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#1. Powerflex dealer $$ - from bmwm3nut@att.net
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Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 21:44:48 +0000 From: bmwm3nut@att.net Subject: Powerflex dealer $$ I ordered a whole set of all 8 rear POwerflex bushings from Phil Dorsey of OMPD this morning. Then I got a message on the list about SPA technique, so I called them and to my suprise, SPA was cheaper by about $20. I was a bit bummed as I paid too much b/c I was in a hurry to order them. So I put my tail between my legs and called Phil @ OMPD back and told him that SPA has the whole "KIT" for cheaper and he match their price!!! This is after I already ordered the kit and he has already shipped them. What a great guy to deal with. Thats customer service!!! Now I hope my floor pan has NOT cracked, keeping my fingers crossed. The car has never been in a wreck, still orginal bushings with tons of miles, BUT we have glass smooth roads here in Georgia (cheap gas too $1.08/gal prem.93 oct) p.s. NOT affli with OMPD or SPA, just a happy customer who saved a few bucks. -- Tim Ng 95 YELA/BUZZN/M3 92 325ic M-Tech "ULTIMATE TANNING MACHINE" 91///M3 "SUNNY DAY CAR" 88///M3 "TRACK CAR" SICK ENGINE 87 325IS PARTS CAR HOT ENGINE 83 320i "back for sale, buyer never showed"
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#2. Re: Earplugs - from Paul England
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Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 16:58:25 -0500 From: "Paul England" <ettsn@mindspring.com> Subject: Re: Earplugs John, If you just want some good earplugs, try any place that sells firearms (although there's fewer of these in SoCal than here in Georgia, I'd bet!). Everything from $0.99 foamies to custom moulded models that still allow normal hearing up to a certain decibel range, and attenuate anything above that. Most any price in between, too. Expect to pay lots for a real nice set (several hundred for the really good ones). HTH -Paul > Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 20:01:33 +0100 > From: j.demartino@us.qiagen.com > Subject: ear plugs for racing > > > Anyone know where I can get a set of ear plugs... preferably in the so > Cal area. Are these typically custom or universal?
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#3. Re: bump stops on bilsteins - Poll Question - from Tim Gergen
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Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 22:06:33 +0000 From: "Tim Gergen" <tgergen@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: bump stops on bilsteins - Poll Question On my 95 M3, I had Bilsteins w/ H&R springs. The ride height was about the same as stock (in the front obviously). That is why I wondered if I trimmed them, would it decrease ride height a bit in the front? Anxiously awaiting poll responses..Tim _________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com
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#4. Re: [E36M3] ear plugs for racing - from Scott Chan
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Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 14:10:23 -0800 From: Scott Chan <scottch@juniper.net> Subject: Re: [E36M3] ear plugs for racing You can buy ear plugs at any drug store for a few dollars a dozen. Get the ones with the highest NRR (noise reduction rating). Foam ones can be as high as NRR 29. If you are racing without them, you are probably accumulating irreversible hearing loss. I have 13 step checklist taped in the cockpit of my M3. Step number 1 is "Earplugs". -- Scott
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#5. Re: Ear plugs for racing - from Neil Maller
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Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 18:28:09 -0500 From: Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> Subject: Re: Ear plugs for racing on 12/17/01 4:28 PM, j.demartino@us.qiagen.com wrote: > Anyone know where I can get a set of ear plugs... preferably in the so > Cal area. Do they have Walgreens in So Cal? Neil 96 M3
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#6. Re: Bump stops on Bilsteins - from Neil Maller
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Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 18:32:40 -0500 From: Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> Subject: Re: Bump stops on Bilsteins on 12/17/01 4:28 PM, <Stan.Shaw@Excell.Net> wrote: > A data point, I asked Turner Motor Sports whether they would trim the bump > stops before shipping the units, and I was asked why. When I responded that > there was quite a bit of reputation associated with the Bilsteins needing > the bump stops trimmed. It was suggested that the email lists were rumor > mills. In my experience this is what a vendor says when feeling threatened by possibly superior knowledge. I'd characterize email lists as being more like academic peer review: if you throw down some worthless opinion or spurious factoid, there'll be plenty of people to point out the error of your way! Neil 96 M3
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#7. Stuck Throttle - Broken Gas Pedal! - from Ron Katona
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Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 19:12:39 -0500 From: "Ron Katona" <rkatona@bellatlantic.net> Subject: Stuck Throttle - Broken Gas Pedal! Had an odd thing happen at an autocross Sunday: my throttle stuck WFO during a run! I was coming off a long high speed section that required a shift to 3rd and then a downshift to 2nd into a slalom. After braking for the first slalom cone, I felt the car surging ahead even though I was not yet back on the gas. As I tried to modulate the gas in the slalom, it felt as though the throttle wasn't responding correctly and my line got a bit sloppy. After the slalom there was a tight 180 to the finish and I then realized I had no throttle control at all. I was way too hot to make the turn, but I got on the brakes hard and managed to make it to the finish where I kicked the gas pedal and the throttle un-stuck itself. I was able to pull into the paddock area and check things out. Turns out the bottom of the gas pedal separated from the hinge on the floor and apparently wedged itself on the carpet when I floored it after shifting to 3rd. I was able to pull the bottom of the pedal back in front of what's left of the hinge, but it's just flopping around down there. The bad part is that it looks like this hinge is part of the carpet meaning I don't know how to replace it. I'll have to look over the ETK to see what's replaceable and how best to deal with it. Any advice appreciated. The car is a '95, BTW, so this might be something to add to the pre-track/autocross checklist on the older cars. This could have been a real bummer on the track. -- Ron Katona
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#8. H&R Coilover Kit/Rear Suspension Question - from Chris Salter
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Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 17:04:02 -0800 (PST) From: Chris Salter <errsomeone@yahoo.com> Subject: H&R Coilover Kit/Rear Suspension Question All, What does the H&R coilover suspension kit use in the rear? Are they just normal Bilstien Sports and matched springs? Thanks - Chris __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Check out Yahoo! Shopping and Yahoo! Auctions for all of your unique holiday gifts! Buy at http://shopping.yahoo.com or bid at http://auctions.yahoo.com
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#9. Re: [E36M3] Re: bump stops on bilsteins - from Jeremy Lucas
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Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 22:19:36 -0500 From: "Jeremy Lucas" <jlucas@columbus.rr.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: bump stops on bilsteins ----- Original Message ----- From: <Stan.Shaw@Excell.Net> > A data point, I asked Turner Motor Sports whether they would trim the bump > stops before shipping the units, and I was asked why. When I responded that > there was quite a bit of reputation associated with the Bilsteins needing > the bump stops trimmed. It was suggested that the email lists were rumor > mills. Stan, Talk to Lou at the Bilstein San Diego, CA office. (800) 537-1085. I had several conversation with him about this and he also conferred with other people with Bilstein back in June. Attached below is the information that I got from him that I sent to the list and with follow ups to another lister. I don't think it a matter of having a "problem" if they are not trimmed, it's just that your ride could be a little smoother trimmed. ____________ Original Post: After all the discussion & confusion about trimming the bump stops on the front shocks a week or so ago, I made several phone calls to both Bilstein and H&R. I have a 95 M3 with Bilsteins and H&R 29910 springs that did not lower evenly when putting in the springs -- the front only went down about 10mm whereas the rear went down at least 20mm -- my biggest indication that the front might be on the bump stops. Once I got through playing voicemail tag with the right people, here's what I found out: 1) Bilstein says to cut 25 mm off their front bump stops. So I asked if I do this modification myself, does this void the warranty? They said no, only if you open up the actual shock portion, not just disassemble it. Just be careful not to strip the allen head in the bottom when disassembling, after taking off the 17mm nut on the bottom; a little heat helps with the allen head. So I ask why do they say to trim the bump stops? After much discussion and conferring with others in Bilstein the answer comes back "because even with stock springs & ride height the shocks are very close to the bump stops and also that H&R recommends it". Bilstein also cryptically noted that trimming the bump stops doesn't always seems to cure the uneven lowering based on customer reports. On a side note I asked him about revalving, and I was surprised it that the cost was only in the $50 range per shock. 2) On to H&R, after the voicemail tag.... Answer: trim the bump stops 20mm for the 29910 springs. I ask why didn't something come with my springs to say that. He says it should have been in the box with the springs, and that trimming should cure the uneven lowering effect that I have right now. Hope this helps clear things up, ____________ 1st Follow-up: According to them, they are fine with stock springs. It's just when you lower the car that you have a problem. I also asked them about the fact that the struts seem to be a hack job from the regular E36 and they guy didn't know anything about the original origin since that was quite a while ago. ____________ 2nd Follow-up: I talked to Lou some more today. Especially in a sport application like the M3 the bump stops are about 15-20mm from the normal ride height, which he said is common in a lot of their OEM applications too. You have to remember that touching the bump stops doesn't mean your out of travel, your just starting to add a resistive force to the motion of the shock (kind of like having stiffer springs). ____________ Hope that puts to rest the rumor mill. BTW, it is true that just because you see it on a list (even one as good as this) that doesn't make it true, and that you should always follow up and do your own checking. Jeremy 95 M3 still waiting to be trimmed at the next time I need to do some front suspension work
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#10. Re: [E36M3] Re: bump stops on bilsteins - from Stan.Shaw@Excell.Net
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Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 22:31:12 -0500 From: <Stan.Shaw@Excell.Net> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: bump stops on bilsteins Jeremy, Thank you! I am going to send this on to Turner for their own reference and possible comment. I certainly don't take all the information on this or any list, without questioning. In general fact vs fiction seems to work it out well on this list! Regards, Stan Shaw Excell.Net Phone: (413) 599-0399 Fax: (413) 599-0421 Stan.Shaw@Excell.Net http://www.excell.net/ "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
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#11. Re: Replacing all bushings?? - from Neil Maller
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Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 22:31:46 -0500 From: Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> Subject: Re: Replacing all bushings?? on 12/17/01 1:48 PM, "andy radin" <fourfa@mindspring.com> wrote: I wrote: > "When using any less resilient trailing arm bushings it might be a good idea > to inspect the body mount area regularly. The welding around the 3 threaded > inserts that hold the trailing arm carrier is a known weak spot. Stiffer > bushings will obviously communicate higher shock loading to those mounts." on 12/17/01 1:48 PM, "andy radin" <fourfa@mindspring.com> replied: > I though the issue was not the stiffness of the bushing, but rather that a > dead stock bushing collapses completely and allows metal-to-metal shock > loads. No, that's not the issue. The issue is that the stock mounting points are known to be weak. So anything you do, anything, that increases the shock loading in that area constitutes grounds for caution. The most obvious examples are stiffer or even solid bushings. My judgment is that "caution" in this case translates into regular inspection of the mounting area. Your judgment may vary. Neil 96 M3