Is it a spec suspension for the series or are you free to pick spring rates and damper valving? Do they convert to a true coilover in the rear?
Springs are free all cars have to run the same unit including valving the rears are full coilovers see pic the front is converted to run 4 deg neg camber,
That looks interesting! What benefits does changing to a 'true' coilover over the independant spring and shock give you?
More spring travel I suppose, you can run lower spring rates compared to the stock location and end up with similar wheel rates. It would probably be easier to adjust ride height (and corner balance) with the spring closer to the rear of the car.
You'd lose inner wheel clearance if the spring doesn't sit above the tire. It seems hard to believe that reinforcement isn't necessary. The shock towers rip out with just shocks, I can't imagine the spring force helping that situation any.
__________________ ~Dave~
98 328ti Morea Grun slicktop 11 128i space gray slicktop 13 JGC WK2 Deep Cherry
More spring travel I suppose, you can run lower spring rates compared to the stock location and end up with similar wheel rates. It would probably be easier to adjust ride height (and corner balance) with the spring closer to the rear of the car.
You'd lose inner wheel clearance if the spring doesn't sit above the tire. It seems hard to believe that reinforcement isn't necessary. The shock towers rip out with just shocks, I can't imagine the spring force helping that situation any.
I think it's a stange one because my E36 is the first car I've owned with independant shocks and springs so it makes me wonder why BMW done it that way.
I think it's a stange one because my E36 is the first car I've owned with independant shocks and springs so it makes me wonder why BMW done it that way.
I can only tell you what is happening to the race cars no problems yet but it is early days, we are racing this weekend at snetterton i will post any problems
A pic off the rear you can see how basic the cars are and the rose jointed off set topmounts.
I can only tell you what is happening to the race cars no problems yet but it is early days, we are racing this weekend at snetterton i will post any problems
A pic off the rear you can see how basic the cars are and the rose jointed off set topmounts.
Brandshatch and Silverstone are both extremely smooth tracks. How smooth is snetterton? A track like Sebring or the old Daytona before repaving might cause more issues. Although I have to wonder how much that rear cross brace is helping keep the rear mounts from deforming. I have a similar rear brace bar as part of my roll bar, but I'm not using true rear coilovers.
The US BMW CR cars that convert to true rear coilovers have issues with those mounts mushrooming out the top, but they also run really really high spring rates. I can't find a direct linkable picture, but if you go to http://www.tcdesignfab.com/, look at the projects page at the E36. There is a picture in there of the reinforced rear shock towers. I think the rally car build on here shows the same.
My Mk4 jetta has separate shocks and springs. With the ti and z3 they were really just reusing a known design and it probably has to with packaging and clearances. I know the E39s have coilovers at all 4 corners.
__________________ ~Dave~
98 328ti Morea Grun slicktop 11 128i space gray slicktop 13 JGC WK2 Deep Cherry
Holy crap, not even the "stock" reinforcements. Wow, I'll be amazed if you guys don't have issues. At least if you do it's a known problem and easy to fix.
Are these races televised at all? Available online?