CSL bumper fitment question...

[M3_CSL]

Hi gents,

another question of the CSL again... as the topic suggested... I always want to ask this question, but everytime I come up here, always got too carried away with some good topics here and forgot about my own problem...

After the bumper respray (damn those stone chips), I cannot seem to close the gap between the front fender and the bumper at the driver side... the driver side gap is larger than the passenger side... I have tried to adjust the bracket (by removing the driver front indicator to reach the bracket bolts), but the bracket didn't like to move at all... it seems that something is holding on to the bumper very tightly.

I asked the panel shop to re-adjust it for me, but they couldn't, instead, they cracked the paint and had to respray the bumper again.. CF bumper doesn't seem to have much flex at all.

I also notice that many CSLs (most likely have their bumpers off previously) all have a larger gap at the driver side than the passenger side.. some are perfect... so my question is... is there a trick to get the fitment right?

Thank you very much

cheers,

richie

[NZ_M3]

Some are like that .... it's an imperfection in the carbon fibre bumper (some are better than others) ... if you take the bumper off and lay it upside down on a flat ground you'll realise that the right hand side (driver side) is not entirely straight.

Mine is like that and I know how to adjust the CSL bumpers properly - not only via those white plastic side hangers, but also through the chassis rail shocks.

Sometimes if the central chassis rail shocks are adjusted too high you'll also get the driver side gap being a little bit larger than the passenger side.

Another way is to take those white hangers off and enlarge the adjustment holes to give you a larger adjustment range - doesn't always work either given how rigid the CSL bumper is.

Another way is to actually adjust the driver's side fender - there's a 10mm bolt on the bottom (if you look up) and loosening that bolt can help to bring the fender down by about a 1mm or so)

Trust me on this one ... I must have taken my CSL bumper off like over 100 times now trying to get that extra 1mm adjustment out of it. Then I finally realised that it was actually an imperfection in the bumper.

Alternatively you could get the body shop to build up a little bit of material on that edge ... but in my opinion, not worth it.

Just live with it, it's not that big of a deal. (the technical tolerance is 5mm+/-2mm) anyway and I've measured mine numerous times ... passenger side 5mm ... driver side 6mm ...


p.s. don't get me started on the rear bumper ... there's quite a few adjustments on the rear to make it line up perfect ... it can be done.

[M3_CSL]

hi Tom,

You are always so helpful mate!!! Than you very much!!!

it seems that the driver side is 4-5mm lower than the passenger side... I think it is the rail that needs to be adjusted... don't think I will touch that at this stage since I am so afraid of cracking the paint on the bumper and I also heard that we need a special tool to turn the rail spacer up/down, correct?

If it was a plastic one, I would have taken it off ages ago... probably will give that a try on one fine weekend... do you have a how-to handy? Is it just like the normal bmw front bumper removal, with a T50 torx + a screw driver job...?

thanx mate,

richie

[M3_CSL]

Hi Tom,

I just dug out some images from the respray job... and found that the left support is definitely higher than the right support... so does that mean if I move the right support spacer a bit higher, it "should/might" fix the bumper alignment issue?

Left support



Right support



Thanx mate!

richie

[dave1]

the plastic bit will move but it is tight make sure you loosen all 3 bolts

[NZ_M3]

Hey Richie ...

That right support definitely needs to go up .. Although that part adjusts the gap below the headlight more so than the side ...

Wow that is quite a gap ... something is off for sure.

If the right hand side plastic hanger looks significantly lower than the left hand side then yes you will need to adjust it. But becareful when you do it as it adjusts not only up and down but also left to right, so you can throw the whole alignment out (losen one bolt at a time to Pivot it on the axis)

I personally find the easiest way to adjust that hanger (whether left or right) is to take out the indicator housing (easy screw driver job and unclip the harness) and take out the lower headlight trim (where the headlight washer would be if you have Xenon lights) - that way you can get to both bolts whilst adjusting the plastic hanger height and left to right alignment. And you don't have to mess with taking the bumper off and putting it on again (whilst suppposedly light weight .. it actually isn't with the water bottle on the driver side).

The paint shouldn't crack ... if it does then they've put the wrong primer on.

When I adjusted mine, I had a jack under my bumper and I was jacking the bumper up real hard to make it align properly (the paint didn't crack, neither did the bumper (it is very strong).


The chassis rail shocks require a 14mm Hex key to adjust ... I have a 14mm hex socket on an extension that I use to adjust the height (quite easy to do as you don't have to take the bumper off).


The bumper is quite easy to take off if you've done it before ... I might throw up a DIY shortly (after my weekend track day) to show those interested wanting to know how to take the front bumper off (it's similar the normal M3 bumper).

[M3_CSL]

Hi Tom,

That's very very informative mate!!! Thank you very much!!!!

Mmm... 14mm Hex key hey... I think I have a full set of those, so that shouldn't be a problem

It must be my front bumper's issue... because the gaps under both headlights are pretty even, the only uneven parts are the far end edges of the bumper...

I will wait for your instructions mate and mean while, I will try to take some more photos (hopefully today) and to help me exam the gaps...

enjoy your track day on the weekend!!!!!

cheers mate,

richie