Just got this car- my first BMW. (2000 z3 2.3 ) 116,000 miles. Front suspension looks very low to me. Tires rub on inner fender over small bumps.
Struts are sachs.... they could have the same mileage ( ? who knows) The tops of the tires are way up inside the fenders when static.
It appears to have the stock springs ( 3131 1094 190 ) -
Since it rides SO LOW in the front right now- I want to make sure I replace the struts with ones which will bring the clearance back up to stock.
I called my local BMW dealer today and the parts guy took my VIN and said the suspension was non-sport when new. SO- if the springs are
correct then all I have to do is order whatever non-sport struts..... and I should be OK ?????
I am wondering---- will a COMPLETELY blown and deflated strut allow the front tire clearance under the fender to go down to nearly nothing ?
Looked like only about 1 to 1+1/2 inches between the tire and inner fender when sitting still. Does the strut hold up THAT big of a proportion
of the weight (compared to what the spring alone holds? ) I would have thought that the spring alone would hold 90%....... but I am a beginner
to BMW's. I want to make sure its NOT on lowered springs and I don't know it.......
Tim
Ride height is determined by springs. You want lower?, you install lowering springs.
Struts/shocks control spring oscillations,
otherwise known as dampers, they dampen the springs rebound & compression rate.
If you can bounce the front then you still have some strut compression and your problem is the springs were cut or replaced too low
98 M3 sedan
Thanks ben and Mik----
I just looked on E-Bay at oem replacement springs. They have 5 full turns. I would think since the end of the spring has to fit into the offset
in the spring cup- if a previous owner has cut the stock springs they would have had to have cut off exactly a full turn. So I should be able to
just count the turns on my springs to see if they have been cut down. I would think if they still have 5 full turns- it has to be the dead strut.
They still have a paper tag on them with what appears to be a bmw number- so im thinking they are not a lowering spring (a normal one anyway)
Tim
I understand your desire to get to the bottom of this mystery,
but maybe your just experiencing the conclusive symptoms of a well worn original 17yo-116,000mi suspension?
If they appear old and well worn, maybe it's time for a full suspension refresh, maybe upgrade?
I'm sure that you would appreciate the car handling to its full potential. Just something to consider.
Yes Mik- that's exactly what I am trying to do--- like a restoration back to new on most of that. Whats the use of a nice driving sports car that drives all sloppy
because its all wored out underneath- I am just trying to get the front ride height back to "normal"- not tire scraping low---
I think I will first try changing out the struts to new and see if the tire clearance gets better. Then- if it doesn't- Ill put some new OEM springs in too.
Doing all the control arm parts too.
Tim
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