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ST coilover not going low enough

54K views 300 replies 25 participants last post by  thatmexican32 
#1 ·
I recently installed ST coilovers on my 04 330i. I've set the front to the lowest setting, but it doesn't even close the wheel gap, albeit it's close. I've checked to make sure the struts went in all the way in to their seats. I'm using OE strut mounts. I wonder if ST's are not designed to work with them, but having searched the forum i found nothing to that effect. I also checked out others setups on here and it seems that people are dropping the front lower than what i have been able to do. I'm perplexed, any ideas? :confused:
 
#242 ·
So I checked if the strut was seated all the way in the hub and surely it was. So no installation error on my behalf... So far the ride quality is really good (kinda crazy because the spring rates arent agressive in terms of kg's). Downside is that the advertised drop rates were not accurate. Kw really needs to fix that advertisement error.
 
#244 ·
BC's are awesome and arguably the best coils for under $1k. You might get jealous.
 
#247 ·
I thought I would share my crazy story: so I went to get an alignment today and one the driver side had -1.6 camber and the other side was -1.0. The alignment guy said that the front could not be aligned. So what he did was he took a hammer and tried hammering the stut top hat mount pin (tithe one that aligns the strut top mount to the chassis) to remove that and gain a little camber adjustment. I was like wtf!?... So he finally gives up hammering, he stripped the top round edge pin, and didn't even grind it down evenly, so it had a little bit of that pin sticking out still. So what he does is just leaves it (doesn't even grind it to even surface) and bolts it right back up further out. Thus creating a -1.3 camber. Now at this point the damage is done and I wanted to argue but the alignment guy said that everything's gonna be fine and that I wouldn't have to worry about a thing. So I leave the shop and as soon as I get on the freeway, my steering wheel starts to vibrate and my car drifts to the right... So I went back and told him my situation. He said that it could be my tires. HONESTLY at this point there is no arguing with the man. So I left. I currently have new control arms, bushings, steering guibo, tie rods, strut mounts and top hats, tires and Coilovers. I can't see why I'm still feeling steering vibrations. The rims are also not bent. I'm at a loss guys :'(
 
#250 · (Edited)
well my shocks are leaking now after 5k of driving :ben: i think racelands are better at this point... going to the shop and there going to install the oem suspension because the shop has to take it off or the warranty will be void according to ST :facepalm: seems like a stupid rule just like when you get a new car you can only change fluids at the dealer ship or your warranty will void
 
#257 ·
Yeah I'd be surprised if they're actually leaking. You'd notice it in the ride quality long before you went investigating drips on the damper. Once the dampers are killled\blown\leaking, your car will feel like **** driving over pretty much anything but smooth surfaces.
 
#260 ·
90ft-lbs? Thats weak as fvck haha what do you think your going to break?
 
#261 ·
Ok so I need to send my shocks in but it says the warranty will be not valid if I drive the car too low or high... I have it on the lowest it can go in the front will they not warranty it? Keep in mind I need to fill out a sheet and that's a question on it, how low I was riding.
 
#263 · (Edited)
.....Stretching the truth not come to mind? Not sure why that isn't automatic. Put it in the middle. Can't b!tch at you then.

Go read the BMW hand book and it says tork it at 47 pounds
Okay? I didn't ask what the manual said. All I was doing was making a statement that 90ft-lbs is weak. It's not going to break anything.
 
#268 ·
Were we doing something wrong?
 
#271 ·
ST's instructions:

Attach the factory supporting bearing using the supplied stop nut. Tightening torque for the piston rod nut is (44ft-lb). Use the manufacturers recommended torque settings for installation of the strut and all other fasteners that attach the suspensions to the vehicle.
 
#272 ·
An update:
I have been getting a strange suspension noise from the front lately, and yesterday I investigated. Two notable points:

1) The struts were both fully seated, the issue of height was never from installation error.
2) The driver's strut has failed.


I'm done with these coilovers.
 
#274 ·
That sucks major floppy donkey....Sorry for your troubles but your pain has helped other make their decision. What are you going to go with instead?

I am building up for a suspension re haul and have the new Meyle HD's, Tuner Motorsport Sways, Active strut braces, reinforcement plates, and I cant decide on what coil overs. There are so many options and all I have been doing is reading the forums on what the best option would be and it seems I should just bite the bullet and try one.

Hope the next set work out for you.
 
#280 · (Edited)
UPDATE!
here you can see the shocks leaking for those of you who didnt believe my shocks were leaking after 5k miles :rofl: thats the leakage on the ground from just laying there for an hour :facepalm: going to fax in the needed info and get them sent out asap, for the record im on coils in the rear and stock sport in the front for the time being :shhh: also notice the oil on the shock itself in picture 3 :yikes:
 

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#284 ·
Update:

FCP contacted KW/their vendor, and KW willing to replace the entire kit at this point. I'll have to place a deposit for a new kit, receive it, install it, and send back the old kit to get the deposit back. Dissapointing part, I'll have to cover shipping costs if I choose this option. Since I'm not a wholesaler, I don't have access to lower shipping rates. This will mean approx. $160 out of pocket expenses.

I'm not sure of what to do at this point.. Warranty the 1 deffective strut, no expense. Or ship the entire kit back for $160 + deposit.
That said, I don't feel comfortable sending KW my kit after reading this thread: http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172787
My (biased) fear is that they'll nitpick and try to find a reason to reject my old coilovers as part of the deal.


Interesting how all of the sudden issues with these kits presented themselves, in a relativley short span of time. Seems like a bad batch to me.
Opinions?
 
#291 · (Edited)
there under warrenty just fill out the tech sheet and send them in... and then you sell them on here as "freshly rebuilt" because they rebuild the leaking shocks rather then giving you new ones.... im STILL fu*king waiting for mine, my oem suspension i installed is forcing me to drive on horrible alignment (cause im not paying for 2 alignments :eeps:)

PS i had to pay shipping costs to them too (but it was $10 to send 2 shocks to them because there relativity close to me) still a :facepalm:
 
#293 · (Edited)
This is a shame. My top choices for coilovers have now both made me nervous due to the factory being so shifty with regards to settling issues. At this point, I'm thinking Raceland Ultimos are a better deal. At least they don't make you run in circles to get a replacement when things break, and if they did I'd only be out $400 instead of $1000 + hassles.

Either that or air, and I was hoping it'd never come to that.:thumbdwn:
 
#295 ·
Don't be afraid. Atleast, they are fixing the problem. For DIY'er this comes with modding cars. There is other companys won't even bother fixing the issue and leave u hanging. I have had my ST/KW for 4 years now and they are working great! NO issues and I live in the south.

update! sent a package with the shocks in it to st about 14 days ago, i call them and they said they just received it yesterday.... liers here too ore what? Also asked if they did anything to them for the 2 days they've had them there now, they said "no we haven't check them out yet" Like WTF im doing damage to my tires because the alignment is off so bad right now because of a factory defect thats just some bullsh*t! hurry the Fu*k up and fix them! (PS im mad because the guy over the phone said because the factory and were i live aren't as far as others, such as across the country, that the hole process should be done in 5-7 days...)

EDIT, im looking at the my previous post and it was Oct, 17th so thats how many days? (shipped them out the 17th) so thats 15 days ago, thats half a mofo month
blksab65,

Shipping depending where you are takes 5-7 days and then KW have a HUGE Warehouse so there is a process for the Coil-overs goes to into its probably imputed in the computer. People now days act like the Tech/Warranty department just sits and wait for items to come in and work on their stuff right away. They might have some customer in-front of you. RMA takes time some people does it faster then other.

-TrippinBimmer
 
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