Stiffening up the car

[yeah_mick]

ive got a 316 4dr at the moment and intend on drifting it. it will eventually have a 325 engine, but 1st of all i want to get all the brakes, suspension bushing sorted beforehand. as my last car(200sx) i just slapped some power in there and could never afford to sort handinling and brakes whilst running the car, so whilst im getting nearly 40mpg i want to spend my saveings on bits.

ive already got 325 front struts with brakes in the garage, im just awaiting my hottuning 60/60 kit before i fit it all. i will soon enough get some rear brakes, what else do you guys recomend? strut braces make much difference?

[handpaper]

Strut brace for the front might be worth it; pointless at the rear unless you're running full coilovers and then only to reinforce the rear strut towers.
I wouldn't bother converting the rear to discs unless you're also going to fit a hydraulic handbrake, the drum setup you have at the moment is excellent for your purposes.
You do know you can get a drop kit for 45mm front struts don't you?
Solid rear subframe bushes, polyurethane trailing arm, ARB and front control arm bushes will firm things up nicely.

[rix313]

Show it some dirty pictures

As said above, you will notice a difference with a front strut brace but rears to next to naff all IMO BUT, you will be drifting potentialy making the rear towers want to wriggle so it might be an idea. Poly bushes all round.

[yeah_mick]

You do know you can get a drop kit for 45mm front struts don't you?

whats this? can you explain a bit more?

im still going for rear discs as i do like a nice blast down the lanes so i want decent brakes all round, i will probabaly go hydro at somepoint to.

[rix313]

The 325i struts are 51mm iirc (do correct me) where as the 316 struts are 45mm.

He's saying you could've got lowering suspension for the struts you have as opposed to changing the struts.

[yeah_mick]

ok, well as above im going to be fitting a 325 engine at some point so wanted all the 325 suspension and brakes aswell.

[rix313]

The springs will be too strong for your 316 as it doesn't weigh as much as the 325 engine so the front will sit high and it wont handle properly.

[yeah_mick]

im fine with that as just want it all prepared for when the new engine goes in. as for an arb, ive looked aboiut and they have different options of thickness, what difference will they make? would a new arb make much difference over sticking a 325 one on with new poly bushes?

[handpaper]

Here's how I made a stiffer front ARB. Someone has done something similar on a rear by welding lugs on closer to the pivot point (something I'm considering for my road-going Touring )
Stiffer ARB bushes will help, too.

[yeah_mick]

ive been looking into the powerflex kits, but i cant work out whats the difference between the eccentric and non eccentric bushes?

anyone know?

[mike_sayer]

Eccentric bushes mimic those of the E30 M3, and provide a different castor angle (and a very slight change in camber I believe). It's a worthwhile upgrade. Non-eccentric bushes are standard across the rest of the E30 range.