If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
One of us, One of us, One of us, One of us.........
Hahah I'm excited, of corse when I wanted a m50 all I could find was m60 cars, now that I'm in the market for a m60 its all 525i and 325i. Never fails.
Well here are the updates.
I was able to get a used flywheel and slightly used clutch assembly from a guy from bimmer forums for $110, screaming deal, but my buddy with the 530i transmission is being weird about selling it all of a sudden.
Also I replaced the clutch in the Volvo, what a huge pain in the ass! The transmission is cast iron....... Not cast aluminum, fucking iron hahah. So heavy!
And they don't just go straight in, you have to put them up rotated 90 degrees so the starter bump is faced down, then once up you rotate it while the tip of the input shaft is in the disc.
Never again.
But I was able to get the front even on the coilovers
All together the front lip is about 6 inches from the ground, it's stiff suspension but not even close to bottoming out. I'm right in the middle of the sleeve so I have 3" of adjustment in either way, but I wanted about a finger of clearance between he fender arch and the tire.
Another little task is getting rid of the sealed beams
Got good high quality Hella with "off-road" h4 bulbs so they are 80/100 watt.
As well as I finally got around to putting in the new heated seat switches
And finally the tie rods where looking alittle beat so I swapped them out with good German parts
Now I am tackling The rear coilovers, my goal is to keep the same fender clearance so it will take be much lowering. I picked up some poly bushing and bought a press to build a adjustable panhard rod so I can keep the rear end centered. Then I will build adjustable torque rods to center the wheel to the fender arch.
I would be driving it this week but I have been chasing brake line issues every night, between seized fittings to someone swapping out lines with standard lines causing cross threading, it's been a nightmare.
Well we have obtained the 530i 5 speed set up. Just need a clutch kit, then one that I was given is pretty worn.
I also got a press so I can build a adjustable panhard. Which is the thing keeping me from building the rear coilovers.
So that should be started with in the week
Adjustable panhard
Basically when you lower a solid axle car the pan hard will push the axle to one side. So more strain on u joints and possible rubbing on one quarter panel.
I pushed the pan hard as high up as it would go and measured the distance. This will be my minimum length.
Pull the pan hard
One bushing I was able to press out, the other ripped and I had to burn it out
Next i did a relief cut to the putter sleeve, then was able to pop them out
Next I sanded all the undercoating off
Next I cut on the side that I will be making it adjustable
I cut about this much out of it.
Next the plan was to weld in 3/4" threaded rod on to the short side and a nut on the other, this would have only cost $9, but a good customer of mine dropped these off at my work today
One side is threaded normal and the other is reverse, so I will be able
To adjust the length while it's totally installed.
Welded the sleeve on the short side, and a nut on the other. This allows the panhard to either go longer than stock or shorter than stock. Once the axle is centered with the suspension under load, I lock the jam nuts.
Painted
Poly
All done.
Here is how I did rear coilovers;
Looking though different Volvo builds, I have seen how some people do it, try to get a standard 2.5" coilovers spring to work with the 5" upper spring perch. But this never seems to work out.
After doing some digging on different circle track sites I found an adapter plate that goes from the 2.5" spring perch to a 5" spring, I also found the rear mk4 spring perches bolts on like a Volvo. I was able to get 5" coilovers springs from summit
First I removed the stock spring
Next I bolted on the VW adjustable spring perch
Next the spring adapter
Then I put in the spring, with the shock removed, there is plenty of room to toss the spring in with out compressing it.
Then I cut the bump stops
To prevent the suspension of going full droup and the shorter spring fall, and to not blow out shocks I had to run shorter shocks.
Most seem to go for a s10 front shock for the rears, but when I looked at the difference, between the stock and that recommended shock, the difference wasn't enough. I found that shocks from a c10 rwd fronts are shorter
Two things need to be changed, the upper mount eyelet is slight to big, KYB offered adapter kits for cheap
The thinnest one goes on the upper mount bolt
The lower sleeve is too short, so I swapped the lower bushing and sleeve
Those now can be installed.
Next I installed my panhard bar and adjusted it to center the rear axle
Nothing but bad pics on that.
Here is a picture of the suspension with out load
And here is it loaded
The shocks don't let the axle go down enough to to let the the spring fall out, but I still have a good amount of suspension travel and feels nice and comfortable.
I still need to build adjustable torque rods and bring the wheels forward.
Here's before and after with both coilovers
Comment