ground control question, cut perch or not?

[papajetta]

i have a e30 vert with a 5 lug e30 m3 conversion in the front. i am undecided on cutting the spring perch off or not. being it was so hard to find e30 m3 fronts i'd hate to ruin a pair of $468 ( each ) strut housings. If i cut the spring perch off theres no going back to my previou set up, in case i find them too stiff.
does anyone have feedback ( fender gap ) on the lowest settings for the following:

- GC's sitting on uncut spring perch
( which from what i have read only allows to turn the sleeves about half way down _)

- GC's sitting on a trimmed stock spring perch
( which should allow the sleeves to be turned all the way down but the sleeve sitting on whats left of the stock spring perch )

- GC's sitting on cut strut housing with GC's spring perch welded on
( which is cutting and welding , not an option for me right now )

thanks

[808BMW]

You probably lose 1/2"-3/4" of that last adjustability with the full perch.

Leaving the trimmed perch vs. using the GC perch should give the same height, the GC perch just looks cleaner.

I'd try it out without cutting the perches and if you don't like the height start worrying about it then :P

[e30sd]

im in the same pickle. im gonna go with stock perches first. if i like it, i'll hack away. if not, i can always ditch em and go back to stock style springs.

bimmertoads car on uncut perches

[golde30]

pasha, quit being a little girl, hack them bitches up...:p

[e30sd]

you're one to talk mrs ooh it's too stiff...

[golde30]

you're one to talk mrs ooh it's too stiff...

but i live in teh gay land, where NO public funds are put into road work. you live in flatsville, with fresh pavement as far as the eye can see in every direction...

[backtrail69]

Then drive a pickup... :razz:

[golde30]

Then drive a pickup... :razz:

i have been looking at getting a pickup for a DD actually...but for now the 4x4 mode 318is should do...

[1991 318is]

You have $900 strut housings and a coil over kit but welding is not an option?
1) Do nothing and live with it.
2) Cut the perch as close as you can with a plasma cutter and save it. Grind off the part thats left. Put the collar on so that the perch will be at the right height if put back on. The collar will be larger than the hole on the perch and easy to weld.
3) Whack them up and spend $900 for new ones if you go back.
4) If they're too stiff, buy softer coil over springs for $100 a pair.
5) There's always another way.
6) Maybe two
7) or three.

[golde30]

You have $900 strut housings and a coil over kit but welding is not an option?
1) Do nothing and live with it.
2) Cut the perch as close as you can with a plasma cutter and save it. Grind off the part thats left. Put the collar on so that the perch will be at the right height if put back on. The collar will be larger than the hole on the perch and easy to weld.
3) Whack them up and spend $900 for new ones if you go back.
4) If they're too stiff, buy softer coil over springs for $100 a pair.
5) There's always another way.
6) Maybe two
7) or three.

QFT.

i keep forgetting that we can change the springs fairly easily....

[dom]

but i live in teh gay land, where NO public funds are put into road work.

amen. we've got some shitty ass roads.

[papajetta]

plasma cutter? that son-a-bitch is goin down in about 4 hours with a wiz wheel and grinder. i'll try 1 side with out cutting perch 1st.

[Mystikal]

Just throw them on without any cutting/welding. You seriously don't lose much adjustability at all. What rate/length springs?

Mine are cut, but if I had expensive housings I wouldn't have.

[papajetta]

too late. cut them suckers off about 5am.
i dropped the car to the floor with it uncut. the most you can turn the sleeve is half way down. i already had h&r sports and GC's half way was just a bit of an improvement. still had about an inch of fender gap. Cut the perches, dropped the car to the lowest setting and the front tires are tucked inside the fender. so i am about to back it up about 4 turns and should be good

[Mystikal]

Interesting. How much (in inches) of the perch adjustment would you say was restricted?