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BMW 3-Series and 4-Series Forum (F30 / F32) | F30POST > Technical Forums > Suspension | Chassis | Brakes > Suspension upgrade: will be too much? (KW V3, M3 LCA, REAR SWAY BAR, STRUT BRACE)
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      05-24-2015, 08:44 PM   #1
norb335i
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Hi All,

I'm planning to upgrade my suspension in the very near future for the purpose of (1) fixing the rather significant understeer, (2) decrease body roll, (3) lower the car somewhat (1.0-1.25 inches) and (4) make it more fun to drive both on the street as well as on those 5-6 autocross and 1-2 track day events a year I'm planning to do.

I'm going with the KW V3 coilovers and was thinking to swap the lower control arm with that of the M3's as well as swap the rear sway bar with H&R considering that things will be taken apart and four wheel alignment will need to be done anyhow, so why not do everything in one ago.

However, started to wonder whether I'm doing too much that might lead to more than desired oversteer and maybe should leave the rear sway bar stock. Although with the amount of understeer I'm having now, it's hard to imagine. By the way, also contemplating about front strut brace, but that might not make much of a difference after the above changes. Also going to replace my stock Conti RFTs with Michelin PSS very soon, so I guess I will have a totally different car after all this, just don't know what will be enough and what will be an overkill. Any input is greatly appreciated.
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      05-24-2015, 10:47 PM   #2
sirhawes
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With pss i imagine your car will handle like a tank without much if any oversteer. Especially if you have 255's on the back
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      05-24-2015, 10:48 PM   #3
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Tank being a good thing. Lol
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      05-24-2015, 11:14 PM   #4
norb335i
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Yeah, going 255/35R19 in the back and 245/35R19 in the front. You are saying I shall swap the tires first and see how it handles? Was thinking to swap the tires last to avoid driving them off alignment for the first 500 miles till the springs settle.
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      05-25-2015, 07:48 PM   #5
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Tires was the best performance mod made to date by myself and i have the conti dw. Everyone was sold out of pss but pss is even stickier i hear. But yea i would say start there and see how much you want to do afterwards. All im going to do is sway bars and im sure I'll be happy at that point.
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      05-25-2015, 11:39 PM   #6
norb335i
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I saw many people had good experience with the rear sway bar, might just try that out with the M3 LCA and PSS tires. Only problem is, that with the sway bar and LCA swap I need wheel alignment, so if I change the shocks later, I need to do that again.

Started to have concerns about the KW V3s, it might be too low even at the highest setting as many have reported. Might just try the H&R Sport Springs with the above things, it would also be cheaper and might be good enough.
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      05-26-2015, 02:34 AM   #7
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I have everything above
M3 lca, rear sway, turner strut bar
W/ h&r sports/bilstein b8

I still think the car is tad soft. But maybe with kwv3 it will be perfect. More so the front. I'm planning to add front sway soon. I don't like the m3 lca. Cause to much camber and wheels position is moved foward a bit cause wheels to rub fender lining. After market wheels will be a pain. I'll probably get front sway and put back stock lca if I decide to get wheels.
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      05-26-2015, 11:53 AM   #8
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I think M3 LCA will be overkill if going with KW v3 as the kit will come with camber plates to tweak the camber. If you want more track up front either change wheels with higher width and or more aggressive offset. Or use spacers.
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      05-26-2015, 02:37 PM   #9
norb335i
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Quote:
Originally Posted by djpeetur
I have everything above
M3 lca, rear sway, turner strut bar
W/ h&r sports/bilstein b8

I still think the car is tad soft. But maybe with kwv3 it will be perfect. More so the front. I'm planning to add front sway soon. I don't like the m3 lca. Cause to much camber and wheels position is moved foward a bit cause wheels to rub fender lining. After market wheels will be a pain. I'll probably get front sway and put back stock lca if I decide to get wheels.
Thanks, this is very useful to know. I'm staying with the factory 19" wheels, but going wider with 245/35R19 tires and also want to keep the 10mm spacer in the front, so I might run into the rubbing issue too. Have to rethink this part, camber plates are not that much more expensive, so that might be a better choice.

Also figured that KW has spacers for its springs, a 15mm in the back should take care of the "too low" issue, so I might stick to that, with rear sway bar and front brace.

By the way, don't you think the thicker front sway bar will increase understeer?
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      05-26-2015, 02:41 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bee Pee
I think M3 LCA will be overkill if going with KW v3 as the kit will come with camber plates to tweak the camber. If you want more track up front either change wheels with higher width and or more aggressive offset. Or use spacers.
Thanks. Unfortunately the V3s don't come with camber plates, they only come with the Clubsport, which is like 2x the price and really an overkill for me. However, might skip the M3 LCA and either stick to stock camber plate or get the adjustable ones instead the LCA. Somewhat wider (245/35R19) tires are for sure and want to keep the 10mm spacer too, that might do it for the track even without the camber plates...
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      05-27-2015, 04:24 PM   #11
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If you're set on coilovers I'd go for bilstein's. That's just me, though
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      05-28-2015, 03:56 AM   #12
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Lca with spacer will be no good. Rub like crazy. Even with 5mm spacer. Just get front sway. Skip the lca
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      05-28-2015, 09:52 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by norb335i View Post
Thanks. Unfortunately the V3s don't come with camber plates, they only come with the Clubsport, which is like 2x the price and really an overkill for me. However, might skip the M3 LCA and either stick to stock camber plate or get the adjustable ones instead the LCA. Somewhat wider (245/35R19) tires are for sure and want to keep the 10mm spacer too, that might do it for the track even without the camber plates...
Sorry my bad, mis-informed and you are correct no camber plates with KW V3.

Agree - skip the LCA's and perhaps talk to Harold at HPAutosport about Voeshalg or TC Kline camber plates
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      05-28-2015, 01:00 PM   #14
norb335i
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bee Pee
Quote:
Originally Posted by norb335i View Post
Thanks. Unfortunately the V3s don't come with camber plates, they only come with the Clubsport, which is like 2x the price and really an overkill for me. However, might skip the M3 LCA and either stick to stock camber plate or get the adjustable ones instead the LCA. Somewhat wider (245/35R19) tires are for sure and want to keep the 10mm spacer too, that might do it for the track even without the camber plates...
Sorry my bad, mis-informed and you are correct no camber plates with KW V3.

Agree - skip the LCA's and perhaps talk to Harold at HPAutosport about Voeshalg or TC Kline camber plates
Yeah, I'm starting to lean away from the LCA too, would love to have camber plates, but none of them seems to be a straightforward option either, here is my take on that:

(1) GROUND CONTROL: Has some clicking noise they have not found a remedy for yet.

(2) KMAC: Don't like the design that the inner plate can move all around and adjustment needs to be done with a screwdriver prying the middle panel around. Also don't need caster adjustability, just make things too flaky for me.

(3) TC Klein: Looks ok, but needs the strut bearing to transferred over, which still does not seem straightforward to me. It doesn't just come off, it is somehow embedded into the stock strut mount.

(4) VORSCHLAG: Doesn't have anything for F30 yet, would not want to experiment with something not fitted exactly for F30.

All in all, not sure what to go with, none of them is a clean choice, each has some "flaws".
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      05-28-2015, 03:27 PM   #15
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How much is the oem strut bearing and hardware to buy new and install into TC Kline CP's ??
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      05-28-2015, 04:09 PM   #16
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KW>Bilstein in every way. Have had both coils on a number of my cars. KW is my choice. Much stiffer (in a good way) and doesn't bother me as a DD.
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      05-28-2015, 04:13 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bee Pee
How much is the oem strut bearing and hardware to buy new and install into TC Kline CP's ??
I'm not sure you can buy the bearing separately, it comes with the Strut Mount (part #31306855817) and cost $153.95 MSRP, getbmwparts.com sells them for $123.16 each, so like an extra $250.
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