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Date: 3-19-08 08:23
From: RSwannabe12 in Seattle 
Subject: Need help with ride height and camber on my M2  
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Hi, I'm relatively new to the 2002 boards, just having bought a '72 that has been fully restored/modified into an M2. It currently is running on Eibach Pro springs, Bilstein HD struts, and ST sways. It has all new rubber bushings throughout the suspension and drives beautifully. It is a sporty ride, but not harsh. I want to keep this comfortable ride (I have a modified early 911 for a track machine and I want to keep the M2 girlfriend friendly), but I want to lower the car an additional 1/2 - 1". The Eibach's are supposed to be a 1" drop. Does anyone make a spring with a 1.5-2" drop that does not have a significantly higher spring rate?
I want to be lower for aesthetic reasons and to get a little more negative camber into the car to better fit the Rotas and 205/50/15 Falkens I am putting on it (yes I am rolling the fenders as well). If I can't get it lower without a harsher ride, I would then be looking for more negative camber only. I already have fixed front camber plates from Ireland. i know they can bend a strut for even more, so that's a possibility. Their rear camber kit seems to be more aimed at taking camber out of radically lowered cars (race cars and the like). Can that kit also be used to add negative camber to a not so low car?
A few pics of my car are included below.
Brooke _________________ '72 M2
'69 911 2.8SS
'70 914-6 GT
'02 M3
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Date: 3-20-08 07:21
From: RSwannabe12 in Seattle
Subject: Re: Need help with ride height and camber on my M2
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Thank you for all the input. I have looked at the ground control website, and it says they do not have an adjustable solution for the rear of the car. Does anyone know if that can do custom stock diameter springs to match different springs on their front coil overs?
Also, I have some concern about going to a coil over as most seem to have a solid top mount as opposed to the stock rubber strut tops. I know a solid mount can be done to be acceptable on the street, but they can also transmit more NVH than I would like (I went through this on my 911 with successive sets of bad monoballs that clunked a lot). i like the idea os staying with the rubber isolation mounts.
I will talk to Ireland again today as well. I just was hoping to get pointed in some directions that I was not aware of yet.
Below are some older pics of my porsches. The 914 pic is before a complete restoration i am just completing now. _________________ '72 M2
'69 911 2.8SS
'70 914-6 GT
'02 M3
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Date: 3-20-08 07:26
From: RSwannabe12 in Seattle
Subject: Re: Need help with ride height and camber on my M2
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| ray_koke wrote: |
With Lee's kit I had to run about a 2mm spacer on the rear for the Rota's to clear the calipers.
With 195's, spacers, and the rear lip cut the clearance has got to be <3mm. You may have to push out the quarters a bit with 205's.
Ray |
Ray, what is the "Lee's kit" you refer to? I assume this is a rear disc brake upgrade? I am running big drums on the back currently. _________________ '72 M2
'69 911 2.8SS
'70 914-6 GT
'02 M3
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Date: 3-20-08 08:05
From: ray_koke in Tianjin 
Subject: Re: Need help with ride height and camber on my M2
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Brooke,
Lee made a rear kit, and perhaps he may have some available later this year as well. Here's one thread:
http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,57/page,viewtopic/t,282168/highlight,lee+group+buy+rear+massive+wilwood/
If u go with coilovers, there may be some additional challenges to overcome.
Cheers,
Ray
| RSwannabe12 wrote: | | ray_koke wrote: |
With Lee's kit I had to run about a 2mm spacer on the rear for the Rota's to clear the calipers.
With 195's, spacers, and the rear lip cut the clearance has got to be <3mm. You may have to push out the quarters a bit with 205's.
Ray |
Ray, what is the "Lee's kit" you refer to? I assume this is a rear disc brake upgrade? I am running big drums on the back currently. |
_________________ '73 ///M2 2.5
'84 ///M635CSi
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Date: 3-20-08 08:36
From: -=Charley in SoCal
Subject: Re: Need help with ride height and camber on my M2
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talk to Jeremy @ Ireland. he'll tell you the correct way to measure ride height and should be able to recommend a lower spring. as has been said, all the cars seem to be a little different especially in the rear tire fitment and ride height departments. _________________ King of Avatar
M20-02 blog
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Date: 3-20-08 08:47
From: RSwannabe12 in Seattle
Subject: Re: Need help with ride height and camber on my M2
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| ll-sidedrafts wrote: | | I would be interested in buying your wheels when you're ready to part with them. |
I may keep them to mount snow tires on, but if I sell them I'll let you know.
So, I talked to Ireland today and they said you can't fit 205's without pulling the fenders (not just rolling the lips, but flaring the fender out). I respect their expertise, but i also read posts from people who say they are running 205's with shaved/rolled lips. Anyone have any personal experience with getting 205's to fit un unflared '02? Your input would be appreicated.
On the subject of ride height, I measured the car today and the middle of the front fenders (measured taking a verticle line from the ground, through the middle of the wheel, to the fender) are 24" from the ground. The rears are 23". This seems a little high to me. The Eibach springs I have are supposed to be a 1" drop. Can anyone else share the fender lip height measurements from their cars using different springs?
Thanks, _________________ '72 M2
'69 911 2.8SS
'70 914-6 GT
'02 M3
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Date: 3-21-08 12:28
From: NickVyse in Provence, France
Subject: Re: Need help with ride height and camber on my M2
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| RSwannabe12 wrote: | | ll-sidedrafts wrote: | | I would be interested in buying your wheels when you're ready to part with them. |
I may keep them to mount snow tires on, but if I sell them I'll let you know.
So, I talked to Ireland today and they said you can't fit 205's without pulling the fenders (not just rolling the lips, but flaring the fender out). I respect their expertise, but i also read posts from people who say they are running 205's with shaved/rolled lips. Anyone have any personal experience with getting 205's to fit un unflared '02? Your input would be appreicated.
On the subject of ride height, I measured the car today and the middle of the front fenders (measured taking a verticle line from the ground, through the middle of the wheel, to the fender) are 24" from the ground. The rears are 23". This seems a little high to me. The Eibach springs I have are supposed to be a 1" drop. Can anyone else share the fender lip height measurements from their cars using different springs?
Thanks, |
Are you sure you're not still running the alloy spacers later US cars had at the top of the strut? If you're concerned about NVH then I too would hesitate in going down the coilover route. Lee is also producing a spacer that fits under the strut, locates it a little further outboard and makes the control arm sit lower. This will give you a little more negative camber and reduce bump steer on a lowered car.
I've found 195x50's to be big enough for a street car - do want 205's purely for aesthetics? 195's are tight. _________________ 1973 m2 Touring - RHD. Asleep dreaming of a new body
1967 1600-2 LHD. Daily use
1967 1600-2 LHD. Parts car
1972 2002Tii LHD. Resto project
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Date: 3-21-08 10:22
From: TobyB in Seattle
Subject: Re: Need help with ride height and camber on my M2
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Nope, the 205's OD is just a little too big-
even if you neg- camber enough to clear the
fenders, they hit the nose and inner fender/firewall
on opposite lock. I tried. I failed. I couldn't bring myself
to sledge in as much of the inner as would really need it,
and cut the nose that much.
Frankly, my dear, sell the 15's and go to 14's. Then you can run
a 205-60-14 (barely) and it'll look better.
As to the solid mounts, yes, they're too much for the street.
If there's a soft mount for small diameter springs, I haven't seen it.
Or made it... yet.
In the rear, you get to cut and fit stock car springs until you're happy.
They're cheap- which is good, cause you'll probably need to try a
few to get it just right.
fwiw.
t
_________________
I have a car disease. There is no cure.
I'm not even managing the symptoms very well...
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Date: 5-25-08 11:45
From: ray_koke in Tianjin
Subject: Re: Need help with ride height and camber on my M2
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Pictures! We need pictures!
Cheers,
Ray
| RSwannabe12 wrote: | Well, here's an update on my progress. I shaved the rear inner fender lips on my car, installed Ireland stage 1 springs and mounted the Rotas and the 205's and it all fit. The clearance on the rears is really close (probably only 5 mm), but it is enough. The car was not sitting low enough for my tastes and a little more investigation lead me to my spring perches. I had the thickest, 3 dot, perches. I took these to a band saw and trimmed them down about 0.5 inches. That got the ride height closer to where I want it. I'll drive them a while to see if they settle at all before I do anything else. I get no rubbing on the rears, even with two people in the car and about 100 lbs of soil in the trunk over bumpy roads. The fronts rub a little under full lock, but that does not bother me.
So, with a little work, 205/50/50 Falkens on Rota 15 x 7's are fitting just fine and looking great. |
_________________ '73 ///M2 2.5
'84 ///M635CSi
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