Bolt On 325iX Coilovers

[The Dark Side of Will]

:roll: automotivedictionary? :p ;)

Took me a bit to find a good photo... note the lack of control arm.

EDIT: Wow, that's a large photo...

http://www.scottnettleship.com/elite/carinfo.html

Also Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapman_strut

[ForcedFirebird]

Don't E21's have semi-trailing arms very similar to E30's?
In the strictest sense, I think a Chapman strut uses the axle as the control arm, thereby saving the weight of a separate control arm and the weight and complexity of a plunge mechanism in the axle.

McPherson and Chapman are almost the same, save for the McPherson has rotational provisions Chapman does not.

http://www.automotivedictionary.org/Chapman_strut

[The Dark Side of Will]

For true coils the rear shock towers should be reinforced. A local had them on his e30 we swapped without the reinforcement and they seem to be holding up ok after a few years, but not sure I would trust them like that.

There are two schools of thought on reinforcing the shock tower:

The first school points out that it's thin fucking sheet metal held on with a couple spot welds that is known to fail under normal use.

The second school says that it totally works fine.

The reality is that you *can* run unreinforced shock towers. Of course, you are taking a substantially increased risk that you will will tear the sheet metal. (Also, since it's a weak area, leaving it unreinforced allows a bit of additional movement.)

Is there an accepted minimal reinforcement? Seam weld the cap to the tower and the tower to the frame rail? Make a new cap out of 1/8" steel tubing?

But if i understand this correct, you need to strengthen towers if you use those real coils, where that spring and shock is together, becouse bmw is not designed to the use of such coil....Of course you can try it, i have seen also others use like this

Other are just used reinforced tower. I would use this x-brace, what ever they called. That i would think to use
This maybe are some tziper tzaper,

That brace is... umm... elaborate. I've been thinking that I'd make the dual differential mounting ear/rear diff mount crossmember and shock tower reinforcement one job, which would end up with hard points to mount a brace like that. Mine would be simpler and easily removable for when I want to put something big in the trunk.

That's just a Chapman strut.

Calling it a coil over would be like calling e30 front McPherson struts coil over. ;)

Don't E21's have semi-trailing arms very similar to E30's?
In the strictest sense, I think a Chapman strut uses the axle as the control arm, thereby saving the weight of a separate control arm and the weight and complexity of a plunge mechanism in the axle.

[Kershaw]

Which it absolutely is...? It may not be adjustable, but "coil spring over shock" is the most basic component of a macpherson strut.

I know you know a lot more about suspension design than I do, so I don't see why you're making a technically confusing statement. Maybe you can clear up my confusion.

[ForcedFirebird]

Exotic? Did you know that e21s had rear coilovers?

That's just a Chapman strut.

Calling it a coil over would be like calling e30 front McPherson struts coil over. ;)

[Kershaw]

theres something sexy about true rear coil overs though. they look so... exotic

Exotic? Did you know that e21s had rear coilovers?

[litu]

Funny that they used a photo of the RWD parts for that advert.

Don't need to mod the shock tower?

Yes you dont need mod those shock towers, in that kit.
There is that shock and spring separately, so in my sense, you dont need then.
But if i understand this correct, you need to strengthen towers if you use those real coils, where that spring and shock is together, becouse bmw is not designed to the use of such coil....Of course you can try it, i have seen also others use like this

Other are just used reinforced tower. I would use this x-brace, what ever they called. That i would think to use
This maybe are some tziper tzaper,

[AWDBOB]

those fronts look interesting, but they don't look short enough, and I don't like the camber plate design. the stack height is too tall so you either compromise ride height or shock travel.

the set I had built by ForcedFirebird are superior IMO, and cheaper.. with Konis they ride like a dream. Bilstein can suck my nuts.

I emailed them for all of that info, I'll update when they respond.

I knew you'd dig the Konis! My Zinno car with the GC/Konis rode better than the Bilsteins/H+Rs do now.

[nrubenstein]

My understanding is that switching to rear coil overs requires welding reinforcements to the rear shock towers... Is that the case?

There are two schools of thought on reinforcing the shock tower:

The first school points out that it's thin fucking sheet metal held on with a couple spot welds that is known to fail under normal use.

The second school says that it totally works fine.

The reality is that you *can* run unreinforced shock towers. Of course, you are taking a substantially increased risk that you will will tear the sheet metal. (Also, since it's a weak area, leaving it unreinforced allows a bit of additional movement.)

[nando]

those fronts look interesting, but they don't look short enough, and I don't like the camber plate design. the stack height is too tall so you either compromise ride height or shock travel.

the set I had built by ForcedFirebird are superior IMO, and cheaper.. with Konis they ride like a dream. Bilstein can suck my nuts.

[ForcedFirebird]

For true coils the rear shock towers should be reinforced. A local had them on his e30 we swapped without the reinforcement and they seem to be holding up ok after a few years, but not sure I would trust them like that.

[The Dark Side of Will]

There is also those normal, you dont need strengthen that back shock tower :)
http://racingshop-germany.com/K-Spor...ahrwerk-Street

Funny that they used a photo of the RWD parts for that advert.

Don't need to mod the shock tower?

[litu]

There is also those normal, you dont need strengthen that back shock tower :)

http://racingshop-germany.com/K-Sport-BMW-3er-E30-4x4-iX-Allrad-3/1-3/R-Gewindefahrwerk-Street

[The Dark Side of Will]

My understanding is that switching to rear coil overs requires welding reinforcements to the rear shock towers... Is that the case?

[6A LDY]

theres something sexy about true rear coil overs though. they look so... exotic