[badass1g]

I just bought these last night for my 335xi. If i have a gap when im all the way down im gonna be FURIOUS! That is the only reason i did these instead of HR sports.

[ZhengHai]

Originally Posted by badass1g

I just bought these last night for my 335xi. If i have a gap when im all the way down im gonna be FURIOUS! That is the only reason i did these instead of HR sports.

Are you doing the install yourself?? Let me know how yours settle.

[ajsalida]

OP, did you do your own install? I just did mine (on Koni/Eibachs) and I was surprised by how hard it was to get the front struts slid into the collar all the way down. They need to be sticking out the bottom about 3" and it took me several times to get it right on each side.

In fact I put them in and buttoned it all up, but when I looked from the front underneath the hub/knuckle area it was clear one was higher up, so I did them both again and they both had more room to go.

[ZhengHai]

Originally Posted by ajsalida

OP, did you do your own install? I just did mine (on Koni/Eibachs) and I was surprised by how hard it was to get the front struts slid into the collar all the way down. They need to be sticking out the bottom about 3" and it took me several times to get it right on each side.

In fact I put them in and buttoned it all up, but when I looked from the front underneath the hub/knuckle area it was clear one was higher up, so I did them both again and they both had more room to go.

I did do my own install. Even if you slide the notch on the strut into the grove of the hub/knuckle... does it mean it doesnt automatically seat correctly?? Doesnt the grove stop half way down so the notch sits in that grove?? I hope i'm making sense and we are on the same page.

[ajsalida]

Originally Posted by ZhengHai

I did do my own install. Even if you slide the notch on the strut into the grove of the hub/knuckle... does it mean it doesnt automatically seat correctly?? Doesnt the grove stop half way down so the notch sits in that grove?? I hope i'm making sense and we are on the same page.

Yeah this is hard to explain. True for Konis not sure about your V1's. The bottom inside of the cup/receptacle in the hub-knuckle is rounded along the edge inwards (female cupped). The outside bottom of the shock/strut is shape matched (male version) about 3 inches up. When you slide the shock all the way down these two surfaces match up and it is not possible to push the strut down any further. That ends up with approx 3" of lower shock protruding out from the bottom of the cup.

Said another way the lower end of the strut tube has two diameters. One is the main body, then that is rounded off to a slightly smaller diameter about 3" from the end. That transition between two diameters fits inside the exact same shape inside the bottom edge of the cup.

Also there are two nubs on the strut, lined up vertically, that fit into the gap in the cup/knuckle clamp that will align the strut the right way so the sway bar tab is oriented properly. These nubs go pretty far down inside the slot before the strut is in position, but they make it hard to twist the strut to get it to go all the way in. Esp with new paint on the strut.

[itsbrokeagain]

Lol im astounded at the people recommending to cut the bumpstops out. That is the only thing that is protecting the internal piston from beating itself and failing against the housing. You break that, KW will NOT warranty the shocks.



I had H&R coils in my girls XI. I had them all the way down, was almost tucking tire. Had to bring it up.

Your front axle geometry will get fucked in the process...have fun replacing axle boots when you tearcthem.

[badass1g]

Originally Posted by ZhengHai

Are you doing the install yourself?? Let me know how yours settle.

They just showed up yesterday, i will install them in a couple days and post pics. Wheel spacers also arrived.

[ZhengHai]

Originally Posted by ajsalida

Yeah this is hard to explain. True for Konis not sure about your V1's. The bottom inside of the cup/receptacle in the hub-knuckle is rounded along the edge inwards (female cupped). The outside bottom of the shock/strut is shape matched (male version) about 3 inches up. When you slide the shock all the way down these two surfaces match up and it is not possible to push the strut down any further. That ends up with approx 3" of lower shock protruding out from the bottom of the cup.

Said another way the lower end of the strut tube has two diameters. One is the main body, then that is rounded off to a slightly smaller diameter about 3" from the end. That transition between two diameters fits inside the exact same shape inside the bottom edge of the cup.

Also there are two nubs on the strut, lined up vertically, that fit into the gap in the cup/knuckle clamp that will align the strut the right way so the sway bar tab is oriented properly. These nubs go pretty far down inside the slot before the strut is in position, but they make it hard to twist the strut to get it to go all the way in. Esp with new paint on the strut.

Ill have to take a look at this when i get my car out of storage. Maybe it does go down further? But I dont know what would prevent it from going down even further than it is now.

Originally Posted by Matt@AutoCouture

Lol im astounded at the people recommending to cut the bumpstops out. That is the only thing that is protecting the internal piston from beating itself and failing against the housing. You break that, KW will NOT warranty the shocks.



I had H&R coils in my girls XI. I had them all the way down, was almost tucking tire. Had to bring it up.

Your front axle geometry will get fucked in the process...have fun replacing axle boots when you tearcthem.

Dont worry I'm not going to cut out my bumpstops. Im just baffled that my coilovers dont allow me to go any lower and i still have a gap. I've also spun it up 7 threads and it didnt even raise up.

Originally Posted by badass1g

They just showed up yesterday, i will install them in a couple days and post pics. Wheel spacers also arrived.

Right on! Can't wait to see some pics.

[badass1g]

UPDATE. I installed my fronts last night, OP i almost guarantee i know what your problem is. The info in post 47 is what you need to check. First of all make sure that little pin thing that sticks off the strut is aligned so that it can slide down inside the collar. Then you need to put a jack under the botton knuckle, slowly jack it up (i had to hit the brakes a couple times with a rubber mallet, it kept getting jammed as i was jacking it up. You should be able to see about 1.5-2" of the KW strut poking out below that colar that it sits in.

I dont think it was 3" but it was a good amount. I am currently 5 threads from the bottom and to me it is a perfect drop, it is not tucking but there is zero gap at all. I dont think i could fit my pinky in there. It looks PERFECT.

So check into this make sure you see the bottom of the strut sticking out the bottom of that collar, im almost willing to place money that this is the issue.

[badass1g]

Also before the install i could fit all 4 fingers in the front gap, and i have huge hands lol. I would say i got a measurable 3.5" drop from the stock setup. Im guessing it could go down another .5 inch. It rides great esp for how low it is, i would guess its about 30% stiffer then stock-KW V1.

[ajsalida]

If you put too much upward pressure on the knuckle with the jack it jams the strut tube in the cup. So just enough to hold the knuckle up. Also the top 3 nuts on the strut mount inside the engine bay need to be loose.

With the nubs lined up in the cup/slot in back. The way I did this was grab the strut body in one hand, and the brake disk and/or caliper in the other, and twist the strut back and forth while shaking the disk or caliper back and forth. The strut slides in a bit, then you lightly jack the knuckle higher. Repeat several times until you can't move it anymore. The strut assembly has to be loose at the top to do this the clearance inside the cup is so tight.

I will be under the car again today (doing downpipes I hope) and will measure how much strut is sticking out under the knuckle.

[ajsalida]

Yeah it is more like 2 inches.

First pic is stock strut, note dirt pattern from cup/bracket



Installed Koni strut all the way down



Pics of the car as it sits, ground is not level here but on level ground front is less than 2 finger clearance, used to be 4 or more. Slightly lower in front than back. This is about as low as I want to go where I live.

[PSUSMU]

Is that spun all the way down? ^
It's not low at all...

[ajsalida]

Originally Posted by PSUSMU

Is that spun all the way down? ^
It's not low at all...

Mine are Konis w/ Eibach pro-kit. We are now discussing how far the strut should go into the hub, and if that may be the OP's issue with his V1's.

[badass1g]

Damn i guessed 2 inches without looking. Im that good lol

[ZhengHai]

Originally Posted by badass1g

UPDATE. I installed my fronts last night, OP i almost guarantee i know what your problem is. The info in post 47 is what you need to check. First of all make sure that little pin thing that sticks off the strut is aligned so that it can slide down inside the collar. Then you need to put a jack under the botton knuckle, slowly jack it up (i had to hit the brakes a couple times with a rubber mallet, it kept getting jammed as i was jacking it up. You should be able to see about 1.5-2" of the KW strut poking out below that colar that it sits in.

I dont think it was 3" but it was a good amount. I am currently 5 threads from the bottom and to me it is a perfect drop, it is not tucking but there is zero gap at all. I dont think i could fit my pinky in there. It looks PERFECT.

So check into this make sure you see the bottom of the strut sticking out the bottom of that collar, im almost willing to place money that this is the issue.

Awesome! I just remember sliding the the strut (with the nub) into the groove (of the hub) and left it. I didnt double check it to make sure it seated all the way down like you guys were saying. Just thought as long was it went into the groove it was fine.

Unfortunately my car is in storage and im outta states. So i will definitely do that when i get back. I reall hope this will settle my problem.

[badass1g]

Originally Posted by ZhengHai

Awesome! I just remember sliding the the strut (with the nub) into the groove (of the hub) and left it. I didnt double check it to make sure it seated all the way down like you guys were saying. Just thought as long was it went into the groove it was fine.

Unfortunately my car is in storage and im outta states. So i will definitely do that when i get back. I reall hope this will settle my problem.

From looking at your sig, i would say it would end up about as low as the car in your sig in the front if you lower it to the bottom of the threads. Same with the back.

[ZhengHai]

Originally Posted by badass1g

From looking at your sig, i would say it would end up about as low as the car in your sig in the front if you lower it to the bottom of the threads. Same with the back.

My sig is small so its hard to really tell and plus the black car and black tires make the gap disappear. Believe it or not its the same height in the sig and in Post 23. But my car was sitting on a slight decline in my driveway. And my rears are spun half way.

[Lowandslow115]

Originally Posted by teege

I'd say something is installed wrong. I could go much lower on mine still. plenty of threads left.

i have h&r i know alil different but mine dont go low enough either, i removed one of my adjuster nuts and shaved down the end link bracket alil and removed the top plate still needs alil lower so im thinking camber plates or custom strut bearings