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#1. Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) - from Patrick Goss - PA
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Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2006 13:16:07 -0600 From: "Patrick Goss - PA" <Patrick_Goss@GMACM.COM> Subject: Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) Can't believe I've let it go this long, but it's overdue, and I'm ready based on some of the weird handling I've been feeling. Seen recommendations and chatter on powerflex, ground control, oem replacements with inserts and a bunch of others I can't remember. Is there more? Haven't seen any recent news or updates in what feels like the last 6 or more months. So what's the latest and the greatest desired replacement parts and options/price etc etc etc? Thanks in advance, Patrick Goss 97 M3/4
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#2. Re: [E36M3] Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) - from Jim Bassett
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Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2006 11:23:22 -0800 (PST) From: "Jim Bassett" <jim@jimbassett.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) On Fri, March 3, 2006 11:16 am, Patrick Goss - PA said: > Can't believe I've let it go this long, but it's overdue, and I'm ready > based on some of the weird handling I've been feeling. Seen > recommendations and chatter on powerflex, ground control, oem > replacements with inserts and a bunch of others I can't remember. Is > there more? Haven't seen any recent news or updates in what feels like > the last 6 or more months. So what's the latest and the greatest > desired replacement parts and options/price etc etc etc? What use does your car get? Street only? Some track time? A lot of track time? What's your tolerance for NVH on the street? I've got powerflex bushing on the race car, and I'm sure some here have 'em on their dual-purpose cars. On my street-only M3 I went with OEM replacements, and couldn't even tolerate the GC shims - I have a low NVH-threshold apparently when it comes to the street car :-) My 2 cents, Jim Bassett 1998 M3/4 - comfortable family car 1993 325is #44 JP - full of NVH :-)
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#3. Re: [E36M3] Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) - from Raza Uddin
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Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2006 11:37:25 -0800 From: "Raza Uddin" <raza.uddin@gmail.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) Patrick, I've recently noticed similar "weird" handling characteristics and also am in the process of researching different bushings to refresh my suspension. My car sees light street duty and a good amount of track time and from what I've been reading, I'm going to go with the Powerflex bushings. They are supposed to offer the best compromise between stiffness, ride, and streetability. They certainly are nowhere near as stiff as delrin or full metal, yet are significantly stiffer than stock, while more robust, and should last longer. Personally, I have a very high tolerance for NVH, but I hear if you properly install the bushings with lube and periodically check their lubricity, the Powerflexes should be as quiet as stock. I'm planning to get their RTABs, LCBs, and subframe bushings. Also, from talking to Rob at Bimmerworld, they should have differential bushings also available by this summer. Drive Safely, Raza
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#4. WTB: Cheap seat and/or harnesses - from Walter J
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Date: Fri, 03 Mar 2006 14:44:40 -0500 From: Walter J <m3gtr@adelphia.net> Subject: WTB: Cheap seat and/or harnesses I am looking for an alum racing seat and/or harness (out of date OK) to use as a passenger seat for instructing. Since students come in various butt sizes from narrow to "ample" I need a 16+ hip size. Also... prefer camlock harnesses for the uninitiated to figure out how to button up when in a hurry to get on track... Cheap is good - I don't want or need any $600 shell w/ halos - old Kirkey, Butler or Ultrashields are more what I had in mind... especially with mounts for an E36 floor pan already dangling from their underbellies. Email me if you have seat, harness or both. I can pick up within an hr or so of Phila. -- Walter
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#5. RE: [E36M3] Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) - from Patrick Goss - PA
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Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2006 13:48:06 -0600 From: "Patrick Goss - PA" <Patrick_Goss@GMACM.COM> Subject: RE: [E36M3] Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) I probably should have clarified my Muse, (M-usage), sorry. Primarily street, but don't mind a little NVH if it pays handling dividends, absolutely despise squeeking I might add. I must admit I have a personality disorder which often prohibits my replacing stock components which fail prematurely with stock components again! On an integra I once had I replaced the RTABs with energy suspension solid poly donut squeekers and absolutely hated the dam squeeking in the colder months. Harness I never noticed, that car was on rails basically. I did get the mugen harder durometer rubber which I didn't have time to replace ES crap before the car was sold. So I guess something in between full race and street would be good if it doesn't squeek, (engine noise good, suspension squeeks bad). Harness I can handle to a certain degree, especially if I can carve better :) Is the oem bushing with shims < = > in NVH vs. powerflex? Aren't the shims for use with most bushing solutions, (oem, pwrfx, other)? One could just remove them when you run out of valium, and reinstall for events, (but then I guess you'd loose your alignment settings right)? Patrick -----Original Message----- From: Jim Bassett [mailto:jim@jimbassett.com] Sent: Friday, March 03, 2006 2:23 PM To: Patrick Goss - PA Cc: E36M3 Subject: Re: [E36M3] Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) On Fri, March 3, 2006 11:16 am, Patrick Goss - PA said: > Can't believe I've let it go this long, but it's overdue, and I'm ready > based on some of the weird handling I've been feeling. Seen > recommendations and chatter on powerflex, ground control, oem > replacements with inserts and a bunch of others I can't remember. Is > there more? Haven't seen any recent news or updates in what feels like > the last 6 or more months. So what's the latest and the greatest > desired replacement parts and options/price etc etc etc? What use does your car get? Street only? Some track time? A lot of track time? What's your tolerance for NVH on the street? I've got powerflex bushing on the race car, and I'm sure some here have 'em on their dual-purpose cars. On my street-only M3 I went with OEM replacements, and couldn't even tolerate the GC shims - I have a low NVH-threshold apparently when it comes to the street car :-) My 2 cents, Jim Bassett 1998 M3/4 - comfortable family car 1993 325is #44 JP - full of NVH :-)
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#6. RE: [E36M3] Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) - from Matthew Teel
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Date: Fri, 03 Mar 2006 11:01:12 -0900 From: Matthew Teel <mteel@beluga.com> Subject: RE: [E36M3] Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) While we're at it, maybe someone can clear up some confusion I have about which Powerflex bushing I would use with the UUC Chromoly Adjustable Rear Control Arms (which already come with an inboard rubber bushing)??? TIA, Matthew -----Original Message----- From: Raza Uddin [mailto:raza.uddin@gmail.com] Sent: Friday, March 03, 2006 10:46 AM To: E36M3 Subject: Re: [E36M3] Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2006 11:37:25 -0800 From: "Raza Uddin" <raza.uddin@gmail.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) Patrick, I've recently noticed similar "weird" handling characteristics and also am in the process of researching different bushings to refresh my suspension. My car sees light street duty and a good amount of track time and from what I've been reading, I'm going to go with the Powerflex bushings. They are supposed to offer the best compromise between stiffness, ride, and streetability. They certainly are nowhere near as stiff as delrin or full metal, yet are significantly stiffer than stock, while more robust, and should last longer. Personally, I have a very high tolerance for NVH, but I hear if you properly install the bushings with lube and periodically check their lubricity, the Powerflexes should be as quiet as stock. I'm planning to get their RTABs, LCBs, and subframe bushings. Also, from talking to Rob at Bimmerworld, they should have differential bushings also available by this summer. Drive Safely, Raza ************************************************* 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 *************************************************
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#7. RE: [E36M3] Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) - from Jim Bassett
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Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2006 12:11:07 -0800 (PST) From: "Jim Bassett" <jim@jimbassett.com> Subject: RE: [E36M3] Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) On Fri, March 3, 2006 11:46 am, Patrick Goss - PA said: > I must admit I have a > personality disorder which often prohibits my replacing stock components > which fail prematurely with stock components again! Well, how many miles on your current bushings? :-) ("Premature" is a relative term - I ran on the OE shocks for >100K miles <gasp>, and will gladly periodically replace OEM RTABs to maintain good handling and limited NVH. YMMV :-)) > Is the oem bushing with shims < = > in NVH vs. powerflex? Aren't the > shims for use with most bushing solutions, (oem, pwrfx, other)? AIUI, the shims are just for the rubber OEM bushings, to help limit their deflection under load. Such deflection does not occur with powerflex-like bushings. I don't have a direct NVH comparision, but what I noticed with the shims (which are hard plastic) is that they completely filled the gap between the trailing arm and the "box" that attached to the chassis (as they're supposed to). But, in my case, that allowed road noise to be transmitted through the trailing arm to the chassis to me. I disliked it. I would think there would be somewhat less of this "transmission" with a powerflex solution, as there would still be the trailing arm/chassis isolation. Whether or not the firmer bushing will increase NVH, I can't say for certain, or speculate as to it's relative amount versus the OEM/shim solution. Jim Bassett
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#8. CEL at WOT - from kresener@aol.com
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Date: Fri, 03 Mar 2006 15:24:35 -0500 From: kresener@aol.com Subject: CEL at WOT I know the answer to this question already: Get a Peake code reader. I'm going to ask anyway since I don't (yet) have a reader and also hope that someone else has had the same problem. For the last couple of years when I'm at wide open throttle and nearing red line occasionally I'll get a flicker of the CEL. It seems to happen only when it's cold out, and just before my "really nailing it" shift point. I've always chalked it up to colder, denser air and blown it off. Lately though, I've driven the car hard a few times over the last month and the check engine light will flicker at a lower, like 6400 or so RPM. It has been very cold out, though. Should I be more worried than I am? Car feels strong, and doesn't stumble or exhibit any other issues. Rather, it still pulls hard as ever. Damn, I love driving that car! Going to Road Atlanta next week and don't want any surprise issues... Thanks for any suggestions. Kurt Louisville, KY
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#9. RE: [E36M3] Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) - from Patrick Goss - PA
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Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2006 14:30:46 -0600 From: "Patrick Goss - PA" <Patrick_Goss@GMACM.COM> Subject: RE: [E36M3] Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) Well there is 95K on the car, they seemed very tight until I enjoyed 255 R tyres daily for a stint this past summer which seemed to loosen them up in short order. Back end feels loose now with even 245 street tires. I wonder perhaps if the RTAB were replaced by the previous owner, based on how it handled with stock tires when I bought it 2 years ago. Seems by your last statement I have yet another referral for powerflex. BTW I really thought the shims could be used with powerflex too! I thought the shims keep the T-arm from moving side to side between bushing and retainer. AIUI, is that a.k.a. DUI as in drunk driving :) ROTFLMAO -----Original Message----- From: Jim Bassett [mailto:jim@jimbassett.com] Sent: Friday, March 03, 2006 3:11 PM To: Patrick Goss - PA Cc: E36M3 Subject: RE: [E36M3] Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) On Fri, March 3, 2006 11:46 am, Patrick Goss - PA said: > I must admit I have a > personality disorder which often prohibits my replacing stock components > which fail prematurely with stock components again! Well, how many miles on your current bushings? :-) ("Premature" is a relative term - I ran on the OE shocks for >100K miles <gasp>, and will gladly periodically replace OEM RTABs to maintain good handling and limited NVH. YMMV :-)) > Is the oem bushing with shims < = > in NVH vs. powerflex? Aren't the > shims for use with most bushing solutions, (oem, pwrfx, other)? AIUI, the shims are just for the rubber OEM bushings, to help limit their deflection under load. Such deflection does not occur with powerflex-like bushings. I don't have a direct NVH comparision, but what I noticed with the shims (which are hard plastic) is that they completely filled the gap between the trailing arm and the "box" that attached to the chassis (as they're supposed to). But, in my case, that allowed road noise to be transmitted through the trailing arm to the chassis to me. I disliked it. I would think there would be somewhat less of this "transmission" with a powerflex solution, as there would still be the trailing arm/chassis isolation. Whether or not the firmer bushing will increase NVH, I can't say for certain, or speculate as to it's relative amount versus the OEM/shim solution. Jim Bassett
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#10. RE: [E36M3] Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) - from Jim Bassett
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Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2006 12:48:26 -0800 (PST) From: "Jim Bassett" <jim@jimbassett.com> Subject: RE: [E36M3] Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (or Sponges) On Fri, March 3, 2006 12:36 pm, Patrick Goss - PA said: > Seems by your last statement I have yet another referral for powerflex. Well, a semi-referral :-) > AIUI, is that a.k.a. DUI as in drunk driving :) ROTFLMAO LOL! As I Understand It, just in case you weren't sure. Jim Bassett