Track day set up

All the info you need to race E30's

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ScottEgg
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Fri Apr 27, 2007 12:18 pm

I am rather new to the E30 experiance having recently sold my Westfield. I ran my 325sport at Donnigton in Feb and have now booked up a day at Pembrey in August. Before the event I am intending to have a look at the suspension to try and see whats on the car and what to replace/upgrade. The car is used as a toy on the road (70%) and track (30%). It supposidly has uprated springs on standard shocks lowering it by about 20mm.
I have noticed that when going into a corner hard the rear axle feels as if it 'settles' before going round the bend. I am thinking of replacing the bushes in the rear trailing arm, if so what type??

What sort of ride height do people run?; I don't want a kerb crawler just a fast and sorted road/track car.
What sort of spring/shock set up should I be looking at?
What sort of bush kit can people recommend?

I'm happy with the power of the standard motor (at the moment) and just want to get the handling to its optimum.
Many thanks for any help/advice.
DJ-325I
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Location: Abingdon, Oxfordshire

Sat Apr 28, 2007 4:42 pm

hey scott, if ur looking for shocks that you adjust between a track and road setting, have a look at spax's psx kit or koni yellows, they are easily adjustable and you don't have to take the wheels of, which with coilovers you do. and also they can be a bit hard for the road. as for buses go for polybushes, different manufactures bushes vary in stiffness. prehaps a strut brace on the front?
paulg390
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Tue May 01, 2007 8:20 pm

We run a track day 318is with a 2.7 and with the H&R Cup set up with the biggest ARBs set hard and Polybushes all round, strut brace at front, and it handles like a dream and isnt too bad on the road either..
White 318iS, 2.7 conversion, LSD, H&R cup kit, ARBs, F&R strut braces, full cage, kevlar buckets, wilwood 4 pot brakes, braided hoses, 6pt harnesses, f/glass bonnet, Toyo 888's, scorpion, polybushed, carbon cards and boot lid.
oldroydsr4
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Tue May 01, 2007 8:53 pm

I have spax psx and i would not by then again, go for bilstien or H&R with a 60/40 kit.

Go for H&R anti roll bars and powerflex bushes
ScottEgg
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Wed May 02, 2007 8:12 am

many thanks guys, I will start with bushes and go from there. :)
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northloop
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Wed May 02, 2007 10:10 am

Hi there. I am pretty new to E30's too, but not to track cars.

A couple of notes to consider.

1. Poly bushes, before you spend your money read this and make your own decision. Personally I had changed to powerflex throughout before I read it. http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... ic&t=58989

2. Uprated ARB's. Having spoken to a good few of the guys in the know (admitedly at the 'ring' rather than UK circuits) I am told NOT to change to uprated ARB's and simply re-bush the original. With uprated ARB's the point at which the car lets go is said to be quick in coming, ie you don't know you have got there till it's too late. If done at all this will be a later mod rather than spending £300 early on something not required.

3. Suspension, I have gone for a H&R coilover kit simply on others experiences.
Last edited by northloop on Wed May 02, 2007 2:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
oldroydsr4
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Wed May 02, 2007 1:44 pm

Get somebody else to do the bushes, its a real pain.
ScottEgg
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Tue May 08, 2007 8:15 am

Cheers Lads, I will be prioritising the works and the bush job comes first (carried out by someone else). I can understand the comments about the ARB and will put it at the bottom of my list until I have built up more track time. C'mon! :P
JimmyC
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Tue May 08, 2007 11:12 am

Come along to Mallory on 13th May and havea butchers at the PBMW cars, you'll get loas of ideas there
ScottEgg
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Tue May 08, 2007 12:33 pm

Cheers Jimmy, Sadly I am way down in Somerset however I think the boys are at C'Combe this year on the 28th May so I'll be there for sure.
JimmyC
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Tue May 08, 2007 1:53 pm

Yep we are there bank holiday Monday 28th

Should be the debut for my rebuilt car, exciting stuff!!

testing on 21st- fingers crossed!!
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