Other options for "tall" RSM?

[MR 325]

Been searching options for a tall rear shock mount so that I can run my Tein E36 M3 rear shocks on my E30. I know that Ground Control makes these but I feel they're a bit pricey at $150. Just wanted to see if there's any other options out there. I'm not saying the GC stuff isn't good but it's not cheap.

Here's the GC product for reference...

http://www.ground-control-store.com/products/description.php/II=851/CA=253

I noticed Bimmerworld sells the GC tall mounts too. Anybody know if Bimmerworld does free shipping or anything of the sort?

[whodwho]

I was looking at those a while back and then thought you can make something similar with a couple flanges and a short section of tube and use your existing RSMs.

Might be an option for you?

[MR 325]

I was thinking of going that route too but if there's something a little more reasonably priced I might go for it.

[Aptyp]

plumbing section at your local hardware store and a drill are your best friends. That's something I'd be doing, quite honestly.

[nrubenstein]

You know that the GC rear mounts only solve excessive droop issues, right? The fact that the E36 shocks are too long to get any travel won't be fixed.

[einstein57]

What about making some riser plates with longer hardware

[MR 325]

You know that the GC rear mounts only solve excessive droop issues, right? The fact that the E36 shocks are too long to get any travel won't be fixed.

How do you figure? If I am putting the top of the shock 2 inches higher it will have more room to travel in the E30 chassis.

[Hellabad]

How do you figure? If I am putting the top of the shock 2 inches higher it will have more room to travel in the E30 chassis.

Bear with me.

I think you might be confusing the GC Hondamount with the GC tall mount.

They look similar, but can (and do) two somewhat different things. The Hondamount does exactly what you said, it allows the shock to come up through the sheetmetal farther than stock, and allow the shock to move higher allowing more travel. This is possible because Honda shocks are really small diameter, 43mm or so, and the hole in the body is comparatively large.

The e46 on the other hand, has a 45mm hole in the body and most shocks are 50mm outside diameter, so it can't go up through there. e46 is the big market for those mounts, sold to people "fixing" mashup suspensions.

The e30 usage of those rearmounts is just a little side benefit when we are using 5 inch springs, on a shock that fits 5 or 6 inch springs (to reduce the droop but allow us to change springs).

The e30 has a larger 51mm hole through the body, but here are the two hangups with what you are thinking: The pieces can be made, but they will have to be cut out of a two 4 inch blocks of aluminum, so you get to $150 pretty quick, and you can only add about 20mm of travel, because of the angularity anyway.

So, technically you are correct, but in practice it is just easier to get the right shocks.

Jay

ps when I say angularity, I mean the shock goes through the hole at an angle that get tighter on one side as it moves up, until it wedges the shock on that side.

[MR 325]

Jay, thank you for the detailed reply! Much appreciated.

Now I do have this question... Say I do mount the E36 M3 rear shock on my E30 using the GC tall mount. Is there really ever going to be any occasion where I use every inch of shock travel to have to worry about the issue of it coming up too high?

[Hellabad]

Jay, thank you for the detailed reply! Much appreciated.

Now I do have this question... Say I do mount the E36 M3 rear shock on my E30 using the GC tall mount. Is there really ever going to be any occasion where I use every inch of shock travel to have to worry about the issue of it coming up too high?

I would propose to actually modify a hondamount to ft an e30. It's just metal.