Drop Hats.....

[reelizmpro]

I have a pair of E90 hats here and noticed the hole for the shock is larger than the E30 ones. There's also some sort of countersunk bushing there. Do you install as is or do you remove that "bushing"?

[Philo]

If you are talking about the metal ring at the bottom of the mount, I do not believe it can be removed.

[drulle]

where is the best/least expensive place to buy e90 hats?

[george graves]

Blunt.

Did anyone figure out how much more of a drop richardkeith97 hats have over the e90 hats? I'm running the e90 hats - but need more low.

[drulle]

Blunt.

Did anyone figure out how much more of a drop richardkeith97 hats have over the e90 hats? I'm running the e90 hats - but need more low.

Blunt has drop hats for $85 shipped. Too much compared to other prices I have seen for e90 hats.

[george graves]

^Yea. He sells both.

[fuzzysux]

yeah, +1 on the e90 hats. really not a crazy drop, but JUST enough to change the presumed reverse rake on my vert to an obvious front rake.
so you know - eibach pro kit - you still need a spring compressor if you don't want to remove the strut from the control arm...
also - check out your sway bar links - where they mount to the control arm - one side of mine - the threads had rotted to garbage and it was loose. so in hard cornering situations, i could feel a movement which was this link moving from compressed to extended position. it is a $6 part at the dealer, but it was faster for me to cut out the stud and replace with a shallow head bolt - than to drive to the dealer..

[Butler]

so how many people are running these? long term updates/problems?

i just finished installing a set on my car, got them off getbmwparts.com for 24 shipped iirc. front measurement from ground to highest point of wheel arch went from 24.5" to a hair above 24"... almost a half inch drop. this is with ie3 springs.

and for what its worth, i was able to change the "drophats" without removing the strut. i removed the big nut for the shock, and pulled the spring/strut assembly away from the bushing/top mount. then i removed the three bolts for the mount and removed it. that gave me enough room to r&r the drophat and put everything back together.

Thanks for posting. I'm going to order a set, though I'm not 100% I understood what you did to not compress the springs...

[Justin B]

Probably similar to my h&r race springs, at full droop the spring is nearly loose. Zero compression.

[brickwhite]

I added the e90 drop hats with H&R sports springs and now I have a spring popping noise when I slowly turn while driving. I guess I need to see if there is binding/scrapes in the strut tower. I also used the existing strut bearings that were about 2 years old. I didn’t add any extra washers just the e90 hats, existing washers, and a new lock nuts. Also have newer stock CABs.



Anyone have an idea to get these to work ???

One post suggested grinding the hat but they don’t seem to be larger that the strut mounts.

Would it be the angle of the e90 had compared to the stock hats?


Thanks for any ideas

[e30orDie]

I added the e90 drop hats with H&R sports springs and now I have a spring popping noise when I slowly turn while driving. I guess I need to see if there is binding/scrapes in the strut tower. I also used the existing strut bearings that were about 2 years old. I didn’t add any extra washers just the e90 hats, existing washers, and a new lock nuts. Also have newer stock CABs.



Anyone have an idea to get these to work ???

One post suggested grinding the hat but they don’t seem to be larger that the strut mounts.

Would it be the angle of the e90 had compared to the stock hats?


Thanks for any ideas

I'm running HR race with sport billies and drop hats (not e90) IIRC theyre the Richard drop hats... I'm using UUC camber/caster plates that are 180 degrees turned out for my e46 control arms- I have no popping or any kind of problem... Bounce isn't even bad, in fact the car drive amazingly, and feels ultra smooth and stable at 130mph+

[brickwhite]

I'm running HR race with sport billies and drop hats (not e90) IIRC theyre the Richard drop hats... I'm using UUC camber/caster plates that are 180 degrees turned out for my e46 control arms- I have no popping or any kind of problem... Bounce isn't even bad, in fact the car drive amazingly, and feels ultra smooth and stable at 130mph+

your using camber plates that is a completly different setup, anyone using stock strutmounts??

Thanks,

[e30orDie]

Sigh**. My struts are pushed out further in my shock towers towards the fenders than with or w/o camber plates.... If anyone is gonna rub on the tower, it's me..... I bet your springs aren't lined up well in the perches and hats- anytime u jack ur car up, u need to watch for this and re- align ;) If there's any scrapping or binding going on, something else is worn out. Mine are REAL tight tolerances where yours wouldn't be as much ;)

[spiDmang]

no point with coilovers, they don't usually use the stock perches either way.

i would say it would be a great idea to use with coilovers. you get the needed drop from the drop hats, but can also keep preload for the spring. many coilover companies say its important to keep preload if you want to have a somewhat comfortable ride.

[EMC]

i would say it would be a great idea to use with coilovers. you get the needed drop from the drop hats, but can also keep preload for the spring. many coilover companies say its important to keep preload if you want to have a somewhat comfortable ride.

Coilover springs are a smaller diameter than the stock springs. That's why there's no need for drop hats with coilovers...they won't fit. Besides, if you want it lower, just thread down the collars on the lower spring perch.