High spring rates

[Jean]

doesn't sound that bad. I'm running 600/700 and it rides fine, although the GF doesn't enjoy it very much. my front struts could use a rebuild though!

I wonder if your cracks in the frame was because of rust, not neccesarily from stiff rates.

I am thinking weight of the car also makes a difference here ;) (2300-2400lbs vs 2700-2800?).

[JGood]

I wonder if your cracks in the frame was because of rust, not neccesarily from stiff rates.

My passenger side strut tower is cracking as well, and I'm only on H&R Sports and Bilstein sports. But I put 5 years/130k miles on the car with that suspension, and hit some serious potholes in that time period. I put a solid Sparco strut bar on and that seems to have stopped the crack from growing... or maybe it's just coincidence.

[nando]

it was 550f/650r, revalved bilsteins, poly everything. it wasn't "too" stiff, but it shouldnt have been a daily driver either

doesn't sound that bad. I'm running 600/700 and it rides fine, although the GF doesn't enjoy it very much. my front struts could use a rebuild though!

I wonder if your cracks in the frame was because of rust, not neccesarily from stiff rates.

[T3rd Ferguson]

how stiff is "so stiff"? for us underedumacated poorer folks. ;)

it was 550f/650r, revalved bilsteins, poly everything. it wasn't "too" stiff, but it shouldnt have been a daily driver either

[Jean]

He deleted his post!

Not fair.

Fail on my part.

What are you talking about

[Danny]

He deleted his post!

Not fair.

Fail on my part.

[Jean]

Fail.

Did you r3v your new car or something?

[Danny]

Fail.

[rsafier]

Yeah the TCK Spherical (monoball) bearings are wonderful, and not nearly as harsh as one might think, plus not really any more then poly which do pound out pretty quick.
http://www.tcklineracing.com/monoball.htm $160 isn't too bad at all. Out of the LeMons budget but the bearings themselves aren't...

[nando]

Rear mounts on my list as well, will be going with some kind of solid rear mounts this time around.

I don't reccomend urethane - it doesn't hold up well either. it tends to deform over time, and needs to replaced fairly often. That's why I was pretty happy to get the TCK rubber mounts. but since you have a race only car, I'd skip all the flubber BS and do the hardcore spherical bearings. ;)

[rsafier]

Yeah well I was hoping for more then 30 miles and 30 autocross runs :) but even I knew they would be dead before the race itself. I'm planning on sourcing some bearings and building my own solid plates for the rear.

[Jean]

Rear mounts on my list as well, will be going with some kind of solid rear mounts this time around.

[nando]

I can definately say stock rear strut mounts even newer E46 style mounts don't like 700# springs. 30 runs on Sunday have nearly totaled the ones on my lemons car

the E46 mounts aren't all that great to begin with. 5 years on H&R sports and mine are done - replacing them with TCK rubber this week though :)

[rsafier]

I can definately say stock rear strut mounts even newer E46 style mounts don't like 700# springs. 30 runs on Sunday have nearly totaled the ones on my lemons car

[Jean]

Yep, after one season on 500/650 I got a couple new rattles to fix on the 318i. The 325i is not a street car, so I don't care :) It will only be driven to the events, as I can't afford a dedicated tow vehicle/package like some of you guys LOL