[VisualEcho]

Got some more tools for the suspension install, and spacers as well.

[Detailers Domain]

These rock


Cleaned my rims with something new from Sonax "The Beast"

Super quick reaction, and stronger than Sonax Wheel Cleaner Plus




The Ultimate Clutch Pedal...no more sloppy clutch pedal feel


Auto Solutions Short Shift Kit

• Zero height
• 70A Bushing
• 15%

Blue BBS Caps




After the cap change and a quick wash.

[csbear]

Originally Posted by DetailersDomain

After the cap change and a quick wash.

Beautiful.

I think you have mentioned it before, but what front lip is that?

Also, regular Sonax is obviously good stuff, but since you are applying Sonax Beast to FI-R's, it gives me confidence I can use it on my own wheels.

[evilspiritM3]

Changed up from OEM wheels and suspension

Dinan HAS Kit
Bimmerworld TA5R wheels 18x10 et33
Michelin PS4S 275/35/18

[IMG]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Hx...3zFXwVq4=w2400[/IMG]

[IMG]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pc...OedJXtZE=w2400[/IMG]

[IMG]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/T5...CBGtjh7o=w2400[/IMG]

[Matt Devo]

MP carbon fiber side vents to start. Next up is Eibach springs, which should be pretty easy from what I've seen between posts/videos here

[Matt Devo]

got the Eibach pro-kit springs installed, can't believe how easy it was. 3 bolts per corner up front and 2 in the rear. Time to schedule an alignment!

[seanyx11]

I pulled the trigger on some Bimmerworld TA-5R wheels and Yokohama Advan A052 tires for mountain runs/track days. 18x9.5 et22 265/35 front & 18x10.5 et36 295/30 rear.

Plus, I raised the front ride height 1/2" because I was just too low and kept scraping the 3D design carbon lip. David @ Butler Tire in Alpharetta got my alignment spot on again. -2.5 camber 0 toe in front & -2.4 camber 1/16" total toe in, in the rear.

[AndrewC1989]

Originally Posted by csbear

I think you have mentioned it before, but what front lip is that?

https://ind-distribution.com/collect...rbon-front-lip

[PLF69]

Went to a track day

On the positive side I am on PS4S today..

[VisualEcho]

Just spent some time driving and shooting after the MPS/spacers install.

[///AVM]

Originally Posted by VisualEcho

Just spent some time driving and shooting after the MPS/spacers install.

Visual

Looks good!

I'm interested in ride/performance characteristics. Any significant change, good or bad?

///AVM

[VisualEcho]

Originally Posted by ///AVM

Visual

Looks good!

I'm interested in ride/performance characteristics. Any significant change, good or bad?

///AVM

Stock:
The good:
- Increased low-speed grip
- I moved less in the car
The bad:
- Terribly crashy over all kinds of bumps
- Bothersome front tire/fender gap

MPS:
The good:
- Great drop
- Bumps are much less crashy
- More point-and-shoot feel
- The increased rake gives the car a more aggressive look
- The car now just looks "right", as if it just looked too high before
The Bad:
- More bouncy
- Expensive

Keep in mind, I will never track this car, I have the Exige for that. The M2 is just a daily.

[detroitm2]

Raised my front ride height about 10mm. My last alignment after I installed my KW V3's had the front at 590mm, and rear at 607mm. Front was a bit too low for my liking (and road conditions).

[///AVM]

Thank you Visual.

Aesthetically I am like you. . . do not want anything remotely close to slammed.

Front on my stock M2C needs some drop: rear just a very small drop; and, overall, requires equal fender-to-tire gaps. Yours looks spot on.

Out of curiosity, what were your front an rear drops? I'm guessing .25" rear and .75" front? Also, how much control do you have over drop? For example, do you have ability to adjust by .25" increments?

Finally, if I'm hearing your performance pros and cons correctly, sounds like the ride is softer and handling slightly more direct?

///AVM

[VisualEcho]

Originally Posted by detroitm2

Raised my front ride height about 10mm. My last alignment after I installed my KW V3's had the front at 590mm, and rear at 607mm. Front was a bit too low for my liking (and road conditions).

One of the things I really like about the M2 is that it's designed to be low, meaning that even when it's low, it's not really low. Try the same thing with a Lotus Exige and you'll be replacing front clam's.

Originally Posted by ///AVM

Thank you Visual.

Aesthetically I am like you. . . do not want anything remotely close to slammed.

Front on my stock M2C needs some drop: rear just a very small drop; and, overall, requires equal fender-to-tire gaps. Yours looks spot on.

Out of curiosity, what were your front an rear drops? I'm guessing .25" rear and .75" front? Also, how much control do you have over drop? For example, do you have ability to adjust by .25" increments?

Finally, if I'm hearing your performance pros and cons correctly, sounds like the ride is softer and handling slightly more direct?

///AVM

I don't like the way cars look when they're slammed for 2 reasons.

First, I can't stand it when the camber is off by more than .5° front to back.
Second, you're dealing with a collection of arcs when you're talking about ride height. The wheel has an arc, the tire has an arc, the fender/quarter has an arc, and the gap between the tire and fender/quarter also have arcs. When you put the wheel/tire up too far into the fender/quarter, you destroy the gap arc, and the aesthetic balance of the car.

This is the problem with the stock suspension, only in the opposite direction. The front tire/fender gap arc is too big, causing an aesthetic imbalance.

From my measurements, the stock front gap is 7mm more than the rear, and in all honesty, had I been able to buy something for the front just to correct that 7mm I would have. Sadly, no such solution exists. Even worse is how much of a negative impact that lowering springs have on the stock suspension. If you buy lowering springs for this car you are absolutely destined to kill the stock struts, along with your ride, and that goes for all of them, regardless of price-point.

I measured my drop with the MPS at 19mm rear (adjusted all the way down), and 25mm front (3.5 threads showing). It looks good to my eye, but I will probably lower the front another thread, as it want it perfectly matched, I just don't know how much it'll settle on its own, so I'm leaving it alone for the moment.

As far as the drop increments, it's literally infinite, you just have to keep turning the sleeve until you get it right.

The ride with the MPS is FANTASTIC, and yes, the handling is a bit more direct. The only real drawback is that, because the springs are 40% stiffer, you move/bounce around in the car a little more, and on all pavements.

The magic of this suspension is that I'm already getting used to it, so I hardly notice the increased bounce, but I damn sure notice it being quieter and less crashy!

[///AVM]

Originally Posted by VisualEcho

I measured my drop with the MPS at 19mm rear (adjusted all the way down), and 25mm front (3.5 threads showing). It looks good to my eye, but I will probably lower the front another thread, as it want it perfectly matched, I just don't know how much it'll settle on its own, so I'm leaving it alone for the moment.

As far as the drop increments, it's literally infinite, you just have to keep turning the sleeve until you get it right. . .

Thank you Visual

As far as 'slammed' goes, it's just a visual thing that my mind disagrees with when I see it. . . same with too much gap, as well as unequal rear-to-front gapping.

I'm surprised you dropped rear as much and the difference in drop was so little between front and rear . . . probably why you feel the front needs to be dropped a bit more. You suggest dropping the front a bit more but to my eye - MY OPINION - the back needs to go up a bit rather than front down. . .

My opinion is not relevant to your preference, but your feedback is quite helpful to me, as I'm constantly considering pulling the trigger on MPS coil overs.

///AVM

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by DetailersDomain

These rock


Cleaned my rims with something new from Sonax "The Beast"

Super quick reaction, and stronger than Sonax Wheel Cleaner Plus




The Ultimate Clutch Pedal...no more sloppy clutch pedal feel


Auto Solutions Short Shift Kit

• Zero height
• 70A Bushing
• 15%

Blue BBS Caps




After the cap change and a quick wash.

What a beauty!!!!

[VisualEcho]

Originally Posted by ///AVM

I'm surprised you dropped rear as much and the difference in drop was so little between front and rear . . . probably why you feel the front needs to be dropped a bit more. You suggest dropping the front a bit more but to my eye - MY OPINION - the back needs to go up a bit rather than front down. . .

It's a valid point, but I think that once you see the car in real life dropped the 19/20mm in the rear, and how absolutely perfect it looks, all you would want to do is match that in the front. Pictures really can't do it justice. The rear is just flawless with that drop and the 10mm spacer. Front looks like it needs a 27mm drop and 14mm spacer instead of 12mm (to my eye).

[detroitm2]

Originally Posted by ///AVM

Thank you Visual

As far as 'slammed' goes, it's just a visual thing that my mind disagrees with when I see it. . . same with too much gap, as well as unequal rear-to-front gapping.

I'm surprised you dropped rear as much and the difference in drop was so little between front and rear . . . probably why you feel the front needs to be dropped a bit more. You suggest dropping the front a bit more but to my eye - MY OPINION - the back needs to go up a bit rather than front down. . .

My opinion is not relevant to your preference, but your feedback is quite helpful to me, as I'm constantly considering pulling the trigger on MPS coil overs.

///AVM

If you're on the fence about MPS, there's little reason to not go with KW unless there's a good deal on MPS. From what I can gather the KW's are marginally better for roughly the same price. (more adjustment, etc)

Both are solid options.

[detroitm2]

Originally Posted by VisualEcho

It's a valid point, but I think that once you see the car in real life dropped the 19/20mm in the rear, and how absolutely perfect it looks, all you would want to do is match that in the front. Pictures really can't do it justice. The rear is just flawless with that drop and the 10mm spacer. Front looks like it needs a 27mm drop and 14mm spacer instead of 12mm (to my eye).

Can you get some gap shots with your setup? I'm curious to see how it compares to mine. I should be at about 600mm in the front, and 607mm in the rear. It honestly looks perfect to me now. (12mm spacers on the front, 5 on the rear, though I want to go up to 10mm in the back)

[VisualEcho]

Originally Posted by detroitm2

Can you get some gap shots with your setup? I'm curious to see how it compares to mine. I should be at about 600mm in the front, and 607mm in the rear. It honestly looks perfect to me now. (12mm spacers on the front, 5 on the rear, though I want to go up to 10mm in the back)

Yes, I plan to get some side/gap shots soon. And from my measurements, you should be perfect at 7mm difference between front and rear. I'm only 6mm, so I'll probably drop it another thread, just waiting to see if it'll settle a bit on its own.

[detroitm2]

Originally Posted by VisualEcho

Yes, I plan to get some side/gap shots soon. And from my measurements, you should be perfect at 7mm difference between front and rear. I'm only 6mm, so I'll probably drop it another thread, just waiting to see if it'll settle a bit on its own.

Yup. I drove mine for about a week before I messed with it just to be sure it was fully settled.