Need Work on BMW From Qualified Worker

#1

In the off season, I want to have someone go through my suspension, subframe, etc. and replace everything that is worn or made of rubber. I think most everything on my suspension is from 1987 and not in good shape. Front, rear, drop the subframe, everything.

If you are interested in doing this, please send me an e-mail to smckay at mckay-law dot com. Please let me know where you are located, and I would like a flat agreed-to price if that can be done. I know that parts would be extra, and I would have those prepaid and shipped to you.

Thanks.

#2

OK, I think I am going to take the car to a shop in Largo, but I’m so BMW ignorant, I don’t even know what to ask for. Essentially, if its made of rubber and has anything to do with the suspension, it needs to be changed. Most all of the parts on the car are original.

I’m told I need subframe bushings, suspension parts, reinforcements (front crossmember and rear?), etc. What, specifically, do I need to tell the guy needs to be done? Sorry for the ignorance, I just really don’t know what to tell him.

-Scott

#3

Call BimmerWorld and tell them what you are doing. Much of it is boilerplate. Then they’ll spent 10min discussing the discretionary issues like “what kind of bushings?”, etc. Then just tell the shop "install everying BW sends you.

The other alternative is for this thread to become some huge SpecE30 build thread, which would just make your eyes glaze over for all the choices and disagreement.

Ireland sells some front subframe reinforcement pieces that might have merit. You might also consider solid rtabs, an option that just became available to us this year. Ireland sells that too. The install of the solid rtabs might require some specialized skills tho. Talk to Al K about that. I think he was able to coach a generic shop to do it successfully.

#4

How far away is Sarasota ?
We met this guy at CMP with Fl racer Gary Neilsen…Carl Gauss, 4944 Bliss Road, Sarasota Fl 34233, e-mail (I think) tanfc@msn.com

He’s the guy that helped Gress with engine swap #1 at CMP and would likely know all the right things to do. Sorry I don’t have his number.

RP

#5

I would go to AKG and buy everything that is for the E30:

front control arm bushings
rear trailing arm bushings
subframe bushings
differential mount
motor mounts
transmission mounts

Then you can replace your front control arms and lollipops in the front as well if you want. If you want to take a trip up to the Panhandle I would be more than happy to devote a weekend to working on our cars. I have done the entire front suspension, and I still need to do the rear on my car.

#6

King Tut wrote:

[quote]I would go to AKG and buy everything that is for the E30:
[/quote]
They are one of the few shops that have choices in bushing durometer. And their bolts go all the way thru the bushings and not all brands do that. If the bolt doesn’t go thru the bushing, the 2 separate bolts just pull the bushing apart in a season or two.

#7

Ranger wrote:

Arguably, if the bolt goes all the way through you lose the vibration damping function. Personally, I don’t believe our cars have enough power to torque the bushings that badly. The harshness and stress on the chassis and motor might outweigh the negligible benefit in getting power to the ground.

Keyser - You may want to have the shop look at the steering rack, tie rods, and steering column bushing. While not “suspension” per se, those things can contribute to a sloppy feel if worn.

Oh, and don’t forget to have them top off the blinker fluid, muffler bearings every 2 years, and do not under any circumstance let the wiring harness smoke get out of the ECU.:wink:

#8

Ranger wrote:

[quote]King Tut wrote:

[quote]I would go to AKG and buy everything that is for the E30:
[/quote]
They are one of the few shops that have choices in bushing durometer.[/quote]

I would go with the 75D.

#9

Second AKG…75d on motor/trans mounts.

Eye ball arms Delrin

Subframe/diff bushings,…ALUMINUM!!!

Trailing arm bushings 75d. Chuck

#10

I already have the AKG engine and trans mounts in the car, I dont recall what hardness they are.

Who sells the delrin eyeball arms? Same questions about the aluminum subframe and diff bushings. I assume AKG sells the trailing arm bushings.

-Scott

#11

Here you go for the eyeball arms / lollipop:

http://store.bimmerworld.com/treehouse-racing-eyeball-control-arm-brackets-p516.aspx

AKG sells the aluminum subframe and diff bushings:

http://www.akgmotorsport.com/catalog/catalog.php?category=e30%20Suspension%2FBushings

#12

Where in the rules is it permitted to use non-stock lollipops? Bushing material can be Delrin but I didn’t think those Treehouse units were legal…

#13

Steve D wrote:

Steve’s right!! and aluminum anything is overkill!!

#14

Steve D wrote:

Steve’s right.

#15

No to aluminum subframe and no to Treehouse lollypops.

Scott, call/find Carl Gauss and get the car’s suspension components replaced. Scott Gress, give Scott the part nos he needs and get him on his way to confidence/safety that comes from new components.Also, you can vouch for Carl.

RP

#16

Scott, did you get the work done to your car?

RP

#17

I am working on it now. Everyone was too far away, so my brother and I are ripping it all apart.

#18

GIT R done! Way to man up!

#19

Food for thought. Aluminum subframe bushings. How can the shocks/springs work if the connection between the car and the suspension is moving? Answer: not very well. No purpose built race car has any compliance in the suspension…i.e., all have spherical bearings at every point of movement. We need to make our suspensions as stiff as possible in relation to the chassis to make the car predictable. Flame away, Steve. Chuck

#20

cwbaader wrote:

Everything Chuck says is accurate beyond reproach.

Signed,

Steve [size=1]“shocks and springs work just fine thank you. they are floppy quasi-street units on our cars (not multi-adjustable, finely-tuned ITA pieces) that could give a shit if there is 0.01” difference in deflection between aluminum and hard rubber subframe bushings because there is a little give in the trailing arm bushings anyway and as long as the bushings are in good shape the deflection IS predictable. And these are not purpose built race cars so even with a fully triangulated cage and every single bushing being solid metal, we are still racing flexible unibody cars on floppy r compound street tires so why bother with the hassle of pressing in aluminum?"[/size] D.