Ride Height off after new shocks

[edlvrt]

Hey all. I changed my shocks and struts with Koni FSDs this weekend. After having her aligned this morning at the BMW dealership, the service adviser told me that the ride height was too high in the front and they could correct it with 1.4 hours of labor. What could they change that would adjust it? I brought the new assembled front struts to my mechanic before I installed them, and he told me that one of the springs was on perfectly and the other needed to be re-adjusted slightly, which I did. When installing them to the car, the pinch bolt was pushed up as high as I could get it on the shock tube.

I do agree that it looks like the car is sitting higher in the front. I did install the front reinforcement plates, but I don't think they could make this much of a difference. Any thoughts? Thanks

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/3005/img0425ub.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/18/img0425ub.jpg/)

7085

[danewilson77]

The car looks higher in the front, because it's sitting on new springs. They will settle. I would like to know the adjustment they would make, as well.

Ride height affects camber. so...they could adjust camber in the front to affect ride height. That would be retarded imho.....and this adjustment in the front is minimal.

Springs/coils are what apprciably affect ride height. I think the guy is blowing smoke. Do they have an after market spring comppessor unnti to compress the springs thus adjusting ride height? Are they going to cut the springs, or chain them old skool style?

I would also like to know what he is basing this on? Did they take measurements in accordance with TIS, or does he say it just looks higher? What did it measure out at?

Top, centerline of fender to the center of the wheel is what I think the TIS measurements are.

Please ask him and follow up with us.

[Jorge86]

After I replaced my front struts with oem my car also sits with that much of wheel gap. After over a year with them they still sit at the same place. I asked my friend that works at BMW and said its normal. He said I would need new springs to lower it. Nothing can be adjusted.

[danewilson77]

After I replaced my front struts with oem my car also sits with that much of wheel gap. After over a year with them they still sit at the same place. I asked my friend that works at BMW and said its normal. He said I would need new springs to lower it. Nothing can be adjusted.

+1 . Thanks for confirming brutha.

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[Dave1027]

Did the OP replace the springs? He said in the other thread he was going to stay with the stock springs. If that the case then it would be lifted by the thickness of the reinforcement plate and any difference the Konis have compared to the stock struts. Another possibility is the Konis were not installed into the knuckle clamps properly or the springs are not seated properly.

[derbo]

The alignment machine at the old work specifies ride height from bottom of fender to the lowest rim edge. There are guidelines in the alignment machine BMW specific of what the factory ride heights are.


http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/9313/screenshot13013317pm.png



This is my guess where the SA decided your car was too high.

[danewilson77]

Did the OP replace the springs? He said in the other thread he was going to stay with the stock springs. If that the case then it would be lifted by the thickness of the reinforcement plate and any difference the Konis have compared to the stock struts. Another possibility is the Konis were not installed into the knuckle clamps properly or the springs are not seated properly.

Struts will not lift the car.

But..yeah....if they didn't get the strut bodies seated into the clamps properly (pin on strut body needs to go below the securing bolt) it would be almost an inch higher I would say.

[danewilson77]

The alignment machine at the old work specifies ride height from bottom of fender to the lowest rim edge. There are guidelines in the alignment machine BMW specific of what the factory ride heights are.


http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/9313/screenshot13013317pm.png



This is my guess where the SA decided your car was too high.

Right. This is the measurement I was referring to. Thanks Derek.

[edlvrt]

I did the install myself and reused the factory springs. My indy mechanic was happy with how the springs were seated before the assemblies were bolted onto the car. I don't see how the strut bodies could go into the camps any further as I pressed the clamp/hub assembly up with a floor jack and everything seemed fully pressed together. Dane, I'll double check the pin and see how it compares to the bolt tomorrow. I'll take some pictures and post them up. Thanks guys

[danewilson77]

As long as the bolt was fully removed when you seated the strut...you should be fine.

Would like your measurements Sir.

[Mtnman]

As long as the bolt was fully removed when you seated the strut...you should be fine.

Would like your measurements Sir.

+1.

[edlvrt]

Attached are pictures of the strut alignment pin/bump and the pinch bolt. Forgive the low image quality as they were taken at night on my phone with the wheels still on. I'll take ride height measurements shortly

Right side

http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/3567/rightvn.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/688/rightvn.jpg/)


Left side

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/2002/leftz.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/339/leftz.jpg/)

[Mtnman]

Is this the pin? Shouldnt that be lower in the clamp? Maybe im seeing things.

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i398/booneflyfisher/81a53bfaca05b1cba4fd8e2f91c00d21_zpsb160c9af.jpg

[danewilson77]

That pin is under the bolt with the suspension Bruce has. I think he has a different setup, but yeah, that's the pin I was talking about.

Again... If the bolts were completely removed on install, and that's as far as they go, then that's the way the are designed.

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[Dave1027]

There is a neck down area on the lower strut body where it gets skinnier. That needs to be at the bottom of the clamp. If you remove the strut from the clamp you'll see a ridge at the inside bottom of the clamp. That's what sets the depth the strut is to be installed.

[LivesNearCostco]

Definitely looks to me like both struts need to seat lower into the knuckles.

[Dave1027]

The alignment machine at the old work specifies ride height from bottom of fender to the lowest rim edge. There are guidelines in the alignment machine BMW specific of what the factory ride heights are.


http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/9313/screenshot13013317pm.png



This is my guess where the SA decided your car was too high.

Thread revisited because I want to compare the front end height of my ZHP to others. I'm at 25.5 inches and that seems a little low. My ZHP seems to have too much rake. Can somebody measure theirs and post?

[danewilson77]

Thread revisited because I want to compare the front end height of my ZHP to others. I'm at 25.5 inches and that seems a little low. My ZHP seems to have too much rake. Can somebody measure theirs and post?

We have a huge data thread regarding this, if I recall correctly.

[Dave1027]

We have a huge data thread regarding this, if I recall correctly.
Hi Dane,

Is this the thread? http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?8469-ZHP-Ride-Height&highlight=ride+height

I was not measuring from the bottom of the rim. I'll check that tonight. Should the right side (passenger) be slightly lower than the left for driver weight purpose?

[danewilson77]

Hi Dane,

Is this the thread? http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?8469-ZHP-Ride-Height&highlight=ride+height

I was not measuring from the bottom of the rim. I'll check that tonight. Should the right side (passenger) be slightly lower than the left for driver weight purpose?

Sure. 1/4"-1/2" isn't a big deal. I usually set my up even all the way around with no one sitting in it.

I know there are more exacting individuals here though, that would set it up with weighted drivers seat and certain amount in gas tank.

Sent from the HTC DNA, Williamsburg, VA and USA

[Dave1027]

I measured again and I'm at FL 23 1/2 inches and FR 23 1/4. This is with nobody sitting in the car. So I am slightly low by 1/2 inch or so.

[edlvrt]

As a follow up, the alignment pin for the Koni FSDs should be directly behind the pinch bolt. I don't have a ride height measurement on hand, though