[Orb]

Originally Posted by roller84

Yes, I have heard that some people have had the bar installed backwards, that was the first thought but my shop looked at it and we also sent a bunch of pics to KW and they said that the install was fine.

Below are the pics that I sent to them:

Okay, it is installed correctly. This is not a fatigue problem at all.

The only circumstance that will cause this type of failure is when you don’t have enough travel in the roll bar linkage. When you lower the car the possible rotation travel of the linkage is reduced. The KW are shorted struts so when lowered they allow much more travel than the stock system could ever see.

What has most likely happen here is that your car has been lower at 1.25” or more? The available rotational travel of the link hit at top dead center just like piston in it rotation which bind the roll bar links. The result of the binding is what you have shown.

You will need to check the kinematics of the system to see if there is problem first had. This involves removing the spring, bump stop and disconnecting one side of the roll bar links. You will need to push the whole suspension upwards while monitoring the roll bar link rotations. You should be looking for the available sweep of the roll bar link at full bottom out of the suspension. I suspect you will run out of travel.

The OEM bars are identical to the H&R bars in fit and form from what I measured. The comment of the happening because stiffer bar that is only rate 150 lb/in more than the OEM is BS and I would challenge them to explain this in some detail . At that point you should her some silence on the phone. There may be a problem if KW allows so much lowering that the affect the sway bar linkage travel. I think this should be looked at by KW directly

This is correctable with adjustable roll bar links from Turner Motorsport….get the good one with aluminum end bearings.

Orb

[Ferg]

I have the same damn problem. I have taken it to the dealer several times, each time I get the "we can't find anything wrong with it". They agree there's a squeak, but they can't get it to occur consistantly enought to isolate the problem. PITA if you ask me, especially with what we paid for these things. As for your bushings, there was a TSB on having those replaced, I know my dealer replaced all mine with new ones.

[JaysBlueE92]

this is terrible! I can't believe this is the first i'm hearing of this. I thought I researched everything. Oh well I guess this is something i have to watch after i've installed them. Should I order those parts from turner like Orb suggested and just be done with it?

[SGxi]

Based on reading this thread, what is a proper setup (roll-bars, replacement springs) to mate the V3 on a xi? Not looking for good track performance, just mainly for the lowered look with a comfortable ride?

[MrWhite1015]

this sucks... if they dont fix this problem i can tell you i will personally spread this to every automotive forum i can find and do whatever i can so they dont sell another set ... charging upwards of 2k for coilovers and having them do this is unacceptable !

[pdjafari]

what a crock of $hit for a part that runs close to 2k...i for one now refuse to buy into the hype b/c apparently thast what KWs are...

I'll wait for bilstein to release some parts for the XI

[scottp999]

Very useful information. Are there no reports of this with other manufacturers? Hopefully KW will address the issue. For now, they have lost a potential customer until I hear this is fixed, or I will go with a competitor.

Thanks for letting the community know about this.

[MrWhite1015]

Originally Posted by scottp999

Very useful information. Are there no reports of this with other manufacturers? Hopefully KW will address the issue. For now, they have lost a potential customer until I hear this is fixed, or I will go with a competitor.

Thanks for letting the community know about this.

no problem at first i thought i was the only one and that i was going to be sol with the v3's.... glad everyone spoke up ... hopefully we can get this resolved because other then that sound i love the kw's

[hov333]

good work so far mr white...when i made a thread, barely anyone made a peep about the chirping, glad we're getting people to speak up now!

[MrWhite1015]

Originally Posted by hov333

good work so far mr white...when i made a thread, barely anyone made a peep about the chirping, glad we're getting people to speak up now!

apparently someone high up at KW was contacted and told about this thread ... lets see what happens

[hov333]

hopefully, i put a link to this thread in my message to them. let's see what develops

[PNF]

is this failure isolated to V3 on Xi only?

Or this applies to all V1/V2/V3 they sell and on "i" as well?

[Dangerlucas]

Originally Posted by PNF

is this failure isolated to V3 on Xi only?

Or this applies to all V1/V2/V3 they sell and on "i" as well?

I've got v3s on my 135i and I definitely hear the squeak/chirp when going over bumps.

[Ferg]

Hmmm, no word from KW yet I take it.

[JaysBlueE92]

Originally Posted by hov333

hopefully, i put a link to this thread in my message to them. let's see what develops

have contact info? I wouldn't mind asking them what's up. I don't have my V3s installed yet and I would like to see if they can address it before I install. This way they aren't going on and off and on and off

[MrWhite1015]

no word back just yet... i did kinda notice that it only happens over bumps that into the pavement like a pothole as opposed to a raised bump ... idk if that changes anything just something i observed

[Andy@SonicMS]

In regards to the cracked sway bar linkage issue, our technician over here saw awhile ago that this was a design flaw. Earlier last week, I removed a set of KW V2's off a E90 335i where one side had totally cracked, and the other side was starting to.

I called KW to get this warranted out and informed them of the situation. They already know what the deal is on this, and out of all the KW's we've installed here at the shop, the later batches have been shipping with a reinforced and redesigned linkage. To those that have had their KW suspension since it was brand new, and that were bought through an authorized distributor, you should have no problems getting this taken care of.

Any orders placed now should have the redesigned part.

[MrWhite1015]

Originally Posted by Andy@SonicMS

In regards to the cracked sway bar linkage issue, our technician over here saw awhile ago that this was a design flaw. Earlier last week, I removed a set of KW V2's off a E90 335i where one side had totally cracked, and the other side was starting to.

I called KW to get this warranted out and informed them of the situation. They already know what the deal is on this, and out of all the KW's we've installed here at the shop, the later batches have been shipping with a reinforced and redesigned linkage. To those that have had their KW suspension since it was brand new, and that were bought through an authorized distributor, you should have no problems getting this taken care of.

Any orders placed now should have the redesigned part.

but they all make that chirp sound

[gtrokin330]

I hear that compressing sound everytime i hit a bump and im riding on V2's...hope you get your problem solved bruh

[GAaaAR]

Originally Posted by gtrokin330

I hear that compressing sound everytime i hit a bump and im riding on V2's...hope you get your problem solved bruh

So all KW coilovers have this chirp then? What about V1 and Street Comforts?

[cn555ic]

I am so glad I went with FKs...I was deliberating between the two for weeks going back and forth, but finally pricing was the factor so I chose FKs...I hope you guys get this rectified because spending 2000 on V3 and having this issue, I would be piss the f..k off!

[flem]

Originally Posted by pdjafari

what a crock of $hit for a part that runs close to 2k...i for one now refuse to buy into the hype b/c apparently thast what KWs are...

I'll wait for bilstein to release some parts for the XI

agreed...


has KW contacted anyone yet?