Rebuilt ix strut housings feeler.

[ForcedFirebird]

Thanks for the kind words.

As far as shipping, there are many avenues that can be taken. More than likely freight will be a viable option, Fastenal has a great outlet-to-outlet program - they actually own the largest truck fleet in the US (what they told me, anyways). The ground shippers will charge a lot due to the weight, but may be the best for some that are not close to a metropolitan area.

[ForcedFirebird]

I'd be interested in rebuilt assemblies with GC stuff. Ideally though you would mail me the completed assemblies and I could send my cores back for you to use for another customer.

Yeah, this is why I mentioned a core. Not that the members wouldn't be trustworthy, but more so cores could be purchased in the case of a non-return.

lol darn you, i just dealt with sandblasting painting, new bearings, and new billy hd's in my strut housings, one of which was rotten through the tube. i might be interested in doing this at some point.

Isn't that how it always goes? Right after a part is thrown away, you need it. Murphy's law :(

You may even be able to advertise an iX coilover "Kit" with the Shortened Koni Race Inserts, as GC doesn't offer that (nor do they offer info on which race inserts to use).

Just my jumbled .02

I wondered why GC doesn't offer it, but they do deal with a lot of different makes/MFGR's and the ix is kind of niche.


Best thing to do is probably start on a set and see what kind of time will be involved. Parts are pretty simple through my regular suppliers, but I can only imagine the various conditions the cores might come back in.

[DrMcDave]

You could hold a core charge until the originals are shipped back. I personally wouldn't have an issue with something like that. I just don't work on my car anymore so I'd like to give the shop the new stuff, have it installed, then ship the old back.

[nando]

Not sure if you or Chris could answer this but right now I bottom out the fronts all the time. When installed, how much suspension travel is there when at the lowest setting?

Yeah, you need to shorten the bump stops. Honestly, I would never use Bilstein again in an E30 - even valved specifically for my rates, the ride was brutal.

With the shorter housings, and a realistic ride height, suspension travel should be close to stock. I have never dropped the collars all the way down - i think the frame would rest on the CV shafts, lol.

Housings were shortened 2" and the inserts were custom valved, don't think he ever bottomed them out, but at the same time, they were very stiff. I believe he went back to something closer to stock.



Thanks! Will look into my cost on bearings/hubs etc as they will be a huge factor.

The inserts were custom valved and made 2" shorter than stock by Bilstein. I ended up switching them out for Koni Race inserts after a year of brutal, punishing ride quality. The ride with the Konis is still stiff, but it's so much better than the BS it isn't funny!

The *front* bearings for the ix are expensive. When I sent you parts, I sent rear bearings which are much cheaper - they are nearly identical anyway, and I haven't had any problems (IIRC the OD is 0.1mm bigger on ix front bearings). The hubs were expensive, I think around $300. Normally you could reuse them, but mine had stripped threads and needed to be replaced.

BTW, if anyone does buy new hubs - throw them in a tumbler or file them down to debur the splines - BMW doesn't do this, the result being the CV shafts wouldn't fit through the new hubs, I had to take everything apart and file down the burs, then put it back together again..

[ForcedFirebird]

I "thought" they were RWD bearings, but couldn't remember where the .1mm (.004" is still a press fit). I also couldn't remember if the RWD hubs were close to the AWD fronts, but glad you answered that.

About the only thing that I can't get at my local warehouse is the dust shields

All the hubs I have come across have that issue, as does axles too. Aside from the axles we rebuild in house, they all have had burrs that needed filing.

[Kershaw]

The *front* bearings for the ix are expensive. When I sent you parts, I sent rear bearings which are much cheaper - they are nearly identical anyway, and I haven't had any problems (IIRC the OD is 0.1mm bigger on ix front bearings). The hubs were expensive, I think around $300. Normally you could reuse them, but mine had stripped threads and needed to be replaced.

I think I paid $135 for a new front hub, so $300 for 2 sounds right. I did not know the rear hubs were nearly identical. Next time!

[ForcedFirebird]

I think I paid $135 for a new front hub, so $300 for 2 sounds right. I did not know the rear hubs were nearly identical. Next time!

Bearings, not hubs...

[Kershaw]

Haha, yeah. That makes more sense.

[nando]

I think front ix bearings cost 2x what RWD bearings do - and RWD bearings are easier to find.

[AWDBOB]

PM'd you in regards to M3 strut housings John.

[JIM1inWisconsin]

struts

You could hold a core charge until the originals are shipped back. I personally wouldn't have an issue with something like that. I just don't work on my car anymore so I'd like to give the shop the new stuff, have it installed, then ship the old back.

I'm with Dr. Dave on this and if and when the time comes would want to do the same. I'm not into lowering and Bilsteins seem a little tricky. My preference would be a stock issue set-up.

[aaron325ix]

I have been wanting to put coils on the iX for a minute now and this would be great. I'd be happy to pay a core charge and send mine in when finished. I'll keep an eye on this thread.

[Chrisbike]

I be interested in this in a year or so. I'm going to wait and see what happens with the 330xi rack swap idea. I have Billy's and H&Rs. They kinda suck. I like the way it handles so I haven't went back to stock springs yet. I'll have to find some strut housings to send as cores. Sidenote; I bought one new hub from Ecs in there clearance for $10. Lol

[dubdub]

It was said somewhere above, but making the whole purchase as easy as possible... in that, I would make it so you are very clear as to what shocks and springs it would work with and make it easy.

My eyes glaze over quickly when people start talking coilovers. So many options. I am sure others are in the same boat.

[nando]

there's really not that many options when it comes to the ix. Basically because the struts have to be so short, there's really only the Koni Race inserts (if you are shortening housings), Bilstein HD (with shortened bump stops) or Koni SA. It's not a good idea to use either of those IMO with coilovers as the housings should be shortened at least 1" for additional travel.

Also, if you ignore all the Chinese garbage (BC, Megan, etc. etc. etc.) that cuts down the "mind boggling" options significantly.

The only other part you would be looking at are springs and perches, and nearly any threaded adjuster that fits on a BMW will work - 2.5 and 2.25" springs are widely available in many lengths and rates. The strut housings don't really affect that at all.