Upgrading to m3 drop links worth it?

[JGood]

is it ok to weld the m3 bracket on the strut tube w the shock still installed?

I wouldn't do that, I'd be afraid of what the heat could do to the seals and the oil.

[bastianshaw]

is it ok to weld the m3 bracket on the strut tube w the shock still installed?

[bastianshaw]

agreed thanks

[acolella76]

Wow, nice find!

[VinniE30]

Found some good info on this at s14.net

sure its there for 3 reasons
1. it changes the actuation rate (wheel movement / ARB movement)
M3: 0.9; E30: 0.562 which means on the M3 the same wheel movement twists the rollbar MORE, i.e. making it act like a thicker, harder bar
2. Saves a little weigth: the strength of the M3 ARB (19mm strut-linked) corresponds to a E30 ARB (24 mm wishbone-linked) with the same geometrical dimensions.
3. saved BMW mucho money by reusing existing cheapo E30 parts

http://www.s14.net/forums/showthread.php?38723-Modifying-Strut-tubes-and-relocating-sway-bar-mounting-points

[Northern]

I feel that another reason for the non-M cars to get control arm links is for cost, and replacement interval. I could see the drop links wearing faster from the additional movement.

[acolella76]

Thanks.:) And i'm sure many other people besides me want to know. Who's your boss?

The 'J' in JRZ. Didn't remember to ask him today though :p

Thanks for the info Kronus!

[M-technik-3]

I upgraded my plain jane E36's to droplinks just for mechanical advantage. You get advantage of a bigger bar but with less weight and less mass of a design.

Did this for our lemon it was a 318is e36 ran a stock bar and the links. We handled nice and flat and very predictable.

[Lof8]

The strut tubes are farther out fom the car's center line than the control arm mounting points. .

Wouldn't that give the car's rolling momentum more leverage against the sway bar, making the sway bar less effective?

more distance = more deflection of the sway bar.

aahh, that seems to make more sense.

[kronus]

well i actually fucked it up. It doesn't move through more angle, it moves through more distance at the end than the middle when the angle is the same. more distance = more deflection of the sway bar.

[VinniE30]

The strut tubes are farther out fom the car's center line than the control arm mounting points. As a result, the control arm moves through more angle during suspension compression (because the control arm rotates on an axis between the CAB and the inner ball joint), and since the sway bar is a spring, it provides more return force when it is deflected further away from its rest position.

The final result is the same sway bar provides more force to counter the leaning effects of a turn under similar G's.

Makes sense. Good explanation.
I'm probably gonna go with the m3 links since I already got the tabs for them welded to my strut housings.

[VinniE30]

To get leverage from a different angle. Im sure it just boils down to driver preference... hell I dont doubt that bmw put it there because of the DTM drivers preference. If it is absolutely essential that you know I will talk to my boss again tomorrow :)

Thanks.:) And i'm sure many other people besides me want to know. Who's your boss?

[kronus]

Bump
Someone on here must know the reason why it's better mounted to the strut.(if it actually is, which it looks like if just speculation.)

The strut tubes are farther out fom the car's center line than the control arm mounting points. As a result, the control arm moves through more angle during suspension compression (because the control arm rotates on an axis between the CAB and the inner ball joint), and since the sway bar is a spring, it provides more return force when it is deflected further away from its rest position.

The final result is the same sway bar provides more force to counter the leaning effects of a turn under similar G's.

[acolella76]

To get leverage from a different angle. Im sure it just boils down to driver preference... hell I dont doubt that bmw put it there because of the DTM drivers preference. If it is absolutely essential that you know I will talk to my boss again tomorrow :)

[VinniE30]

Bump
Someone on here must know the reason why it's better mounted to the strut.(if it actually is, which it looks like if just speculation.)