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#1. RE: [E36M3] Alignment Problem: Camberless M3 - from Preston Carey
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Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 15:31:19 -0500 From: "Preston Carey" <pcarey@babson.edu> Subject: RE: [E36M3] Alignment Problem: Camberless M3 Thanks for all the responses. I took the car back to the dealer this morning and the service rep didn't know whether they used weights or not but he promised to talk to the shop foreman. Just talked the rep and he says that they "tie the car down, which acts the same as the weights". They are now off measuring suspension parts to see if they are in spec. Can someone recommend an alignment shop near Boston that has half a clue? I really don't want to deal with my dealer anymore... BTW, it is Foreign Motors West if anyone was interested. Thanks again for the help, as usual this list kicks butt.
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#2. Re: [E36M3] Alignment Problem: Camberless M3 - from Bora Akyol
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Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 12:47:29 -0800 From: Bora Akyol <akyol@akyol.org> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Alignment Problem: Camberless M3 There are two alignment specs for M3s one of which is M3 with sport suspension which is the spec they compared against your car. There must another which says M3 with regular suspension. I have camber plates on my car and I have -1.3 degrees of camber in an unloaded car. Bora On Tuesday, March 27, 2001, at 12:38 PM, Preston Carey wrote: > Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 15:31:19 -0500 > From: "Preston Carey" <pcarey@babson.edu> > Subject: RE: [E36M3] Alignment Problem: Camberless M3 > > > Thanks for all the responses. > > I took the car back to the dealer this morning and the service rep > didn't > know whether they used weights or not but he promised to talk to the > shop > foreman. Just talked the rep and he says that they "tie the car down, > which > acts the same as the weights". They are now off measuring suspension > parts > to see if they are in spec. > > Can someone recommend an alignment shop near Boston that has half a > clue? I > really don't want to deal with my dealer anymore... > > BTW, it is Foreign Motors West if anyone was interested. > > Thanks again for the help, as usual this list kicks butt. > > > > ************************************************************* > List Commands > UNSUBSCRIBE - (in subject line) unsubscribes you from the mailing list. > DIR - sends a listing of files available in the list's GET directory. > GET filename1.ext,filename2.ext - sends the requested file(s). > > To issue a command/request to the server: > Send a message with the command you wish executed as the > subject of the message. > ************************************************************* > >
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#3. Re: Track Wheels/Nelson Ledges - from Dorffer, Rich
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Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 15:49:14 -0500 From: "Dorffer, Rich" <RDORFFER@CleIndians.com> Subject: Re: Track Wheels/Nelson Ledges Tom writes > Come on Nelson Ledges isn't so bad - I 've been on it 3x times, including one of the tracks open "Fun Dayz" - now that was a blast. 6 hours of open track, drive as much as you want for $100./day. Oak Tree and the kink are good fun. Its also the cheapest track that I know of for BMW schools at about $150-170. per weekend) Hope to see you there in 2001. Good to hear from you Tom. No it is not so bad, but when you compare it to Mid-Ohio, it is like night and day. When we were both there in September, Saturday (along with Sunday morning) was continual rain and the drainage there is not spectacular, what do you expect from a cow pasture ;-) You can literally see the water seeping up through the pavement in places and since there are so many different types of pavement there, the wet track definitely varies in the amount of traction that is available. This is especially true when you have your YOK A032Rs on backwards ;-) You do have one part right, it is cheap and the track is fast, especially if you can convince yourself to keep your foot in it on the back straight. Oak tree can be interesting as can the carousel and kink (particularly when wet and chasing a Porsche C4S). All kidding aside, this track offers very good bang for the buck (and it is very close for me). Hope to see you there in 2001 and maybe at Grattan. By that time, I should have my gauges complete (the list will be interested in this update as I have new information on installing gauges in a E36M3) and my harnesses installed. Regards, Rich
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#4. Re: [E36M3] SSR Competition - from Scott
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Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 13:12:30 -0800 From: Scott <scottch@juniper.net> Subject: Re: [E36M3] SSR Competition The offset on the 17x8.5 is 44mm, IIRC. This seems to fit the rear okay, but the 245 Hoosiers rubbed on my front coilovers (we're talking non-stock race car here) pretty seriously. With a 5mm spacer hub spacer and a little grinding on the threaded spring perch, they fit okay now. But I think a 10mm hub-centric spacer would be better/easier. -- Scott Chan
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#5. RE: [E36M3] Alignment Problem: Camberless M3 - from Preston Carey
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Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 16:13:31 -0500 From: "Preston Carey" <pcarey@babson.edu> Subject: RE: [E36M3] Alignment Problem: Camberless M3 Bora nailed it on the head. Just talked to dealer and they confirmed that they were using the sport suspension spec. Anyone know what this belongs to? Euro? LTW?
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#6. rear strut brace questions - from Mdriver13@aol.com
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Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 16:45:34 EST From: Mdriver13@aol.com Subject: rear strut brace questions Group, Can anyone comment on the usefulness of rear strut braces? I'm looking into purchasing either the Dinan brace or the adjustable one from BMP. Anyone with the Dinan or BMP version please comment on quality and fitment. TIA, Bob Gill 97 ///M3 coupe Philly Region SCCA AS Champion 1997 & 2000 #13 BSP 2001
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#7. RE: [E36M3] rear strut brace questions - from Wentz, Don
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Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 13:59:11 -0800 From: "Wentz, Don" <don.wentz@intel.com> Subject: RE: [E36M3] rear strut brace questions Bob, I have one in my 95, but as I installed it, I couldn't figure-out what it would do. Calling it a "rear STRUT brace" is in itself a bit of a misnomer. There are no STRUTS at the rear, only shocks and springs. And, unlike the front strut where significant side and braking loads must get transmitted to the top of the struts, there are no lateral loads transmitted thru the shocks, only vertical. The deck lid itself is probably the significant stiffening member back there. That said, anyone want to buy an AA rear tower brace? dw Group, Can anyone comment on the usefulness of rear strut braces? I'm looking into purchasing either the Dinan brace or the adjustable one from BMP. Anyone with the Dinan or BMP version please comment on quality and fitment. TIA, Bob Gill 97 ///M3 coupe Philly Region SCCA AS Champion 1997 & 2000 #13 BSP 2001
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#8. RE: [E36M3] Re: track wheels - from Peter Fanning
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Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 14:50:36 -0800 From: Peter Fanning <pfanning@premier1.net> Subject: RE: [E36M3] Re: track wheels Agreed. If I were in the market for new wheels I would probably buy the SSR Comp. because they are so much easier to get and a little cheaper now. Plus I like the matching brake dust color. For reference, I bought my IFG's about two years ago. Peter Fanning At 07:58 AM 3/27/2001 -0500, Dave Spragg wrote: >Please don't take offense, I was not flaming... if I did I am sorry as I >didn't mean too. Saying they "may" be stronger comes across as if one think >they are more likely stronger than not. With changing technology comes >changing specs... there may well be something out there better than one >piece hot forged... there may be 50 different kinds of hot forging >techniques with one of them being 10 times stronger than the next. Who >knows. Without a test or some decent data one can't draw a conclusion. > >Folks are posting about various experiences and what they have seen as well. >That still is not enough data for me... same hit might have done in any >wheel. Fact is that most of them are good enough that they are fine or we >are too small a market for an independent testing body to form and be worth >while or something like that. If the IFG and SSR were the same price and >weight I would probably go IFG since they would look cooler on my black car. > >I like to hear what has broken and how though... it's kinda fun to read. :) > >Dave
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#9. Re: [E36M3] Alignment Problem: Camberless M3 - from Bora Akyol
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Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 15:29:40 -0800 From: Bora Akyol <akyol@akyol.org> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Alignment Problem: Camberless M3 Here are the Dinan Stage III suspension specs for an unloaded car with a full tank of gas. Bora ---- My car's alignment specs with the new suspension are as follows (with about 1/3 of a tank of gas): LF: RF Camber -1.3 degree -1.3 degree Caster 6.3 6.3 Toe 0.09 0.09 Total toe: 0.18 LR RR Camber: -1.6 -1.6 Toe 0.25 0.25 Total toe: 0.5 These are the Dinan recommended specs, give and take a bit (0.5+/-) On Tuesday, March 27, 2001, at 12:50 PM, Preston Carey wrote: > > Bora, > > This is true...the Alignment sheet says..."M3 with Sport Suspension". > What > suspension is this? Euro? LTWT? I was under the impression that there > was > only 1 suspension on U.S. M3's. > > Can you send me the specs for a 98 M3/4? I looked in Bentley and they > are > different from the specs the dealer is using. Are these the correct > ones? > > Thanks, > Preston > > -----Original Message----- > From: Bora Akyol [mailto:akyol@akyol.org] > Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2001 3:47 PM > To: Preston Carey > Cc: E36M3 > Subject: Re: [E36M3] Alignment Problem: Camberless M3 > > > There are two alignment specs for M3s one of which is M3 with sport > suspension which is the spec they compared against your car. There must > another which says M3 with regular suspension. > > I have camber plates on my car and I have -1.3 degrees of camber in an > unloaded car. > > Bora > > On Tuesday, March 27, 2001, at 12:38 PM, Preston Carey wrote: > >> Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 15:31:19 -0500 >> From: "Preston Carey" <pcarey@babson.edu> >> Subject: RE: [E36M3] Alignment Problem: Camberless M3 >> >> >> Thanks for all the responses. >> >> I took the car back to the dealer this morning and the service rep >> didn't >> know whether they used weights or not but he promised to talk to the >> shop >> foreman. Just talked the rep and he says that they "tie the car down, >> which >> acts the same as the weights". They are now off measuring suspension >> parts >> to see if they are in spec. >> >> Can someone recommend an alignment shop near Boston that has half a >> clue? I >> really don't want to deal with my dealer anymore... >> >> BTW, it is Foreign Motors West if anyone was interested. >> >> Thanks again for the help, as usual this list kicks butt. >> >> >> >> ************************************************************* >> List Commands >> UNSUBSCRIBE - (in subject line) unsubscribes you from the mailing list. >> DIR - sends a listing of files available in the list's GET directory. >> GET filename1.ext,filename2.ext - sends the requested file(s). >> >> To issue a command/request to the server: >> Send a message with the command you wish executed as the >> subject of the message. >> ************************************************************* >> >> >
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#10. New struts and bearing swap? - from Drew Bamford
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Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 23:34:23 From: "Drew Bamford" <drewbam@hotmail.com> Subject: New struts and bearing swap? Fellow mdrivers, The dealer is going to be replacing the front struts on my (wrecked) 98 M3/4 with new OEM units (after I pony-up for "betterment"). My car has 27,000 miles on it. Is it best to replace the rear shocks at the same time, or should I keep them if they seem ok? Also, I'm thinking about having them swap the strut bearings while they're at it, but I'd like to hear from someone who has this mod with stock suspension and the stock staggered wheel/tire sizes (7.5" in front). How long do your front street tires last with normal highway use? Is your car driveable, or is it overly twitchy on the highway? (I run close to zero toe). Do you get more miles out of your track tires (my setup is 8" all around, with 235 A032R's)? Thanks, drew | 98M3/4 in critical condition _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com