Custom Adjustable Control Arm Camber Caster @ Chassis X Brace

[doctorchee]

Hi Everyone

This is my first post. I am Singaporean but stay in Thailand for 7 years now. I own an E36 compact 316 3years back in Thailand Bangkok and things get out of control as usual along the way..

I even started a small car workshop to do all my own modification..

I always find information from internet for any modification and all the forums never fail me. So i guess its payback time to share what i have done back for everyone to make it a better, more informative community.

Recently, I have done a set of adjustable control arms which i am really happy with. so this is how it looks like:









It is actually the 5th version. I have been driving it for about 2-3weeks now and everything seems to be perfect. This set have very flexible adjustment. Camber and Castor. Adjustment can be made without taking out any item.

my currently setting is below:
Castor + 5deg
Camber -1 deg
Toe in 0.1deg

From all the previous design, we face many problem. Blinding issue and especially solving the control arm bracket (the one with 1 big hole and 2 small hole at the end of the control arm). The control arm bracket can't hold the custom control arm. the 2 screw have been damaged several time causing the control arm moving all over the place and causing steering control issue(dangerous). Thus this is where the chassis X-brace came in.

As i always wanted to buy the M3 x brace, i am thinking i might as well incorporate it into my design. with all the enforcement goodies, Fitment problem came. we have too many points and to weld and fit such a rigid design with so many points became almost impossible. Thus a jig have to be made and even a spare E36 front cross member is brought, of course some adjustable point as you see in the design is incorporated in to make it a sure perfect fitment.

to make it short, this design came from a long way but finally i made it. hope you guys can even give some pointers and perhaps even a version 5A can be born from there.

the material i use is high speed steel for almost everything. including the screw is custom made for as precise fitment as possible.

oh forget to mention also the anti roll bar bushing is remove. now the anti roll bar is fitted directly to the control arm without bushing.

my personal review from driving it:

advantages:
1) precise steering control
2) good feel of steering, can even change direction easily in the middle of the corner
3) very flexible and easy to change the setting as i keep playing around the setting to find what suit me best

disadvantages:
1) harsher ride
2) steering became a bit too sensitive at low speed, properly due to the bushing is removed from anti roll bar. but at higher speed, 60km above, the steering feel became perfect for me


My car set up is for daily driving and weekend track sometimes. car ride is getting harsher along the way, but at corners, i forgot all the pain.

this is what i have done at the car at the moment:
M52B28 swap
full adjustable coilover
willwood 6 pot front, brembo 330mm /35mm disc
willwood 4 pot rear, wildwood 310mm / 25mm disc
dual exhaust
open pod air intake
upgraded fuel pump

modification list in order:
188mm LSD 2.93 (in stock now hehe )
E30 rear output axles (in stock too)
E46 M3 6speed manual box (ordered waiting for delivery )
once everything is done, FI times.

here is some picture of my car, did a face change as well. should i call it BMW E96 from now onwards? haha














New Wing added.



Thank you for reading. please chip in your ideas for my project as well. will be greatly appreciated.

[Romak]

I ****ING LOVE THIS CAR! You sir are doing it right! That cross brace and control arm setup is amazing, you should patent that design and mass produce it for people making track cars, or even street cars.. full adjustability is great! Now for the facelift, normally I don't like it when people change the look of a Ti but you've finished the entire car front and rear and I like it. This looks like bmw produced an E90 ti, besides the door section, if that all sat flush it honestly looks factory. How hard was it to get all those pieces to fit? I assume it's extremely custom and took a ton of welding and countless hours adjusting body panels to fit.. Got any pictures of the hatch open? I'd be interested to see how it looks and all fits.. How about the interior of the car, have you done anything to it? Also I spot a wing in the last picture, anymore recent pictures of it with the wing? This car got me excited! This thread is full of win! Keep up the great work buddy! And welcome to the Ti forums

[Mr.Squeelerz]

Impressive engineering on the suspension but I gotta say I'm completely amazed by the appearance of this car! I'd say some of the body lines need a little tweaking but not much. One of my peeves with custom body mods has always been the absence of inner-well linings as well as shrouds under the bumpers.

I really like this car a lot. It shows the potential these cars have. Fantastic work!!!

[doctorchee]

Originally Posted by Romak

I ****ING LOVE THIS CAR! You sir are doing it right! That cross brace and control arm setup is amazing, you should patent that design and mass produce it for people making track cars, or even street cars.. full adjustability is great! Now for the facelift, normally I don't like it when people change the look of a Ti but you've finished the entire car front and rear and I like it. This looks like bmw produced an E90 ti, besides the door section, if that all sat flush it honestly looks factory. How hard was it to get all those pieces to fit? I assume it's extremely custom and took a ton of welding and countless hours adjusting body panels to fit.. Got any pictures of the hatch open? I'd be interested to see how it looks and all fits.. How about the interior of the car, have you done anything to it? Also I spot a wing in the last picture, anymore recent pictures of it with the wing? This car got me excited! This thread is full of win! Keep up the great work buddy! And welcome to the Ti forums

thanks for the nice comments buddy.

1) I agree for the facelift, hard to get it right. keeping original sometimes is the best. I am an Nissan guy with S13 before. S15 facelift is very popular. so I decide to try it on E36 as well. With all respect, those who prefer original have the right to comments. but I guess its each individual preference. no right or wrong, just different personal taste.

2) for the door session, you mean the front fender that overlap the door right? if yes, I totally agree with you. am thinking what can be done to correct it as well.

3) for interior, yes we doing custom ice system. incomplete. messy now. will take picture of it later and post it properly Monday. dual 7" LCD, PC system etc

4) for control Arm cross brace, I don't think there will be a big market for it. so mass produce is quite impossible. but should there be anyone interested, I am happy to produce for them at a reasonable low price. just email me at dc@dc12volt.com around 1,200usd. Not much profit, more for hobby and some money to buy small toy the car. I will start a thread at classified if more people show interest. this thread mainly for discussion.

thank you. I will do more update on Monday.

[doctorchee]

Originally Posted by Mr.Squeelerz

Impressive engineering on the suspension but I gotta say I'm completely amazed by the appearance of this car! I'd say some of the body lines need a little tweaking but not much. One of my peeves with custom body mods has always been the absence of inner-well linings as well as shrouds under the bumpers.

I really like this car a lot. It shows the potential these cars have. Fantastic work!!!

Hi Mr. Squeelerz

thanks for the nice comments.

can I check which body lines need tweaking? I guess maybe... hmm you are just being polite to comments.. I am an open mind person, so feel free to do so. shoot it. I feel something is wrong with the bodykit too. no hard feelings for me. I accept what sounds right for me only and ignore whatever sounds not right, basically I don't care much what others says haha. so you mean the front fender rear end that overlap the door? the corner over the hood ?

thanks

[Romak]

That first picture, is that an autocad drawing? Or do you have an autocad file for it? Or do you have exact dimensions for the cross brace/control arm setup? Along with a list of what parts you used? My friend owns a fabrication shop and can make one up for me here so I wouldn't have to worry about shipping from another continent.

[doctorchee]

Originally Posted by Romak

That first picture, is that an autocad drawing? Or do you have an autocad file for it? Or do you have exact dimensions for the cross brace/control arm setup? Along with a list of what parts you used? My friend owns a fabrication shop and can make one up for me here so I wouldn't have to worry about shipping from another continent.

Sorry the first drawing is not to dimensions. I don't have the car drawing also. We did all the work with the actual car.