E30 318is help needed coilovers
Moderator: martauto
- Brendy318is
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 5
- Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2015 11:00 pm
Hi, have bought my first e30 318is and was told they have 45mm struts but after research ive found out they are 51mm struts and I have a set of bc coilovers 45mm brand new and would like to fit and use these as I spent good money on them and was recommend them, if I buy full 45mm struts and weld the coilovers in will I be able to swap the brakes etc of the 51mm strut into the 45mm uprights after coilovers are installed? Thanks any help appreciated
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ross_jsy
- Married to the E30 Zone

- Posts: 7307
- Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: Jersey, C.I.
Why would you want to downgrade your struts for the sake of coiloverzz?
Sell them to some stance type (most have lower models so the smaller struts are well suited to them) and buy some 51mm versions. Alternatively, have you tried contacting BC? They were very helpful for my friend. Explain you ordered the wrong size in error and see if you can swap them.
Sell them to some stance type (most have lower models so the smaller struts are well suited to them) and buy some 51mm versions. Alternatively, have you tried contacting BC? They were very helpful for my friend. Explain you ordered the wrong size in error and see if you can swap them.
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anothere21323i
- E30 Zone Camper

- Posts: 1203
- Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: Colchester
If you do all of the above you'll destroy your car. Better bet is to sell the coilovers, and invest in a set of Bilsteins and H&R or Eibach springs along with some M3 eccentric wishbone bushes and a general freshen up of all the other bushes. This will make your car drive and handle really nicely.Brendy318is wrote:Hi, have bought my first e30 318is and was told they have 45mm struts but after research ive found out they are 51mm struts and I have a set of bc coilovers 45mm brand new and would like to fit and use these as I spent good money on them and was recommend them, if I buy full 45mm struts and weld the coilovers in will I be able to swap the brakes etc of the 51mm strut into the 45mm uprights after coilovers are installed? Thanks any help appreciated
Using 45mm coilovers will make it drive like a turd.
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pacerpete
- E30 Zone Team Member

- Posts: 18168
- Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: Iver heath. South bucks.
anothere21323i wrote:If you do all of the above you'll destroy your car. Better bet is to sell the coilovers, and invest in a set of Bilsteins and H&R or Eibach springs along with some M3 eccentric wishbone bushes and a general freshen up of all the other bushes. This will make your car drive and handle really nicely.Brendy318is wrote:Hi, have bought my first e30 318is and was told they have 45mm struts but after research ive found out they are 51mm struts and I have a set of bc coilovers 45mm brand new and would like to fit and use these as I spent good money on them and was recommend them, if I buy full 45mm struts and weld the coilovers in will I be able to swap the brakes etc of the 51mm strut into the 45mm uprights after coilovers are installed? Thanks any help appreciated
Using 45mm coilovers will make it drive like a turd.
What about the lowz and the gape ?
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jimbom30cab
- Tech 1 freak
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- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: in the garage
no idea what you're talking about Pete
- Brendy318is
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 5
- Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2015 11:00 pm
I was sold these "bc racing coilovers" as being track coilovers they have damping and rebounds setting both front and rear they aren't Sapost to go that low more for handling spent close to 1000 on them so wanted to give them a shot atleast, maybe contacting bc would be best bet
- Brendy318is
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 5
- Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2015 11:00 pm
Yeah had them 5 6 months tho hopefully they'll swap them
Over cheers
Over cheers
- hillbilly30
- E30 Zone Regular

- Posts: 419
- Joined: Sat Sep 26, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: Norfolk boy
Sorry to thread jack but what do the M3 eccentric bushes do? I've missed this trick!anothere21323i wrote:If you do all of the above you'll destroy your car. Better bet is to sell the coilovers, and invest in a set of Bilsteins and H&R or Eibach springs along with some M3 eccentric wishbone bushes and a general freshen up of all the other bushes. This will make your car drive and handle really nicely.Brendy318is wrote:Hi, have bought my first e30 318is and was told they have 45mm struts but after research ive found out they are 51mm struts and I have a set of bc coilovers 45mm brand new and would like to fit and use these as I spent good money on them and was recommend them, if I buy full 45mm struts and weld the coilovers in will I be able to swap the brakes etc of the 51mm strut into the 45mm uprights after coilovers are installed? Thanks any help appreciated
Using 45mm coilovers will make it drive like a turd.
- hillbilly30
- E30 Zone Regular

- Posts: 419
- Joined: Sat Sep 26, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: Norfolk boy
Ok that's interesting! My "is" is running full polybush, Bilstien B4's, purple rack and new toyo tyres but I think it still feels a little wandering at high speed, like the weight is coming off the front as the speed increases. My old e36 M3 always felt like it was on tiptoes when it was really on it but still planted, the e30 doesn't give me the same secure feeling? Do you think these might help? Again sorry to OP, treat it like a free bumpM3Pete wrote:They move the wheel forward slightly and improve castor.
This helps the car to feel more stable at speed and improves the self centring properties of the front suspension.
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Cloggy Saint
- Old Skooler

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- hillbilly30
- E30 Zone Regular

- Posts: 419
- Joined: Sat Sep 26, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: Norfolk boy
What was the improvement you noticed Ross? It's such an easy mod though, I guess I can't really go too far wrong
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ross_jsy
- Married to the E30 Zone

- Posts: 7307
- Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: Jersey, C.I.
Slightly improved turn in, but mainly how the steering self centres a lot better. My daily uses a quick rack from an Impreza with no power steering and before, the return to centre was very slow and would require lock to be manually wound off, which is a pain when letting the back end hang out. Now it's very natural in the way it returns
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Simon13
- The longest resto in the world !
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- Location: Camberley, Surrey don't u know
its like night and day! If you can't notice the difference well i'm severely shocked! tbhCloggy Saint wrote:I had the M3 eccentric bushes for a while and they made no discernable difference whatsoever.
Almost one of the best "mods" to an e30 of any kind

