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      08-11-2020, 05:54 PM   #1
evildream
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F20 116d handling upgrades

Hi,

I'm a new user here and I recently brought a BMW f20 116d from 2015.
I have VSS steering and I'm quite disappointed how the car handles... steering feels filtered and light/over assisted on high speeds. On turns I really feel body rolling - like my old GOLF IV. I'm really looking forward to improve all of this asap.

From what I've researched on other forums, these are the cheapest top priorities:
1. Rear Underbody brace;
2. Rear subframe bushes;
3. New Front Sway bar;
4. Bilstein B4.

I'm also considering upgrading my 16" wheels to bigger 17" but I don't know if this will improve car handling.

Please let me know what you think of this and if you have other suggestions.
Thanks!

Last edited by evildream; 07-14-2021 at 08:06 AM..
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      08-12-2020, 01:05 AM   #2
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Based on my experience with the F20 M-Sport and track days, I would take a different approach. If think the handling is pretty good already, but to improve it, my number one priority would be M4 front control arms, to get more negative camber up front. Number two would be sporty tyres, like Michelin Sport Cup 2. Number three would be a set of coilovers to stiffen the suspension up.

If you don't have sport suspension on the car, you may want to add coilovers first, along with M-Sport swaybars.

Bilstein B4 is not really a performance upgrade, but a product with pretty much the same characteristics as the stock dampers. If the stock bushings are worn out, it would make sense to replace them, otherwise I think they are pretty good. I don't think a brace would be needed either.
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      08-12-2020, 04:14 AM   #3
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There is a M Performance suspension retrofit kit. From BMW.

And it does not look like swaybars differ (only the rear one for adaptive suspension).
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      08-12-2020, 01:25 PM   #4
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The M Performance stuff is really expensive, but probably also very good.
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      09-04-2020, 01:53 PM   #5
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What i did to my 116d is weichers top strut bar, poly sway bar bushes, M-Tech rear underbody upgrade kit, hartge lowering springs, these relative cheap upgrades makes the car alot better, cornering at high speed is now so much fun 😂👌i have also done a remap to 190hp/400nm and upgraded brakes to 125 brakes (312 front/300 rear and now ventilated in the rear too)
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      06-04-2021, 07:04 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ovekvam View Post
Based on my experience with the F20 M-Sport and track days, I would take a different approach. If think the handling is pretty good already, but to improve it, my number one priority would be M4 front control arms, to get more negative camber up front. Number two would be sporty tyres, like Michelin Sport Cup 2. Number three would be a set of coilovers to stiffen the suspension up.

If you don't have sport suspension on the car, you may want to add coilovers first, along with M-Sport swaybars.

Bilstein B4 is not really a performance upgrade, but a product with pretty much the same characteristics as the stock dampers. If the stock bushings are worn out, it would make sense to replace them, otherwise I think they are pretty good. I don't think a brace would be needed either.
From what I have seen, the issue with using the M4 LCA + TS and the alternative SuperPro ALOY0030K LCA + SPF4306K is that both move the front wheels back from the central position in the arch. Also the use of (say) 8.5" flow formed wheels with (say) 245/35 (40 ET) tyres might be inhibited by rubbing on the struts.

I suggest examining the use of Vorshlag or Millway Camber plates as 1 or 2 degrees extra negative camber would save the outer edge of front tyres and give more even wear.
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      06-22-2021, 08:43 AM   #7
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would poly bushing all around help ?
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      06-22-2021, 11:45 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KraljDiskoteka View Post
would poly bushing all around help ?
I don't think so. The stock rubber bushings are designed to have just the right amount of flex to compensate for suspension movement. Poly bushings are too stiff.
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      06-26-2021, 03:36 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Regressor View Post
What i did to my 116d is weichers top strut bar, poly sway bar bushes, M-Tech rear underbody upgrade kit, hartge lowering springs, these relative cheap upgrades makes the car alot better, cornering at high speed is now so much fun ����i have also done a remap to 190hp/400nm and upgraded brakes to 125 brakes (312 front/300 rear and now ventilated in the rear too)
Sorry for the late reply.

Great! This is exactly the approach I'm looking for.
Do you have 17" wheels? I'm going to upgrade wheels first, then:
- Eibach pro kit springs (with OEM shocks)
- Rear underbody kit
- underbody front sway bar (m-sport)

I'm not going to replace the OEM shocks for now.
About strut bar vs sway bar, I guess the sway bar would be better to prevent body roll?
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      06-26-2021, 04:40 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by evildream View Post
Sorry for the late reply.

Great! This is exactly the approach I'm looking for.
Do you have 17" wheels? I'm going to upgrade wheels first, then:
- Eibach pro kit springs (with OEM shocks)
- Rear underbody kit
- underbody front sway bar (m-sport)

I'm not going to replace the OEM shocks for now.
About strut bar vs sway bar, I guess the sway bar would be better to prevent body roll?
Definitely. The strut bars will not do anything to the handling or body roll. Stiffer springs will also reduce body roll. Dedicated shocks would probably have been the most noticeable of all, both reducing body roll and improving handling and sometimes comfort as well.

Make sure to get some good tyres when you upgrade the wheels.
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      06-27-2021, 08:50 AM   #11
evildream
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Thanks.
Can you please tell me if a front m sport sway bar will fit on a regular F20?
Just received a reply from an eBay seller stating that it is not compatible?
Can anyone share the part number?

About tyres, I'll definitely fit Contis which I'm a great fan of.
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      06-27-2021, 09:10 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by evildream View Post
Thanks.
Can you please tell me if a front m sport sway bar will fit on a regular F20?
Just received a reply from an eBay seller stating that it is not compatible?
Can anyone share the part number?
https://f20.1addicts.com/forums/show...4#post26553274

Quote:
Originally Posted by evildream View Post
About tyres, I'll definitely fit Contis which I'm a great fan of.
He means Michelin.
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      06-27-2021, 01:37 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by No one View Post
He means Michelin.
Yes. But other tyres from the top shelf, like Continental, are also okay.
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      06-28-2021, 03:07 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ovekvam View Post
Yes. But other tyres from the top shelf, like Continental, are also okay.
Ofcourse... Differences between Michelin PS and Contis SportContact must be negligible...
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      06-28-2021, 12:47 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by evildream View Post
Ofcourse... Differences between Michelin PS and Contis SportContact must be negligible...
...if it's a negligible improvement you are looking for. It's not that I "any" care, but I remember some M2 buyers felt quite frustrated/cheated receiving something other than Michelin on their cars:
  1. https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...ostcount=7162;
  2. https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1326161.

Again, I don't know/care what's "old" or "new" there, but on this forum people agreed Michelin "whatever" Sport were the best performance ones as well, I recall.
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      06-29-2021, 09:10 AM   #16
evildream
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About rear subframe bushes, is this mod worth it to improve handling?
Mine being a 116d with a standard suspension setup (soon upgraded).

From what I've read, there's no consensus. I guess it really depends on your atual setup.
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      06-29-2021, 10:35 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by evildream View Post
About rear subframe bushes, is this mod worth it to improve handling?
Mine being a 116d with a standard suspension setup (soon upgraded).

From what I've read, there's no consensus. I guess it really depends on your atual setup.
I hope you saw it already, but just in case: https://f20.1addicts.com/forums/show...light=subframe.

And by the way, when I suggested Michelin tires I thought you were going up from 17" wheels. There are no Michelin Sports for 17".
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      06-29-2021, 02:51 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by No one View Post
And by the way, when I suggested Michelin tires I thought you were going up from 17" wheels. There are no Michelin Sports for 17".
You don't get the Pilot Sport 4S, but Pilot Sport 4 and Pilot Sport Cup 2 should be available in 17".
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      06-29-2021, 04:45 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ovekvam View Post
You don't get the Pilot Sport 4S, but Pilot Sport 4 and Pilot Sport Cup 2 should be available in 17".
Yes, that is correct. Just noticed that Cup 2 price is pornographic...
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      06-29-2021, 04:53 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ovekvam View Post
You don't get the Pilot Sport 4S, but Pilot Sport 4 and Pilot Sport Cup 2 should be available in 17".
I checked it twice back in time, recently as well. My impression was there was nothing at all. Now again (factory/summer "mixed" set of 225/45 R17 91W + 245/40 R17 91W, hardly any options for the rear even "in theory" ): Pilot Sport 4S, "Latest generation" on US Michelin site , Pilot Sport 4 on the local Michelin site but not actually available at any local official dealer currently. So it like depends on the location. And the rears width.
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      07-14-2021, 08:03 AM   #21
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Just got hold of two parts numbers for springs, compatible with my car, which I assume are MSport (and not MPerformance). Can anyone confirm?
front: 3133 6851922 / rear: 3353 6851929

I'm undecided between these (which are stiffer than standard and lower the car only around 10mm) and Bilstein Prokit (lower around -20mm) which standard shocks... opinions are welcome
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      12-19-2021, 06:41 AM   #22
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Upgrades finally completed. Now I have a car that handles like a proper BMW.

The upgrades that I did for now:
* Rear Underbody brace;
* Bilstein Pro Kit Springs (with OEM shocks);
* 17" Wheels from Sport line edition

It now has a harder ride and steering feels way stiffer and connected. The car now handles much better, the boat feeling I had when turning is almost gone.

I'm also not satisfied with brake sensitivity... they are too soft and don't bite like VW cars... after reading a few posts, I'm planning to upgrade pads to Brembo let's see how it goes...

Don't know if upgrading brake fluid makes any difference on this, I guess it only helps with brake fatigue but i'm open to opinions.
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