#ZedShed Nodzed's M Roadster gets a suspension overhaul

[GazHyde]

Had a visit from @Nodzed today to get his new suspension fitted. He arrived with plenty of bits!

• Spax springs
• Eibach B8 shocks
• Front & Rear shock top mounts (including reinforcement plates for the rears)
• Front drop links

A subtle lowering, nothing too extreme as he doesn't want his ///M to be too blingy... Did that sticker peel off on the way home, it looked a little loose when you left!

One thing to take note of for M Roadster owners is that the front shock top mounts are "handed" so need to be fitted to the correct side of the car. It states which side is which on the unit itself.

Fully assembled shock & spring below.

Ta-da!

No real surprise to find they are original factory shocks. I don't think Niall has anything in his service history to show they've been done previously, so 107k on this set.

Rear springs and shocks are a little more straight forwards. Niall happily sorted undoing and redoing the top mounts on the shocks. He seemed to enjoy being cramped in the hood storage area!

This a close up f the rear shock top mounts, and you can see where the rubber is delaminating from the metal core. About as bad as we've seen before...

Sitting pretty. Has lost the tractor gaps on the rear arches. Should settle a little lower after bedding in.

Test drive around Basingstoke undertaken by our tame ZedShed racing test driver. Niall came back a few shades whiter, and needed a roll up straight away. Apparently it holds incredibly well....

I'm sure Niall will give some feedback on the cars handling, and also the quality of the abuse banter on offer to him today.

 

[Antm72]

Looking good ... Does the z3m use different drop links to the standard z or can they be retrofitted if the tab is present on the shocker ?

 

[pgunter]

Good fun all round and as usual, the breakfast to start the day.

 

[Low Rider]

Looks great guy's excellent work.
I bet Niall was well pleased.

 

[Jack Ratt]

Was it double time today then chaps ?

 

[DavidM]

Looking great andcthe stance just right - another job very well done!!

 

[oldcarman]

Love the new look, well done gentlemen! And of course Sam if she participated! JIM

 

[GazHyde]

Was it double time today then chaps ?

No, but 3 of the attendees were after an early finish so they could go Christmas shopping . One of them wasn't me

 

[pgunter]

No, but 3 of the attendees were after an early finish so they could go Christmas shopping . One of them wasn't me

I will deny any such... I went before attending and after the breakfast... so an early finish.. yea yea... oh yea.. I had to sneak off too..

 

[g8jka]

Looks good, bet it is a massive improvement over the old shocks and springs. My brother has just fitted Bilstein B8 shocks and Eibach springs to his E36, just make sure you don't do the top nut up with an impact gun

 

[GazHyde]

Ouch, that's not good! We use a windy gun when we fit, but never had a problem.

 

[t-tony]

It wasn't the tool that caused that problem, just operator error.

Tony.

 

[Nodzed]

I need to start off by saying the guys in the shed are a load of pi55 taking gits, never been so abused in all my life (well not since I went to have my thermostat changed a month ago.) Got told all my tasteful additions were crap and to blingy' if they weren't so cheap I'd take my business else where.

Seriously had a blast as ever and I got the best job of clambering into the roof well to undo the top mount bolts (I thought this was Gazers job but hey ho) not an easy job for a fat boy (that's me not Gary ...well) Not quite sure why I had to do this 3 times though I guessing someone didn't read the little bit of paper that came with the Bilstein B8s?

Anyway the result is a much better looking stance, the old girl was always sitting just a bit to high, since the above photo was taken on the day and following the drive home she has settle a little bit more. The shocks that came off were to be fair totally knackered so a quick run out with @Lee using the same test route that determined the old ones were past it showed what a transformation this has made, even sitting in the passenger seat clinging on in terror and screaming like a little girl on the run around Basingstoke I was quite impressed. On the way home I used a few roundabouts and other sharp bends on my local roads to test her out a bit and wow. I would recommend anyone who wants to improve their Zed handling and haven't checked/changed your shocks, do so. Just from my drive home its like driving a different car, the ride is quite a bit harsher but then perhaps its supposed to be or the B8s are just harder than stock but the there is virtually no body roll and the turn in is incredible cant wait to really try her out when the roads get a bit more grip.

Big thanks to the lads for breakfast, the work and the banter, great fun. (but mainly for breakfast )

 

[pgunter]

@Nodzed all this work just to try and beat @mid life crisis and the Yaris

Always good fun in the shed too, you should have that soused by now.

 

[Lee]

I'd just like to add I made no comments on your tasteful additions I stand neutral

 

[GazHyde]

Your silence was incredibly loud...

 

[Nodzed]

Look I like my Rooster rear light

 

[Nodzed]

BTW @GazHyde I had an ///M car cigarette lighter for Christmas ....... BLING

 

[GazHyde]

Oh FFS...

 

[Nodzed]

@Lee its amazing how much faster the ///M goes now the suspension is done