Anyone with TC Kline DA - concerned about droop?

[OldRanger]

Just curious if anyone else has experience using TC Kline’s Koni Dual Adjustable dampers/shocks. The rear droop is such that when the car is off the ground, the rear spring can fall out of position (when the car is on a lift for example). The lower shock bolt does not need to be removed…they can just wiggle out.

In my setup, I have a 2002 with a typical ride height, Kline’s adjustable perch, and 700 lb springs. (Note these are slightly shorter than 600 lb springs by a few mm)

I’m a bit concerned about this situation for track conditions. So I called to ask if this was anything to be concerned about and the person on the phone assured me there would be no issue. That said he didn’t ask very many clarifying questions.

PS: it’s possible for the car to come off the ground very briefly at the track I’m heading to next. It was not an issue with curbs at Carolina Motorsports park, I didn’t have any problems.

[Tbonem3]

It's unlikely you'd ever unload it while driving - maybe going up a steep driveway at an angle or something.

There's a little trick you could do where you get a special set of RSMs where the attachment point for the damper is up another 1.5-2" thus less droop.

You can also get a slightly taller spring.

[OldRanger]

There's a little trick you could do where you get a special set of RSMs where the attachment point for the damper is up another 1.5-2" thus less droop.

That sounds interesting. Who makes it!?

[Tbonem3]

Ground control and I've seen 1 other but can't remember brand

[OldRanger]

https://groundcontrolstore.com/products/tall-bmw-e30-e36-e46-rear-shock-mounts-pair?variant=42686968561909

or EBay…something that is just a spacer.

[CrookedCommie]

Ran it like that for years - on the ground the sway bar will keep the spring in place. But I got tired of having to fix the spring every time I jack up the car. I believe using a Rogue engineering upper cone and the articulating perch solved the issue for the most part without having to go the above route and get a higher rear shock mount.

[cobra]

Sounds like you need a shorter shock.

[Cubieman]

I am in the process of installing TCK SA's and must say I am slightly disappointed, the height adjusters for the rear springs cover maybe 50% of the spring's surfaces area.

Why didn't they make the adjuster "body" the same diameter of the spring? It can flop around, and if not perfectly centered the contact area of the spring>adjuster is quite minimal.

I have set of Rouge articulating perches and they also fit poorly in this regard.

I know the quality of the BC's I removed is junk however there is no such issues with those, the height adjusters are on top and easily accessible as compared to TCK's adjuster on the bottom.

Also the BC'S allow you to adjust height independently from the spring plus can utilize the OEM upper and lower spring pads.

[CrookedCommie]

I ended up switching to 60mm linear springs instead of the TCK bee hive style spring.

[Cubieman]

I ended up switching to 60mm linear springs instead of the TCK bee hive style spring.

What springs did you end up going with?
I am thinking of maybe just using the BC (Swift) springs until I can get something else.

[CrookedCommie]

I think it was Eibach linear springs but tried different spring rates from 600/700 all the way to 900/1100. The way the TCK's come valved they can't really handle anything past the 600/700, I ended up getting them rebuilt and revalved twice to run higher rates which didn't end up working great. They can't blow off high speed compression well (eating curbs) and adding spring rate exasperated the shortcoming.

[bigjae46]

If you look at the RACP there the springs sits, there is a nipple with a hole. Take a small aerosol can cap - something like WD40 or brake cleaner - drill a hole in it and run an M8 bolt through it. This will retain the spring when you jack up the car. I've had the same bottle caps installed for almost 13 years, never had a rear spring issue.

[OldRanger]

I…I've had the same bottle caps installed for almost 13 years, never had a rear spring issue.

Brilliant

[OldRanger]

While I love bigjae46 budget friendly idea for retaining oem-style springs like the TCK ones I have…I will get in touch Ground Control to confirm dimensions on their tall shock mounts and consider that route.

I want to keep the TCK DA setup I have, and make it work on this car. I track it, that’s its primary use, but I don’t imagine putting aero on it, so I think 600 or 700 rear springs are a good spring rate for what I’m doing with it.

Note: I didn’t have problems with the rear springs at Summit-Shenandoah over the ski jump. I was slow out of turn 11 that day, and I just kept neutral throttle at just about 100-105mph so I wouldn’t leave the ground.

PS: we have MCS 1W on our other M3. We also corner balance that one and have the Rogue Rear Articulating Spring perches with nylon alignment cones. All that is expensive, but solves for all of this plus more.

[bigjae46]

While I love bigjae46 budget friendly idea for retaining oem-style springs like the TCK ones I have…I will get in touch Ground Control to confirm dimensions on their tall shock mounts and consider that route.

I want to keep the TCK DA setup I have, and make it work on this car. I track it, that’s its primary use, but I don’t imagine putting aero on it, so I think 600 or 700 rear springs are a good spring rate for what I’m doing with it.

Note: I didn’t have problems with the rear springs at Summit-Shenandoah over the ski jump. I was slow out of turn 11 that day, and I just kept neutral throttle at just about 100-105mph so I wouldn’t leave the ground.

PS: we have MCS 1W on our other M3. We also corner balance that one and have the Rogue Rear Articulating Spring perches with nylon alignment cones. All that is expensive, but solves for all of this plus more.

I would just get the weight jackers and run a straight spring. It has a similar benefit of avoiding spring bind and it opens up spring rate options.