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  #61  
Old 11-29-2020, 08:25 PM
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** TEMA 30mm Lift Install **

This is what happens when I am on Covid quarantine lock down - I get a ton of work done in my workshop! Over the past 4 days I installed the lift kit, installed new brake rotors and pads, flushed and bled the brake fluid, and replaced the rear diff fluid!

The TEMA lift installation is complete. It took me about 3 hrs per rear and 2 hrs per front for a total of 10 hrs to install the lift kit. I'm not that great of a mechanic so if you know what you're doing I am sure that you could do it in less time. I thought I'd start with the results and then I'll post the details of the install in a subsequent post.

The TEMA lift kit consists of front spacers that install on top of the front shocks/struts. The upper shock mount bolts are too short so they have to be replaced with longer bolts so they reach through the spacer. This means that you have to remove the front strut and remove the top mount to get to replace the bolts. The rear spacer installs under the coil spring and above the lower spring bushing. This means that you have to compress the spring and get the lower control arm to fully extend to have enough room to install the spacer on top of the lower spring bushing. Overall, its a good amount of work.

The result: 1.25" lift in front and 1.5" in rear.

My initial impression is that this is not a huge lift so the overall change in appearance is somewhat subtle, but noticeable compared to stock (see photos below). In terms of driving, the X5 seems to drive just like stock. Handling was as surefooted as ever and the ride wasn't noticeably stiffer - just smooth as always. I only had time for about 30 mins of driving around town this afternoon so I didn't have a chance to experience freeway driving or off road. The good news is that I was able to hit road dips at a lot higher speed without any fender rub.

Overall, I am very happy with the initial result. For the $147 price of the lift kit, its hard to beat this kit for value.

Oh, and my Covid quarantine ends today. I tested negative on Friday and haven't had any symptoms so even though I was exposed, I didn't catch it.

Here are some before/after photos:
1. Kit
2. Before
3. After
Attached Images
   

Last edited by thstone; 11-29-2020 at 08:42 PM.
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  #62  
Old 11-29-2020, 08:27 PM
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Close up front photos:
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  #63  
Old 11-29-2020, 08:27 PM
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Close up rear photos:
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  #64  
Old 11-30-2020, 04:03 PM
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I like that look. Any rubbing on the fronts lock-to-lock?
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  #65  
Old 11-30-2020, 04:16 PM
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That turned out very well, I actually like the look


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  #66  
Old 11-30-2020, 04:57 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LVP View Post
I like that look. Any rubbing on the fronts lock-to-lock?
No rubbing on the fronts.
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  #67  
Old 12-01-2020, 04:34 PM
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Spec X5 Overland Build



I like the lift, wheels, and tires! Great to see the different configurations on the these E53’s.
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  #68  
Old 12-01-2020, 05:00 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TriX5 View Post
Hey guys, FWIW, I watch LegitStreetCars Youtube channel sometimes as he is thorough (MB tech) and the videos are detailed (he refurbed a 335i recently). This is a video about an AMG ML55 but the FMU X5 features and may appear in later vids as well. The gent from LegitStreetCars is building the AMG for a rally and it seems that the X5 may feature there as well. Hope this is something useful for this thread


Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWD67quZyds&t=919s

Thanks for sharing this channel. I checked it out last night and thought it was pretty good so I added it to my list of subscribed channels!
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  #69  
Old 12-02-2020, 12:56 PM
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I also have recently purchased and installed this TEVA 4X4 kit. My experience, while largely similar to yours, is different in one important way, which is fascinating to me. After installation, I ended up with a lift of only about 1/2". No idea why.

When installing I noticed the spacers compressing a bit as weight was put back on the tires, so I wasn't expecting 30mm, really, but still...I measured at the low point of a skid plate at the transfer case in the middle of the underside, right before and right after, and it's about 1/2". There is no huge visible difference in ride height like in your pics. For comparison, in your pics where you measured ride height at the wheel wells, in the front you show 34 1/4", I have 33 7/8". In the rear you show 33", I have 33 1/4" (higher ). I have the same size tires as you, although a different brand. The only big difference I can see is that I have a 4.4, whereas you have a 3.0. I wouldn't have thought the weight would make that big a difference, but maybe it does. It would certainly explain being higher in the rear and lower in the front. I would have thought that wouldn't change the lift any, though.

Anyways, great thread, thanks for updating and documenting so thoroughly.
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  #70  
Old 12-02-2020, 07:01 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ragnarok View Post
I also have recently purchased and installed this TEVA 4X4 kit. My experience, while largely similar to yours, is different in one important way, which is fascinating to me. After installation, I ended up with a lift of only about 1/2". No idea why.

When installing I noticed the spacers compressing a bit as weight was put back on the tires, so I wasn't expecting 30mm, really, but still...I measured at the low point of a skid plate at the transfer case in the middle of the underside, right before and right after, and it's about 1/2". There is no huge visible difference in ride height like in your pics. For comparison, in your pics where you measured ride height at the wheel wells, in the front you show 34 1/4", I have 33 7/8". In the rear you show 33", I have 33 1/4" (higher ). I have the same size tires as you, although a different brand. The only big difference I can see is that I have a 4.4, whereas you have a 3.0. I wouldn't have thought the weight would make that big a difference, but maybe it does. It would certainly explain being higher in the rear and lower in the front. I would have thought that wouldn't change the lift any, though.

Anyways, great thread, thanks for updating and documenting so thoroughly.
I am going to postulate that the TEMA kit isn't really a true lift kit, its more of a leveling kit using a spacer. The spacers lift the body but don't correspondingly increase the ground clearance (distance between the chassis and the ground).

Thus, I would expect that the actual undercarriage ground clearance (skid plate to the ground) would be nearly the same before/after installation of the TEMA kit.

The 4.4 might have a lower ride height than than the 3.0. If that is true, the fender height on your car will always be lower than mine. Also, different brands of tires can vary in height even though they are the same size, so your tire might be slightly shorter to start.

Combine all of these things together and its possible that everything on your car is exactly how it should be and comparing the two cars is simply a case of comparing apples to oranges.

What do the fender gaps (distance between the tire and the fender) on your car look like? Are they similar to my car before the lift or after the lift?

Do you have any photos showing the rear spacers after the installation?
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