06-18-2021, 07:42 AM | #1 |
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Millway street camber: review
These plates are simple and functional, - they do the job. They don’t require trimming of the top hat rubber boot so when I open the hood, it all looks normal.
Fitment Issues: I am not a mechanic so I don’t know the exact name for this, but there is a post that anchors the strut bar, pictured below, that blocks the camber adjustment slider from sliding all the way out to its maximum negative setting. Millway seems to have tried to account for this post by notching the side of the slider… just not enough. So the most that could be set was -2.1° which is perfectly acceptable for my use, but something to consider if you’re expecting more. NVH: The car always felt like it was easing into the next setting when switching between comfort and sport +. Now with the powerflex bushings, that switch is very noticeable immediately. When going over bumps on the highway, the car really lets you know about it now in Sport + as soon as you hit the switch. I feel it in the steering and through the chassis a lot more. In comfort, the suspension is still compliant and it quiets down considerably going over bumps. No complaints here. There’s no thunking or clicking and from what I can tell, all the additional minimum NVH that exists now is mostly due to the Powerflex bushing upgrade. It’s a subtle upgrade, but I love it so far. I’m glad I went with the “race” grade or black series bushings instead of the “street” bushings. I don’t imagine I would have felt a difference otherwise. Stability / daily drivability The car was stable at speeds on the highway with the track alignment and I didn’t feel the car wandering around on its own at all. I could feel some slight pull in the wheel from side to side when the car wanted to follow a crown in the road, but because I could feel it, I could compensate easily and I was never drifting into the next lane. Once I got onto my favorite back roads, I was psyched with how much better the car turns-in compared to what I’ve been used to. It’s a big difference. I think this is a worthwhile upgrade for anyone who likes ripping down some B roads and/or does an occasional track day. Your tires will be happier with the latter. The entire process cost about $1,500 between parts and labor. I’m retaining mostly OEM parts in the suspension geometry and just getting things a little more rigid and responsive. I’ll have more to say after some track time with them.
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06-18-2021, 08:12 AM | #2 |
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Good job and great review. Thanks!
I was going to go for these, but they are fairly backordered. I thought of going for the M4 aluminum strut brace as the "Hybrids" were in stock. I still may do that depending on how the B16's feel once they are in. 2.1 seems pretty good for a street/track setup. I can only imagine how much better the turn in is. Looking forward to a long term review down the road. |
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06-18-2021, 11:55 AM | #3 | |
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Quote:
- M Performance Suspension Kit - M3 control arms (I know this is probably not possible for fitment reasons on the 2 series) - BMW camber correction wheel hubs -0.5 I think -2.0 is a good camber setting for the street, but on track, I think you want somewhere between -2.5 to -3.0. Also, how backordered are these camber plates? I just submitted a purchase on Millway's site. |
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06-18-2021, 02:24 PM | #4 |
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Here is the reply email I got 9 days ago....
Thank you for the interest in our products. Unfortunately we can not promise a date for shipping at the moment but we really hope that the plates will be ready in 4 weeks. Then the shipping time depends on where you live. Since we have a lot of orders waiting we recommend to place an order now. Then we get you “on the list” when we start so send out plates. So you are on the list, but it looks like at least 4 weeks, if they have enough stock. Email them and they may be able to give you a ballpark. josh |
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06-19-2021, 07:28 PM | #5 |
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Update 1:
Ok, drove some harsher roads today and there is definitely some noticeable clunking when the going gets rough. It’s not a deal breaker at all for me, but they aren’t always imperceivable. Not loud by any means though. Comfort mode steering feel is improved. It feels less assisted at standstill now but still on the lighter side. At speed, the difference between comfort and sport + seems negligible. One starts light and gets firmer, the other is firm all the time. Kicks the hands when hitting potholes the way an E46 325i might. No, I didn’t test that on purpose… I am starting to have second thoughts about recommending the powerflex bushings for a street-only car. It seems they just make the chassis feel harsher over bumps, without enough extra steering feel to make up for it. The true test will be on track performance. Btw, driving on Michelin All Season 3+ tires. 235/40 square. Will post more when switching to the 245 RS4’s
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07-01-2021, 08:42 PM | #6 |
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PK,
Thanks for theh follow up review. How is the clunking going? Any other noises arrise? I am still thinking about these down the road.... Thanks! josh |
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07-02-2021, 11:49 AM | #7 |
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It sounds like a golf bag is gently kicking around somewhere in the engine bay when going over bumps. It’s subtle and you won’t notice it if the radio’s on or windows are down… still kind of annoying but that’s the only negative. Overall still happy with the mod.
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