E46 Fanatics Forum banner

after 3 months lowered i blew my struts

3K views 27 replies 12 participants last post by  always-there 
#1 ·
i think, i put lowering springs on my 330ci and called it a day, now my car clunks here and thier over bumbs and what not, i figure the struts are blown.

what is a good strut for lowered coupes, my springs are 1.7 to 2" drop.

what do you guys recommend ? i got about $450 for the struts. i want my car to ride smoother again and keep low look. i know it will never feel stock, but i am starting to bounce around alot.
 
#5 ·
+1 on koni sports,

btw, "clunks" doesn't sound like blown shocks
 
#6 · (Edited)
I have the Koni Fsd and Eibach pro kit which is lowered and feels very comfortable. Also rob, he will need more than just an alignment after being lowered. If he gets at least a 1.5inch drop which is what most kits or at least what he's probably desiring it will need camber plates/kit and what not to get the car to drive straight again, or get a proper alignment. It takes a bit more work than just an alignment. The control arms will be close if not maxed out--it's clear once you chance the suspension geometry from stock to aftermarket more components need to be replaced to accommodate the changes.

Sent from BimmerApp mobile app
 
#17 ·
I think you are going nuts with this camber plate idea. The car will go "straight" regardless of camber. Caster is what determines going straight.
The OP didn't do a 3 to 5 inch drop. 1.5 to 2 inches is well within what the "stock" suspension can handle.
Also, unless the OP is running a massively wide front tire, it will have very little affect on wear.
 
#26 ·
Incorrect information here caster will always go straight no matter at what degree, camber nd toe determines what way the car will pull when driving straight

Sent from my SPH-L710 using BimmerApp mobile app
Uneven caster settings from side to side can cause a car to pull. Uneven camber settings from side to side can cause a car to pull. Uneven toe settings cannot. Your left front wheel could have four degrees of toe out and the car won't pull to the right. The steering wheel will just be crooked.

Koni sports can handle the lowering you have, but you won't find them new for that price very often. Best to keep an eye out for a used set.
 
#28 ·
Uneven caster settings from side to side can cause a car to pull. Uneven camber settings from side to side can cause a car to pull. Uneven toe settings cannot. Your left front wheel could have four degrees of toe out and the car won't pull to the right. The steering wheel will just be crooked.

Koni sports can handle the lowering you have, but you won't find them new for that price very often. Best to keep an eye out for a used set.
Much respect! Thank you!

Sent from BimmerApp mobile app
 
#18 ·
wow, i went to bed last night and did not think this would cause a stir lol

i knew lower springs would blow my stock struts, i threw them on because i was in a pinch regarding my stock springs.

the car rides smooth and quiet on flat roads, once i hit potholes and speed bumps i hear a little poppin or clunk, i poped the hood and tighten the 3 bolts and center bolt with a impact gun. thinking that would fit it.

then i figured my stuts are blown wich is why i am having a harsher ride and more noise. has anybody had any clunking or poping when turning into steep driveways of dips in the roads ?
 
#25 ·
A quick lesson:
A Short Course on
Wheel Alignment
<SMALL>by Charles Ofria</SMALL>
<TABLE style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" border=0 borderColorLight=#ffffff borderColorDark=#ffffff cellPadding=0 width=252 align=right>*******>*******><TR><TD>

Photo courtesy Hunter Engineering Co.


</TD></TR>********>********></TABLE>​
In its most basic form, a wheel alignment consists of adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they are perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other. The purpose of these adjustments is maximum tire life and a vehicle that tracks straight and true when driving along a straight and level road.
This article begins with information that any motorist should know; however, if you are interested in learning more about this topic, click on the underlined words for more detailed explanations of each term. We will cover various levels of detail with the deepest levels containing information that even a wheel alignment technician will find informative.
Wheel Alignment is often confused with Wheel Balancing. The two really have nothing to do with each other except for the fact that they affect ride and handling. If a wheel is out of balance, it will cause a vibration at highway speeds that can be felt in the steering wheel and/or the seat. If the alignment is out, it can cause excessive tire wear and steering or tracking problems. For more information onWheel Balancing, Click Here.
(Article Continues below)

If you know anything about wheel alignment, you've probably heard the terms Camber, Caster and Toe-in.
Camber

Camber is the angle of the wheel, measured in degrees, when viewed from the front of the vehicle. If the top of the wheel is leaning out from the center of the car, then the camber is positive ,if it's leaning in, then the camber is negative. If the camber is out of adjustment, it will cause tire wear on one side of the tire's tread. If the camber is too far negative, for instance, then the tire will wear on the inside of the tread.​
Camber wear pattern


If the camber is different from side to side it can cause a pulling problem. The vehicle will pull to the side with the more positive camber. On many front-wheel-drive vehicles, camber is not adjustable. If the camber is out on these cars, it indicates that something is worn or bent, possibly from an accident and must be repaired or replaced.​
Caster


When you turn the steering wheel, the front wheels respond by turning on a pivot attached to the suspension system. Caster is the angle of this steering pivot, measured in degrees, when viewed from the side of the vehicle. If the top of the pivot is leaning toward the rear of the car, then the caster is positive, if it is leaning toward the front, it is negative. If the caster is out of adjustment, it can cause problems in straight line tracking. If the caster is different from side to side, the vehicle will pull to the side with the less positive caster. If the caster is equal but too negative, the steering will be light and the vehicle will wander and be difficult to keep in a straight line. If the caster is equal but too positive, the steering will be heavy and the steering wheel may kick when you hit a bump. Caster has little affect on tire wear.
The best way to visualize caster is to picture a shopping cart caster. The pivot of this type of caster, while not at an angle, intersects the ground ahead of the wheel contact patch. When the wheel is behind the pivot at the point where it contacts the ground, it is in positive caster. Picture yourself trying to push the cart and keep the wheel ahead of the pivot. The wheel will continually try to turn from straight ahead. That is what happens when a car has the caster set too far negative. Like camber, on many front-wheel-drive vehicles, caster is not adjustable. If the caster is out on these cars, it indicates that something is worn or bent, possibly from an accident, and must be repaired or replaced.​

Toe-in

The toe measurement is the difference in the distance between the front of the tires and the back of the tires. It is measured in fractions of an inch in the US and is usually set close to zero which means that the wheels are parallel with each other. Toe-in means that the fronts of the tires are closer to each other than the rears. Toe-out is just the opposite. An incorrect toe-in will cause rapid tire wear to both tires equally. This type of tire wear is called a saw-tooth wear pattern as shown in this illustration.

If the sharp edges of the tread sections are pointing to the center of the car, then there is too much toe-in. If they are pointed to the outside of the car then there is too much toe-out. Toe is always adjustable on the front wheels and on some cars, is also adjustable for the rear wheels.
Four-Wheel Alignments


<CENTER>There are two main types of 4-wheel alignments. In each case, the technician will place an instrument on all four wheels. In the first type the rear toe and tracking is checked, but all adjustments are made at the front wheels. This is done on vehicles that do not have adjustments on the rear. The second type is a full 4-wheel alignment where the adjustments are first made to true up the rear alignment, then the front is adjusted. A full 4-wheel alignment will cost more than the other type because there is more work involved.
</CENTER>
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top