GC vs other options

[scabzzzz]

Camber plates are arguably one of the most important parts for these cars to increase handling performance......

Buy $59 AKG poly bushings for the stock front lollipops, and a set of camber plates......

Read what Im saying before posting. None of my posts were referring to what would give him better handling.

[DSP74]

I'll agree with you in that the THR eyeball arms are basically the same thing as the GC lollipop bearings....

But buying those before camber plates just makes NO sence.

[DSP74]

Read what Im saying before posting. None of my posts were referring to what would give him better handling.

Why in the hell would ANYONE buy coilovers, THR arms or camber plates and have no care about handling.

Eyeball arms are dumb. They just simply cost extra money for little or no extra benefit. You have them so you think they are great.


As to daily driver benefits if that were the only concern then without question an offset M3 rubber bushing or poly bushing would be the best choice in the lollipop.

[Jean]

Spherical Bearing has a range of motion w/o any tension or BIND VS. rubber.

The point of camber plate is not just removal of Rubber bushing/mount to replace it with metal plate/bearing... (there are options for "hybrid" camber plates that aren't all metal btw), but to allow for camber increase (for better handling) or decrease (to improve tire wear for street).

I mean it's up to you, but it seems half-assed to pick one thing over the other,, they serve different functions.

imho.

[scabzzzz]

Why in the hell would ANYONE buy coilovers, THR arms or camber plates and have no care about handling.

Eyeball arms are dumb. They just simply cost extra money for little or no extra benefit. You have them so you think they are great.


As to daily driver benefits if that were the only concern then without question an offset M3 rubber bushing or poly bushing would be the best choice in the lollipop.

Ok, well from my experience working at THR, and driving others cars with and without different parts, the lollipops would give you solid mount feel. They tighten the steering up. Feels nice. Feels crisp. Cool...

Camber plates versus non camber plates on my car.. There is actual rubber to take the jolt away from driving on the street and hitting the inevitable bumps. Im not debating what works best, I'm gauging the comfort level the OP wants with his car, without sacrificing performance. Its not like I'm just throwing shit in his face. I've had 4 different suspensions on my car. I'm telling him what I think feels best for a daily driver, that he can take to an auto cross or take to the grocery store.

Again, with the lollipops, it makes the ride slightly stiffer and harsher, but not in the same way that camber plates do. Tennessee has some of the nicest roads in the country, if not the nicest.

Last time I checked, camber plates are pretty expensive. OEM strut hats arent (relatively).

I think everyone missed my point. :???:

[E30trash]

It cant be comfortable man... Be honest.

im fine with it, most of the people i drive around in it like it. i drive on roads i dont know all the time, i do carry 2x4's in the back though :)

[scabzzzz]

Spherical Bearing has a range of motion w/o any tension or BIND VS. rubber.

The point of camber plate is not just removal of Rubber bushing/mount to replace it with metal plate/bearing... (there are options for "hybrid" camber plates that aren't all metal btw), but to allow for camber increase (for better handling) or decrease (to improve tire wear for street).

I mean it's up to you, but it seems half-assed to pick one thing over the other,, they serve different functions.

imho.

Yes, they serve different functions. I realize that.
And if you're not familiar with the THR stuff, let me quote what Bimmerworld says about Jon's product.
"

• Easy install - you receive a complete bolt-in piece so no press is required to remove factory bushing (you save $50-60 if you don't own a press, plus the hassle)
• Offset design adds castor to improve suspension geometry. Arm is reconstructed so there is no rotational load requiring adjustment or set screws, as with a standard offset bushing.
• Bracket size accommodates E36 exhaust on E30 M50 conversions
• Perfect solution when a spherical bearing without a dust boot is not acceptable (i.e. street use)
• Extensively race and street tested" "

Not to mention the insert is self lubricating. So what happens when the GC spherical bearing breaks down? I dont doubt its a nice product, fuck I love Ground Control. Im just saying, for the purpose of the OP's request in solutions on what HE should do, I gave him my opinion. Educated, in experience, at that. I wasnt trying to sword fight with what product is better, or provides better handling.
Again, not discounting what you said. What you said is true.

And there is no rubber on the THR lollipop.

[Jean]

If the purpose is COMFORT, there shouldn't be any talk of 500+ spring rates period.

my 2 cents ;)

[scabzzzz]

Another note before I leave and am not able to respond:

I realize why I never looked into R3V for suspension research. Half of it is wrong. A lot of people recanting others misinformed idea of what works and how this and that feels. Just trying to help out. Im glad Jay started posting...

[scabzzzz]

If the purpose is COMFORT, there shouldn't be any talk of 500+ spring rates period.

my 2 cents ;)

The purpose wasnt comfort, until I brought it into the equation.

Having a rigid suspension and chassis breaks shit over time, and prematurely wears out other parts. In a race car, its fine. Street car, not fine.

But the OP can do whatever he chooses.

[Jean]

scabzzzz - I wasn't trying to argue with you. it just seems like you suggested a Solid CAB to improve the feel/handling, but at the same time is opposed to the idea of camber plates (solid) ?

Do you agree that talking about "comfort" in the same sentence with stiff spring rates is laughable?

If you doing CABS, and care about COMFORT then stick with OEM rubber and don't go with super stiff springs. If you care about HANDLING, you won't care about COMFORT and will replace ALL of suspension components and not just CABs.

In the end it's your own car, but like you said some of us here have been there done that many times, many years.

[scabzzzz]

scabzzzz - I wasn't trying to argue with you. it just seems like you suggested a Solid CAB to improve the feel/handling, but at the same time is opposed to the idea of camber plates (solid) ?

Do you agree that talking about "comfort" in the same sentence with stiff spring rates is laughable?

If you doing CABS, and care about COMFORT then stick with OEM rubber and don't go with super stiff springs. If you care about HANDLING, you won't care about COMFORT and will replace ALL of suspension components and not just CABs.

In the end it's your own car, but like you said some of us here have been there done that many times, many years.

Well my point wasnt to argue, but as you said, "Are you serious?". I took that as a shot to the validity of my comment. So I'm specifying.
You can create a stiff, but comfortable suspension for daily driving and auto crossing/tracking without taking all of the rubber out of the equation. You can pick and choose what components to run, while all of them giving you a different feel. Every piece of the E30 suspension is vitle to handling, and feel. You can change one thing, and feel it. Its a no brainer to think that adding and subtracting rubber from where the strut bolts to the car is going to make a huge difference.
The title to this thread is "GC vs. other options". Other options is exactly what I'm giving the OP. Nothin more, nothin less.
It IS possible to find the half way point. I think I did a good job at doing just that...
Ive always thought you to be a pretty cool guy based on your posts, but I seem to remember you looking to R3V for advice on coilovers when you were in the market. Wouldnt you want someone to come in with a different opinion than what everyone else is posting before you pulled a potentially $1500 dollar trigger that you cant try out and return if you dont like it?

[Jean]

I appologize if you took my post as a shot, didn't mean to, sorry. I am not going to argue, and was just trying to save the OP time/trouble :)

Anyway, there isn't a single best suspension as you know, the best you can do is find local e30 owner(s) with different suspension and check it out for yourself. I've gone through probably 8+ different suspension configurations in the past few years on my cars and I have to say you really have to figure out what your priority is, being comfort, or performance. If you try to do something in between, then a set of bilstein sport shocks + h&r sport or h&r race springs will do, but when you do something in between something has to give.

I've gone through 4-5 suspension set ups on my 318i alone, and as you know, everything is a variable from the spring/shocks to the type of tires and wheels you are running... so.

Good luck to the OP.

[scabzzzz]

i appologize if you took my post as a shot, didn't mean to, sorry. I am not going to argue, and was just trying to save the op time/trouble :)

anyway, there isn't a single best suspension as you know, the best you can do is find local e30 owner(s) with different suspension and check it out for yourself. I've gone through probably 8+ different suspension configurations in the past few years on my cars and i have to say you really have to figure out what your priority is, being comfort, or performance. If you try to do something in between, then a set of bilstein sport shocks + h&r sport or h&r race springs will do, but when you do something in between something has to give.

I've gone through 4-5 suspension set ups on my 318i alone, and as you know, everything is a variable from the spring/shocks to the type of tires and wheels you are running... So.

Good luck to the op.

+1

[325isStephen]

Thanks for the big debate guys lol, seriously though lots of good info was posted. I think I'll try the gc kit and then go from there, so maybe do bushings and stuff later depending how the car rides/feels to me. probably not the best idea to go out and buy all poly bushings etc without even knowing what really stiff springs feel like in a car.

Steve