KW Spring Kit Question

[showcase]

Does anyone know how many "notches" there are on the KW Spring Kit and how much of a lowering job each notch is?

When I go to to my mechanic to have him lower my M3, I'm sure he's going to ask me which notch I want it set on, and as right now, I'm not really sure how to best answer that question.

What are some common lowering jobs with the KW asjustables? I'm looking for improved aesthetics while maintaining as much of the OEM ride quality as possible.

[CarbonFoot]

Eh? Do you have a coil-over (V1, V2, V3 etc..) or sleeve-over kit? What notches are you referring to? Exposed threads on the collar? It's going to vary quite a bit depending on the setup you have.

[rzm3]

I'm not aware of any notches on KW's for the M3.

In any case, tell your mechanic to take 'before' ride height measurements, and after installation, adjust the height collars to your desired ride height... typically 3/4 to 1" lowering.

[showcase]

I have the KW Adjustable Spring Kit that can be seen at http://www.**********s.com/KW-Adjust...E92-E93-M3.htm.

I know there are many different heights that I can lower my car using these springs, but I'm not exactly sure what to tell my mechanic.

[ThunderMoose]

Originally Posted by showcase

I have the KW Adjustable Spring Kit that can be seen at http://www.**********s.com/KW-Adjust...E92-E93-M3.htm.

I know there are many different heights that I can lower my car using these springs, but I'm not exactly sure what to tell my mechanic.

What Richard said. Measure the distance from the top of the wheel well to the centerline of the hub (or to the floor). The KW's have a range of something like 1/2" to 2" drop. I wouldn't go lower than 3/4" to start with.

There is a collar adjustment (at least on KW V3's). Your mechanic will raise or lower that collar to adjust the height. Typically, you set it, lower the car so it's sitting on it's suspension, remeasure the height, then lift it back up and adjust the collar to get the final height you want.

If your mechanic is any good, you should only have to say "put these bad boys on and dive me a 3/4" drop."

[Robmaster]

my KW s/o setup:

Front: max. drop
rear: ca. 14mm windings left

[showcase]

Rob, how bumpy is your ride?

[showcase]

Originally Posted by ThunderMoose

What Richard said. Measure the distance from the top of the wheel well to the centerline of the hub (or to the floor). The KW's have a range of something like 1/2" to 2" drop. I wouldn't go lower than 3/4" to start with.

There is a collar adjustment (at least on KW V3's). Your mechanic will raise or lower that collar to adjust the height. Typically, you set it, lower the car so it's sitting on it's suspension, remeasure the height, then lift it back up and adjust the collar to get the final height you want.

If your mechanic is any good, you should only have to say "put these bad boys on and dive me a 3/4" drop."

Would you recommend a 3/4" drop in the front and the back or should one be more than the other?

[M3PO]

Mine are all the way down in the front and the rears are set to match the fender gap (or lack there of).

[showcase]

Looks sick as hell but how is the ride, M3PO? Is it bumpy? Bouncy? Squeaky? Also, is that extraordinarily rough on your stock suspension pieces?

[CarbonFoot]

If you want stock like ride qualities, you can't drop it to the ground. Like others have said, a good starting point is 3/4". It's going to sag a bit after installation anyway, so you're going to end up at a lower point in about 2 weeks. Post installation adjustment is very simple to do.

[showcase]

How long would a post installation take? What tools would I need?

[M3PO]

Originally Posted by showcase

Looks sick as hell but how is the ride, M3PO? Is it bumpy? Bouncy? Squeaky? Also, is that extraordinarily rough on your stock suspension pieces?

Thanks! It's stiff but generally not harsh. No noises and not bouncy. The only reason that I say "generally" is that if the EDC is on "comfort" mode and I go over a bridge with a harsh transition, the shocks can bottom out. That's pretty hard on the shocks. I like it in "sport plus" so this isn't an issue during normal driving.

[edwinm3]

Going that low is not a good thing, ok if just for looks but I bet handling is very poor.

[M3PO]

Originally Posted by edwinm3

Going that low is not a good thing, ok if just for looks but I bet handling is very poor.

While I haven't put the car through it's paces on the track (yet), it handles better than it did stock (at least based on my "testing" on Mulholland).

[Ervin87]

Does anyone know if the KW Sleeve Kit bump stops are shorter than the OEM M3 bump stops? If so, by how much?

TIA

[CarbonFoot]

Stock on the left, KW on the right. Sorry, no measurements.

[Ervin87]

Thanks,

Looks like ~.75" is as low as one would want to lower the car without completely ruining the driveability.

[rennis]

Originally Posted by M3PO

Mine are all the way down in the front and the rears are set to match the fender gap (or lack there of).

Question for you: Did you modify the sleeve over kit at all to get the car this low in the front? If you compare this picture of your car to basically every other picture of KW Sleeve-over kitted cars out there, your car definitely appears to sit lower in the front. By a fair amount too.

What's your trick to getting it lower, if you don't mind sharing?

[ortho281]

Originally Posted by rennis

Question for you: Did you modify the sleeve over kit at all to get the car this low in the front? If you compare this picture of your car to basically every other picture of KW Sleeve-over kitted cars out there, your car definitely appears to sit lower in the front. By a fair amount too.

What's your trick to getting it lower, if you don't mind sharing?

+1 It does appear that the front is lower than what I noticed with my KW S/O setup. Here is a pic with track set up with 275/35-18 square set to max lowering with corner-balancing. The rear track tires are a smaller OD than rear OEM tires and so there is more of a gap.

[M3PO]

Originally Posted by rennis

Question for you: Did you modify the sleeve over kit at all to get the car this low in the front? If you compare this picture of your car to basically every other picture of KW Sleeve-over kitted cars out there, your car definitely appears to sit lower in the front. By a fair amount too.

What's your trick to getting it lower, if you don't mind sharing?

Originally Posted by ortho281

+1 It does appear that the front is lower than what I noticed with my KW S/O setup. Here is a pic with track set up with 275/35-18 square set to max lowering with corner-balancing. The rear track tires are a smaller OD than rear OEM tires and so there is more of a gap.

Sorry for the late reply guys. There is nothing different here. The only thing that I will say is that it seemed like the car continued to settle for a few months. Maybe the other KW SO pics are of fresh installs?