sanity check suspension overhaul parts list - late 318is

[dullrot]

Pic at bottom just because a pic-free thread is boring:

Car has 200k on it, and everything must be assumed bad I guess. I'm not looking to slam the car, and want it to remain fairly comfortable - but I'm willing to come close to slammed/uncomfortable because I hate wheel gap and appreciate handling. I'd considered a 5 lug swap, but with so much else to buy either way, can't absorb the added cost, plus by staying with 4x100mm I can interchange wheels with my '91 mazda mx5 easily.

Parts I plan to buy:

* Bilstein sport shocks - Turner motorsports $468
* H&R super sport springs - (part 50404-77) $230 @ Turner (supposed to lower a bit more than sports, bit less than race, spring rates similarly in middle)
* E9x Front Drop hats - Ireland $26 - should front shock mount/bearing be replaced? Oem for that?
* Lemforder LCA's $120 Bavauto
* E30 M3 offset CAB's $45 Bavauto
* E30 M3 front sway endlinks+garagistic weld on strut tube mount tabs $?+$18
* Rear shock mounts - Haven't decided on brand/type, suggestions?
* Weld in rear shock mount reenforcement plates (garagistic) $20
* Spring seats. Notsosure what to do here because I don't want to introduce more fender gap. But at what cost for comfort...
* Sway bushings front/rear

Bit over $1k total or so, I reckon.

Parts I have:

* Powerflex rear diff bushing
* e30 325ix vLSD
* Poly subframe bushings (AKG)
* Poly rear trailing arm bushings (BMP)
* e21 tranny mounts and UUC enforcers (installed)
* e36 M3 oem hydro engine mounts (installed)

* Brake stuff - big bore OEM master cylinder, Axis Ult Pads, rotors, caliper rebuild stuff, stainless brake/clutch lines. Need to replace corroded hard lines as well.


Any suggestions? Considering doing the front/rear hubs/bearings as well, particularly if I'd have to remove most of the suspension stuff to do them later on. Better swaybars/shock tower braces I'll do later on.

[Chessmaster]

You can use e46 cabrio rsms, they are cheap and very durable. And you seem like you got most of the common wear items, I would honestly just do bearings/ hubs if needed. Ohh and might do parking brakes while at it.

[e30_302]

Tie rods.

[dullrot]

You can use e46 cabrio rsms, they are cheap and very durable. And you seem like you got most of the common wear items, I would honestly just do bearings/ hubs if needed. Ohh and might do parking brakes while at it.

Oh good to know about the e46 rsm's - still worth welding in reinforcement plates?

Tie rods.

Got em, already swapped an e36 rack in and rebuilt the shifter. But yes!


Not really sure if the wheel hubs need changed or not - the car feels nice and tight after the rack swap, but at 200k miles..

[dullrot]

Any recommendation between the JT design shock mounts and the UUC meyle e46 based kits?

Meyle/UUC - http://www.uucmotorwerks.com/MEYLE_HD/ $55

JT - http://www.rmeuropean.com/Part-Numbe..._524E0EBE.aspx $32

[deutschman]

http://www.iemotorsport.com/bmw/E30-suspension-steering/e30alummt.html

Also do you have thicker sway bars? If so you NEED the weld on sway bar tab pieces in the back. The stock sway bar tabs WILL brake off.

These are great sway bars. I have had them on two of my e30's and two of my 2002s.

http://www.iemotorsport.com/bmw/E30-suspension-steering/e30sbs.html

[dullrot]

Deutsche, you think it's worthwhile to step up to the billet ones over the uuc/jt's? I'm not opposed to poly bushings but am already using them in diff, rear trailing arm, and subframe.

I'm not doing sways straight away, just due to budget. When I get round to those I'll definitely do the weld on supports.

[deutschman]

Deutsche, you think it's worthwhile to step up to the billet ones over the uuc/jt's? I'm not opposed to poly bushings but am already using them in diff, rear trailing arm, and subframe.

I'm not doing sways straight away, just due to budget. When I get round to those I'll definitely do the weld on supports.

Na you dont need to, but the cool part is you dont need to replace the entire mount when they get worn out. You can just pop in new urethane. I just wanted to share a different option. The ones you posted above will be fine.
Sway bars make a huge difference. Ones you get the money you will looooove them ;D

[dullrot]

Gotcha. UUC was doing 15% off and free shipping today, so I bought their kit, was $47 shipped. With the reinforcement plates included I should be ok.

I got some other advice from a BMWCCA guy that a front shock tower brace has such an effect that without it, the dashboard is more likely to crack, so I also picked up one of the $50 ebay specials.



If it's shit I'll weld up some sort of reinforcement like I did with my MX5's bars.

Looks like I can get the f/r wheel bearing parts needed for about $125 total, so I think I'll go ahead and do those as well.

[Chessmaster]

^tell me how it fits, I need a couple. But yeah some people say you'll not tell the difference, but just try it and you can tell the difference.

[Lee22]

subscribed, i'm in a similar boat as you.

.

[dullrot]

getting there - the last of my brake parts (hard lines) and the e90 drop hats came in today, so all that's left to purchase before the tear down are LCA's, M3 offset CABS, and front strut bearings, going to grab all those from Bavauto. And then the bilstein/H&Rs, where tirerack actually seems to be the best total price on.

[mr2peak]

Na you dont need to, but the cool part is you dont need to replace the entire mount when they get worn out. You can just pop in new urethane. I just wanted to share a different option. The ones you posted above will be fine.
Sway bars make a huge difference. Ones you get the money you will looooove them ;D

Awesome aren't they?

Loved the way your '02 handled with the IE kit as well :up:

[Lee22]

I'm going to be doing all of my bushings at the same time I do my suspension, to save time and money. Anything else I should consider doing at the same time? My car is not going to see track duty but is mainly Street driven and occasional canyon carving

[blunttech]

I'm going to be doing all of my bushings at the same time I do my suspension, to save time and money. Anything else I should consider doing at the same time? My car is not going to see track duty but is mainly Street driven and occasional canyon carving

Do flex brake lines while the rear subframe out. Either oem rubber or stainless