[Tambohamilton]

Originally Posted by tlow98

You know, I would like to lower it and I have kept my old stuff to do so, but well, with a 2-year-old it's hard to find time to "experiment". It would be much faster the second time around... We'll see if I can get to it. Ah well, you know what they say about the best-laid plans.

Touche about the cornering speeds - You're probably right, too! Now, I can just pin it halfway through the corner and the car goes exactly where you point it. No drama. Which I guess means I need to find the new, much higher limits haha.

Yeah, I think sport stops for sport springs is a pretty safe bet. However, I'd like to get a better picture of it just to see if I'd rather go slightly further in one direction than the other... it must be the bump stops rather than the spring rate that contribute to our cars tendency to understeer! Apparently the BMW performance stops are 31331096099 front (E52 Z8), and 33536788905 rear (euro e91 LCI)... Those fronts look distinctly like the e36 m3 stops which are so often used, and the rears look pretty conventional (as do the Z4 ones). We'll see if i get anything useful out of the spreadsheet. There's still the issue of correlating any results there to an actual part number though!

Thanks for the info on the e30 perches. I seem to remember there being different thicknesses available for the e30 spring rubbers? Maybe that was only for the lower end...

I've already got Koni Special Active (FSD replacement) shocks on it. I was sold by the marketing blurb about them, but while they're not bothering me, I also don't think they're amazing. I'd like to see actual dyno numbers for them....same as many other shocks though! I'll keep them for the time being; until I can afford/justify replacing them (or they blow...). The BMW performance shocks were for a while the same as the euro spec M-sport ones. They then changed to a separate PN. But that tells me that something which will work for M-sport springs should be ballpark acceptable for performance springs. Again, without dyno numbers for anything, I'm flying blind. Yep, heard plenty good about FCM...I like to pause his YT videos to get a peek at dyno plots. £ and time are limiting factors.

The D7 springs probably give you about 1.3~1.35Hz.

Also got a 2 year old here... Not quite old enough to pass the right tools yet! One day...

[The Nightman]

Originally Posted by tlow98

Thanks! Let’s be real tho, any new shocks at 100k is likely to be a revelation :-)

So, now the only trick is to convince my wife to keep it - and I need a back up camera for that... any suggestions?

Already have Nav, but the OE solution seems above my DIY skill level. Hmmmm

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1005301

I don't have idrive so had to add my own screen:



https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...7#post24022877

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by freedomfries

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1005301

I don't have idrive so had to add my own screen:



https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...7#post24022877

Yeah, good links. With respect to the first one - I went down that path and bought the emulators, harness, etc. It worked once and then never again :-/.

After talking with a remote coder he thought my software for the CIC needed updating but I would need a serious rig to do that given the in-between build date of my car (very early LCI). Yada, yada, bailed for the time being - was having child, etc.

The last one looks good, too, but would like to take advantage of the screen I already have. Thinking of going with Bimmertech or something similar. Kind of expensive, but wayyyy cheaper than buying a used Macan.

[The Nightman]

Originally Posted by tlow98

Yeah, good links. With respect to the first one - I went down that path and bought the emulators, harness, etc. It worked once and then never again :-/.

After talking with a remote coder he thought my software for the CIC needed updating but I would need a serious rig to do that given the in-between build date of my car (very early LCI). Yada, yada, bailed for the time being - was having child, etc.

The last one looks good, too, but would like to take advantage of the screen I already have. Thinking of going with Bimmertech or something similar. Kind of expensive, but wayyyy cheaper than buying a used Macan.

Ah, sucks that it didn't work. Well worth the investment though if you plan on keeping the car! It's surprising how much utility you get from adding little modern amenities like back up cameras and BT audio

[triax37]

Originally Posted by tlow98

Thanks! Let’s be real tho, any new shocks at 100k is likely to be a revelation :-)

So, now the only trick is to convince my wife to keep it - and I need a back up camera for that... any suggestions?

Already have Nav, but the OE solution seems above my DIY skill level. Hmmmm

I had used this for a backup camera - it has a digital LCD built into the rear view mirror. This can be connected to a rear view camera, which I installed in the rear hatch instead of a license plate light. The camera would turn on whenever the reverse lights turned on. If I wanted to see the camera's image, I just pressed the center button on the rear view mirror. It made my wife comfortable with not having the navigation screen, and let me maintain the "single hump" look that I preferred:

https://www.amazon.com/Master-Tailga...dp/B06XHQ1QXX/

[3PedalJake]

Originally Posted by tlow98

Update:

The suspension settings (toe-out) are getting tiresome and annoying on the highway. This was a result of the Dinan camber plates set to max with the camber pins pulled.

Remedy = alignment is needed.

Also, the degradation of the ride quality from the front M3 bar is bugging me. I am constantly feeling the pull of the sway bar on either end of the car when I hit larger bumps. It's a significant change.

Remedy = Remove M3 swaybar, add stiffer OE sport springs, and Koni yellows all around.

I'd like to give the suspension its independent feel back.

Parts list:
- OE D7 sport springs in the front - 335i convertible springs. The 335 weighs about 400lbs more than my car but the weight bias F/R is very similar.
- Koni Yellows
- OE Sport bumps stops all around
- Front OE sport mounts
- Rear top Monroe mounts and bottom OE mounts
- Front OE 328i wagon swaybar
- Front E30 spring perches to attain non-sport ride height
- Rear upper spring pads (14.5mm)

What I hope to achieve: Non-sport ride height but with stiffer sport springs and better damping all around. I also want the jittery feeling of the M3 bar to be gone - the front end feels very busy with the M3 front bar. Of course this could be because my 100k+ shocks just can't handle the M3 bar action, but I digress. I'm hoping that the stiffer springs and Konis will give me the sharpness that the swaybar provides in transitions without the ride penalty and mechanical grip-killer that swaybar also, unfortunately, provides.

In short, short cuts don't really work in suspensions.

Konis are on order and the D8s are sitting in the garage. Woot!

Oh, and a PSA Koni Yellows are currently 20% off. This hasn't happened since the last recession. $650 shipped, all-in. Double the price of Bilstein B4s, but since I was increasing the springs rate so much I wanted to have adequate damping adjustment if needed. I'll start the dampers at full soft and go from there.

Lots of good stuff in this thread. I'm interested in those subframe braces, gonna have to look into that. I'm interested in the final verdict on the M3 sway bars. I also put one on, I have one for the rear too. Haven't driven with them yet tho. Is it a bad like unmanageable kind of harshness? I'm building this 330 to be a back road burner, I have a 325 I want to make as a touring car I'll leave that stock, is the M3 sway bar something you would or wouldn't want on a car that's an old guy part time substitute for a motorcycle (I'm good with harsh)?

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by 3PedalJake

Lots of good stuff in this thread. I'm interested in those subframe braces, gonna have to look into that. I'm interested in the final verdict on the M3 sway bars. I also put one on, I have one for the rear too. Haven't driven with them yet tho. Is it a bad like unmanageable kind of harshness? I'm building this 330 to be a back road burner, I have a 325 I want to make as a touring car I'll leave that stock, is the M3 sway bar something you would or wouldn't want on a car that's an old guy part time substitute for a motorcycle (I'm good with harsh)?

Hmm, I didn't like it because it didn't feel balanced. This may be because my springs were not M3 springs or the wheel centers are not the same or the weight of the M3 wheels/tires is greater or I didn't have the rear M3 bar installed or or or...

What really bugged me was that when I hit a manhole cover on one side of the car I could feel it on the other side of the car simultaneously.

One thing is for sure - if you want RIGHT NOW response from the steering/front end it helps you achieve that. So, I would say as a motorcycle replacement it likely ups the excitement in the right direction. I've had several motos and I get the replacement mentality.

For my dual sport car, tho, it was hurting, not helping. I wanted this car to be supple.

Also, definitely do the M3 stiffening plate in the front end. Makes a pretty large difference and this mod has been a factory-proven effort since the M3 first came on the scene.

Hope that helps!

[3PedalJake]

I guess I'll find out. I still have the stock bar and even new bushings for it, if it feels too squirrly I'll put it back. Also note you said you lubed it up and that may have contributed, I also put rubber conditioner on mine, wondering if I should spray that off with some brake cleaner or something. Thanks for your input!

[tlow98]

Well, update on the wagon.

She is being transferred to my sister’s care. She lives close and takes great care of her cars so the wagon will be in good hands :-)

I de-contented some of the suspension for ease her use and greater comfort. Removed the GAS monoballs and replaced with entirely new control arms.

Ride comfort and road noise are better now, but not hugely so. From a performance standpoint you only really suffer braking and steering feel in a corner by going back to new OE bushings. I’m pretty surprised by how great the stock bushes fell when new.

Also, 2 recent repairs:
- OFHG leaking @ 113k so got 50k out of the old one.
- Washer fluid pump started leaking so replaced that. Cheap and easy DIY.

View post on imgur.com

She should get an easy 50k out of it before it needs any thing else out of it.

Kind of sad to be replacing it with a F15 XDrive 35i, but the family needs more space!

Parting shot

View post on imgur.com

[Tambohamilton]

Lucky her! Sorry about your departure from this corner of the community. I hope the f15 is good to you!

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

Lucky her! Sorry about your departure from this corner of the community. I hope the f15 is good to you!

Appreciate the well-wishes. I won't be far - lord knows I'll be working on the wagon and updating here accordingly.

Sadly, time and efforts devoted to non-repairs, aka academic research and knowledge gain will drop off. Le sigh. On a positive note, I do have first right of refusal with the wagon, so maybe I'll get to do my full M3 swap at some point in the future :-)

[Tambohamilton]

What's the first mod on the f15 then?

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

What's the first mod on the f15 then?

Now we're talking.

- Maintenance catch-up. Spark plugs, coils, all filters, and oils. So fun.
- 25mm Spacers for the rear (I downsized from the comical 20s and the offsets of the 19 are wonky)
- Ceramic Shifter and Drive controller. Bcuz why have a luxo limo without some bling you get to touch everyday?
- Bought some of this Krytox-based lube as the car has quite a few plastic creaks and I've been looking for a reason to buy some for a LONG time. This is what VW uses to get rid of their creaks/rattles.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'd like to re-do all the struts/shocks but will wait to do that for when I need new tires to get that new-car feel.

And yes, it is a sickness. Ordered all the above within 2 days of owning the car.

[Tambohamilton]

Haha, I know all about that ailment! My partner bought a car to replace her e81 last month; super boring Skoda Octavia 1.4TSI family box on wheels. So far I've replaced all filters and engine oil and a lambda probe. Refilled the ac, inspected the plugs, replaced the plastic bonnet strut clip..... I just can't help it! My neighbours actually think all my cars are horribly unreliable. What they don't realise is that if you go looking for problems on any car, especially ones over 10 years old, you will find them!

Thanks for the heads-up on that krytox stuff. It's a bit spendy, but sounds incredible! Probably handy stuff for an E91 owner to have

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

Haha, I know all about that ailment! My partner bought a car to replace her e81 last month; super boring Skoda Octavia 1.4TSI family box on wheels. So far I've replaced all filters and engine oil and a lambda probe. Refilled the ac, inspected the plugs, replaced the plastic bonnet strut clip..... I just can't help it! My neighbours actually think all my cars are horribly unreliable. What they don't realise is that if you go looking for problems on any car, especially ones over 10 years old, you will find them!

Thanks for the heads-up on that krytox stuff. It's a bit spendy, but sounds incredible! Probably handy stuff for an E91 owner to have

I never thought about the neighbor situation. Surely mine think the same

And, yes, I 'treated' myself to some high-end lube. I figured it will last a hell of a lot longer than a bottle of wine, so there ya go.

[Tambohamilton]

Yeah, I literally had neighbours telling me they were never going to buy a BMW, having seen all the work I was doing

[tlow98]

Ok, so she has needed some light bulbs.

- Rear tail lights. No biggie, cheappies.

- Front OE halo lights. $72 each holy shit.

[Tambohamilton]

Ouch! Those are some spendy bulbs!

[fazm]

Loved following along on this build thread. I'm headed under the hood of my e91 week after next and this thread has got me pumped up!

[tlow98]

Ok, update.

- oil change @ 130k
- motor mounts @130k. It was starting to rumble at idle in gear.
- coded out angel eye bulb checks. Replacing the bulbs didn’t work.

Sister is doing a good job keeping the car clean despite its now an outside cat. Much work to be done when the heavens rain down on it with all manner of stuffs!

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

Yeah, I literally had neighbours telling me they were never going to buy a BMW, having seen all the work I was doing

I can imagine! I’m often hiding away in the garage toiling my heart out. It’s cathartic in a way. Off to visit your thread. Want to know how your suspension has gone!

[Tambohamilton]

I haven't updated it for ages...there's a fair bit I've done but not documented. Car sees more motorway miles nowadays, since my occasional commute is 200mi each way.

Glad your e91 is being kept well