Jump to content
  • When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Ride Height on a 1973tii


Recommended Posts

After a bit of work, we have the car running and a brief shake down.  Plan is to have the mechanicals working before fixing body issues and repaint.  As you can see the car is sitting up high over the 14" bottle caps.  While the 73 is a chrome bumper, this was the first year for bumper regs with a 2.5 mile standard which was met by BMW with longer bumper brackets.  It appears that the 73 had the space disks.   So I am thinking of losing these and putting this at the European height.  The rear shocks appear to be in 'Koni orange'.  If we do the spacers, I will want to consider is a change in springs and shocks are in order.

 

One question will be wheel clearance without the spacers, given the larger wheels.  Any experience on the clearance with the 14" wheels?

My tii.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Removing the aluminum spacers from under the front fenders might take 30 minutes to do both sides. Super easy. 

 

Jack up the nose nose of the car. 

 

Remove the three strut top nuts. 

 

Slowly lower the strut. 

 

Reach under the wheel well and slip the spacers off the top of the strut. 

 

Raise the strut back into position. 

 

I suggest replacing the spacer on top of the fender, under the hood. This keeps you from having those long strut bolts exposed to gouge your knuckles on while working on other things. 

 

Tighten the nuts. 

 

Lower the car. 

 

Test drive. 

 

Millah Time. 

  • Like 3

'69 Granada... long, long ago  

'71 Manila..such a great car

'67 Granada 2000CS...way cool

Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, zinz said:

I suggest replacing the spacer on top of the fender, under the hood. This keeps you from having those long strut bolts exposed to gouge your knuckles on while working on other things. 

 

After the spacers are removed & the car is back on the ground, replace the 3 nuts on the strut bearing & cut off the long exposed threads.  Hack saw or rotary tool does the job easily.

John in VA

'74 tii "Juanita"  '85 535i "Goldie"  '86 535i "M-POSSTR"  

'03 530i "Titan"  '06 330ci "ZHPY"

bmw_spin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, John_in_VA said:

 

After the spacers are removed & the car is back on the ground, replace the 3 nuts on the strut bearing & cut off the long exposed threads.  Hack saw or rotary tool does the job easily.

 

 

If you cut the bolts, there's no going back. Jus' sayin'

 

Ed

  • Like 1

'69 Granada... long, long ago  

'71 Manila..such a great car

'67 Granada 2000CS...way cool

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, zinz said:

 

 

If you cut the bolts, there's no going back. Jus' sayin'

 

Ed

 

 

Well. Unless you buy new strut bearings.

 

:P

  • Sad 1

Ray

Stop reading this! Don't you have anything better to do?? :P
Two running things. Two broken things.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, zinz said:

If you cut the bolts, there's no going back. Jus' sayin'

 

You can purchase longer or shorter splined bolts.  Or if you want the shorter bolts choose E21 strut bearings when yours require replacing.

John in VA

'74 tii "Juanita"  '85 535i "Goldie"  '86 535i "M-POSSTR"  

'03 530i "Titan"  '06 330ci "ZHPY"

bmw_spin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

(Fairly) little known fact:  Not only were the 73's bumpers reinforced (primarily with brackets) to meet the Federal 2.5 mph crash test, they were also raised, this by fitting taller springs to the 73's.  I had wondered for years why my stock '69 sat an inch lower than my stock '73 until I found that out.  These same taller springs were fitted to the 74-76 cars--that's a well-known fact. 

 

I fitted H&R sport springs and that lowered the car about 1.25 inches; still plenty of clearance but a much nicer stance.  Or you can either fit stock springs from an earlier car, or cut yours.

 

mike

 

 

'69 Nevada sunroof-Wolfgang-bought new
'73 Sahara sunroof-Ludwig-since '78
'91 Brillantrot 318is sunroof-Georg Friederich 
Fiat Topolini (Benito & Luigi), Renault 4CVs (Anatole, Lucky Pierre, Brigette) & Kermit, the Bugeye Sprite

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Placing the aluminum rings on the top of the fender eventually ruins the paint finish underneath, followed by electrolysis when the raw aluminum meets the raw steel. Live with the longer studs, shorten them, or use some replacement strut bearings from an E21 if you can't handle the first two options.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Disconnecting the sway bar end link makes it easier to push down on the strut assy. 

 

Watch out for the strut banging around inside the wheel well while you have it loose. 

 

This was the first performance upgrade done to my first 02. Inbetween runs at my first autocross. The experienced club members had my car in the air, spacers pulled, and back out on course. Damn near NASCAR style.

  • Like 1

Steve J

72 tii / 83 320is / 88 M3 / 08 MCS R55 / 12 MC R56

& too many bikes

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As the strut assembly is pushed down, it wants to go back at the top.

The ratchet strap kept that under control.

I did not undo the sway bar, so I had to lower both sides at once.

The other side had the same setup.

018.thumb.JPG.66cf06502c451679d3b72712eacee815.JPG

 

This was to put the spacers (back) in on top of the H&R springs.

Make sure you are not tugging on your brake lines.

  • Like 1

     DISCLAIMER 

I now disagree with some of the timing advice I have given in the past.  I misinterpreted the distributor curves in the Blue Book. 

I've switched from using ported-vacuum to manifold, with better results. 

I apologize for spreading misinformation.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • BMW Neue Klasse - a birth of a Sports Sedan

    BMW Neue Klasse - a birth of a Sports Sedan

    Unveiling of the Neue Klasse Unveiled in 1961, BMW 1500 sedan was a revolutionary concept at the outset of the '60s. No tail fins or chrome fountains. Instead, what you got was understated and elegant, in a modern sense, exciting to drive as nearly any sports car, and yet still comfortable for four.   The elegant little sedan was an instant sensation. In the 1500, BMW not only found the long-term solution to its dire business straits but, more importantly, created an entirely new
    History of the BMW 2002 and the 02 Series

    History of the BMW 2002 and the 02 Series

    In 1966, BMW was practically unknown in the US unless you were a touring motorcycle enthusiast or had seen an Isetta given away on a quiz show.  BMW’s sales in the US that year were just 1253 cars.  Then BMW 1600-2 came to America’s shores, tripling US sales to 4564 the following year, boosted by favorable articles in the Buff Books. Car and Driver called it “the best $2500 sedan anywhere.”  Road & Track’s road test was equally enthusiastic.  Then, BMW took a cue from American manufacturers,
    The BMW 2002 Production Run

    The BMW 2002 Production Run

    BMW 02 series are like the original Volkswagen Beetles in one way (besides both being German classic cars)—throughout their long production, they all essentially look alike—at least to the uninitiated:  small, boxy, rear-wheel drive, two-door sedan.  Aficionados know better.   Not only were there three other body styles—none, unfortunately, exported to the US—but there were some significant visual and mechanical changes over their eleven-year production run.   I’ve extracted t

  • Upcoming Events

  • Supporting Vendors

×
×
  • Create New...