Lowering!!

Sat Jan 30, 2010 7:48 pm

I wanna drop my 325i sport beast down as much as possible without having it scrape every speed bump i go over!! I like the arch coming over the tyre look!!. im running 17" alpina reps. Now i understand theres loads of threads on this but i can't find what im looking for!..Im thinking of the 40mm drop but i don't know if thats going to give me the arch low look! i know if i drop 60mm it's going to look the dogs goolies but will it scrape everything!! Also will i need to change everything for the drop!? or will it work out cheaper if i just brought coilovers?!..Thanks

Sat Jan 30, 2010 8:04 pm

60mm is fine as long as you have a route that avoids solid all the way accross the road speed humps.

Sat Jan 30, 2010 9:28 pm

so do i have to totally avoid speed bumps if i choose 60mm?!

Sat Jan 30, 2010 9:30 pm

Go 40mm all around.

Sat Jan 30, 2010 9:32 pm

will that give me the arch cover look! ne pics!

Sat Jan 30, 2010 11:19 pm

don;t know about your area, but my lovely stainless steel exhaust keeps catching the speed bumps round my area if i have anything heavier that i feather in the back of my touring. Its only on m tech suspension.. but this i roundabout and speed bump city.

Sun Jan 31, 2010 12:57 am

Mine is mtech suspension with aftermarket 60mm drop and rolled arches. I've never clouted anything *touches wood* underneath and I frequently bump up a kerb when I park up to collect the kids from school. Obviously, I take speedbumps very slowly..

Man up and get some 60's.... they look the dogs boll*cks

Sun Jan 31, 2010 11:02 am

cheers ppl!.. hahaha to e30shed!..thanks mate defo droppin 60mm then!!

Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:18 pm

just had a quick look around! any help on which ones to get!? i've seen some 60mm Spax ones for £102.50 incl P&P. Also do i have to change my current suspension!? its on the stock sport ones!..

Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:29 pm

Dropping mine 60mm tomorrow! It's gonna look the shizzle!

Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:33 pm

It would be better to get a full kit, one thing I have noticed with mine since lowering it 60/40 is the rear camber, it's not kind to the rear tyres wearing the inner edges quite quickly.

If you don't want this to happen but still want it dropped then if you look in the group buy section 'Danthe' is selling some adjuster plates that need welding to the rear beam, add some adjustment bolts (detailed in the thread) and you can return the rear suspension to factory camber/toe settings.

Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:37 pm

ok this is getting to much for me im a novice!! LOL!..stonesie will that still happen even if i don't put anything in the back! the only thing is going to be my twin box subwoofer!.. just brought some HID's aswell!

Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:41 pm

mine is dropped over 60mm, and i run 14s with very low profile tyres, it scrapes everywhere, most speedbums it scrapes but isint too bad!

Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:48 pm

hazd31 wrote:mine is dropped over 60mm, and i run 14s with very low profile tyres, it scrapes everywhere, most speedbums it scrapes but isint too bad!

LOL!..damn! im going to be running 17's! does that mean i'll have to get my arch's rolled?!

Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:49 pm

At least running 17's you'll have less issue with ground clearance...

Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:58 pm

ade36 thats cool! didn't think of that but i would have an issue with the wheels rubbing will i!?

Sun Jan 31, 2010 8:26 pm

17's are fine on a 60mm drop without rubbing IF you have the right offset wheels. Also note that when dropping to 60mm unless you use shortened shocks it will fail it's MOT as the springs will become loose when the car is raised.

The ground clearance will be the same be it 14/15/16/17's if you are using the correct profile tyre, 205/55/15 is the norm on an E30. Check tyre sizes using this calculator HERE

Sun Jan 31, 2010 8:57 pm

charlE30 wrote:17's are fine on a 60mm drop without rubbing IF you have the right offset wheels. Also note that when dropping to 60mm unless you use shortened shocks it will fail it's MOT as the springs will become loose when the car is raised.

The ground clearance will be the same be it 14/15/16/17's if you are using the correct profile tyre, 205/55/15 is the norm on an E30. Check tyre sizes using this calculator HERE

Damn theres more!! OFFSET!? im sorry as you can tell i don't know jack sh*t in cars! i've brought some brand new 17" inch alpina reps! how do i know what the offset is! actually for that fact what the hell is offset!

and is it better i just buy coilovers!? cos this way i can get around the factor of the springs becoming lose for M.O.T!

Sun Jan 31, 2010 9:19 pm

Coilovers win! If you dont mind shelling out for them

Sun Jan 31, 2010 9:21 pm

mine is dropped over 60mm, and i run 14s with very low profile tyres, it scrapes everywhere, most speedbums it scrapes but isint too bad!

What 14's are you running? Got any pics?

Sun Jan 31, 2010 9:30 pm

ade36 wrote:
mine is dropped over 60mm, and i run 14s with very low profile tyres, it scrapes everywhere, most speedbums it scrapes but isint too bad!
What 14's are you running? Got any pics?

nothing recent, back in the snow,
am running bbs, with 185/60 tyres, i did run 16s but was constantly buckling wheels with 45 profile tyres!

sorry for the shocking quility, it was taken through a dirty window, will get some pics tomorrow

hers some on 16s

Mon Feb 01, 2010 10:33 am

god-father88 wrote:Damn theres more!! OFFSET!? im sorry as you can tell i don't know jack sh*t in cars! i've brought some brand new 17" inch alpina reps! how do i know what the offset is! actually for that fact what the hell is offset! and is it better i just buy coilovers!? cos this way i can get around the factor of the springs becoming lose for M.O.T!

BMW E30's offset is ET24, your new wheels should have and et number stamped/embosed. The offset is a measurement from where the wheel meets the hub to the outside of the rim IIRC.

If you can stretch to coilovers you could just get a full 60mm kit, decent coilovers for the E30 start at around the £500 + or a full 60mm kit would be around £200-450.

Hazd31 I'm not suprised you were scrapping everywhere with 185/60/14's

Mon Feb 01, 2010 2:13 pm

charle30..cheers for that! lol..i can get some 60mm lowering coilovers from ebay for 365.00 there jamex!..any good?!

Mon Feb 01, 2010 3:55 pm

The jamex ones don't appear to be proper coilovers, you get a kit to modify your front struts and an adjustable rear spring platform that would sit were the original spring would sit.

Have a look around THIS site to get an idea as to what is out there, they stock all the decent brands. This place is really good value.

Mon Feb 01, 2010 4:16 pm

mine are just springs and shocks, gmax is the make of the shocks not sure about the springs, i had the same brand on a golf before and they were excellent, these are a bit tired on the e30!

Tue Feb 02, 2010 8:11 pm

cheers for the website! good prices!..just thinking! would i have to change the suspension if i drop 40mm!?

Wed Feb 03, 2010 1:50 am

god-father88 wrote:cheers for the website! good prices!..just thinking! would i have to change the suspension if i drop 40mm!?

40mm drop is fine with standard shocks

Which way are you going to go with it then?

Charlie

Wed Feb 03, 2010 12:39 pm

charlE30 wrote:
god-father88 wrote:cheers for the website! good prices!..just thinking! would i have to change the suspension if i drop 40mm!?
40mm drop is fine with standard shocks

Which way are you going to go with it then?

Charlie

Adding it all up! with the amount of work my sports is going to undergo i think the 60mm drop is going to work out to expensive!. With a 4.0 V8 conversion in mind i want to save up as much as possible!..so 40mm spax it is!! really appreciate the help dude!!

Thu Feb 04, 2010 12:49 pm

If that's the answer, pm me, I'll sort you discount fella ;)

This thread got complicated though!

If you were sensible and running 15's you could do whatever you want - I'm dropped over 70mm and yes, I'm mega, mega low, but I'd still happily run lower and just roll my arches and go even slower over speed bumps.
Just a case of growing balls, manning up and fitting the right wheels!

Thu Feb 04, 2010 3:33 pm

60 is too low IMO. Sure it looks good, but you loose the handling (weight shifting from side to side round corners can make it "snap" out on you easily).

40 is the practical drop. Easier, cheaper, less things to take into consideration, better handling over 60mm drop (when not fussing about camber, toe in/out etc).

If you just want springs, 40mm drop. If you really want 60mm, make sure you get a proper kit.

Anything else, coilovers win. Adjustable coilovers will give you the exact drop you need/can get away with. Also,

Dan's adjustable camber plates will straighten up the wheels to avoid bad wear/grip issues or allow you to get that perfect 'under arch' look.

If you can see, the top of the rear wheels is more inwards towards the car than the bottom. Thats 'negative?' camber. This will cause the inside of the wheels to wear much quicker than stock camber. When you drop a car, thats what happens to the wheels.

Thu Feb 04, 2010 10:54 pm

cheers nay! im a total novice to all this! coilovers are cost me an arm and a leg! its pushing my v8 conversion abit to far away!..lol..im not to much ol skool as u e30star i like the 17" reps im running 15" bbs's which im just gonna flog! haha!.. Nay i think with the 17's and 40mm drop i should get the under arch look! if not, then f**k it! lol! i can't be asked with now! lol