Ohlins R&T review

[neilum]

Just came to post and share my excitement after getting these bad boys installed.

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The ZCP suspension in my opinion is a little floaty and not as tight as I wanted the car to be so it was time. I also am not a fan of switching settings based on whether my wife is with me, or what road I am on, or what mood I am in. its not my thing. I wanted a flexible suspension that has variable and dynamic behavior all built into it without changing any settings. I also wanted the car to be more responsive, with better turn in and sharper reflexes. So, off to ACM she went.

Refinement -

Somehow the car is more comfortable and refined 95% of the time compared to stock. I'd say the experience sits between all of the ranges and settings of the stock ZCP EDC suspension depending on the road. When you are on smooth pavement, it feels like comfort. On a road with mild imperfections however it feels like the normal setting, but on uneven roads it still crashes a bit like the stock sport setting. I hated that about the OEM ZCP suspension, where in sport the car just crashes over bumps and is unbearable around the tri-state area roads. It doesn't crash quite as hard as sport now, but its close. Not unbearable but that is the only time I feel like I have an aftermarket coil over suspension. Every other time its a positive in this department which is remarkable.

Performance -

The entire car just went up a notch or two in terms of capability. The weight transfer during cornering is significantly improved. The car just takes a seat, plants and hunkers down. It's very predictable and fun to have a much better "handle" on weight transfer as the car transitions in and out of corners. I find myself going faster everywhere because it just feels more eager and planted.

It's not just cornering though, braking and acceleration is improved as well. It takes off smoother and puts the power down better because it does a much better job of managing weight for every motion and G force placed on the car.

Driving around now feels like the car may be overkill for the street in terms of handling and probably would be best enjoyed on a track but I guess that's the point!

These aren't cheap but you get what you pay for. Super impressed. I can feel however that the springs are a little soft and I don't think these would be a great fit if you are a track junky. I think that use case misses the boat here.


Anyway, one of my favorite things about this platform is the progressive nature of the car and how approachable the performance is. The Ohlins just dialed all that up, it feels like I can very easily just dial up or down my steering and throttle inputs to go faster. These coil over system fits the character of the car very well.

It sits about the same as the ZCP suspension did. I have to go back to ACM for an alignment and maybe dial up the aggressiveness a click or two but won't change the ride height.

If you have $3200 burning a hole in your pocket (all in including install) I think you can't miss.

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[W12x]

Ohlins RT is one of the mods I have been thinking about doing but never did due to their maintenance interval...
Did you get the camber plate as well or just the R/T?

[neilum]

Originally Posted by W12x

Ohlins RT is one of the mods I have been thinking about doing but never did due to their maintenance interval...
Did you get the camber plate as well or just the R/T?

The interval isn't ideal but I drive maybe 5K a year with this car so in my case its not deal breaker. ACM guys say realistically the interval is more like 40-50K miles so for me that is a very long time.

No camber plates here.

Funny you have a Tesla, that is my next car. I'll have two M3's (not selling this) but only one OG. Also I'll have one car that requires next to no maintenance, and then this thing that is an absolute maintenance whore.

[6ixSpd]

Nice review! Definitely one of the best setups for these cars for those that aren't track rats.

How many miles were on your ZCP setup?

[W12x]

Originally Posted by neilum

The interval isn't ideal but I drive maybe 5K a year with this car so in my case its not deal breaker. ACM guys say realistically the interval is more like 40-50K miles so for me that is a very long time.

No camber plates here.

Funny you have a Tesla, that is my next car. I'll have two M3's (not selling this) but only one OG. Also I'll have one car that requires next to no maintenance, and then this thing that is an absolute maintenance whore.

Interesting, if the interval for Ohlins is 40-50K (even 35-40K) that's pretty doable for me, I have been reading that they are very high maintenance, like rebuilding every 20K or so.

I was thinking about getting Ohlins without camber plates too, and I drive the E92 about 6-8K per year so 40Kish is more than enough but 20K can be annoying.



The Tesla Model 3 is pretty good (we need to form a M3+Model3 group lol), mine is an early build (June 2018), and so far don't have any issues with it other than software glitch that requires reboot(happened about 3-4 times in the two years I had the car).

Car is quick (mine is LR RWD), not as fast as M3 but not slow at all. If you get the Performance Model 3 then it's a total monster.

Interior is pretty meh, but the seats are comfortable enough for long drive. You may get some rattling from time to time, but that's also true for BMWs.

Talking about maintenance...the nearly maintenance free Model 3 is still not enough to offset the extra maintenance on the M3...but, both cars are great, and offers very different sensations.

If you are looking to get a Model 3 it may be worth it to wait a little, heard Tesla may offer air/adaptive suspension on the Model 3 (Elon denied it, but he's changing all the time).

It's also worth it to get a referral link from Tesla owners you know, using it should get you some free supercharging credit if you are not buying a free lifetime SC car, be happy to share mine if you want it.

[neilum]

Originally Posted by 6ixSpd

Nice review! Definitely one of the best setups for these cars for those that aren't track rats.

How many miles were on your ZCP setup?

88K miles. Still felt tight seemed to have decent life left. Prior owner before me was not an enthusiast and I'm very sure he never really pushed the car.

[//steve\\]

Having had the Ohlins on multiple S2000s over mine doing plenty of miles I can say if you want a very simple one way adjustable shock they seem to be best bang for buck especially for the fancier shock tech in them. I find they could use just a slight spring rate increase over off the shelf but with that a very good do it all setup.

If I was setup on running something more simple and single adjustable it's 100% the way I'd go.

[M3R1]

Nice write up! The boys at ACM took care of me in March as well. I got a set of these CO's and did my rod bearings at the same time. I love mine as well..

[neilum]

Originally Posted by //steve\\

Having had the Ohlins on multiple S2000s over mine doing plenty of miles I can say if you want a very simple one way adjustable shock they seem to be best bang for buck especially for the fancier shock tech in them. I find they could use just a slight spring rate increase over off the shelf but with that a very good do it all setup.

If I was setup on running something more simple and single adjustable it's 100% the way I'd go.

I can see that, I just want simplicity and would never utilize something like a 2 way system. The car may see 2-3 track/hpde days, ever.

I'm very much an amateur here just happy to be on the ride.

[M_Chronos]

Originally Posted by W12x

Ohlins RT is one of the mods I have been thinking about doing but never did due to their maintenance interval...
Did you get the camber plate as well or just the R/T?

PSA I seem to make a lot so cut and pasted a response from another thread:

To be clear, Ohlins are not going to stop working more or less than any other shock if not rebuilt at these intervals. This is the suggested interval based on refreshing valves and seals to keep the shocks working as new. Any shock degrades over time, Ohlins is giving you their recommended refresh interval. I know plenty of people with many tens of thousands of miles beyond the rebuild interval that are just fine. Has the performance degraded? Sure, quite likely. Is the car bouncing around like a low rider and/or wheels falling off? No. I think anyone avoiding Ohlins because of the maintenance interval are missing out on some great shocks and ignoring the fact that other brands face the same decrease and performance and may be much more difficult to rebuild if at all. So to keep as new performance as they age you'd be facing a scrap and buy new scenario. Just food for thought.

[Redd]

I've had my Ohlins R/T on my daily driven M3 for 3yrs and 40k kms now. Still going strong. 6 months ago I did feel the rears get slightly softer but firming it up one click fixed that. I run it at 12/12 for daily, 8/8 for hill climbs and 4/4 for track.

This is in contrast to Koni adjustables which I had in a previous car which was largely too soft by the end of 3 years.

I think it depends on what firmness you run it most of the time. Firmer settings result in more friction/heat which will accelerate valve and seal wear. So I expect Ohlins driven on track only will require more frequent rebuilds than primarily street driven units.

[W12x]

Originally Posted by M_Chronos

PSA I seem to make a lot so cut and pasted a response from another thread:

To be clear, Ohlins are not going to stop working more or less than any other shock if not rebuilt at these intervals. This is the suggested interval based on refreshing valves and seals to keep the shocks working as new. Any shock degrades over time, Ohlins is giving you their recommended refresh interval. I know plenty of people with many tens of thousands of miles beyond the rebuild interval that are just fine. Has the performance degraded? Sure, quite likely. Is the car bouncing around like a low rider and/or wheels falling off? No. I think anyone avoiding Ohlins because of the maintenance interval are missing out on some great shocks and ignoring the fact that other brands face the same decrease and performance and may be much more difficult to rebuild if at all. So to keep as new performance as they age you'd be facing a scrap and buy new scenario. Just food for thought.

Originally Posted by Redd

I've had my Ohlins R/T on my daily driven M3 for 3yrs and 40k kms now. Still going strong. 6 months ago I did feel the rears get slightly softer but firming it up one click fixed that. I run it at 12/12 for daily, 8/8 for hill climbs and 4/4 for track.

This is in contrast to Koni adjustables which I had in a previous car which was largely too soft by the end of 3 years.

I think it depends on what firmness you run it most of the time. Firmer settings result in more friction/heat which will accelerate valve and seal wear. So I expect Ohlins driven on track only will require more frequent rebuilds than primarily street driven units.

Interesting info the on Ohlins R/T guys, thank you, definitely put Ohlins back on my list again.

I don't do track in the M3, and probably won't do it in the future. However I am looking to refresh and swap out my factory EDC shocks soon, and considering factory non-EDC or Ohlins R/T.

From what I have read, the Ohlins, if dialed correctly, can offer both better handling and some improvement in comfort over factory (EDC or non-EDC) shocks at the same time, which would be a great plus to me.

How do you like the Ohlins on the street?

[Z K]

Originally Posted by W12x

Interesting info the on Ohlins R/T guys, thank you, definitely put Ohlins back on my list again.

I don't do track in the M3, and probably won't do it in the future. However I am looking to refresh and swap out my factory EDC shocks soon, and considering factory non-EDC or Ohlins R/T.

From what I have read, the Ohlins, if dialed correctly, can offer both better handling and some improvement in comfort over factory (EDC or non-EDC) shocks at the same time, which would be a great plus to me.

How do you like the Ohlins on the street?

Keep in mind the person saying 40k is in KM, not miles. He has about 25k miles on his suspension which is not very worn yet.

I ran Ohlins before on a previous car. You'll notice some degradation in the shocks at about 20k miles and need a rebuild at 30-40k miles. It all depends how rough your roads are. They wear out more quickly on rough surfaces.

Otherwise they are a great coilovers. Comfortable and great handling all in one. It smooths out bumps and body roll so you can go faster.

Factory EDC suspension is not very good. It has a big lack of rebound. The adjustment just changes compression dampening. It's very floaty at any setting and Sport just makes things uncomfortable while still feeling floaty.

[Redd]

Ohlins is perfect for daily use and canyon carving. My car had ZCP springs with stock non-EDC dampers and Ohlins R/T is both firmer and less harsh. Ohlins really soaks up road roughness well. I drove my friend's EDC E90 M3 the other day and EDC is much harsher with poorer body control.

If there's any complaint I have about the Ohlins R/T it's that the front adjustment knob is at the bottom of the damper, I wish it was on top.

[W12x]

Originally Posted by Z K

Keep in mind the person saying 40k is in KM, not miles. He has about 25k miles on his suspension which is not very worn yet.

I ran Ohlins before on a previous car. You'll notice some degradation in the shocks at about 20k miles and need a rebuild at 30-40k miles. It all depends how rough your roads are. They wear out more quickly on rough surfaces.

Otherwise they are a great coilovers. Comfortable and great handling all in one. It smooths out bumps and body roll so you can go faster.

Factory EDC suspension is not very good. It has a big lack of rebound. The adjustment just changes compression dampening. It's very floaty at any setting and Sport just makes things uncomfortable while still feeling floaty.

Almost missed the km vs miles parts, thanks for pointing it out.

I think for what I am looking to do, it should last relatively long based on the information here (will be using them on softer setting for street only, so if and when they degrade I can just dial it up a click or two, and roads here in Texas isn't bad)

[M_Chronos]

Originally Posted by W12x

Almost missed the km vs miles parts, thanks for pointing it out.

I think for what I am looking to do, it should last relatively long based on the information here (will be using them on softer setting for street only, so if and when they degrade I can just dial it up a click or two, and roads here in Texas isn't bad)

Don't be overly concerned about how you use them. Ohlins are not fragile. Run them stiff if that's what suits you. Ohlins are no more vulnerable to wear and degrading performance than the other alternatives.

[Remonster]

Originally Posted by M_Chronos

Don't be overly concerned about how you use them. Ohlins are not fragile. Run them stiff if that's what suits you. Ohlins are no more vulnerable to wear and degrading performance than the other alternatives.

This is exactly right and if anything, my experience has been the opposite - Ohlins are among the absolute best in terms of longevity. It's just that other brands are not so upfront about fact that every single shock absorber on the planet will wear eventually, will leak eventually, etc.

The one thing I have occasionally seen around 20k miles on cars that drive fast on a lot of very rough roads or do a lot of track events is the bearings in the front upper camber plates can become noisy and should be replaced which is also something Ohlins warns you of and also something that's common to many brands of camber plates, whether the manufacturer of those plates bothers to educate their customers prior to purchase or whether they want to make the sale and wait for the customer to figure it out on their own.

[M3_Jay]

These seem like the next step for me. A local buddy of mine just got his installed by ACM as well and I'm sold. I'm on stock suspension with springs, we occasionally do some weekend runs and it opened up my eyes as to how floaty stock sus is, now I'm eager to pull the trigger and go with the Ohlins

Plan on purchasing through ACM and also add camber plates with sway bars and end links.

[Redd]

Get your rear subframes bushes changed to solid. A lot of the rear end wiggle comes from those.

[neilum]

Originally Posted by Redd

Get your rear subframes bushes changed to solid. A lot of the rear end wiggle comes from those.

I have been seriously considering solid rear subframes. Next year is on my list

I've been living with the Ohlins for 6 months now and I am 100% sure I'm spoiled now and wouldn't enjoy the car nearly as much without them. Acm dialed in the post install
alignment and the car is really tight.

It still is a little harsh over rough roads but the really cool thing is the feel of the Ohlins shines through. Yes you feel imperfections in the road but it's a very high quality feel to the car as this happens. The entire car feels more solid and less upset by it. I think it's just high quality parts giving a very different feel in the car as it happens.

Before with the OEM ZCP bumps and imperfections shook the car intensely and felt horrible.

[Redd]

Definitely get the solid subframe done. Completely changes how the chassis feels.

[lowkey_domm]

Originally Posted by M3_Jay

These seem like the next step for me. A local buddy of mine just got his installed by ACM as well and I'm sold. I'm on stock suspension with springs, we occasionally do some weekend runs and it opened up my eyes as to how floaty stock sus is, now I'm eager to pull the trigger and go with the Ohlins

Plan on purchasing through ACM and also add camber plates with sway bars and end links.

I have a set of Ohlins RT's for sale