want to make my ix fast and loud!

[Driftin]

well not really, but damn, I am drinking and watching on board f1 videos to 911 rsr to e30 m3 videos, and it makes me want to make my ix loud and rowdy! I know it's not practical but damn I want to do it. It is my winter commuter after all, and my summer MR2 Turbo is already fast and loud.
Unfortunately I sold my old spec 944 car, and my ix just feels more like my old race car when I drive the piss out of it.
Did they ever figure out that e46 front sway bar for the ix? I want beefier sways on mine.
Damn I miss racing.
/nice blog.

edit: I do have a very enjoyable canyon commute. Can't wait for summer. Topless haulin ass in the canyon... ummm more snow please?

[nando]

for the E46 swaybars all you really need are custom brackets for the bushings (stock ix are too small) and E30 M3 swaybar links. I haven't finished mine, as it's pretty low on the priority list but I'm confident it's possible. but you really want the 21mm bar which only came on the 323i without sport package.

as far as making it fast - the simplest way on an ix is to turbo. you can do a stroker but it still won't be fast, although it will be a lot more fun. then of course there are swaps but they are not simple at all..

[nomansland92]

+1 for turbo ix.

[Northern]

So e46 sways other than the 323 are too thick for an e30 or is it a fitment issue?

[nando]

They are too thick, front ix sway is only 17mm, smallest e46 bar is 21.5mm

[Northern]

makes sense. Thanks! I had been planning to get some adjustable drop links and drill holes further up the sway, but this is much better.

[nando]

The effective rate may not be so bad as the geometry is not perfect, but it should work well overall.

Of course i haven't verified it 100% yet.

[Northern]

Well, I purchased one off ebay, and I'll be ordering some IE adjustable drop links in a week or so, so we'll find out when it all gets here if I can make the bushings work.

I guess I should look for a 19-ish mm rear bar to pair with this?

[nando]

it may be too late but I think you will end up hating those end links. the heim joints just do not last on the street. expect them to be tight and quiet for about a year, then they will start to get loose and squeak. I went back to stock style end links instead.

on the rear bar I'm not sure, 19mm may be a good fit but I think it would be best to start with the front bar, see what it does, then adjust from there. 19mm sounds like a good place to start and it's a common size.

the E46 front bar wont be 100% effective because the links won't point straight down (the ends are just a tad longer). I think this works in our favor as they are all too stiff IMO. But the strut mounted bars also have more leverage so it's more effective than the control arm mounts from the regular E30s.

also, since nobody has actually bolted it to an ix yet, you probably want to start with just the front bar anyway, in case it turns out it won't work. but the shapes and geometries of the bars are so close, I can't see it not working. You do need to figure out how to make a bracket and bushing fit on the ix subframe though, the stock bracket is too small and the E46 bushing is way too big.

[Northern]

If the ends are longer on that bar, I guess it would just make it seem like a slightly weaker bar, plus any increased angle away from parallel with the strut. I see a lot of 21mm aftermarket front bars for 2wd e30s, so I dont feel like this bar would be "too big". I think F34R runs one with drop links and seems to love it.

If the only thing wrong with the ie links is that they make noise, I can live with it. If they wear quickly, I may check out the gc ones

[nando]

yes but RWD E30s have two differences - one, they're RWD (duh lol), two, they mount their swaybars to the control arms which give the bars less leverage, making it effectively smaller compared to using the same size bar on an ix.

I've had both really high quality heim joints and cheap ones, it doesn't matter. they won't last. The benefits of the adjustable links are so small, it's not worth it to me.

anyway, get it put on and let us know what you think. I intend to drop my rates some more and go with swaybars instead, the roads here are horrible and it can be quite punishing.

[tirefryer]

If interested, I have an almost complete turbo kit I put together for my ix which I am looking to sell (as well ad the car sadly). Will post pcs as soon as I have inventory of all the pieces, but had turbo, turbo manifold, turbo riser/adaptor, inter cooler, couplers, BOV, WG, injectors (could use rebuild), oil feed line, MSD, and many other little pieces.

Let me know if this is up your alley...

[Northern]

When I was referring to rwd e30 front sways, I was thinking mostly of F34R's build. Im pretty sure he runs a gc 21mm front sway with gc m3 droplinks, and he loves it.

Worst case, it will be a learning experience.

[nando]

right, and I'm saying you can't directly compare to the ix because it's a lot different. the ix swaybar has a much different geometry, aside from different mount points and different strut geometry (and driving the front wheels, and of course, weight).

I don't think the 21.5mm E46 bar will be too big though, even the next one up from there may be OK. they're cheap enough I think to make it worth an attempt!