DIY Coilovers

[Onz]

how safe do you rate these as a concept:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=025

[dips346]

i think a few zoners have used something the same but made by ground control ,sorry cant say on this type as i havent tried them myself

[Brian28]

The threaded tube is welded onto the original strut, we've used them for racing with no problems. In the UK DT amongst others do them, I think ours came from rally spares, something like rallyspares.co.uk Fronts only though, as the E30 doesn't have a rear strut to convert to coilover. There are some good photos (not mine) of a conversion before during and after on the motorsport forum.

[dips346]

The threaded tube is welded onto the original strut, we've used them for racing with no problems. In the UK DT amongst others do them, I think ours came from rally spares, something like rallyspares.co.uk Fronts only though, as the E30 doesn't have a rear strut to convert to coilover. There are some good photos (not mine) of a conversion before during and after on the motorsport forum.

these arnt the welded type ,these just sit in place

[Gunni]

Been used on e30´s loads of times.

most of them just have generic springs rates. 450lbs or 350lbs depending on totall randomness.

[Brian28]

these arnt the welded type ,these just sit in place

My bad. In that case I wouldn't be a fan. Not unsafe I'm sure, but not sure how tight they'd fit on the strut to stay in position when unloaded, eg jacking the car up or the inside wheels on a long corner. I'd buy a weld on kit conversion kit seperately and springs seperately so you can get something to suit you rather than a generic spring kit with lb/in based on who knows what.

[Onz]

but isnt welding suspension parts an MOT faliure?

[Brian28]

Depends what parts I guess but generally, nope. I've welded coilover conversions like above and modified front top mounts by cutting and welding, never had any problems.

[cliffybabe]

but isnt welding suspension parts an MOT faliure?

depends how wel the jobs been done

[Onz]

you mean how factory it looks ;)

[jaffro]

do they make these in the e30 fitment i cant seem to find any?

[Brian28]

you mean how factory it looks ;)

Nope, any decent standard welding is fine even if obviously done to parts afterwards. The only suspension thing I can think of that would be a fail is if somebody tries something dopey like welding a snapped coil spring to repair it, I may have bodged some solutions in my time but even I haven't tried that one . Welds are never really tested on MOT apart from how they look, no different to welding patches or panels to repair rust damage. Needs to look Ok rather than bird sh*t welding or the failure will be "improper repair".

[Onz]

I wanted to weld mounting points to my front struts so that I can have the M3 ARB drop links, but i was advised not to do this because it would be an MOT faliure. Would that be true?

[powelly]

Will Holman the PPC editor did this to his Capri quite a few years ago.