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2010 2011 BMW 5 Series Forum F10 F10 Technical Topics Wheels / Tires / Suspension / Brakes Those with ACS Springs - Any front end noises??
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      08-28-2012, 10:32 PM   #1
Alan l.
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Those with ACS Springs - Any front end noises??

I just got back from my shop that installed a set of ACS springs on my 535xi. I got the right part numbers etc... I made sure of that right away.

Car looks great and seems to handle much more like E90 but i am noticing a slight rattle coming from the front of the car after the install. Doesn't make any noises while the car is stationary and turning the wheel left to right. It only makes the noise if i hit a sharp bump going over potholes. On larger bumps that is more gradual the car doesn't make any noise. Only on sharp bumps. Sounds like something is loose up front.

Did anybody else notice any noises after swapping springs that could give me some pointers as to where i should look first? I plan on double checking my shops work this weekend by pulling off the front wheels.

Thanks,
Alan
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      08-29-2012, 12:07 AM   #2
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Uh oh! Here we go again. Hope to find answer Alan.
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      08-29-2012, 12:16 AM   #3
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Got a be something wrong with these ACS springs man. I still coudnt figure it out what causes the noise.
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      08-29-2012, 06:25 AM   #4
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Sent you a PM.

Yes, I have the same rattle sound in the front. Checked and re-tourqued every nut/bolt to spec and didn't help. Had the dealer check it out when they did the alignment and they couldn't find anything. It seemed to get better after a few weeks of driving, but I still hear it every once in a while.
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      08-29-2012, 07:05 AM   #5
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I am going to check the sway bars. On my e90 if I don't preload them alittle they would make a rattle sound if I banged in the bar. Alittle tension on the bar and the rattle went away since its like stiffening up the bar to prevent resonating sounds.
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      08-29-2012, 10:17 AM   #6
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I'm still having the same problems. The BMW dealership emailed ACS in Germany and they have not replied back at all and this has been about a month ago. I'm about ready to take these off and getting something else! I was looking at another post and they installed Racing Dynamics Springs but I think they cost more than ACS.
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      08-29-2012, 10:22 AM   #7
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^^ you might want to contact ACS Germany directly. I emailed them last night and they responded to me this morning. your noise seems different from mines though as i don't get any sound when I am turning left to right.

Alan
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      09-02-2012, 08:29 AM   #8
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alan, any update on the noises?
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      09-03-2012, 01:23 PM   #9
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No updates yet. had the car on the lift and everything looks tight. Need to pull off the front wheels to see if theres anything obvious. With my noise its coming from both sides or it could be in the middle of both front axles. Not sure.

If i had to guess it could be the front sway bar end links causing the noise. Normally when you get shorter suspension you need longer end links to keep the bar in its natural position. HP Autowerks sells an adjustable endlink that i use to run on my 335. Thats my next plan of attach once i verify nothing seems loose when i pull off the wheels.

Alan
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      09-04-2012, 11:14 AM   #10
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Arrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan l. View Post
No updates yet. had the car on the lift and everything looks tight. Need to pull off the front wheels to see if theres anything obvious. With my noise its coming from both sides or it could be in the middle of both front axles. Not sure.

If i had to guess it could be the front sway bar end links causing the noise. Normally when you get shorter suspension you need longer end links to keep the bar in its natural position. HP Autowerks sells an adjustable endlink that i use to run on my 335. Thats my next plan of attach once i verify nothing seems loose when i pull off the wheels.

Alan
Ok, please keep us posted on the end link replacement... But, if the end links are the culprits, that still doesnt explain on why some are experiencing noises whereas the rests arent..
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      09-04-2012, 07:26 PM   #11
Alan l.
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Cant explain why some have noise and some don't...

Update - pulled the front wheels off the car today (in the rain ) and double checked every bolt i could see. Everything seems extremely tight. Two places that i could see that could cause some noise...

Dust cover that goes over the shock shaft. As the suspension moves up and down that dust cover has a lip that could catch the shock alittle causing some noise. Since the car is now 1" lower we should need 1" less of this over. I tried to zip tie the bottom part of the dust cover to the shock body and on the drive home the car seemed quieter....i still have some rattle coming from the middle front area.

Another area that seems to have some play is the headlight leveling sensor. There is one on each side and both seems to have some play in it. Not sure if this is normal but thats how it is on my car and none of the bolts appears to be loose.

On my drive home athough the car does seem quieter i still have that annoying rattle coming from the front middle of the car. It almost sounds like it could be coming from the center console area which doesn't make sense since the spring install didn't require you to touch that.

So the quest continues.....my next plan is to put the car up on ramps and bang around the bottom of the car to see if i can reproduce the rattle I am hearing.

Alan
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      09-04-2012, 07:30 PM   #12
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Just to reiterate the sound i am hearing is more of a rapid "tap tap tap" like a loose bolt bouncing around. Its not a clunking sound that is more commonly associated with suspension noise.
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      09-04-2012, 07:32 PM   #13
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I have a rattle in the center console area. I am thinking it is the rear view mirror plastic case around the "foot" of the mirror or the cup holder lid assembly OR my valentine 1 mount. My noise is a plastic on plastic rattle noticeable only when the passenger (right) front tire goes over uneven pavement at low speeds (like the lane marker bumps). I will ride with the BMW Dealer next time to make sure they hear it. I do not think this is related to the ACS springs. The Springs have just been awesome and really bring the car closer to my 2009 E60 550i M-Sport in ride and handling.

Please post if you find anything.
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      09-04-2012, 07:38 PM   #14
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I'll double check that. I did have a sunroof rattle which i fixed. Nice to have this appear on a car that is barely 2 weeks old. That was was a simple fix by me just tightening a few screws in the sunroof. ( if you open the sunroof a few inches, while standing outside of the car looking down at the sunroof you will see 6 hex screws holding a plastic trim down. I had to tighten those screws a few notches to fix the rattle up top)
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      09-04-2012, 09:05 PM   #15
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Day after installing my ACS springs we noticed a loose rattle noise coming from dash-engine area and we cannot locate the sound. Had shop check tighten and still have the noise at low speeds over bumps etc...
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      09-04-2012, 09:19 PM   #16
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This is strange.... theres quite a few members here with this noise and its not just xdrives or 535/550's now.

Springs are pretty basic parts and the only thing that varies with them (assuming they fit properly) from brands is really HEIGHT and SPRING RATE. Not sure if guys with H&R have this issue or is it just ACS. More people have ACS springs so that could be the reason why we are seeing this issue with ACS. Springs are springs. The noise i am hearing actually doesn't sound like its coming from the spring/strut area. Its not a thud, its more a tap sound.

My noise seems to be coming from the front dash area or by the cup holder so def more towards the middle.

Alan
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      09-04-2012, 09:23 PM   #17
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Guys if you are going to help trouble shoot this try this....disconnect the sway bar endlinks and go for drive to see if the noise is still there. That is one thing that changed with lowering springs is that the stock end links are pulling on the sway bars in its normal stance mode since the car is dropped. Technically we need 1" longer endlinks so that the sway bar is resting back in its normal (no load) phase.

Alan
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      09-05-2012, 10:50 AM   #18
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I notice some noise after installing my ACS springs almost from day one. After 10,000km it is still there. I almost always hear it when going over speed bumps. It sound like spring(s) under compression. I do hear it coming from the driver side more often(due to heavier weight?).
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      09-05-2012, 12:07 PM   #19
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I already sent an email as well as this thread over to ACS Germany. This isn't a isolated case anymore and seems like theres a decent amount of people with this noise right after install.

Alan
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      09-05-2012, 12:50 PM   #20
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The console rattle is not a suspension rattle related in any way to the ACS springs--just not that kind of noise. I will check my sunroof! However, mine sounds lower like the tip of the center console.
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