M3 Suspension Bits - Review

[timhatimay]

Hi everyone,

First thanks to the forum and its members for helping with deciding on the parts, the install, and everything else. So, I purchased the front control arm kit from HP Autowerks, and also the E93 M3 Front Sway. Also at this time I ditched the RFT, and replaced them with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus (225F and 255R).

Install
The install is pretty straight forward. As others have said its basically unbolt the stock parts and bolt in the M3 pieces. You have to drop the front plastic under tray to reach the sway mounts, so there are about 15 bolts to remove...just tedious. Some tips: You may have to move the hub around to slip the wishbone bolt past the rubber boot on the steering rack. Then you can tap the link out with a rubber mallet. Some mild lubricant helps to get the M3 wishbone into the slot with the same mallet. Using a center-punch in the hole helps to line up the wishbone so you can put the bolt back in. For both the tension rod and the wishbone you will need a torx and a 21mm wrench to remove the part bolted to the hub. The only trick to the sway is to use a mild lubricant (spit works if you are Jenna Jameson) to get the bushing over the bar. We got the bushing into place, and then used a C-clamp to squeeze the bushing down until it clicked evenly into the bracket. Now put it all back! Overall its a pretty straightforward install, and not too difficult.

Caution
As many have said the alignment will be out...WAY OUT! I drove it slowly to a shop with my dad following behind me, and it was quite scary. The shop I made the reservation at turned me away because the toe was too far off the chart and suggested I take it to the dealer (~4deg total toe in, about 2deg per side). Luckily a family member helped me out and aligned it in their shop (professional shop with alignment rack), and got it all straightened out. I ended up with toe in spec, and about -.8deg and -1deg camber on the front.

Result
Please note this is all just seat of the pants observations, and my impressions of the new equipment. First, the new tires are great...much better than the rft. They are quieter, less rough, and seem to grip much better. After driving about 800 miles on the new setup I absolutely love it. The steering is definitely improved. It turns in immediately, and the feedback is improved as well. Also, it seems much more precise. I can pinpoint exactly where I want to put the car and it listens. It also seems to accept direction changes better now, and I did some simulated slaloms and it really initiates and then changes directions very well. With the sway, I feel a major improvement. There is very minimal body roll. It feels like the car is on rails, and just sits down and grips on the turns. Overall, the comfort of the car has not deteriorated at all (actually improved with the tires), and it is very neutral and responsive now.

If you have a DD car that you rarely track, but would like some improved handling with more response, less roll, and a more neutral feeling this is the setup for you! Also, the as mentioned the car is just as comfortable on long distances and DDing. A great mod for anyone. I will post some pictures soon (nothing looks different with these mods, but I detailed the car and it looked good!). Hope this helps if anyone is considering this upgrade.

Tim

[WhiteOne]

Did you pull the alignment pins?
Did you consider 1/16 toe out?
This sounds like a great street setup.
I'm thinking...Hankook V12's with the M3 tension rods and 28mm front bar.
Thanks for the review!!!

[BMW86]

Thanks for your feedback timhatimay. I have been waiting for a review on this exact same setup so I'm very happy to hear your thoughts on how it works. I was also looking at getting the M3 rear sway, rear wishbones/tension rods as well but from what you've described, the M3 front control arm kit and M3 sways work just fine. My car is predominately for the streets but in the future I wouldn't mind tracking my car a few days a year. Would you consider doing the rears in the future?

Also, my other concern is that one of the workshops turned you away for a wheel alignment! Your car must have been in bad shape after the installation.

Do you have any springs/struts? I also want to lower my car after I install these parts for visual enhancement. At the moment I've heard great things about the H&R Sport Springs. Do you have any other plans for the future?

Thanks again!

[timhatimay]

Originally Posted by WhiteOne

Did you pull the alignment pins?
Did you consider 1/16 toe out?
This sounds like a great street setup.
I'm thinking...Hankook V12's with the M3 tension rods and 28mm front bar.
Thanks for the review!!!

My alignment pins are still in place, so if you want to get some additional camber its probably available.

Don't know if this answers your question, but I was Toe IN (majorly). If you mean 1/16 a degree thats not bad I suppose, but I'm certainly not a suspension expert. I think the stock spec is .06-.22 deg.

I was going to only do the tension rods, and I'm glad I did the wishbones with it. Although if you do only the tension rods you may not need the alignment, but I'm not sure.

BMW86: If you are considering the rear M3 parts then I'm sure the bushings and links will help even more, but I believe the install is much more in depth.

This seems to be common place after reading many reviews of the M3 pieces, and being the wishbone is longer and pushes out the camber it also pulls the toe in quite a bit. You just wouldn't want to drive very far!

No, I'm currently on the stock suspension other than these pieces, and probably will keep it this way for a while because I am very happy with the comfort/performance mix at the moment (but this could always change!). I would love to put in the X6 intercooler and wheel well radiator, but I'll wait until someone else tries it out (I'm a wuss).

Here are some pics:

[nordique14]

I did the same thing. M suspension bits, non-RFT, stiffer sway bars with an otherwise stock suspension. The only difference is that I did the front and the rear. The bushings on the M pieces are much stiffer than the stock bushings. If you get rid of the stiff sidewalled RFT at the same time you will not even notice any difference in ride quality but you will notice sharper turning and much better feel.

I do not recall the rear M suspension pieces being any more difficult to install than the front pieces. The rear sway is a different story. I did not even attempt that one.

Note that for the front you need to have a different headlight leveling bit. For the rears you need a new plastic clip for the brake pad sensor. Both of these parts are cheap. I think every vendor includes them in their kits but do not forget them if you order you parts yourself.

[Jumpman]

Is this a warranty-voiding mod?

[jkp1187]

Originally Posted by Jumpman

Is this a warranty-voiding mod?

Well, he's clearly not going to be able to get warranty work done if the installed parts break or if they damage something else. Otherwise, they couldn't, for instance, void your HPFP warranty for a suspension mod....

[Smac355]

i did a quick search but could not find anything... has anyone posted the parts listing to upgrade to the M3 suspension bits both front and rear?

[timhatimay]

I got mine from HPautowerks, and they have the rear parts that fit also. If you go to their site you should see just about all of the parts that can be interchanged. I was able to find alot of information over at e90post also. As far as the fronts it has made a great change, and I love the parts!

[bradford]

Am I reading it right that the front camber *after* the M3 bits is -.8deg and -1deg?

Is there any more adjustability there or is that maxed? If that's maxed, are these cars near zero-camber from the factory? Oof, no wonder they push like crazy.

[timhatimay]

Yes that is -1 and -.8 with me sitting in the car after the install. The first place I went for alignment measured it as -1.3 and -1.4, but I think it is closer to the former. The M3 pieces are supposed to add something like -.75, so I would guess it was about -.2 stock. If you removed the alignment pin, you might get some more negative camber if that is your goal. You could always get some camber plates!

Tim

[jabwind51]

Originally Posted by nordique14

I did the same thing. M suspension bits, non-RFT, stiffer sway bars with an otherwise stock suspension. The only difference is that I did the front and the rear. The bushings on the M pieces are much stiffer than the stock bushings. If you get rid of the stiff sidewalled RFT at the same time you will not even notice any difference in ride quality but you will notice sharper turning and much better feel.

I do not recall the rear M suspension pieces being any more difficult to install than the front pieces. The rear sway is a different story. I did not even attempt that one.

Note that for the front you need to have a different headlight leveling bit. For the rears you need a new plastic clip for the brake pad sensor. Both of these parts are cheap. I think every vendor includes them in their kits but do not forget them if you order you parts yourself.

I just did the front m3 sway. Wonderful mod. About to do the front control arms. Do you highly recommend the rear control arms too? Is it really that much of a pain to do the rear subframe bushings? It seems like few have done both front and rear controls and shy away from the subframe changes.
Thanks.

[bradford]

The subframe bushings are a PITA but IMHO a necessary evil. When the thrust angle (the angle of the entire rear axle in relation to the centerline of the car) is constantly changing due to the soft rubber bushings, you really have no idea where the car is going to go when you set the steering wheel for a turn. Hit a bump mid-corner? Oops, the whole rear subframe just twisted and now your car is pointed somewhere else. :-/

The dealer books 6.5 hours for the rear subframe bushings and they have the experience and correct tools. My shop did it fairly simply with the E36 bushing tool, but it's still a PITA because of the number of items that need to be removed and/or moved to get in there. Exhaust, heat shields, driveline, rear brakes, etc. Then replace the bushings themselves, and reinstall everything.

If you're going in to do the bushings, you'd have to be nuts not to do the rear sway bar as well. The stock one is *ridiculously* teeny. It's a toothpick.

[jabwind51]

Originally Posted by bradford

The subframe bushings are a PITA but IMHO a necessary evil. When the thrust angle (the angle of the entire rear axle in relation to the centerline of the car) is constantly changing due to the soft rubber bushings, you really have no idea where the car is going to go when you set the steering wheel for a turn. Hit a bump mid-corner? Oops, the whole rear subframe just twisted and now your car is pointed somewhere else. :-/

The dealer books 6.5 hours for the rear subframe bushings and they have the experience and correct tools. My shop did it fairly simply with the E36 bushing tool, but it's still a PITA because of the number of items that need to be removed and/or moved to get in there. Exhaust, heat shields, driveline, rear brakes, etc. Then replace the bushings themselves, and reinstall everything.

If you're going in to do the bushings, you'd have to be nuts not to do the rear sway bar as well. The stock one is *ridiculously* teeny. It's a toothpick.

Interesting. Did you do control arms too? I am just wondering if perhaps the e92 rear would be better (I put the e93 front in) bc of what I hear about the car being slower with a stiff bar in back...buy I have a 128 so maybe the less power wouldn't have the same effect as 135i...

Prob not doing those bushings in our garage then...I don't think my friends and I have the patience.

[jabwind51]

Originally Posted by nordique14

I did the same thing. M suspension bits, non-RFT, stiffer sway bars with an otherwise stock suspension. The only difference is that I did the front and the rear. The bushings on the M pieces are much stiffer than the stock bushings. If you get rid of the stiff sidewalled RFT at the same time you will not even notice any difference in ride quality but you will notice sharper turning and much better feel.

I do not recall the rear M suspension pieces being any more difficult to install than the front pieces. The rear sway is a different story. I did not even attempt that one.

Note that for the front you need to have a different headlight leveling bit. For the rears you need a new plastic clip for the brake pad sensor. Both of these parts are cheap. I think every vendor includes them in their kits but do not forget them if you order you parts yourself.

would you happen to have or remember that part number for the headlight leveling? been searching, but getting tired...thanks.

[Eyeman]

Most of us bought a kit that included the headlight level adjustment piece with the control arms. I'd assume the piece is an aftermarket design and is not just the M3 leveler but I'm not sure. You'll probably have to order it from someone like Harold at HPA if you don't just order a kit that includes it.

[Dackelone]

Tim,

Did you also replace your tie rod arms?

Thanks,
David

[timhatimay]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Tim,

Did you also replace your tie rod arms?

Thanks,
David

No, you can see in the one picture above they are stock. You will have to adjust them quite a bit to get the alignment back tho! If I did it again, I would adjust this before getting the professional alignment to make the car safer to drive. Only the wishbone and tension rod are replaced along with the sway currently on my set-up. Being the bushings on these control arms are much stiffer than stock, it does firm up the steering and give better feedback to the tires.

Now driven quite a bit on the new set-up, and still is a great mod. I am loving the improved steering feel, and the more precise connection with the road. I also like the much more limited body roll. For street application/DD this is still a great set-up after a few thousand miles.

Tim

[bradford]

Originally Posted by jabwind51

Interesting. Did you do control arms too? I am just wondering if perhaps the e92 rear would be better (I put the e93 front in) bc of what I hear about the car being slower with a stiff bar in back...

I did all the M3 links and bushings. I did not do the M3 rear camber arm.

Re: the E92 vs. E93 ARBs, has anyone actually confirmed a difference in stiffness, or are they merely different angles? I would not be surprised if the Convertible bar just needs to clear some additional chassis bracing/gusseting or something, and thus was shaped differently. It's also possible that they made it stiffer due to the slightly higher weight of the convertible, but stiffer is not always better (as clearly out cars are lighter than the E9Xs anyway. It really depends on your shock/spring combo and the car's suspension geometry.

The car is not necessarily slower with a stiffer bar in back. It's all a function of the grip available. The rear end will be more prone to picking up a wheel under heavy cornering, sure, but that does not necessarily mean it will occur. There are stiffer options than the OEM M3 bar(s).

I have no firsthand experience until this weekend, though. I will report back...

[larryn]

Originally Posted by bradford

I did all the M3 links and bushings. I did not do the M3 rear camber arm.

Re: the E92 vs. E93 ARBs, has anyone actually confirmed a difference in stiffness, or are they merely different angles?

They are different stiffness, but same shape.

E92 M3 F bar is 26.5mm
E93 M3 F bar is 28mm


E92 M3 R bar is 20mm
E93 M3 R bar is 23.6mm

[Oleus]

Thanks for adding the pics, helps.

[nordique14]

Originally Posted by jabwind51

would you happen to have or remember that part number for the headlight leveling? been searching, but getting tired...thanks.

Here are all of the part numbers. What you are looking for is what BMW calls the regulating rod.

Front:
Left Front Wishbone link--31102283577
Right Front Wishbone link—31102283578
Left Front Tension link—31102283575
Right Front Tension link—31102283576
Regulating Rod—37142283867

Rear:
Left Rear Wishbone link—33322283545
Right Rear Wishbone link—33322283546
Left Rear Guide Arm link—33322283547
Right Rear Guide Arm link—33322283548
BS/Brake Pad Wear sensor brackets (2)—34522283017