[3t3p]

Starting a thread for the Bilsteins from Litchfield to not muddy the waters of the Nitron one.

These were installed yesterday and here are my provisional, non-spirited drive impressions.
My installer Dom at Litchfield is the quietly confident type, smiling and listening to what you want. I asked him not to slam my car, go for the minimum drop as this is my DD and until recently roads in Manchester resembled the trenches found on Mars. He was really diligent, took the car out twice to check it, aligned it once then tweaked something once or twice more. My track rod was seized and needed replacing, they had one in stock as common issue?
It also may have been the part thread locked by my (non-usual) garage!


My FIRST initial 30metres of driving impression, omg this is a float fest way too soft and steering too light what have I done!? This was on the uneven large sized gravel/mud road leaving Litchfield.

Moments later, hmm deadzone feels reduced, maybe car is more eager to turn?

First few corners, oh yes car is more eager to turn and understeer is much improved! Car closer to neutral now but it's not a 4C/going to spin out! Really nice.

Next thing I notice, car feels faster! Must be from being lower, albeit only 15mm in my case it feels awesome! I feel like a supercar badass for being that little bit lower hehe! In-gear traction feels better also.

Cruising on the motorway, it's just gliding. I am relaxed and could go cross country in more comfort. Expansion joints do not 'thud/crash' into the chassis. It is rounded but still communicative. You still very much feel the road through your ass and rest of the car.

Braking, the car isn't diving and modulation feels different..it's hard to describe like I am in more direct contact with the brake disc when depressing the pedal.

It rained moderately heavily, not a torrent but road properly wet. The car felt SO keyed into the road, 80mph in the rain felt totally locked in, ps4s aside it is truly confidence inspiring.

NVH, only with certain motorway textures at speed was there a harmonic ring type of sound from the front of the car. Tbh I only noticed it briefly at a certain point in my drive then it never came back. Not sure if due to settling or road texture improvement.
I would gladly have this rare occurrence for the fantastic handling it's given the car now!

These are my first coilovers and what I feel like they do is that the suspension has some brains to it now, where before it was a bit asleep. It is working quickly all the time like a duck on water, lots of effort under the surface but elegant result above!

It feels, sophisticated and it is. It also wasn't/isn't cheap. The car is still an M2 but feels like OEM+ to use that term, perhaps that is an injustice though.

The day to day comfort is really welcome and it's nice. I was someone who would say those complaining about the M2 as a daily need perspective in the context of sports cars. But once you have it is really is nice.

Came home from work and the thwack thuds of a local stretch of uneven road is 200% better.

Spirited drive as soon as I can, I can't wait.

I feel really positive about my car now, when a mod goes well, that feeling.

FYI dustboots come with Bilstein and Nitrons do not + may have two yearly service requirements. Pics and alignment stats to come.







Non-final height, the back was actually way too low initially after fitment.


Final height after adjustment:

[M Fifty]

Do you know what settings were used?

[3t3p]

Originally Posted by M Fifty

Do you know what settings were used?

Oh the damper settings? No I don't I went with their recommended.

Seems most steering change is from caster change than any added camber from lowering

[M Fifty]

Originally Posted by 3t3p

Oh the damper settings? No I don't I went with their recommended.

Seems most steering change is from caster change than any added camber from lowering

It's pretty close to double the original according to the print out, and along with getting the rear setting back within spec, will make a substantial change to how it feels.

[3t3p]

Back was surprisingly out of whack wasn't it. Had the car aligned as soon as I got it a bit over two years ago too...

I'm going to double check with Thor flasher that GTS steering is on still as not sure it is, it sometimes seems to go when you do a full DME flash which I did recently and steering went lighter. Should be great steering then

[M Fifty]

Actually, I mis-read the caster settings. Did they really manage to get it to change from 7 degrees +ve to 13 degrees -ve? If so, that's huge...

[3t3p]

I don't know, apparently so! The steering definitely feels totally changed.

I also don't remember seeing the corner weighting process, assumed it has to be done on scales. I may have missed it or scales were integrated into the hunter platform? Was charged for it certainly!

Kinda want 5mm spacers now though I vowed never to get them as they mess up geometry and stress wheel bearings!

[MR RIZK]

Originally Posted by M Fifty

Actually, I mis-read the caster settings. Did they really manage to get it to change from 7 degrees +ve to 13 degrees -ve? If so, that's huge...

I don't see how this was possible.. you want +ve caster not -ve..

[FaRKle!]

Yeah those caster numbers can't be possible. That would mean the wheel is dragging behind the strut. It would also make steering terrible. If it was positive caster the steering would be stupid heavy.

[3t3p]

Steering is definitely lighter haha. It does follow the road slightly more in some situations. But instead of feeling like a bruising cruiser where you sit back far from the steering action, it is like a sports car wants to turn and complete the corner with much less push.

Anyone familiar with hunter aligment and how the caster could be different like that? an error with an input? reversal of something/something upside down/optically reversed?

What if, he set the caster then later adjusted everything else around it and something moved making it negative like that? But the value is just ignored?

Ok just off the phone to Litchfield. Caster can't be changed on BMWs/this car they said. So it's an error that they're going to look into. It will be set up fine and/or at the original caster setting.

Car tracks easily in a straight line and feels more precise than before not less, with lighter steering input.

So next question is, anyone know stock caster measurement?

Edit found this: https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1350367

[M Fifty]

The change in steering feel is consistent with the change in front and rear Toe settings - the front is giving you a little more turn in, while the rear isn't resisting the change in direction as hard as it did.

If they increased the Rake over standard there might be a slight reduction in Caster - which would also help initial turn in. It might be more prone to 'tramlining' though.

HTH

[Bee Pee]

Originally Posted by 3t3p

Steering is definitely lighter haha. It does follow the road slightly more in some situations. But instead of feeling like a bruising cruiser where you sit back far from the steering action, it is like a sports car wants to turn and complete the corner with much less push.

Anyone familiar with hunter aligment and how the caster could be different like that? an error with an input? reversal of something/something upside down/optically reversed?

What if, he set the caster then later adjusted everything else around it and something moved making it negative like that? But the value is just ignored?

Ok just off the phone to Litchfield. Caster can't be changed on BMWs/this car they said. So it's an error that they're going to look into. It will be set up fine and/or at the original caster setting.

Car tracks easily in a straight line and feels more precise than before not less, with lighter steering input.

So next question is, anyone know stock caster measurement?

Edit found this: https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1350367

Unless Litchfield kit comes with additional hardware, to adjust caster at either the strut top and/or at strut bottom leading arm, caster is not adjustable with stock M2 hardware top and bottom of the front struts.

I'd bet contents of my wallet if you took that to another alignment shop you'd not see -13 deg caster.

Hunter laser alignment has faux pais'd me thinks...

[Bee Pee]

Originally Posted by M Fifty

The change in steering feel is consistent with the change in front and rear Toe settings - the front is giving you a little more turn in, while the rear isn't resisting the change in direction as hard as it did.

If they increased the Rake over standard there might be a slight reduction in Caster - which would also help initial turn in. It might be more prone to 'tramlining' though.

HTH

To go from +7 to -13 deg caster - you'd see the front wheels sitting further aft in their respective wheel arches.

Looking at OP's photo's, all looks OK in that regards other than potentially bogus alignment printout.....

[3t3p]

Its still early days, not sure if it meets definition of tram-lining. What I mean is that you can feel side to side motion into the steering wheel of the road undulations are such. It's not truly following a part of the road and not wanting to come unstuck off that line or anything.

[M Fifty]

Originally Posted by Bee Pee

To go from +7 to -13 deg caster - you'd see the front wheels sitting further aft in their respective wheel arches.

Looking at OP's photo's, all looks OK in that regards other than potentially bogus alignment printout.....

This comment related to the rest of the geometry changes.

I'm looking forward to hearing what happened to their alignment rig to give the stated Caster values though, as they are - as you say - "unlikely".

[3t3p]

I don't know if we will find that out tbh. I'm not going to ring them again or they'll think I'm crazy.

I'm reassured enough to know it's false/impossible hehe

[maniac886]

3t3p if you don't mind me asking how long did it take them to install the coilovers- was it a day job?
Thanks

[M Fifty]

Originally Posted by 3t3p

I don't know if we will find that out tbh. I'm not going to ring them again or they'll think I'm crazy.

I'm reassured enough to know it's false/impossible hehe

I think they will either be watching, or being told, as there's quite a bit of coverage of their products and services on here.

[3t3p]

Originally Posted by maniac886

3t3p if you don't mind me asking how long did it take them to install the coilovers- was it a day job?
Thanks

Day job yes, as in six hours. I waited there, time both went by slowly and quickly, chatting to other punters helped.

They can lend you a car to zoom around as they are in the middle of nowhere. I had bad traffic on way down so was done with driving!

[FaRKle!]

If you do you get caster adjustable parts, I find 8-8.5deg feels pretty nice on these F-platforms. You may run into rubbing at 8.5 though depending on the wheel/tire size.

[Bee Pee]

Originally Posted by FaRKle!

If you do you get caster adjustable parts, I find 8-8.5deg feels pretty nice on these F-platforms. You may run into rubbing at 8.5 though depending on the wheel/tire size.

Agree 100%.

FWIW front caster is high 7's on my OGM2 running following oem parts

MPerf c/overs
Camber correction front hub carriers
18" 513m's

+ Chassis setup and fettled by Center Gravity

EPS feel is way better - meatier without being too heavy nor numbed....car's road (& track) manners are sublime.

[maniac886]

Originally Posted by 3t3p

Day job yes, as in six hours. I waited there, time both went by slowly and quickly, chatting to other punters helped.

They can lend you a car to zoom around as they are in the middle of nowhere. I had bad traffic on way down so was done with driving!

Thanks, I also live in Manchester - roads are horrendous so defiantly looking at these coilovers.