[TerenceHill]

Performed installation of LCAs and TS yesterday on my new M240i LCI. Installation was straightforward. I did lathe the spacers at home. They fit snug and tight. Also added 2mm washers when installing the LCAs. BTW tightening torque of the wheel-side nuts is 175NM per manual, not 165 (but shouldnt' make a difference I think).

Front wheels had toe in very much after installation. Aligned that visually which was sufficient for driving home, will do full wheel alignment tomorrow.

Together with M Performance LSD and brake pad upgrade this will be a good mod package for spirited driving I think.

My car is equipped with LED headlights; headlight leveling lever is the same as expected so no problems here (when using the M4 ball on the control arm)

[Dylan86]

Originally Posted by TerenceHill

Performed installation of LCAs and TS yesterday on my new M240i LCI. Installation was straightforward. I did lathe the spacers at home. They fit snug and tight. Also added 2mm washers when installing the LCAs. BTW tightening torque of the wheel-side nuts is 175NM per manual, not 165 (but shouldnt' make a difference I think).

Front wheels had toe in very much after installation. Aligned that visually which was sufficient for driving home, will do full wheel alignment tomorrow.

Together with M Performance LSD and brake pad upgrade this will be a good mod package for spirited driving I think.

My car is equipped with LED headlights; headlight leveling lever is the same as expected so no problems here (when using the M4 ball on the control arm)

Nice man! Looking forward to your final thoughts. I couldn't imagine this car without the M4 LCA's anymore, and the LSD. I drove a stock auto m235i and it was so much different, in feel.

[TerenceHill]

Same for me, upgraded from a stock M235 to the M240 (both auto). While still breaking in, I can already feel the difference in traction with the LSD, especially in rain. Oversteer feels much better too now It's night and day.

[jase2addict]

can you install the m3 dinan mono ball kit into LCA's? I'm thinking of the LCA/TS for my xmas present to myself.

[Dylan86]

Originally Posted by jase2addict

can you install the m3 dinan mono ball kit into LCA's? I'm thinking of the LCA/TS for my xmas present to myself.

IIRC they have a seperate kit for each. Either you do the mod to your existing arms, or buy the monoball kit for a set of M4 LCA's. If you can get a used set of M4 LCA's this route may be great, otherwise very expensive..

[DVC]

Originally Posted by jase2addict

can you install the m3 dinan mono ball kit into LCA's?...

Originally Posted by Dylan86

IIRC they have a seperate kit for each. Either you do the mod to your existing arms, or buy the monoball kit for a set of M4 LCA's...

Correct, Dinan makes a kit for 2/3 series TSes, and another for M2/3/4 TSes (not interchangeable, of course).
I've got the M kit on my M TSes, and they fit perfectly.

[m3cmm]

Originally Posted by jase2addict

can you install the m3 dinan mono ball kit into LCA's? I'm thinking of the LCA/TS for my xmas present to myself.

Here is a cheaper (and as good as) option. I've had both these and the Dinan's.

http://www.bimmerworld.com/BimmerWor...Bearing_2.html

I see there is also a Powerflex option that is even cheaper...I have no experience with these.

http://www.bimmerworld.com/Powerflex...M3-F82-M4.html

http://www.bimmerworld.com/Powerflex...-F82-M4_2.html

[DVC]

Originally Posted by m3cmm

Here is a cheaper (and as good as) option. I've had both these and the Dinan's.

http://www.bimmerworld.com/BimmerWor...Bearing_2.html

I see there is also a Powerflex option that is even cheaper...I have no experience with these.

http://www.bimmerworld.com/Powerflex...M3-F82-M4.html

http://www.bimmerworld.com/Powerflex...-F82-M4_2.html

The BW bearing could be a reasonable alternative - not all monoballs are created equal, and I know Dinan monoballs are very high quality with good environmental sealing to keep them quiet and trouble-free - but if you've had good experience on a street car long term with the one that BW is sourcing, then certainly a good alternative

I wouldn't go with poly to replace a monoball - poly is not optimal for joints that need to accommodate multiple planes of movement.

[TerenceHill]

I checked the headlight sensor lever before and after LCA and TS installation and didn't notice any difference; however the lever did shift a bit, so I'll adjust headlights today. The joint ball on the M4 LCA seems to be a bit lower than the original one.

Besides that, I'm very lucky with my modifications. Turn-in feels already much better, I expect the difference to be even greater on track where my hold M235i suffered from understeer a lot.

The M-Perf LSD is an even bigger improvement on road, while I don't expect too much difference on track it's great especially under non-optimal conditions, e.g. bad street surface or in the wet. Traction out of tight turns is abnormal. Feels like a true "M" car.
Drifting a roundabout in the rain is much fun, too

[Dylan86]

Originally Posted by TerenceHill

The M-Perf LSD is an even bigger improvement on road, while I don't expect too much difference on track it's great especially under non-optimal conditions, e.g. bad street surface or in the wet. Traction out of tight turns is abnormal. Feels like a true "M" car.
Drifting a roundabout in the rain is much fun, too

I wish everyone could appreciate this, that always like to suggest "go FBO, the LSD is too $$". People tend to bolt on every power mod they can, then complain about grip, handling, etc. Meanwhile, the LSD alone is a more worthwhile upgrade from an outright performing/handling perspective, regardless of cost (some value HP, some value performance). More power only promotes the issues with the open diff and decreases overall handling characteristics. The stock car with an open diff does well, but can still be caught in many situations where it will cause disruption with rotation..

[krisa9977]

Just put Lemforder LCA and Powerflex adjustable bushings. With Powerflex front wheel goes 20 mm backwards where it supposed to be and you getting extra -0.5 degrees of negative camber on top of LCA. Lemforder LCA is the same as m3/m4 LCA, but cost much less and also have metal uniball bearings instead of original rubber bushings.
part numbers:

Now the car has about -2.0 degrees of front negative camber.

Powerflex PFF5-1901GBL
Lemforder 38258 01
Lemforder 38259 01

[jmwilson125]

Originally Posted by krisa9977

Just put Lemforder LCA and Powerflex adjustable bushings. With Powerflex front wheel goes 20 mm backwards where it supposed to be and you getting extra -0.5 degrees of negative camber on top of LCA. Lemforder LCA is the same as m3/m4 LCA, but cost much less and also have metal uniball bearings instead of original rubber bushings.
part numbers:

Now the car has about -2.0 degrees of front negative camber.

Powerflex PFF5-1901GBL
Lemforder 38258 01
Lemforder 38259 01

So if I already have m4 lca + ts can the powerflex adjustable bushings still be added? Does the bushing itself pull the wheel back 20 mm?

I am currently at -2.0 front camber and get slight rub on the fender. If the wheel was pulled back a small amount and a slight increase in neg camber it would be perfect.

[OverRev]

Thanks for the info, guys, I install TSes and LCAs last week at my shop. I used two 1mm spacers for the LCAs install, one on each end so it fit tight. For the TSes I used these, suggested by allthatisntnow:

spacers from Summit Racing:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/KYS-100-377-3
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/KYS-100-377-1

tension struts from ECS Tuning:
https://www.ecstuning.com/ES2767705/
https://www.ecstuning.com/ES2767682/

here are the pictures under the car

https://ibb.co/g9JVEb
https://ibb.co/g59y0G
https://ibb.co/j4KRnw

After the installation, first I noticed was the crazy toe-in, had to adjust it a little so the car was at least drivable. I found a lot of noise coming out from the suspension and steering linkage, and a lot of sudden shifting when i drove above 60km, but these problems are mostly gone after a proper alignment. so if you encounter the same issues don't freak out.

My M235 is lowered with H&R spring, the front camber changed from -1.2 to -2.1 each side and the caster changed from 7.1 to 8.1 (driver) & 9.5 (passenger). I set my rear camber to -2.2 each corner and 0.05 toe-in in all four corners.

I found my front tires (235/40/R18 RE71R on 18x8 ET40) rubbing a lot. I am sure the front wheels were pushed outward and forward, so even with the TSes installed the wheel is not center to the wheel arcs and i'vw gotta to roll the fenders a bit more.

I guess the bushings on the TSes and LCAs are stiffer so all these little bumps from the road are sent to the steering wheel, especially with the more grippy RE71R front tires. Turning is much sharper at tight corners under 60km. Cant really test faster turns because of the weather condition in Canada these days but I am looking forward to see how it does on the track next season.

[Icy J]

Originally Posted by OverRev

After the installation, first I noticed was the crazy toe-in, had to adjust it a little so the car was at least drivable. I found a lot of noise coming out from the suspension and steering linkage, and a lot of sudden shifting when i drove above 60km, but these problems are mostly gone after a proper alignment. so if you encounter the same issues don't freak out.

did you have a rattling/knocking noise when going over bumps before doing an alignment?

[OverRev]

Yes, there was knocking noise b4 alignment I thought something was broken.. lucky the alignment shop was only a block from my shop.. after the alignment there are still little noise but it’s not knocking noise more like the bumps from the road being transferred thru the harder bushing and to the steering wheel. And I only notice it with all music off and window closed.

Originally Posted by Icy J

did you have a rattling/knocking noise when going over bumps before doing an alignment?

[OverRev]

guys, can you share your front wheels and tires spec that fit your 2er after the LCA and TS conversion?

I was running 235/40/R18 RE71R on 18x8" ET40 with rolled fenders, fit tight b4 the conversion and no way to fit at all after.
My winter wheels are 225/40/R18 Pirelli on 18x9" ET30 and it fits with light rub when going thru bumps.

[Icy J]

Do the lcas physically push out the wheel similar to what a spacer would do? Trying to figure out fitment with these things is a nightmare

[Tpeterson]

Originally Posted by Icy J

Do the lcas physically push out the wheel similar to what a spacer would do? Trying to figure out fitment with these things is a nightmare

Pushes the bottom of the wheel out,not the top, to give negative camber.

[rwalker]

Originally Posted by Tpeterson

Pushes the bottom of the wheel out,not the top, to give negative camber.

the top of the wheel moves out too, just not as much as the bottom

[Icy J]

Originally Posted by rwalker

the top of the wheel moves out too, just not as much as the bottom

thanks. does it lower the front of the car too? trying to make sure i'm not hallucinating

[pikcachu]

Originally Posted by Icy J

thanks. does it lower the front of the car too? trying to make sure i'm not hallucinating

It shouldn't....if anything it's something like less than 1mm

[rwalker]

Originally Posted by Icy J

thanks. does it lower the front of the car too? trying to make sure i'm not hallucinating

Were the strut a fixed length, the car would lower by approximately the sine of the angle between with and without LCA multiplied by the length of the strut. The strut's not a fixed length, though, and spring loading is increased by the same angle change, which I think could lower the car a bit more.

I think a shorter, better answer is "don't worry about it".