Re: suspension question

[kohlbren-m-d@xxxxxxx]

> kohlbren-m-d@domain.elided wrote:
> > > Alex thanks for your quick response. I may not have explained 
> > > myself well when trying to describe what the bmw mechanic said
> > > needed to be done. i am not sure what the exact part names are 
> > > but please bare with me. From what i remember the bmw mechanic
> > > said that the springs should not have been as compressed as they
> > > were. the car was just parked on a level surface. when he looked
> > > up under the wheel well he pointed and showed me what he was 
> > > looking at. The first few coils on the springs were touching 
> > > each other.
> > 
> > This may very well be perfectly normal. 
> 
> Mike,
> I would disagree that this is normal. All springs are preloaded to some 
> extend, but if coil binding at static ride height is not normal.

I know nothing about the specifics of the M3 application, which is why
I said "may".  However, there are those applications where this is
indeed the way they are designed.

> It will rub off the paint, induce corrosion and premature spring failure.

Static or dynamic, there will be little difference.  My old Civic Si had
this so-called "progressive" design stock and they had plastic covers
over the binding links, presumably for this reason and since binding
coils will make noise.

...
> I can not think of any way one can screw up front E36 strut assembly.

You underestimate the abilities of complete idiots!

...
> > There are plenty of  "lowering springs" out there that have several
> > so-called "dead coils" wound into them whose only function is to take
> > up the slop when the shock is at full extension, 
> 
> The full extension is limited by the length of the shock.

Yes, but only if the spring free length is sufficient to accomplish
this, which it usually is, of course.  However, sometimes it is 
impractical with constant wound springs to achieve the desired static
ride height and spring rate while maintaining sufficient free length
to "fill out" the shock.  The simple solution is to add dead coils
that bind at static ride height.  It may not be done for the E36 M3,
but it is certainly done in some applications.

Regards,
Mike Kohlbrenner
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