benefit of AKG Front Control Arms over stock

[Bimmer_man]

I tryed to google this but kept coming up short. I have seen them installed on other E30s and they look amazing. However, I do not want to spend over $1,500.00 on something that looks cool. If there is a actual benefit of this then im going to consider it.


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For those of you who have seen my posts and know what im doing. I am currently at a standstill. I am working and going to be going to school so i havent done much to my car other than regular maintenance. Hopefully this will change soon. Then ill post more

[///M42 sport]

are you gonna hardcore race? if not why would you waste the money. there are way more things to spend money on than $1500 for control arms.

[acolella76]

Primarily they are used to correct for roll center on extremely lowered cars, and allow you to adjust track width, caster, etc... What are you using the car for?

[Bimmer_man]

the car is pretty much going to be a street car every now and then when i feel like going over 65..........legally lol. Ill track it a little but not a lot.

the car will be lowered a little and the suspension will be pretty stiff.

[nrubenstein]

HUGE benefits for a race car. They dramatically increase front grip available on a lowered car.

The problem is that spherical bearings don't hold up well in street use AT ALL. They will make a shit ton of noise and they will have fairly short lives before they develop lots of play. And this assumes that you remember to replace things before they fail outright.

Basically, unless the car is either a dedicated track car, or a garage queen used exclusively for hard parking, don't. Spend the money on an E30 M3 5-lug and you can get the same effect without sacrificing comfort or safety.

[Bimmer_man]

HUGE benefits for a race car. They dramatically increase front grip available on a lowered car.

The problem is that spherical bearings don't hold up well in street use AT ALL. They will make a shit ton of noise and they will have fairly short lives before they develop lots of play. And this assumes that you remember to replace things before they fail outright.

Basically, unless the car is either a dedicated track car, or a garage queen used exclusively for hard parking, don't. Spend the money on an E30 M3 5-lug and you can get the same effect without sacrificing comfort or safety.

good point. I do plan on a 5-lug conversion and will be buying rons kit on here when i get the money together for it.

[nrubenstein]

good point. I do plan on a 5-lug conversion and will be buying rons kit on here when i get the money together for it.

You *must* get the E30 M3 5-lug if you want the geometry correction. Ron's kit gives you bigger brakes, but sticks you with the stock shitty geometry. The E30 M3 5-lug allows you to add a spacer and move the balljoint attachments.

[Bimmer_man]

You *must* get the E30 M3 5-lug if you want the geometry correction. Ron's kit gives you bigger brakes, but sticks you with the stock shitty geometry. The E30 M3 5-lug allows you to add a spacer and move the balljoint attachments.

I am not sure what you mean by geometry correction.

[nrubenstein]

I am not sure what you mean by geometry correction.

*sigh* Roll center, roll couple, camber curve, bump steer. Basically, when you lower the car, you put it in a worse part of the camber curve, you increase the amount of body roll, and you can end up with significant bump steer on top of all that. As a result, you have to make the car even stiffer and add more static camber to get the same performance as you would with better geometry.

Shifting the outer attachment points down, or the inner attachment points up offsets this. You can get that with race parts, or you can do it with the M3 5-lug.

[Bimmer_man]

*sigh* Roll center, roll couple, camber curve, bump steer. Basically, when you lower the car, you put it in a worse part of the camber curve, you increase the amount of body roll, and you can end up with significant bump steer on top of all that. As a result, you have to make the car even stiffer and add more static camber to get the same performance as you would with better geometry.

Shifting the outer attachment points down, or the inner attachment points up offsets this. You can get that with race parts, or you can do it with the M3 5-lug.

So im not sure if we are on the same page with what i mean by its going to be lowered. Its only going to be lowered by the GC coilover kit im getting for the car i don't want to slam the car. but with the coilover system it will be lowered a little.

Also I am more than likely not going to race this car. Every now and then track fun yeah. But from what my impression of you. You do race your car and im not going to race the car.

[ELVA164]

Basically, you don't need anything other than stock control arms unless you're dead set on a 5-lug setup.

[Bimmer_man]

Basically, you don't need anything other than stock control arms unless you're dead set on a 5-lug setup.

i am doing a 5-lug set up.

[Earendil]

i am doing a 5-lug set up.

Becuase you want the wheel options? 4 lugs hold the wheels on our car just fine, ask any of the SpecE30 or PRO3 guys, or watch this cool video of a PRO3 race car with racing slicks. He's putting enough stress on the wheel to cause the rubber to dance underneath.

[10Toes]

Becuase you want the wheel options? 4 lugs hold the wheels on our car just fine, ask any of the SpecE30 or PRO3 guys, or watch this cool video of a PRO3 race car with racing slicks. He's putting enough stress on the wheel to cause the rubber to dance underneath.

Those are ra1's not slicks.

[Earendil]

Those are ra1's not slicks.

Correct. I meant to say r-comp. In any case my point is valid, if OP is wanting to drive his car hard and is afraid it'll break, it's likely it won't unless he is is running slicks, and pushing his car harder on the street than PRO3 does on the track.

If he wants 5 lug wheel options then by all means, go 5 lug! :up: