Suspension overhaul, Long over due and a few other things.

[sticksdaman]

subscribed!

Especially for the front strut modification process/writeup

[dannyg]

Can't wait to see it all done!

[joshanoya]

subscribed. i want to do my suspension too >.<

[e30this]

Well, LOTS of work took place last night.
I didnt get to many photos because I forgot the camera at home and the wife brought it when she got off work, So most of the work was already done.
I did manage to get everything together on the front other then the linkage for the steering rack. I have to slide the the steering column over to line up with the rack since I have an air bag car.
Here are the photos that I did manage to get of the front.













Most of the rear is apart minus the subframe and the dif. I will have all of that out later tonight and hopefuly the new stuff installed. Then first thing monday it will go for an allingment.

[oldskool3]

Shit you made quick work of this project. I guess the lift helps a lot.

[318isbmw]

Nice welds. Really clean.

[e30this]

Thanks fellas... The rear is just about done. Im just got done installing the camber kit on the subframe and Im waiting for the paint to dry. Then its time to install everything.

I went to the allingment shop yesterday before I started working on the car to get an idea of where about and how far up that I had to weld the camber kit.
When he put the tool on the wheel I found out that the top of the wheel needed to come out 1 1/4 inches to be perfect. So I got it in that area so the camber on the rear should be about dead nutz when I get it back...

keep in mind when you guys get an allingment you need to have 50lbs in the trunk, 150lbs in each front seat and 150 in the center of the back seat plus 3/4 to full tank of gas before the allingment will come out perfect...

[e30this]

WHOOP WHOOP!!! Almost done!! I need to finish the new hard lines for the front brakes. Put in the new brake booster and mod the firewall to move the steering column over for the e36 rack swap.
I wasnt really happy with IEs rear camber kit. If I didnt cut shit up and move it around I dont think I would have got as much as I did.
Right now its just about dead flush and Im happy with the way it came out in the end.
I took some photos of it sitting on the ground and I wish it was a lot lower in the front. When I welded the perches on to the strut tubes I actually moved them down 1/2 inch more then what should have been. With the adjusters all the way down my shock on has about 1.5 inches of travel and thats not a lot at all. So I think Im going to order some G60 shocks and cut the tubes 2 inches and I should be a lot more happier with the way it sits in the front.
I was slacking on the photos today. I just really wanted to get done since it has been a long 2 days.
on to what photos that I did take.

[iwantspeed]

looks good
great work

[sticksdaman]

Please post your findings on your solution to the whole front strut issue. There seems to be a lot of confusion on this subject. The car seems to be progressing nicely

[e30this]

I think the only solution to the problem is to buy some short koni for the front and start cuttin.
I got a 16x10 coming this week so I will know how much lower I actually have to go. Then I will go from there with whatever needs to be done. Shit happens, You cant always go off of all the info on the interwebz!!!

[oekundar]

keep in mind when you guys get an allingment you need to have 50lbs in the trunk, 150lbs in each front seat and 150 in the center of the back seat plus 3/4 to full tank of gas before the allingment will come out perfect...

Is that the recommendation for all e30s or just those dropped as aggresively as yours?

[e30this]

Its actually recomended by BMW. It should also say in your bently manual.

[318isbmw]

Is that the recommendation for all e30s or just those dropped as aggresively as yours?

Its so that your alignment is accurate when you are in the car, not when the car is empty.

Looks good so far, can't wait to see when you throw some wheels on it. Next weekend I think I'll be following and doing the same thing to my car...

[e30this]

I dont have an exhaust on the car, so I havent driven it yet. Im excited to see how its going to feel. Im not to happy that the front isnt that low. I have a feeling that Im going to be calling GC and getting short koni and cuttin up some strut tubes.