[PDOT]

Originally Posted by Jimmy K

My car has been under the knife for the past two days, getting Dinan/Carbahn bits installed. I went with the Cold air intake, HAS kit, Rear toe links, front monoballs.

The turbo inlets are on back order, which is a bummer. But that gives me time to get used to these mods as I consider going down the exhaust/xpipe/tune rabbit hole.

I'm picking her up in the morning and hope I feel exactly the same as you gents. I'm excited!!

How has the suspension parts felt to you?

[Jimmy K]

Originally Posted by PDOT

How has the suspension parts felt to you?

It's everything that Fotios and FshnGry have described, to a T. They are much more eloquent than I am, but I wholeheartedly agree with them.

Turn in's are immediate, flat, and confidence inspiring. At higher speeds, the rear end feels more connected and less floaty.

When driving normally, it feels completely stock. Not harsh like some coilover setups. Hope this helps.

[Used2be]

Originally Posted by FotiosF90M5

I had DINANs front monoball thrust arm bushings installed today at my dealership ( 3 hr install, cost was $240 under bmw employee pricing ) and it's quite possibly the best mod I've ever done, no exaggeration! It truly makes the steering and suspension feel like a pre-EPS M car. Feels like hydraulic steering now and it's completely transformed the steering feel.

I’ve had the Dinan HAS and rear suspension link kit in my 2019 M5 base for over a year and was pleased with the improvement both gave to the handling of the car. When I read Fotios glowing review I could tell he’s a skilled automobile sales person. The only things he left out of that review were that his smile was brighter, girls considered him more handsome, and even though Dinan doesn’t make the claim, he lost 10 pounds! I’m joking, but I thought he was a little over the top with his praise.

I’ve had the Dinan tension strut ball joint on the work bench since last summer but didn’t want to dive into the install after doing the other two, thinking the car was new enough and the rubber in the thrust arm couldn’t be a problem yet. I put the Dinan ball joint in this winter, and now that the roads up here have cleared of snow for now, I took the car out for a drive. I just drove in the “normal civilized BMW driver” mode with a few faster turns thrown in, but the feel of the car is definitely changed for the better! I’m very surprised, and have to assume when the car is on track the improvement will be even more noticeable. It make me wonder, did BMW give the M5 CS a ball joint on the thrust arm? Those owners rave about the feel of the car, I wonder if that’s part of it?

[Quinn A]

Does this part fit on the front of the M8 suspension?

[Used2be]

Originally Posted by Quinn A

Does this part fit on the front of the M8 suspension?

CarBahn website says theirs does, Dinan doesn't show it for the M8, but I'd give them a call to see if that's just an oversight. I wish a new M5 CS owner would check to see if BMW put the ball joints on their car as stock equipment!

[TheEnrique]

im tight that your install was only $240

[Used2be]

Originally Posted by TheEnrique

im tight that your install was only $240

I did my own install, removing the strut entirely to press out the stock rubber bushing. Afterwards, I was told by a local independent shop that they are able to do the bushing replacement without removing the strut. Much less labor involved if they are able to press the bushing out by just unbolting the bushing end of the strut and pressing out the bushing while it’s still on the car. Apparently special tools allow them to remove the bushing that way.

[TheEnrique]

Originally Posted by Used2be

I did my own install, removing the strut entirely to press out the stock rubber bushing. Afterwards, I was told by a local independent shop that they are able to do the bushing replacement without removing the strut. Much less labor involved if they are able to press the bushing out by just unbolting the bushing end of the strut and pressing out the bushing while it’s still on the car. Apparently special tools allow them to remove the bushing that way.

My kit arrived today. I am getting quotes at 3 hours minimum.

[Used2be]

Originally Posted by TheEnrique

My kit arrived today. I am getting quotes at 3 hours minimum.

Took me longer than that, but I'm a slow worker. If the shop has to take the strut completely out, you have to unhook the front axles from the hub which is a pain. And to do it by the book, you need to replace the various bolts and nuts which come to about a $100 by themselves. I haven't seen the special tool the shop mentioned to me, but I assume it's similar to a bearing removal tool with the proper sized pushers to press out the rubber bushing. Maybe mention that approach to see if any of the quotes use the tool? It has to be much quicker than removing the strut completely.

[shawnhayes]

Originally Posted by Used2be

CarBahn website says theirs does, Dinan doesn't show it for the M8, but I'd give them a call to see if that's just an oversight. I wish a new M5 CS owner would check to see if BMW put the ball joints on their car as stock equipment!

May take a while.

Where is this arm so I can check?

Shawn

[TheEnrique]

Originally Posted by Used2be

Took me longer than that, but I'm a slow worker. If the shop has to take the strut completely out, you have to unhook the front axles from the hub which is a pain. And to do it by the book, you need to replace the various bolts and nuts which come to about a $100 by themselves. I haven't seen the special tool the shop mentioned to me, but I assume it's similar to a bearing removal tool with the proper sized pushers to press out the rubber bushing. Maybe mention that approach to see if any of the quotes use the tool? It has to be much quicker than removing the strut completely.

My tech said, jokingly of course, that's backyard mechanic stuff. Im just assuming he has to do it by the book.

[Used2be]

Originally Posted by shawnhayes

May take a while.

Where is this arm so I can check?

Shawn

Great, I was hoping someone would be able to look. Here's a shot looking at it from the wheel well. The panel covering it from below is held with maybe five eight millimeter socket screws. Or taking out the liner for the wheel well which is more of a hassle with 13 or so screws. That's the Dinan ball joint installed, and I'd guess if BMW did the same thing it'd look sort of like that. Not like the stock rubber piece at least.

The car feels better on turn in with this, and I'm betting BMW helped the CS with one of their own. Thanks so much!

[Used2be]

Originally Posted by TheEnrique

My tech said, jokingly of course, that's backyard mechanic stuff. Im just assuming he has to do it by the book.

If I owned a shop and there was a way to save time on a procedure, I'd look into it. My guess would be that the tool would cost a few hundred dollars, and would pay for itself very quickly. To my thinking doing it on the car involves less disassembly and wear and tear on the various pieces. You'll like the change though, I was surprised.

[shawnhayes]

Originally Posted by Used2be

Great, I was hoping someone would be able to look. Here's a shot looking at it from the wheel well. The panel covering it from below is held with maybe five eight millimeter socket screws. Or taking out the liner for the wheel well which is more of a hassle with 13 or so screws. That's the Dinan ball joint installed, and I'd guess if BMW did the same thing it'd look sort of like that. Not like the stock rubber piece at least.

The car feels better on turn in with this, and I'm betting BMW helped the CS with one of their own. Thanks so much!

I'll try to get you a picture this week. Gotta get the hoosiers off and replace with the Pirelli track tires I got from Tire Rack for Audi Club at VIR in April.

Track review of CS coming. Chin Motorsports track event last week was AWESOME. CS is so much better than base level M5 on track.

Shawn

[Used2be]

Originally Posted by shawnhayes

Track review of CS coming. Chin Motorsports track event last week was AWESOME. CS is so much better than base level M5 on track.

Shawn

I looked to see if your car was in any track shots of the Chin day at VIR, no luck. Are you used to the CCBs yet?

[shawnhayes]

Originally Posted by Used2be

I looked to see if your car was in any track shots of the Chin day at VIR, no luck. Are you used to the CCBs yet?

I looked on Chin too, there were like 80 cars there and no joy in the pictures.

The ccb's are better for the short stops. The 160-69 slowdowns aren't any better on the straights.

First estimates are I'm 3 seconds a lap faster in the CS. But I never drive 10-10ths. Looks like my best lap so far is a 2:08. I averaged about a 2:11 in the regular 2018 with a "hard driving" 2:09 and some change.

Shawn

[shawnhayes]

Looks poly to me on the CS. Doesn't look like the Dinan part.

Shawn

[shawnhayes]

Looks like a different arm on the CS, though. Got some sort of hole through the arm rather than the solid one on your car, Used2be

Shawn

[Used2be]

Originally Posted by shawnhayes

First estimates are I'm 3 seconds a lap faster in the CS. But I never drive 10-10ths. Looks like my best lap so far is a 2:08. I averaged about a 2:11 in the regular 2018 with a "hard driving" 2:09 and some change.

Shawn

3 seconds is pretty significant for basically the same car, but with refinements. I'd be happy with that. You might find it'll come down with more seat time in the new car, even on a track you're very familiar with. Oh, do the seats help? From the few pictures from Chin it looked like they have quality cars turning out. Yeah, odd hole in the arm. Not any weight savings, wonder why? Hard to see the guts of the bushing, but it does look different from my stock bushing in the base M5. Maybe it's just a stiffer material without a spherical bearing. Thanks for going to the trouble of taking the pictures.

[shawnhayes]

Originally Posted by Used2be

3 seconds is pretty significant for basically the same car, but with refinements. I'd be happy with that. You might find it'll come down with more seat time in the new car, even on a track you're very familiar with. Oh, do the seats help? From the few pictures from Chin it looked like they have quality cars turning out.

The seats help tremendously. Lateral movement is much much better. You move much less.

My girlfriend had to stabilize herself A LOT in the 18 M5 during a lap. The CS, not so much.

Shawn

[pbonsalb]

There are 2 arms off the steering knuckle/front hub. The straight arm with the hole in it that you took the picture of goes more or less sideways to the subframe. The one that goes forward is curved and the one that the Dinan or Carbahn ball joint is meant for. It’s called the tension strut or strut rod.

[Used2be]

Here's a photo of the stock bushing. Seems to be a slight difference to the CS version, but a picture from right underneath yours might reveal more. But, thanks for your help, it's not that important.