCP springs should probably work. The front 20" tire might cause some minor ride or handling issues as well.

Best course of action is to do the front bar and get everything coded. If the balance is the car is off, do the springs, since that's not too expensive or difficult. If the front rides poorly or the steering response is no good then go to 19" wheels.

[marvinp]

Originally Posted by Racer20

You would need:

-Base front sway bar
-Base springs that match your option package (M4CS uses ZCP springs, you can find the exact part numbers on BMW's ETK system)
-19/20" wheels and tires
-Coding of all the calibrations

In reality the critical points are the front bar and the coding. I have the MPHAS, which is rumored to be similar in rate to the ZCP springs and my car performs well so The ZCP springs should probably work. The front 20" tire might cause some minor ride or handling issues as well.

Best course of action is to do the front bar and get everything coded. If the balance is the car is off, do the springs, since that's not too expensive or difficult. If the front rides poorly or the steering response is no good then go to 19" wheels.

Thanks for the info!

[S2000_Europe]

Originally Posted by Racer20

You would need:

-Base front sway bar
-Base springs that match your option package (M4CS uses ZCP springs, you can find the exact part numbers on BMW's ETK system)
-19/20" wheels and tires
-Coding of all the calibrations

In reality the critical points are the front bar and the coding. I have the MPHAS, which is rumored to be similar in rate to the ZCP springs and my car performs well so The ZCP springs should probably work. The front 20" tire might cause some minor ride or handling issues as well.

Best course of action is to do the front bar and get everything coded. If the balance is the car is off, do the springs, since that's not too expensive or difficult. If the front rides poorly or the steering response is no good then go to 19" wheels.

I have read that Alex can do de coding, but how I get in touch with him? No detail of him in the Sponsor list, just his name

Thanks

[TopJimmy]

Originally Posted by S2000_Europe

I have read that Alex can do de coding, but how I get in touch with him? No detail of him in the Sponsor list, just his name

Thanks

Alex@alpinemss.com
I'll put his phone number in a PM for you.

[mfurse]

Originally Posted by Racer20

You would need:

-Base front sway bar
-Base springs that match your option package (M4CS uses ZCP springs, you can find the exact part numbers on BMW's ETK system)
-19/20" wheels and tires
-Coding of all the calibrations

In reality the critical points are the front bar and the coding. I have the MPHAS, which is rumored to be similar in rate to the ZCP springs and my car performs well so The ZCP springs should probably work. The front 20" tire might cause some minor ride or handling issues as well.

Best course of action is to do the front bar and get everything coded. If the balance is the car is off, do the springs, since that's not too expensive or difficult. If the front rides poorly or the steering response is no good then go to 19" wheels.

Hey Racer20 - I'm keen on this also coming out of a 2016 LCI Base M3 - I presume I need ZCP dampers and I would keep my front springs, get ZCP rear springs and a ZCP rear bar plus CS coding?

[S2000_Europe]

Originally Posted by TopJimmy

Alex@alpinemss.com
I'll put his phone number in a PM for you.

Originally Posted by TopJimmy

Alex@alpinemss.com
I'll put his phone number in a PM for you.

yesterday I did the coding and next week I will install the front sway bar. I chose cs edc and diff and gts dct and euro mdm.

Now I need a cheap gts hood

[Racer20]

Originally Posted by mfurse

Hey Racer20 - I'm keen on this also coming out of a 2016 LCI Base M3 - I presume I need ZCP dampers and I would keep my front springs, get ZCP rear springs and a ZCP rear bar plus CS coding?

Keep all your springs or get the MPHAS. Don't mix and match ZCP and base springs.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by S2000_Europe

yesterday I did the coding and next week I will install the front sway bar. I chose cs edc and diff and gts dct and euro mdm.

Now I need a cheap gts hood

I've tried many MDM variations, the stock CS one is the best one by far.

CS and GTS DCT tuns are very similar to handle the extra 42lb-ft of torque of the CS/GTS engine tunes, the CS one benefits from 2 years of additional refinement.

[Dranter]

How key is the rear sway bar for this as no one seems to have mentioned it?

[LYTSOUT]

Originally Posted by Dranter

How key is the rear sway bar for this as no one seems to have mentioned it?

Good question...b/c the rear bar requires the rear subframe to be dropped which adds a ton of labor cost.

On a base F80, if swapping into ZCP dampers-only (+ CS coding) gets you ~90% of the performance of a CS, then maybe leaving the base rear bar on there makes sense. But if it'll significantly screw up the base suspension by only having ZCP dampers (+ coding), then that's a different story.

To put it another way, when upgrading from base suspension, what creates the "magic" of the CS suspension...the ZCP dampers (+ coding), the ZCP rear bar, or are both absolutely necessary?

[Racer20]

Originally Posted by Dranter

How key is the rear sway bar for this as no one seems to have mentioned it?

Very. I drove around without it for a couple weeks because it was the only part I had a shop install. The CS setup relies on the rear bar quite a bit for roll stiffness and steering response. The car will feel soft and understeery even in normal driving without it. If you want the car to actually perform better, do the bar.