cars grounding out in garage any ideas?

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matt86
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Wed Dec 19, 2012 5:37 pm

Hi since getting my car back from byron (maggspower), with the new m20 fitted the car is obviously heavier and the combination of that in the 40mm lowering springs are giving me issues getting it in the garage.

There is a slight slope to the garage and the car goes in half way, then the nut on the exhaust flange for the center pipe wedges itself on the ridge and car is then stuck half in and out of garage.

The options I can think of are:

1. change springs to 20mm lowering springs (mtech) rather than 40mm aftermarket springs.

2. Buy a set of planks to drive up winkeye

3. Cut the ridge off my dads garage, really don't think he would be impressed with this.

Thats all I can think of for now.

Any ideas?

Really need to get it in asap as winter now and its leaking and the garage has underfloor heating so will dry it out.
Morat
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Wed Dec 19, 2012 5:40 pm

You'll need to fit the correct springs for a 6 pot, your current springs will be for a four pot and will be sagging further than 40mm now....

BTW - nice looking E30 :) Can I borrow a slot in your heated garage? :)
Last edited by Morat on Wed Dec 19, 2012 5:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Rtaylor2208
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Wed Dec 19, 2012 5:41 pm

Are your springs for a 4 pot engined cabby. If so you'll need to change them to 6 pot springs as they have different load rates because of the differing engine weight.

My cab runs -40 too and has no problem getting in and out my garage which has a steepish slope as well at the entrance.
appletree
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Wed Dec 19, 2012 5:42 pm

Are the 40mm lowering springs for a 6pot car or were fitted when it had a 4pot. as -40mm 4pot springs are different to -40 6 pot springs.

Some wood would be the quickes and cheapest option but if the springs are wrong they wont be helping thew handleing either so best to change them
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Morat
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Wed Dec 19, 2012 5:42 pm

you snoozed.... winkeye
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appletree
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Wed Dec 19, 2012 5:43 pm

Woo that must be a record for the number of replys within 2 mins! :D
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Morat
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Wed Dec 19, 2012 5:45 pm

He probably won't check it until tomorrow :)
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Rtaylor2208
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Wed Dec 19, 2012 5:45 pm

At least we all had the same opinion :)
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sunnysr
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Wed Dec 19, 2012 5:48 pm

drive in lots faster and just jump the car over the ridge your getting caught on i would say 70/80 mph should do to clear that. Best thing would be to get the springs and use the wood in the mean time
matt86
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Wed Dec 19, 2012 5:54 pm

ok never had tht many replies so quick, firstly thanks for the comments. They have been uprated to 6 pot shocks/springs on the front which I believe are standard, the rears are lowerd 40mm still.

Yeh I'm thinking a set of planks for now, then fit mtech springs early next year. 40mm is too much I think 20mm will be fine.

It got stuck the other day and I had to rock and push it at the same time, then it suddenly went flying down the drive and only just yanked the handbrake up in time, my dad would not of been happy with no gates left on the driveway winkeye.

Thanks Morat, it is getting there to be fair looks a bit better in photos than in the flesh. I decided to make a average one mint, rather than shelling out 3000-5000 up front, although I've worked out by the time I've finished it will have cost me about 6500 anyway :mad:
matt86
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Wed Dec 19, 2012 5:56 pm

correction, I do still have m40 springs on there, so will have to look into sorting that over winter
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sunnysr
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Wed Dec 19, 2012 6:22 pm

It is very nice i like that interior too ,funny how much money you can sink into one of these .
matt86
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Wed Dec 19, 2012 6:42 pm

sunnysr wrote:It is very nice i like that interior too ,funny how much money you can sink into one of these .
I know it is, when I used to see adverts of e30s for sale saying people had spent 6000-8000 on them, I thought what a load of bollocks, but I can believe it now.

Just the add ons cost me 2000 or so.

600 for seats

500 mtech kit

300 spray mtech kit

700 engine conversion

100 lowering springs

100 smoked lights.

It all mounts up quick, I haven't even got round to the main structural side of the car yet, luckily its clean underneath and only a bit of rust on bottom of passenger side door and wing, the door I already have in correct colour, just need to get the wing off adit.
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Wed Dec 19, 2012 6:56 pm

I had the same problem with my car when I put the m30 in. My drive is very steep as my house is built on a hill, so my temporary measure was to build some ramps with a couple of concrete blocks and concrete ramps until I get my coilovers fitted.

Will come apart with a few whacks of the sledgehammer, and easier to drive up then messing about with wooden ramps (which I tried before). Only downside is it looks a bit odd, but it's not permanent
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Wed Dec 19, 2012 8:20 pm

sunnysr wrote:drive in lots faster and just jump the car over the ridge your getting caught on i would say 70/80 mph should do to clear that. Best thing would be to get the springs and use the wood in the mean time
LOL!... :D

Have you had a look at the nut that actually catches to see if you can use a smaller one or turn the angle on it? As the guys have already said, your springs need changing. :D
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pukar
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Thu Dec 20, 2012 1:45 pm

depending on how wide your garage opening is, perhaps slightly open the car door and half get out (one foot on the ground, the other on the brake obviously) at the low bit if you get what i mean, for a short term fix. i think someone said something about the correct springs, but not sure :D
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FinalD
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Thu Dec 20, 2012 1:53 pm

Man up, lift the car over the bump. :D

Also...your car is looking superb Matt...wish mine would look as good. :(
matt86
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Thu Dec 20, 2012 1:59 pm

FinalD wrote:Man up, lift the car over the bump. :D

Also...your car is looking superb Matt...wish mine would look as good. :(
Yeh I suppose I could lift it : ) , I did have to do that to get it out bounce it up and down and push at the same time. With me not in the car it just goes over. Maybe I'll mount a winch to the back of the garage and tow it in. Lol.

Thanks for your comments on my car, that's ery kind of you to say, to be fair though, the photos make it look a lot better condition than it is. Its tidyish, but personally I think it could do with a full respray and hoping to get it done early next year, would be really nice to have it factory fresh for the shows next summer.

Is yours a convertible.

Cheers

Matt
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Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:03 pm

Yeah, Lachs Silver 325i cab. Not done any project updates lately, too busy trying to get stuff done on the car (have to move so have to get the car MOTed etc.). I have rear arch rust which really needs sorting but will pass MOT as they are, along with some other areas.

Will probably throw an update into my project at some point soon. Got a fair amount done since last updated it.
matt86
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Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:13 pm

diable wrote:
matt86 wrote:
I know it is, when I used to see adverts of e30s for sale saying people had spent 6000-8000 on them, I thought what a load of bollocks, but I can believe it now.

Just the add ons cost me 2000 or so.

600 for seats

500 mtech kit

300 spray mtech kit

700 engine conversion

100 lowering springs

100 smoked lights.

Full tank of petrol £100 :D :mad:

It all mounts up quick,
Nice looking car there.
lol, thanks mate
matt86
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Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:16 pm

diable wrote:recurring as it's not a one off investment lol
No and running a m20 isn't particularly cheap especially when you boot it and its only giving you 5 mpg. lol
matt86
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Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:21 pm

diable wrote:Tell me about it as I have a chromie 2.5 convertible as well 8O
nice, love the chromies, got any pics? what colour?
matt86
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Thu Dec 20, 2012 3:08 pm

very nice! how much was it to convert to heated seats and is it a tricky job to do yourself?

Those indigo leather seats are quite rare aren't they haven't seen many.
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