The best handling e30 youve driven?

[bmw9818]

just curious whats the best handling e30 you guys have driven? suspension setup wise?

I recently finished a 4 month build on mine and went for a spirited drive down some roads earlier, boy was i in for a treat!

h&r cupkit 60/40 all round
Bmw front top mounts and e46 m3 rears,
polybushed trailing arms
rear rpm strut brace
M3 solid offset lollipop bushes
New bearings all round
front Rpm brace
Biggest H&R Arbs on tightest setting with the supplied bushes and new links
M3 rack
and a 3.64 LSD,

did 60-70 round a fairly tight bend on a country lane and fuck me the car felt unbeleivable! it just had grip on every corner,

no body roll at all, rear end defo felt much much better dont know if thats the lsd working? had open diff prior and it felt unstable.... Ive driven loads of newer heavier cars but nothing comes close to this!


defo one up on a 316i setup the car used to roll at 25 on a roundabout!

[Morat]

What is the obsession with zero body roll? I think some roll is good as it gives you a good indication of how hard you're pressing on... and harder/softer front/rear rollbars are a good way to tune the balance (understeer vs oversteer).

[Demlotcrew]

Less roll = less dynamic camber and toe changes = better handling car

[pnd]

most prefer rear bars softer than, that the set up is a good one though and similar to mine.

[bigwinn]

M3 eccentrics are by far the best mod I've done, linked to a quicker rack, the touring feels like a tight, modern car.

Shame its a slushbox-

[bmw9818]

It's all about minimal body roll, the car feels much more planted and you feel much more safer than it leaning and the suspensions just about holding on,

Same set of wheels and tyres on my old one and they used to squeal and loose grip/ understeer at times when I gunned it! Now no squeak or loss of grip! And these tyres are only marangonis! Wonder what it will be like with some michelins

Yeah the m3 bushes seem to be doing the job! No vibration or judder through the wheel on hard braking!

[Simon13]

Less roll = less dynamic camber and toe changes = better handling car

on perfect road surfaces. Depends on what the car is used for? its like how long is a piece of string really

[Demlotcrew]

Agreed thats a generalisation, but its still valid for this topic, its why all modern cars have very little body roll for their class.

There is always a compromise, but better anti roll bars and modern damper design adds sooo much to the cars handling characteristics that one should not dismiss their potential because of old legacy chassis dynamics theories.

[bmw9818]

used as a daily, visiting a few track days as well,

[redcar]

used as a daily, visiting a few track days as well,

sounds like a nice setup!

[bss325i]

I know what the worst handling E30 i have ever driven is!

[Morat]

Less roll = less dynamic camber and toe changes = better handling car

I still like some compliance in the suspension. I do admit I like the reduced roll from my uprated bars but _zero_ is too far. Anyway, he's lowered so a little positive camber should help on corners, no?

[Duke137]

OP what tyres/wheels you running?

[bmw9818]

Standard 15" bbs and marangonis zeta linea,

Decent tyres

[Duke137]

Standard 15" bbs and marangonis zeta linea,

Decent tyres

[Demlotcrew]

Does that imply you think they are good Ferg?

[Duke137]

Not got experience of them, OP says they are decent I was just acknowledging it. What you saying then.... ?

EDIT: I just read some online reviews... LOL

[bmw9818]

I checked the reviews out as well, Most are fwd cars, I havnt found them
Bad, on the previous setup there was enough slip to know when your on the edge of grip!

But now it's very very good! Which is why I'm curious to see what a set of micheys will do!

[spook]

My own, go kart innit

[rich318i]

My own, go kart innit

snap!!!!

[spanky_doo]

I had a mk3 golf which was slammed and stiffened like you wouldn't believe and it was an absolute dog it skipped all over the place when you gave it some beans round the corners.that had zero body roll and it wasnt great unless it was on a track. Zero body roll+naff public pot holed roads=hello pavement. I cant fault the standard mtech suspension on my 325 sport

[Duke137]

I had a mk3 golf which was slammed and stiffened like you wouldn't believe and it was an absolute dog it skipped all over the place when you gave it some beans round the corners.that had zero body roll and it wasnt great unless it was on a track. Zero body roll+naff public pot holed roads=hello pavement. I cant fault the standard mtech suspension on my 325 sport

What was the set up? Top spec parts and plenty of setting up time/tweaking or ebay special 'FK's' installed on stretched tyres?

[bmw9818]

+1 what setup was it? Your springs were probably bottoming out, I've got a cupkit which is like £600 not that low 60/40 just right!

[spanky_doo]

To be completely honest it was bought not built. I Dont drive fast so i bought mainly on looks and it was solid and mechanically sound. I stood it side by side a standard golf gti and im not exaggerating when i say it was lowered a good 80mm at least maybe more the rear tyre was sat in the arch so it probably was bottoming out. You could stand on the front wing and the suspension wouldn't move. I swear down im now shorter having driven it lol. But still unless i was on a track i still cant fault the standard 325 sport setup

[Duke137]

Sounds like a classic stance car to me....

You can't beat sport suspension because it is top quality parts developed by clever folk at the nurburgring etc... That and standard sport suspension won't have your car dragging its arse.

[DavieP]

.... I've got a cupkit which is like £600 not that low 60/40 just right!

Best thing I ever did was to have that fitted to mine, together with 20mm(F)/13.5mm(R) arbs, m3 eccentric control arm bushes and standard front/E46 M3 cab rear mounts. For day to day running it gives a firm, but very comfortable ride, good road holding with just a gradual and controllable easing into over-steer at the limit. Despite the 60 drop at the front, I've never had problems with grounding essential parts, although the front (iS) lip has picked up a few crunches on sudden, steep slopes.

[bmw9818]

yeah sump clearance is fine! this is pretty good advertisement if anyones interested ive got a spare set of h & r cup springs and bilstein shocks i bought as a complete set with the arbs,

but surplus to requirements! for sale if anyones interested!

[Andyboy]

One of the nicest I had was a 320i with an LSD, 30mm Eibachs and Bilstein B4's. It just rode, steered and handled really nicely.

[bss325i]

I have a tight low mileage LSD, eibach pro kit springs, bilstein B8's, ebach roll bars, M3 offset wishbone bushes and is just about right for a road E30 if a touch firm in the damping.

Tyre choice is vital as well and 205/50/16 and 225/45/16 Continental sport contact 2's which i cant stress enough how good these are wet or dry are what i use.

And the worst?

A 325i Cabrio pacer had up his back passage. The wobbly old turd had 17" M3 reps on with cheap shite tyres, 60mm Chinese springs, standard fook shocks, decrepit old rubber bushes and a bent N/S track rod to boot!

[redcar]

I have a tight low mileage LSD, eibach pro kit springs, bilstein B8's, ebach roll bars, M3 offset wishbone bushes and is just about right for a road E30 if a touch firm in the damping.

Tyre choice is vital as well and 205/50/16 and 225/45/16 Continental sport contact 2's which i cant stress enough how good these are wet or dry are what i use.

And the worst?

A 325i Cabrio pacer had up his back passage. The wobbly old turd had 17" M3 reps on with cheap shite tyres, 60mm Chinese springs, standard fook shocks, decrepit old rubber bushes and a bent N/S track rod to boot!

hi Barry, on the rear what rims did you have, and what was the ET and the J.

cheers

[Rav335uk]

Alpina 8j rears, 7j fronts, same as mine, ET 24

[bss325i]

Yep, as above.

[bmw9818]

And the worst?

A 325i Cabrio pacer had up his back passage. The wobbly old turd had 17" M3 reps on with cheap shite tyres, 60mm Chinese springs, standard fook shocks, decrepit old rubber bushes and a bent N/S track rod to boot!

Sounds similar to my old setup! i had 17" ripspeed alloys, some rear tyres i never heard off, nankangs up front
, ebay control arms were only 2 years old and balljoints were allready shot!, and original shocks and springs, + split top mounts

heres a pic of the lollipop bush! it literally just fell off the arm

[redcar]

Alpina 8j rears, 7j fronts, same as mine, ET 24

interesting, any rubbing at all on the rear if the back was to absolutely squat loads under acceleration?

[steve_k]

best handling e30 i've driven? got to be my own.

koni adjustables front & rear,
H & R 60/40 springs.
M3 eccentric control arm bushes.
eibach adjustable front top mounts.
e46 m3 rear top mounts with z3 reinforcment plates.
eibach adjustable anti roll bar's (f &r).
sparco twin tube front strur brace.
sparco rear strut brace.
poly bushes all round.

all in a nice (very)firm ride & handles like a dream even on 17x8 rims all round