Adjustable shocks

Casca · 08-30-2015, 10:09 AM

I'm moving and getting ready to drive @1000 miles to Vegas. My car is lowered on Ground Control coilovers and was just a little tucked.

So I loaded most of what I decided not to ship with the movers and now the rear sits so low, I cannot even get my finger in between the tires and fender edge of the back wheels. Fronts are fine. I still have more to load. And this is with a full tank of gas.

It actually doesn't rub at all yet. I went over some speed bumps a little harder than normal and no rub noise. I don't really want to jack it and adjust the ride height as that will take tools I no longer have with me....like the jack and stands. I have my spare tire and change kit, but I am not doing it with that. But I can go in and adjust the shocks to be max stiff. Unfortunately I'll have to remove everything from the trunk and take out covers, which is actually more difficult than it sounds lol. It's currently at 2 or 3 and can be set to 5 as max.

Is there any point in doing that? I have 200lbs at most more worth of stuff to load and will be readjusting the load and moving the heaviest stuff I can to the front passenger seat if possible as well.

feuer · 08-30-2015, 10:31 AM

I would go thru the trouble of raising the car as the shocks are not designed to operate with the shaft almost fully compressed for extended periods.

Casca · 08-30-2015, 12:00 PM

Adjusting the struts was easier than I imagined. Even got the covers back on. I just remember the first time being a pain. Unfortunately it made little difference, although I went ahead and loaded just about everything. Maybe 75lbs more stuff to go in and all that is sitting in the front, so this is about full load for the rear. Looks...very tucked, but it only rubs a little going over big speed bumps at higher than normal speeds than I normally use for those. I think it's just touching the felt/cardboard wheelwell covers, not the lip of the fender. And it's not fully compressed, those struts get really stiff. It sits 1" lower than it was at the very most.

Will go ahead and adjust height though. I have the exact tools I need for this job. It's in a box sitting in some storage lot waiting for me to tell them to deliver once I settle in where I am moving to

Guess I'll go to harbor freight lol

Kgolf31 · 08-31-2015, 11:44 AM

You're adjusting rebound, which is the rate at which the shock is "resisted" returning to OE position unloaded. This will do nothing to solve the issue.

You need a shock which is adjustable on compression, these adjustments are typically at the bottom of the shock, this adjustment resists the shock to compress against road forces.

MrN1ceGuy · 08-31-2015, 12:04 PM

adjusting the rebound to full max is probably a bad move, it may end up jacking down and destroying your shocks. Personally, I would raise the ride height and leave the rebound untouch (or maybe even softening it a touch)

Casca · 08-31-2015, 04:23 PM

I raised it as high as I was comfortable and ended up taking more stuff as well. e90 are not trucks. It was still very tucked, but I made it. Thought for sure the struts were toast, but with the weight removed, it seems to be sitting as it should. I'll jack it and check for any evidence of fluid leak when I can, but driving it without the weight feels as good as ever.

08-30-2015, 10:09 AM	#1
Casca Captain 41 Rep 642 Posts Drives: E90 6MT Join Date: May 2010 Location: California iTrader: (0)	Adjustable shocks I'm moving and getting ready to drive @1000 miles to Vegas. My car is lowered on Ground Control coilovers and was just a little tucked. So I loaded most of what I decided not to ship with the movers and now the rear sits so low, I cannot even get my finger in between the tires and fender edge of the back wheels. Fronts are fine. I still have more to load. And this is with a full tank of gas. It actually doesn't rub at all yet. I went over some speed bumps a little harder than normal and no rub noise. I don't really want to jack it and adjust the ride height as that will take tools I no longer have with me....like the jack and stands. I have my spare tire and change kit, but I am not doing it with that. But I can go in and adjust the shocks to be max stiff. Unfortunately I'll have to remove everything from the trunk and take out covers, which is actually more difficult than it sounds lol. It's currently at 2 or 3 and can be set to 5 as max. Is there any point in doing that? I have 200lbs at most more worth of stuff to load and will be readjusting the load and moving the heaviest stuff I can to the front passenger seat if possible as well. Last edited by Casca; 08-30-2015 at 10:18 AM..
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08-30-2015, 10:31 AM	#2
feuer Major General 4276 Rep 9,206 Posts Drives: wife crazy! Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Chicago, IL iTrader: (5)	I would go thru the trouble of raising the car as the shocks are not designed to operate with the shaft almost fully compressed for extended periods.
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08-30-2015, 12:00 PM	#3
Casca Captain 41 Rep 642 Posts Drives: E90 6MT Join Date: May 2010 Location: California iTrader: (0)	Adjusting the struts was easier than I imagined. Even got the covers back on. I just remember the first time being a pain. Unfortunately it made little difference, although I went ahead and loaded just about everything. Maybe 75lbs more stuff to go in and all that is sitting in the front, so this is about full load for the rear. Looks...very tucked, but it only rubs a little going over big speed bumps at higher than normal speeds than I normally use for those. I think it's just touching the felt/cardboard wheelwell covers, not the lip of the fender. And it's not fully compressed, those struts get really stiff. It sits 1" lower than it was at the very most. Will go ahead and adjust height though. I have the exact tools I need for this job. It's in a box sitting in some storage lot waiting for me to tell them to deliver once I settle in where I am moving to Guess I'll go to harbor freight lol
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08-31-2015, 11:44 AM	#4
Kgolf31 Brigadier General 460 Rep 4,531 Posts Drives: 2007 Z4MC, 2012 128i Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Ohio iTrader: (4)	You're adjusting rebound, which is the rate at which the shock is "resisted" returning to OE position unloaded. This will do nothing to solve the issue. You need a shock which is adjustable on compression, these adjustments are typically at the bottom of the shock, this adjustment resists the shock to compress against road forces.
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08-31-2015, 12:04 PM	#5
MrN1ceGuy Private 7 Rep 77 Posts Drives: SGM E90 330i 6MT ZSP ZPP Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Facebook HQ iTrader: (0)	adjusting the rebound to full max is probably a bad move, it may end up jacking down and destroying your shocks. Personally, I would raise the ride height and leave the rebound untouch (or maybe even softening it a touch) __________________ E90 330i 6MT ZSP BMW Performance Exhast///M-Tech Steering Wheel, Shift Knob and Pedal Set///M3 Suspension Arms///Tein S-Tech///Bilstein Sports
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08-31-2015, 04:23 PM	#6
Casca Captain 41 Rep 642 Posts Drives: E90 6MT Join Date: May 2010 Location: California iTrader: (0)	I raised it as high as I was comfortable and ended up taking more stuff as well. e90 are not trucks. It was still very tucked, but I made it. Thought for sure the struts were toast, but with the weight removed, it seems to be sitting as it should. I'll jack it and check for any evidence of fluid leak when I can, but driving it without the weight feels as good as ever.
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