HELP!!! M3 Strut Mounts Arrow
 

So.. I have seen this posted on bfc, but I still don't feel 100% confident with the final answer. Which way are the arrows supposed to face on the m3 strut mounts? I purchased these from a donor car, so was not able to take note of their direction before they were taken off of the donor car. I have them facing forward right now, but there is all this talk of "inboard", switching them.. etc. I just want them installed as they were stock. Please advise. Thanks. :smile:

This is how I have the drivers side mounted.. I don't want to go and get it aligned and then have to re do it. Please help me out! Thanks again.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...3/DSC00387.jpg

I could be wrong, but I'd rotate it one spot counter clockwise, for the most camber.

he said he wanted them installed like stock

the logical thing would be to have the arrow pointing forward, German car companies are rarely logical though so I can't say for sure

For stock install, arrow goes forward, for -1.5 camber point arrows forward but install the right side mount onto the left side strut and vice versa.

So.. I have them on the wrong sides, or you're saying to switch the sides for max camber?

For practicality, the drivers strut should have the passenger strut mount, for even more negative camber ~-2.5 point the top of the strut to the center of the car.

HMM, my lower perch is hitting my strut tower, I installed 96+ strut mounts with H&R lowering springs and centered CABS, Do i need offset cabs?

Are you sure you installed them correctly? Maybe front struts are backwards'

^^^This.

Yahweh, sounds like you got the passenger side strut mixed up with the driver's side strut. Perches should be facing outward:chuckel:

They are installed left on left and right on right....

Can somebody confirm that you can run 96+ e36 M3 strut mounts on a Ti with lowering springs. I even put offset cabs on and it still looks like its hitting... and sounds...

You should post the part number and model of your struts and springs so we can understand what is going on. Also if you have pictures of the car on a lift or jack with the wheel off, this would help see if it is installed correctly.

The OP has them oriented correctly for "stock" settings.

Not sure why you'd run these mounts like this though, you will have more positive camber than a stock ti. Most people (myself included) run the M mounts swapped side to side for more negative camber.

The strut mounts effect camber and caster. The offset CABs are for caster only. I would not mix these as you may have way too much caster now.

With swapped M hats, I have -3.3deg camber and 6.0deg caster on each side.


M3 springs and spring hats are a smaller diameter than non-M parts. You are probably rubbing the spring/spring hat on the strut tower when you turn the wheel.

Why not go back to stock ti strut hats with centered M3 CABs?

Can't mount a strut wrong, I tried it, there is no way to logically **** that up... But found out the struts were on the correct sides cause of that. I have 0 or even .5 deg of positive camber also?? Strut mounts are mounted with arrow forward. The only other control arm with different geometry that can fit my car is the 96+ m3 and my wheel would be obviously forward. WTF is going on!. Maybe a bent control arm? Tomorrow i will measure them and compare. Do the 96+ strut mounts give more stacked height?


I want 1 deg of neg camber and added caster 6 deg. "stock" mounted 96+ strut mount

I am bashing the lower perch of the strut onto the body rear bottom of strut tower when suspension travel is greater than about 1.5 inches than ride high.

You are mixing parts from the 95 M3 and 96+ M3 which achieve their alignments in different ways.

It sounds like you have really cranked the caster out of spec by using the offset CAB, which moves the knuckle forward if installed correctly, and the 96+ strut mount, which moves the top of the strut rearward when the arrow is pointing forward.

If you want the 96+ M3 alignment you need to use all 96+ M3 parts. CAB, control arm, knuckle (and brakes), strut, spring and perches, and strut mount. All of those parts are different than non-M. So if you just toss parts on to "get it where you want it" it's not going to work.

You should have kept all the stock ti parts and just gotten a set of vorshlag, ground control, etc. camber plates which let you pick exactly where you want the alignment to be.

Sorry for bump old post.
Are there any option to run 318ti aftermarket springs with m3 96+ strut mount?
Using my stock spring plate wont solve the diameter problem?
Otherwise, using coilover with those hats will solve the problem?

Thanks :)