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///M roadster suspension geometry options

Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2017 8:42 pm
by RedUn
Off the top of my head... You don't need the lollipops, I'm not sure which way they adjust the caster but I don't feel like I've got too much or too little caster?

Ref the camber pins, you need them on oem springs to get the csl camber, with lowering springs you might be quite close without removing them. Ref the cambers between the two, I seem to remember the csl running 0.5 degree more than a standard z4m. Not sure about the specs it's more the nominals your after, I'm sure they are 1dev and 1.5deg. In any case 1.5 on the front is quite nice for a fast road setup. :thumbsup:

///M roadster suspension geometry options

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2017 4:41 pm
by nichollsz4
I'm thinking of getting a geo setup on my stock car. Will a CSL geo setup work, or should I just leave it as stock. I'm a keen driver, so anything that enhances the cars handling and performance when im already getting something done is preferred.

///M roadster suspension geometry options

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2017 4:57 pm
by RedUn
Go for it, I ran csl geo with the oem strut brace for quite a whole and it was a nice improvement over the original setup :thumbsup:

///M roadster suspension geometry options

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2017 11:23 pm
by nichollsz4
RedUn wrote: Wed Jul 19, 2017 4:57 pm Go for it, I ran csl geo with the oem strut brace for quite a whole and it was a nice improvement over the original setup :thumbsup:
Thanks Redun.

PS - Well jealous of you imola red roadster. Had an e46 m3 in imola red. Miss it so much.

///M roadster suspension geometry options

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2017 8:44 am
by RedUn
No problem at all :)

I do love imola, it's a shame it appears to have disappeared from the new M cars and replaced with that dodgy red colour :|

///M roadster suspension geometry options

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2017 10:19 pm
by VRSteve
Cb3749 wrote: Mon Jul 17, 2017 5:22 pm If that's the case, as you have CSL set up on your car
a) do I need to change the lollipops?
b) do I need to remove the camber pins?

What differences will these changes make to the handling?
No. I use powerflex lollipops on mine with the correct caster for the M. The M caster is better than the M3/CSL and gives sharper turn in. In fact alot of e46 owners change to the bushes from the Z4M. If yours have over 60k on them replacing them would probably be beneficial.


No. I have removed mine but that was to fit the strut brace. My camber wasn't moved from the stock alignment position.

Makes it tighter, more responsive, little more tail happy but very controllable.
I like it!!

///M roadster suspension geometry options

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2017 7:00 am
by Cb3749
Hi Steve,
Very useful info.
Having suspenion/wheel alignment set up this afternoon. I have the Z4 strut brace so camber pins didn't have to come out.
Will see what she's like on Sunday.
Charlie B

///M roadster suspension geometry options

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2017 2:52 pm
by VRSteve
Cb3749 wrote: Fri Jul 21, 2017 7:00 am Hi Steve,
Very useful info.
Having suspenion/wheel alignment set up this afternoon. I have the Z4 strut brace so camber pins didn't have to come out.
Will see what she's like on Sunday.
Charlie B
I highly recommend enabling M-TRAC if you've not already!!

///M roadster suspension geometry options

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:29 pm
by JAD
VRSteve wrote: Fri Jul 21, 2017 2:52 pm
Cb3749 wrote: Fri Jul 21, 2017 7:00 am Hi Steve,
Very useful info.
Having suspenion/wheel alignment set up this afternoon. I have the Z4 strut brace so camber pins didn't have to come out.
Will see what she's like on Sunday.
Charlie B
I highly recommend enabling M-TRAC if you've not already!!
I concur - Steve's car is far superior in handling in comparison to my stock car.

///M roadster suspension geometry options

Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 11:18 am
by Cb3749
On Friday I took the car to AK Automotive in Rowlands Gill for the wheel alignment check.
I was asked to have the fuel tank half full and 89kg of weight was added in drivers side before readings were taken.
Fellow forum member Paul (paulgs1000) met me there as he had his previous Z sorted there.


Car is on ramps set up with Hunter alignment measuring heads attached.
IMG_1051.jpg
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All settings were out, some more than others so the front camber and toe in were adjusted, same with the rear. Luckily the camber pins didn't have to come out.
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Final readings taken, the set up is based on what fellow forum members recommended plus input from Dan (the technician) having discussed what I was looking for in the handling.
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We decided to change the tyre pressures, reducing the fronts by 0.1 to 2.0 bar and the rears by 0.2 also to 2.0 bar to see if that made any difference to the cars' tendancy to bounce over bumps.
On Sunday morning we had beautiful weather and I took the car out over a one of the RoSPA routes in the Wear valley to see how she handled.
The car now turns in beautifully, is much more predictable in handling and the bounce is all but gone. The car now inspires real confidence when driven.
The plan now is to play around with tyre pressures to get the best out of the Contact Sport 3's and then change them for Michelin PSS's.

///M roadster suspension geometry options

Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 1:44 pm
by Steve84N
Looks like a good job but almost 2 degrees of rear camber is more than I would choose.