-------------------- 1 --------------------
#1. Re: Ride heights and alignment settings - from Neil Maller
Top
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 17:13:35 -0500 From: Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> Subject: Re: Ride heights and alignment settings on 6/21/05 4:58 PM, Chester Wong at chester_p_wong@yahoo.com wrote: > I haven't installed the double adjustable rears because: > > a) I would have to unmount the stealthboxes to peel back the interior carpets > to remove my Z3 reinforcement plate > b) I'd have to cut a hole in the carpets to get the adjustment knob in...I've > been too lazy > c) I want to use the Z3 reinforcement plate but in order to use it with the > TCK RSM (necessary for the larger diameter rear shock shaft), I will need to > weld in longer bolts to the Z3 plate. Well, I just got the TIG welder, but I > have to learn how to use it...so... Lemme start by welding this propane tank > we have in the backyard.... Oooh ooh, could a new Chester story in the making! <g> One thing: I do understand why, but if you don't put the DA's on you're going to be way underdamped in the back with those spring rates. At a rough guess I'd say that the TCK Koni DA's at their softest setting are about as stiff as the SA's at their hardest. All you need for the reinforcement plates is a quick tack weld to keep the bolts from turning. Neil Fort Wayne, IN 96 M3 - Bastard child 03 525iT - Sterling Grey Metallic 77 MGB - Original owner, need to sell 05 Mini - Cooper S with LSD!
-------------------- 2 --------------------
#2. Re: [E36M3] Re: Ride heights and alignment settings - from Chester Wong
Top
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 15:21:26 -0700 (PDT) From: Chester Wong <chester_p_wong@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: Ride heights and alignment settings --- Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> wrote: > Oooh ooh, could a new Chester story in the making! <g> I'll try to video document this, ok? > One thing: I do understand why, but if you don't put the DA's on you're > going to be way underdamped in the back with those spring rates. At a rough > guess I'd say that the TCK Koni DA's at their softest setting are about as > stiff as the SA's at their hardest. ARGH! NOW you tell me. > All you need for the reinforcement plates is a quick tack weld to keep the > bolts from turning. Only problem is no one around here is capable of even that! When I brought a set of plates to a place, I had ugly snot welds. And it would be insult to injury if I had to bring the plates somewhere when I have a kick ass Miller Dynasty 200DX next to me! I have the rear SAs set to 1/4 turn from full stiff. Hahahaha. Maybe that explains the bouncy feeling...I thought that I cranked it too high. LOL! Chester
-------------------- 3 --------------------
#3. Re: Ride heights and alignment settings - from Stan.Shaw@Excell.Net
Top
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 18:32:14 -0400 From: <Stan.Shaw@Excell.Net> Subject: Re: Ride heights and alignment settings > Lemme start by welding this propane tank we have in the backyard.... This sounds interesting..... a new Chester story in the works. 1. Have a fire extinguisher ready 2. Notify the fire department 3. Get plenty of pictures :) Regards, Stan Shaw Stan.Shaw@Excell.Net Phone: (413) 599-0399 Fax: (413) 599-0421 Excell.Net Owner/Operator http://www.Excell.Net/ 928 Owners Club President http://www.928OC.org/ 928Racing.net Team Member http://www.928Racing.net/ "Liberty once lost is lost forever." - John Adams
-------------------- 4 --------------------
#4. Re: Ride heights and alignment settings - from Chester Wong
Top
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 15:38:04 -0700 (PDT) From: Chester Wong <chester_p_wong@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: Ride heights and alignment settings Wha? I was told to: - Wear only shorts and a t-shirt... and make sure those items are made out of nylon. I heard that the sparks can burn holes in the fibers. - Make sure you wet down the floor to keep everything cool. - Fire extinguishers aren't necessary as you can use the argon shielding gas...at least it's inert - Those $2 UV protective sunglasses from Chinatown would fit the bill as well...see...safety first! - Work in a small confined area with little ventilation.. Supposedly if you have too much breeze, you'll disrupt the shielding gas and have a bad weld. I guess I'll also be able to test for the presense of methane from a certain biological function...better load up on burritos... Chester --- Stan.Shaw@Excell.Net wrote: > > Lemme start by welding this propane tank we have in the backyard.... > > This sounds interesting..... a new Chester story in the works. > 1. Have a fire extinguisher ready > 2. Notify the fire department > 3. Get plenty of pictures :)
-------------------- 5 --------------------
#5. Re: Ride heights and alignment settings> - from Chester Wong
Top
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 16:06:07 -0700 (PDT) From: Chester Wong <chester_p_wong@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: Ride heights and alignment settings> --- Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> wrote: > I don't know what Stealthboxes look like - I'm assuming they're large and > not especially stealthy speaker enclosures! - but there should be no reason > to take out either the speakers or the carpet to do any of this. > > I have a flap cut in the side of the carpet and can adjust the shock and > install or remove either kind (top or bottom access) of RSM through it. I > could send you a photo so you can see where to cut. I love torturing myself. My vision was to just drill a hole in the carpet. I would probably mark it from underneath or drill a small pilot hole when the shock was out. I would then take the carpet out and go crazy with a BFD. So...with my method, I would not be able to access the reinforcement plate. As soon as I get everything sorted out, I can weld up, mismantle the interior of the trunk and hopefully slap everything back together for the very last time. > Instead of using the Koni adjustment knob, which in any case is soft plastic > and easily rounds out, I made my own out of a cut-off stub of allen key. I > sawed a slot in the end to match the Koni tab and then inserted the key > flush into a 1/4" drive socket of the corresponding size. I have paint marks > on the socket so that I can see how many turns I've made. I use a compact > 1/4" drive ratchet handle to turn it. This tool goes into the side access > flap in the carpet. I'll probably end up doing something similar so that I can see where my adjustments are. I assume when you tightened the RSMs in place, you oriented them accordingly so that both side would have the adjuster pointed in the same direction w.r.t. the RSM? :) Chester
-------------------- 6 --------------------
#6. Re: Ride heights and alignment settings> - from Neil Maller
Top
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 18:13:42 -0500 From: Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> Subject: Re: Ride heights and alignment settings> on 6/21/05 5:16 PM, Chester Wong <chester_p_wong@yahoo.com> wrote: > a) I would have to unmount the stealthboxes to peel back the interior carpets > to remove my Z3 reinforcement plate > b) I'd have to cut a hole in the carpets to get the adjustment knob in...I've > been too lazy I don't know what Stealthboxes look like - I'm assuming they're large and not especially stealthy speaker enclosures! - but there should be no reason to take out either the speakers or the carpet to do any of this. I have a flap cut in the side of the carpet and can adjust the shock and install or remove either kind (top or bottom access) of RSM through it. I could send you a photo so you can see where to cut. Instead of using the Koni adjustment knob, which in any case is soft plastic and easily rounds out, I made my own out of a cut-off stub of allen key. I sawed a slot in the end to match the Koni tab and then inserted the key flush into a 1/4" drive socket of the corresponding size. I have paint marks on the socket so that I can see how many turns I've made. I use a compact 1/4" drive ratchet handle to turn it. This tool goes into the side access flap in the carpet. Neil Fort Wayne, IN 96 M3 - Bastard child 03 525iT - Sterling Grey Metallic 77 MGB - Original owner, need to sell 05 Mini - Cooper S with LSD!
-------------------- 7 --------------------
#7. Re: [E36M3] Re: Ride heights and alignment settings> - from docwyte@comcast.net
Top
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 23:14:03 +0000 From: docwyte@comcast.net Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: Ride heights and alignment settings> The stealthboxes are very small and stealthy! They're shorter than the factory '95 M3 rear speakers. I cut a round hole with releasing flaps down the shock tower, which gave perfect access to the tops of the rear shocks. The koni knob fits perfectly, there was no need to make anything else work. -------------- Original message -------------- > Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 16:06:07 -0700 (PDT) > From: Chester Wong > Subject: Re: Ride heights and alignment settings> > > --- Neil Maller wrote: > > I don't know what Stealthboxes look like - I'm assuming they're large and > > not especially stealthy speaker enclosures! - but there should be no reason > > to take out either the speakers or the carpet to do any of this. > > > > I have a flap cut in the side of the carpet and can adjust the shock and > > install or remove either kind (top or bottom access) of RSM through it. I > > could send you a photo so you can see where to cut. > > I love torturing myself. My vision was to just drill a hole in the carpet. I > would probably mark it from underneath or drill a small pilot hole when the > shock was out. I would then take the carpet out and go crazy with a BFD. > So...with my method, I would not be able to access the reinforcement plate. As > soon as I get everything sorted out, I can weld up, mismantle the interior of > the trunk and hopefully slap everything back together for the very last time. > > > Instead of using the Koni adjustment knob, which in any case is soft plastic > > and easily rounds out, I made my own out of a cut-off stub of allen key. I > > sawed a slot in the end to match the Koni tab and then inserted the key > > flush into a 1/4" drive socket of the corresponding size. I have paint marks > > on the socket so that I can see how many turns I've made. I use a compact > > 1/4" drive ratchet handle to turn it. This tool goes into the side access > > flap in the carpet. > > I'll probably end up doing something similar so that I can see where my > adjustments are. I assume when you tightened the RSMs in place, you oriented > them accordingly so that both side would have the adjuster pointed in the same > direction w.r.t. the RSM? :) > > Chester > > > > > ************************************************* > Please help support the E36M3 list by visiting our sponsors: > > Bimmerworld http://www.bimmerworld.com > Turner Motorsport http://www.turnermotorsport.com > Eurosport High Performance http://www.eurosporthighperformance.com > Rogue Engineering http://www.rogueengineering.com > Treehouse Racing http://www.treehouseracing.com > Elephant Motorsports Inc. http://www.elephantmotorsports.com > > DIGEST INFORMATION: > http://www.bmw-m.net/resources/digest_info.htm > ************************************************* > >
-------------------- 8 --------------------
#8. Re: [E36M3] Re: Ride heights and alignment settings - from Chris Teague
Top
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 17:26:48 -0700 From: "Chris Teague" <cteague@cox.net> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: Ride heights and alignment settings Chester, My TCKline rear Koni DA's were a little shorter than the previous shocks, but not much. Chris ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chester Wong" <chester_p_wong@yahoo.com> To: "E36M3" <e36m3@bmw-m.net> Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 3:06 PM Subject: [E36M3] Re: Ride heights and alignment settings > Does anyone know if the double adjustable > shock body is shorter than the standard issues SA ones? I guess I can > just > haul it out of the box and hold it up to it.
-------------------- 9 --------------------
#9. Re: [E36M3] Re: Ride heights and alignment settings> - from Mdriver13@aol.com
Top
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 22:43:51 EDT From: Mdriver13@aol.com Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: Ride heights and alignment settings> In a message dated 6/21/2005 7:16:46 PM Eastern Standard Time, neil.maller@gte.net writes: Instead of using the Koni adjustment knob, which in any case is soft plastic and easily rounds out, I made my own out of a cut-off stub of allen key. Check out Ron Styger's website. He made a special tool that works for the front and rear Koni DA's. I have one, it works great! Bob Gill 97 ///M3 coupe Philly Region SCCA 2nd Place BSP - PA State Championship 2004
-------------------- 10 --------------------
#10. Re: Ride height - from j. helffrich
Top
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 21:06:55 -0700 (PDT) From: "j. helffrich" <girolamous@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: Ride height Hi, Since everyone is talking about ride height, I would like to ask why my current 1997 M3 is scraping the rear fender lips with Toyo 245/45/17's when my old 1997 M3 didn't with Pirelli Pzeros or Michelin Pilot Sports. Both cars have SA Konis with H&R Sport (red) springs on them. Does this indicate something amiss with the alignment of the current car? It scrapes only on bigger bumps or with three or more in the car. Can I diagnose this with ride height measurements or alignment? Thanks in Advance, Jerry 1997 M3/4 Jerry Helffrich ____________________________________________________ Yahoo! Sports Rekindle the Rivalries. Sign up for Fantasy Football http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com