[RON1X]

ISSUE RESOLVED 2/27 (edited below)
Just had my PSS9 coilovers put on Sunday. They feel amazing, however I was getting a strange vibration from the front wheels and went back to the installer (who is a certified BMW tech) and got it on the lift to check it out. It turns out the front springs, when compressed, are rubbing/grinding on themselves. I should have taken pics but my phone was dead... I will try to explain the best I can:

ISSUE: On the bottom of the front springs, the very tips of the spring literally are 1mm (or less) away from the body of the spring, so when you hit bumps or simply turn the wheel the tips grind against the body slightly. The slight grind is quite a noticeable vibration. You can see the scratches on the blue coating where the tips have rubbed the coil above them. (picture below to illustrate)

This seems like a complete design flaw but after searching it seems that no one has had this issue before. I bought them brand new off a forum member who never installed them so I can't really call Bilstein to complain.

The tech is going to get the spring off and grind down the tips to get them farther away from the body, or at least grind down the tip so that it is angled instead of a 90 degree jagged tip that can grind so easily.

EDIT:
Resolved! The OEM parts that are used for the upper strut mount were never taken apart to be greased/lubed properly. We did grind the tips of the springs very slightly as well. Although it seems obvious in hindsight, the OEM parts were taken directly off the original and put onto the bilsteins yet they rubbed only with the bilsteins...

anyways, I am very happy with the PSS9 setup, and would definitely get these again. They go SO LOW if you are looking for the slammed look, but the adjustable dampening is what I am looking forward to messing with in the future

[Babydragon]

I would say that if you need to gring the spring to make it work you've got a problem and you shouldn't have to grind anything to make it work. I would call the manufacturer before you go altering the spring in any way. Also that blue coating is there to prevent corrosion, I wouldn't grind that. Good luck.

[RON1X]

^thanks for the response. Trust me, I don't want to grind it but don't know any other options right now. I did talk with the East coast Bilstein rep this morning and he said I should not have to do that either, but he did say that wouldn't harm anything per se. I am going to get it back on the lift to snap pictures for him to determine what the issue is (although it seems pretty conclusive that the tip is rubbing the coil with the coating showing scratch marks...).

[NiVeDh]

Henry, sorry to hear about this. Hopefully it's nothing too serious. Do you think it could be due to the alignment (or lack thereof)?

[RON1X]

Originally Posted by NiVeDh

Henry, sorry to hear about this. Hopefully it's nothing too serious.

It is nothing terribly serious, but definitely annoying!

I was with David last night at his shop until 11, we just put some anti-seize around the base of the spring but it persisted, which is why we are thinking of grinding the tip of the spring down slightly. Talked with the Bilstein rep also. I am also starting to think the top of the spring isn't staying seated; it seems when you turn the wheel the spring is rotating against the frame causing rubbing.

Whether it is just the spring grinding itself or a combination with the spring's movement (TBD), something is off. At least I know I have the best person looking into it... hopefully it will be settled this weekend. Will keep you posted

[Undies]

damn. i just bought a set of pss9s and they are coming next week. craaapp

[The HACK]

Put a "thrust sheet" between the bottom of the spring and the spring perch to allow for some free movement/rotation of the spring as it compress/expand.

[RON1X]

Originally Posted by Undies

damn. i just bought a set of pss9s and they are coming next week. craaapp

I have the oldest "model" of PSS9s, manufactured in 2006. I wouldn't worry at all, I am the first to have this sort of issue. Nivedh is local with the PSS9s and has zero problems. Hopefully it will turn out to be something simple, its just logistical issues of going back and forth to the shop to get it up on the lift right now.

Originally Posted by The HACK

Put a "thrust sheet" between the bottom of the spring and the spring perch to allow for some free movement/rotation of the spring as it compress/expand.

there is a soft plastic blue "washer" that sits above the perch in between the spring. I have put grease all over the area as well but nothing has worked...

[Babydragon]

Originally Posted by RON1X

^thanks for the response. Trust me, I don't want to grind it but don't know any other options right now. I did talk with the East coast Bilstein rep this morning and he said I should not have to do that either, but he did say that wouldn't harm anything per se. I am going to get it back on the lift to snap pictures for him to determine what the issue is (although it seems pretty conclusive that the tip is rubbing the coil with the coating showing scratch marks...).

Didn't really mean that the grinding would harm it, but if you grind the spring they more than likely would not let you return it because it's been altered.