M30 touring suspension choices

[DRIFTBOY]

Sorry mate, I've only just seen your reply!

I was on the driveway most of the day changing the clutch of a crappy old Escort for someone, then in the pub with a couple of mates!

I can bring the diff to the next Westerham meet that we spoke of previously, get two things done in one day then.
Or if your desperate for the diff we could meet up somewhere ?

Like I say though, it was in a baaaad way! But if it's just a casing you need then fine.

Martin.

[DRIFTBOY]

And I've pm'd you my number!

Martin.

[gareth]

no worries. i'm in absolutely no rush as i'm still waiting for the payment for the LSD to clear before being sent to me. as far as i know, the casing is all i need. i think that leaves the bearings but i may replace them..? i dunno? handy to have regardless!

any ideas when the next westerham meet is? there could be a remote chance of coming in my 335i i'm in 2 minds as to what i should get done to it before trying for a MOT. i thinks getting decent suspension etc can wait as driving the thing will motivate me like nothing else!

sooooooooooo frustrating today, i coudn't do anything to is as i had the kids so i ended mowing the lawn in a strop i then weeded the garden and probably removed most the the plants. plants and weeds look the same to me i did get a 4" long wasps nest out of the shed though. it's got 6 wasps in it. it's not in a plastic tub and they're really pissed with me!!!!

[gareth]

oooh, just found this lot...

http://www.dfaulknersprings.co.uk/

not far away either

[bigdek]

They are ok for price as well .

Quoted me £80 for a pair of custom front springs when i did my m30 conversion 18 months ago

[gareth]

that's not at all bad! about 50 miles down the road from me!

or how about these:
http://www.cosmoracing.com/productinfo. ... 9&pid=1623
spring rates seem hefty enough too! this would get the rear sorted while i'm at it which is good.

[FormerMember]

I've this kind of setup on my cabrio:




On the front Bilstein Sprint + 125mm / 130kg springs + camber/caster adjustable.

In back height adjustment pieces from KW variante 1 / 2, Bilstein Sprints, camber + toe (?) adjustable, springs 100mm / 140kg.

No idea what it's like to drive because the car is still in million pieces, but it feels good

[gareth]

that is a very nice looking setup you have there Jonsku! it's very similar to what i want to achieve and very well built. shiny

by the way, the diff goes at the back

[Simon13]

Well i've been home about an hour!

Gareth the car handled like a dream round there just like i hoped. No understeer, the car was totally neutral round the circut. I managed 20 laps. The handling impressed most passengers too who noticed the same thing!

I'm happy with it and shall leave it as is now. My shocks are the 45mm spec invereted billys with the special 51mm collar nut and they are the don! The ride is pretty good also, the rear springs are soft though, which really helps with traction in the wet and dry

[gareth]

fantastic, cheers for that simon.

the rear springs issue does concern me as i'm also adding a LPG kit to mine, just to really weigh it down!!!

i 'may' have a set of leda coilovers lined up though

[gareth]

i've just had a reply back from cosmo racing. i can get their coilover kit over here inc shipping for £156!!! that's bloody cheap!!!

if the Leda coilovers fall though, i may well go for these and some nice new Gaz adjustable shocks at £255 for the set. adjustable coilovers for £401, can't be bad!

[gareth]

uh-oh, look what i've gone and done
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... B:SCO:UK:1

[Theo]

Nice one, I was watching those on eGay the otherday and they went for £500, was tempted but had just bought some nice brakes instead....

[gareth]

a few people came out of the woodwork at the end!!!! i was watching them too and had a bit but didn't go that high. as it happens, the first and second place bidders seem to have been messing about so the seller offered them to me for my max bid

nice avatar btw!

[Andy335Touring]

So i guess you are going to have to turet/reinforce your rear top mounts then so they are load bearing(sp?) ?

[oze30]

Damn shame they're not 5 stud!!!

[gareth]

So i guess you are going to have to turet/reinforce your rear top mounts then so they are load bearing(sp?) ?

well yes and no. while driving, the majority of the force going through the rear suspension is actually from the shock absorber, not the spring. that said, a bit more steel never goes amiss!

i could use the rear shock as a conventional type and use a seperate spring maybe. if i get problems.

Damn shame they're not 5 stud!!!

not a shame at all mate. i'd need to start again with the wheels and convert the rear end over if they were 5 stud!

[oze30]

i meant for me!

[gareth]

[Andy335Touring]

So i guess you are going to have to turet/reinforce your rear top mounts then so they are load bearing(sp?) ?

well yes and no. while driving, the majority of the force going through the rear suspension is actually from the shock absorber, not the spring. that said, a bit more steel never goes amiss!

i could use the rear shock as a conventional type and use a seperate spring maybe. if i get problems.

oh right, i've seen a couple of race E30's with true rear coil overs(leda ?) and they were turreted, for road use you might get away with it i guess ?

I was thinking if the metal work failed whilst you were bombing round a corner........

[gareth]

you're worrying me now!!!!

i'll have a proper look once they arrive. if it's at all suspect, i'll just run the rear as the shock only.

[Andy335Touring]

If you are handy with a welder you should be able to reinforce it fairly easy ?

The turrets that i saw wern't very complicated, just a few extra seam welded plate's of 3mm(ish ?) steel ?

[oze30]

The rear should be fine. There's extra metal in there already.

Fronts, you could reinforce it like cabs do. AND strut brace it?

[gareth]

cab reinforcing plates could be cool.

i might fit a removable rear strut brace to help stiffen things, then pull it out if i need to fold the seats down.

re the welding, i have owned 2 minis, a 105E anglia, chrome turd E30's and a fair few MK2 escorts, a few full restorations in there too. i'm getting good at it!

a strut brace and reinforcing cab plates on the front, a bit of extra load spreading plateage and a removable strut brace on the rear. job done!!!

[oze30]

I don't know if you can fit a rear strut brace. There's a few pieces of metal in the way.

You could triangular brace INSIDE the turret, then drill and bolt the strut brace through the rear turret and into the brace. Not sure if the rearmost top mount nut would be accessible from the top if you braced it right across. But if so, you could be onto something!

[gareth]

i've not pulled it apart to check and it's been a while since the boot trims were off. the principle is good, dunno if it'll work in practice yet!

[ste]

I've been through similar pain to you Gareth, I almost bid on the eBay LEDA set too...

I've had the H&R cup kit fitted to my tourer, and drove it on that while it had the M20 in. The Cup kit is available for the coupe/sallon and for the cabriolet. H&R do not make a specific tourer kit.

The kits use exactly the same part numbers for front and rear dampers and front springs. The only difference is the rear spring part number. The saloon kit, when fitted to a tourer lowers the rear nearer to 60mm. When the cabriolet kit is fitted to a tourer the rear is lowered about 5mm.

I looked at Gaz and Leda coilovers, but decided that I didn't want the shell stress issues at the rear. Saloons/coupes are known to have issues with rear coilovers punching the rear top mounts through the shell, and tourers don't have the metal bulkhead in that area that adds considerable strength. I don't want to fit a cage yet so instead I went for the Ground Control kit. I've got fairly stiff springs (I can't remember the spring rates - will check them for you). This option means you have an adjustable platform for 2.5" ID race springs on your standard front strut (like all e30 front coilovers), and a seperate damper and adjustable height rear spring perch for 2.25" race springs on the rear. I'll be using Gaz adjustable dampers with them. I've had a trail run with the H&R Cup kit dampers still fitted and it feels very good, although under-damped. Obviously ride height is completely customisable for cornerweighting etc.

If you want a look you're not far up the road - pop down if you like.

[Jhonno]

i thought h&r did do a specific touring kit now..

[ste]

Ah right, maybe they do now, they certainly didn't use to. Some places used to sell a 'Touring kit' but the part number was for the Cabriolet kit.

Fit that kit to a tourer, and with the front dropped 60mm, it looks like the rear is actually raised.

[Dan318-is]

What about eibach non-progressive springs? Andy said they were the don and i dont think they would sag as much? Not sure if they do them for tourers though

[gareth]

thanks for the offer ste, i may have to pop over and compare at some point (ooer! )

i must admit, the strength is an issue and concern. in an ideal world, i'd use the leda coilovers on the front and just use the shock part on the rear. then use something like the ground control rear spring perches. i wonder if they'd sell them seperately...?

oh, H&R do make a touring specific kit but it's essentially custom springs and they're a different colour.

[gareth]

update time:
i've now fitted the leda coilovers, ish...

the fronts are on and i now have nice adjustable camber / caster too
the rears are on but without the springs the springs are too bulky to clear the fuel tank breather hose etc on the drivers side rear arch. i've still got the old springs on the rear now and stripped the coilover back to use it as a plain shock. i've got the Z3 strengthening plates on though and they fit well.

i might see if either cosmo racing or ground control will sell me just the rear spring perches and springs. that would be my preferred setup in an ideal world as i do still have concerns over the strength of the rear shock mountings.

[Andy335Touring]

Cool, what else have you got to do to get it back on the road ?

Have you taken it out for a sneaky little drive to see how it feels ?

[DRIFTBOY]

Should be a tasty bit of kit there!

I remember from my old Mini tuning days changing the castor, amazing the difference in feel you get from the steering, you can get it just how you like it.

Good luck!

Martin.

[gareth]

i've got no diff

to get it on the road i need the rest of the 3.25:1 diff casing from jonb (i'm missing the pinion ) 2 tyres, working abs (or a rewired bulb for the mot ), headlight aiming after fitting diy smoked lights,

i'd like to fit the M3 control arm bushes and sort out the rest of the suspension (rose jointed droplinks, DIY adjustable ARB's etc) but i may leave it for now...

i just wanna play and i'm getting sooooo many setbacks, often frustrating financial ones