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      02-12-2013, 05:44 PM   #1
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Clunk sound "fixed" with H&R springs

Early post here: http://f10.m5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=656996

Gave up on waiting for BMW (which now claims "clunk sound" is a constructive specialty of M5) and installed H&R springs ($350) yesterday at the service. The car is about 1" (25 mm) lower now.

Advantages:
- Clunk sound is gone
- Comfort is the same

Disadvantages:
- Suspension warranty void. BMW Service put this as a precondition before agreeing to install the springs. It took them a full work day with 2 technicians to install the springs and cost about $550. Knowing that this work requires rear seats, speakers etc to be taken out prior to installation I didn't want to take the car to unauthorized and questionable services that I don't trust.

- Looks worse. As a result of lowering, the previously proportional fender gap is now disproportional. The space gap on left and right of tires looks like rice "low rider" with tiny wheels.

- Low clearance. Middle bottom of my car scratches/grinds the ground each time I enter and exit garage in a diagonal slope.

In an effort to fix BMW's factory defect I now feel like I'm screwing myself and the car even more, only because BMW has its head up their butt about this problem. I'm be OK to take it back to BMW service and having to pay another $550 to put the old springs back, but I don't know if they would return suspension warranty or not as it's been 48 hours with me driving the car like this. What do you guys think and recommend?

Last edited by singularity; 02-12-2013 at 06:55 PM..
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      02-12-2013, 06:00 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by singularity View Post
Early post here: http://f10.m5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=656996

Gave up on waiting for BMW (which now claims "clunk sound" is a constructive specialty of M5) and installed H&R springs ($350) yesterday at the service. The car is about 1" (25 mm) lower now.

Advantages:
- Clunk sound is gone
- Comfort is the same

Disadvantages:
- Suspension warranty void. BMW Service put this as a precondition before agreeing to install the springs. It took them a full work day with 2 technicians to install the springs and cost about $550. Knowing that this work requires rear seats, speakers etc to be taken out prior to installation I didn't want to take the car to unauthorized and questionable services that I don't trust.

- Looks worse. As a result of lowering, the previously proportional fender gap is now disproportional. The space gap on left and right of tires looks like rice "low rider" with tiny wheels.

- Low clearance. Middle bottom of my car scratches/grinds the ground each time I enter and exit garage in a diagonal slope.

In an effort to fix BMW's factory defect I now feel like I'm screwing myself and the car even more, only because BMW has its head up their butt about this problem. I'm be OK to take it back to BMW service and having to pay another $550 to put the old springs back, but I don't know if they would return suspension warranty or not as it's been 48 hours with me driving the car like this. What do you guys think and recommend?
Wow, you are the first person I have heard to say that it looks worse! LOL!

If I were you I would give it a chance. I mean you were obviously fed up with the clunking sound from the stock suspension and took your own action to rectify the defect. It is unfortunate the BMW has decided to void your spring suspension warranty. Many people get this done at a private tuning shop. By the way how is the ride quality? I've only heard one person say that the ride quality is too harsh and they actually switched back to stock. Just give it some time and if after a while you can't stand it because of the look, or ride quality, or whatever, then just switch back.
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      02-12-2013, 06:30 PM   #3
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You are also the first person (out of dozens) to have installed H&R and have reported the clunk sound fixed! Most say the clunk persists unless you do a full coilover replacement (KW).

I think the car looks great lowered - spacers will also flush up the wheels and make it look perfect.

Agree that BMW shirking their responsibility here is unacceptable and very frustrating.
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      02-12-2013, 06:33 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RPiM5 View Post
Wow, you are the first person I have heard to say that it looks worse! LOL!

If I were you I would give it a chance. I mean you were obviously fed up with the clunking sound from the stock suspension and took your own action to rectify the defect. It is unfortunate the BMW has decided to void your spring suspension warranty. Many people get this done at a private tuning shop. By the way how is the ride quality? I've only heard one person say that the ride quality is too harsh and they actually switched back to stock. Just give it some time and if after a while you can't stand it because of the look, or ride quality, or whatever, then just switch back.
Thanks for the advice. I'm not concerned with void suspension warranty, I bought M5 and am ready to pay for its maintenance and unexpected issues. I'm happy with ride quality, it's almost not noticeable to me - and I drive on bad roads (slowly, but on bad roads). I'm also not very worried about it being lower because my parking lot is the only place I've actually 'hit' the ground with car's bottom middle.

I'm most concerned about these gaps (not my car's picture, mine is on winter wheels and looks like a cow)
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      02-12-2013, 06:36 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob///M5 View Post
You are also the first person (out of dozens) to have installed H&R and have reported the clunk sound fixed! Most say the clunk persists unless you do a full coilover replacement (KW).

I think the car looks great lowered - spacers will also flush up the wheels and make it look perfect.

Agree that BMW shirking their responsibility here is unacceptable and very frustrating.
Thanks, I'm effected by the general opinion now about looks it's probably my winter wheels which look bad and lack of spacers perhaps (which make the car look like a cow with tiny legs) As for 'clunk sound' it's gone. The car is solid and silent on bumps and poor roads for me, and I've seen several people on the "Clunk sound" topic who mentioned that H&R springs fixed the problem for them.

H&R springs fixed the clunk sound for nordic@telia.com also
http://f10.m5post.com/forums/showpos...&postcount=141
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      02-12-2013, 06:38 PM   #6
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As Rob stated--- spacers.

BMW offsets while more aggressive than most OEM's are still not aggressive enough.

Your parking lot must have a large undulation for the car to hit. I have not hit once where I have driven. I know that if my ground clearance where I reside was very close with the stock suspension; I might have not lowered it.
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      02-12-2013, 06:40 PM   #7
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it doesnt look too bad man. post a pic of the whole car.
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      02-12-2013, 06:47 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vic55 View Post
As Rob stated--- spacers.

BMW offsets while more aggressive than most OEM's are still not aggressive enough.

Your parking lot must have a large undulation for the car to hit. I have not hit once where I have driven. I know that if my ground clearance where I reside was very close with the stock suspension; I might have not lowered it.
What effect do spacers have on performance and very high speed driving? Would those also void a warranty? Also where can I get them?

I agree, my parking lot has abnormal vertical bends, it's the drawback of my parking lot, not the car. When I drive in I have to turn right, and immediately left, while there is a slope. I think it's the middle section of exhaust that hits the ground. I first 'hit' the ground after driving home with new Eisenmann Race mid section, probably because of a larger diameter, but it wasn't hitting when I drove OUT of the garage, now it hits both. Anyway it's not an issue.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mainly View Post
it doesnt look too bad man. post a pic of the whole car.
Will do as soon as I get a chance to drive in sunlight.
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      02-12-2013, 06:48 PM   #9
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Hmm , I can not confirm the H&R or Hartge springs do actually solve the rear clunk at all.
I still have it on rare occasions. You might have been lucky that it went away due to some
lucky positioning of the spring and perch.
As for looks there are subjective and some like and others don't but I'd agree with the factory wheels
it does look lower than with other wheel designs. But still not too low though.
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      02-12-2013, 06:52 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jmh View Post
Hmm , I can not confirm the H&R or Hartge springs do actually solve the rear clunk at all.
I still have it on rare occasions. You might have been lucky that it went away due to some
lucky positioning of the spring and perch.
As for looks there are subjective and some like and others don't but I'd agree with the factory wheels
it does look lower than with other wheel designs. But still not too low though.
My service charged $550 for installing H&R over stock, and they mentioned that they used all new replacement parts. They also took a full day to install and were consulting documentation, could it be the difference in installation in your case?
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      02-12-2013, 06:55 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by singularity View Post
My service charged $550 for installing H&R over stock, and they mentioned that they used all new replacement parts. They also took a full day to install and were consulting documentation, could it be the difference in installation in your case?
Don't think so as there's really nothing special about the install
Hopefully you're lucky and the clunk is gone for good.
The clunk is more noticeable with passenger(s) in the car (weight/distribution) and
I am usually on my own so don't hear it that often.
It doesn't bother me too much and I'll wait until I hear news from folks at BMW DE
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      02-12-2013, 06:56 PM   #12
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Winter wheels look terrible on the M5 imo, especially in white for some reason (maybe b/c of the lack of contrast). Yes, some winters are better than others, but nothing sets off a nice drop better than the OEM 20s or a nice set of 20" aftermarkets. I think once the OEMs are back on you will love the look, especially since the ride doesnt seem to have changed at all for you.
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      02-12-2013, 07:15 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by singularity View Post
What effect do spacers have on performance and very high speed driving? Would those also void a warranty? Also where can I get them?

I agree, my parking lot has abnormal vertical bends, it's the drawback of my parking lot, not the car. When I drive in I have to turn right, and immediately left, while there is a slope. I think it's the middle section of exhaust that hits the ground. I first 'hit' the ground after driving home with new Eisenmann Race mid section, probably because of a larger diameter, but it wasn't hitting when I drove OUT of the garage, now it hits both. Anyway it's not an issue.



Will do as soon as I get a chance to drive in sunlight.
If you get hubcentric spacers you should see no abnormal issues. They basically create the same bond as the stock wheel would have to the hub. You would not experience any wobbles or balance issues. Many members here use spacers on the stock 343 wheels since the offsets leave larger gaps. I dont run spacers since I have HRE wheels but on my Black Series I run 10mm spacers and run the car to 160 mph plus often with zero issues. Macht Schnell is a great brand for spacers you get here via the vendor forum. I dont think there would a warranty issue with spacers.
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      02-12-2013, 07:16 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jmh View Post
Don't think so as there's really nothing special about the install
Hopefully you're lucky and the clunk is gone for good.
The clunk is more noticeable with passenger(s) in the car (weight/distribution) and
I am usually on my own so don't hear it that often.
It doesn't bother me too much and I'll wait until I hear news from folks at BMW DE
I think you might be having a different issue. BMW who acknowledged the 'clunk sound' as a comfort issue, wrote instructions on how to test if the issue is valid or not. In my case they had asked to load the car with 200 kg+ weight and have at least 3 persons in the back, thus putting pressure and squeezing springs and test-driving. The 'clunk sound' would be gone in those conditions, and from multiple tests on my car I confirm that. Hence the defect of OEM springs not stretching backward correctly. This was the explanation of BMW and their instructions on how to test the case to help them study it further over 9 months ago. Shortly after that they mentioned informally that they're working on a solution which many people are waiting for while listening to a symphony of clunks, dongs, bumps etc in the rear
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      02-12-2013, 07:17 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by singularity View Post
My service charged $550 for installing H&R over stock, and they mentioned that they used all new replacement parts. They also took a full day to install and were consulting documentation, could it be the difference in installation in your case?

Interesting... what replacement parts did they change? I watched my private tech do the entire install and no parts were replaced and none expired during removal. The only parts that were replaced were the springs.
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      02-12-2013, 07:38 PM   #16
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Quote:
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Interesting... what replacement parts did they change? I watched my private tech do the entire install and no parts were replaced and none expired during removal. The only parts that were replaced were the springs.
They mentioned that it was just expendables, which are usually rubber, gaskets etc, I didn't check the receipt
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      02-12-2013, 07:38 PM   #17
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it doesn't take the clunk away and a whole day for spring install?? ouch those guys don't know what they are doing.
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      02-12-2013, 07:48 PM   #18
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Quote:
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it doesn't take the clunk away and a whole day for spring install?? ouch those guys don't know what they are doing.
It does take away the clunk those guys were just slow I guess, they said they lack previous experience and work from BMW instructions, car is "complex" and are extra careful not to scratch interior leather. Or they are just slow to take more money
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      02-12-2013, 07:50 PM   #19
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I can confirmed that my clunk noise went away as well after the H&R spring. I usually hear it going over speed bumps, but now I don't. I put over 1,200 miles on them so far. Hopefully it is gone for good.
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      02-12-2013, 07:51 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vic55 View Post
If you get hubcentric spacers you should see no abnormal issues. They basically create the same bond as the stock wheel would have to the hub. You would not experience any wobbles or balance issues. Many members here use spacers on the stock 343 wheels since the offsets leave larger gaps. I dont run spacers since I have HRE wheels but on my Black Series I run 10mm spacers and run the car to 160 mph plus often with zero issues. Macht Schnell is a great brand for spacers you get here via the vendor forum. I dont think there would a warranty issue with spacers.
+1 for Macht Schnell wheel spacers. Dropping the car without the spacers make the wheels looked sucked in because of the camber. The spacers will push the wheels out and give it a more proportional stance. Just put 12 mm in the fronts and 10 mm in the rears. There shouldn't be any wobbles or balance issues.
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      02-12-2013, 07:53 PM   #21
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I have a set of Macht Schnell spacers for sale if you want them singularity. They are brand new, never installed. Not sure if it is more cost effective for you to buy from me and ship or to purchase from a more local source. Just throwing it out there.
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      02-12-2013, 08:21 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob///M5 View Post
I have a set of Macht Schnell spacers for sale if you want them singularity. They are brand new, never installed. Not sure if it is more cost effective for you to buy from me and ship or to purchase from a more local source. Just throwing it out there.
Thanks for the offer Rob and sure, I'd be interested in buying them. Because I've never put spacers in the past and lack of knowledge, my only concern would be what is technically correct and safe for 300+ km/h driving? I'm assuming spacers don't get compressed over time where lug bolts would not be tight against the wheel holes, or even worse, break at 300 km/h.
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