Almost everyone knows the importance of the bumpstops in our BMW and MINI suspensions. It is not just a failsafe to protect your struts and shocks, but an integral part of your suspension. Your bumpstops are engaged whenever you hit a bump, turn sharply, or even hit a dip in the road. That is why it is important to make sure your bumpstops are in good condition. Not like this:
The above shows why it is almost never a good idea to reuse your old bumpstops when refreshing or upgrading your suspension. These were on a BMW 3-series with 78k miles! Have you checked yours recently? You may need them sooner if you drive in snow, salt, or other harsh conditions. And if they need to be replaced, it is almost never a good idea to replace only bumpstops. If your suspension has a good amount of age or miles, best to replace all the worn items while you have your suspension apart, Do it right, do it once! Better yet, get a Strutmonkey kit where everything comes pre-assembled so you do not need to take anything apart in the first place!
Lots of chatter about which bumpstops to use when you lower your car with lowering springs. Hopefully nobody is still replacing their bumpstops with the same ones or not using any at all. Like reusing old ones, these are usually both wrong. The key is to get a bumpstop that is shorter than your stock ones to better match the amount of lowering from your spring, so you are not "riding on your bumpstops". This is what BMW itself does. Compare the non-sport and sport bumpstops for the same car:
Lots of chatter about which bumpstops to use when you lower your car with lowering springs. Hopefully nobody is still replacing their bumpstops with the same ones or not using any at all. Like reusing old ones, these are usually both wrong. The key is to get a bumpstop that is shorter than your stock ones to better match the amount of lowering from your spring, so you are not "riding on your bumpstops". This is what BMW itself does. Compare the non-sport and sport bumpstops for the same car:
That is why we custom match the new bumpstops to every suspension kit we sell. Like these:
But even these are not to be used on every BMW model. Heavier cars need different bumpstops than light cars. Wagons and convertibles need different ones than sedans and coupes. We even have to consider the diameter of the strut shaft and the size of the bumpstop hole!
This is one of the many benefits of getting a Strutmonkey assembled suspension kit... you leave the bumpstops to us!
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