Justin's LS E46

[Novablue454]

Oh I tried that, sat on it with my snap on air hammer for like 15 minutes.

Gave up, pulled the knuckle and took it to a press. 2 tons couldn't budge it so it so we gave up. Found a used knuckle at a used parts place and we're installing it now. The front end is back together and the replacement turner arm will be here on Wednesday.

[doktor b]

Oh I tried that, sat on it with my snap on air hammer for like 15 minutes.

Gave up, pulled the knuckle and took it to a press. 2 tons couldn't budge it so it so we gave up. Found a used knuckle at a used parts place and we're installing it now. The front end is back together and the replacement turner arm will be here on Wednesday.

GD. that sucks.
saw you got the control arm stud out on IG.
i can't help but admire the resolution that drifters have to keep breaking and fixing and breaking their cars forever.
i tried drifting one time. i wrecked a wheel, tie rod, fog light, jack pad, and badly bruised my pride. not super keen on getting back out on the skid pad after that. i love building cars....but i hate fixing them.

[Novablue454]

annndddd the used one is wrong. Turns out 323i/325i share a knuckle, 99-01 328i/330i share a knuckle, 02+ 330i have their own, Xi have their own, and M3 have their own. I'd like to stab whoever at BMW decided 5 different knuckles were needed on E46s. It also appears that the one I need (99-01 328i) is the rarest and I can't find any in town.

[protomor]

Front knuckle? Check realoem. I think the 323 and 328 ones are the same. I had both cars in my driveway and they both looked the same...

[Novablue454]

Rear. The size of the caliper/rotor varies as does the size of the splined axle hole. The 323/325 has a smaller caliper/rotor setup (not sure on axle) and the 330i has a bigger caliper/rotor and a larger diameter axle hole.

[fmn716]

Rear. The size of the caliper/rotor varies as does the size of the splined axle hole. The 323/325 has a smaller caliper/rotor setup (not sure on axle) and the 330i has a bigger caliper/rotor and a larger diameter axle hole.

Yes this is correct I have an e36 and I can upgrade to the e46 323 or 325 rear calipers. I can't get the 330i ones as the park brake won't work


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[protomor]

Eh? I'm running mixed and matched brake stuff from a 328 donor on my 323. The rear caliper from the 328 fit on the 323 rotor/trailing arm without issue. Lines even matched.

[Novablue454]

All I know is the 330i knuckle I got, my 328i axle wont even engage the splines in. it just free spins in the hole. My 328 brakes are also smaller than what was on the 330 knuckle. my 328 brakes were also bigger than the 325 knuckles they had.

- - - Updated - - -

but if 328 brakes fit on your 323, maybe I can use a 325 knuckle for the axle hole diameter and then just install the bigger brake stuff on it?

[protomor]

Maybe? From what I remember reading the 323 and 328 rear parts are identical. I think the 325 bits are the same but that's where I'm hazy. I know that 330 stuff is unique and M3 stuff is unique.

[Novablue454]

Anyway, here's some links.

No Coast Bash - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ2V...ature=youtu.be

Another of No Coast - https://www.facebook.com/focuselemen...6844089056080/

Another No Coast - https://www.facebook.com/ExcessiveWe...1541154212693/

South Dakota Bash - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMv1y7lCfRk

[cjccww]

Wow this in a amazing build! I just read it from the beginning and very impressed with what you have done.

I'm starting my own e46 ls build but will be going with more of a track build. Drifting looks like a lot of fun but damn I would be fixing my car 4 times as much as you Lol.


Keep it up!

[Novablue454]

Wow this in a amazing build! I just read it from the beginning and very impressed with what you have done.

I'm starting my own e46 ls build but will be going with more of a track build. Drifting looks like a lot of fun but damn I would be fixing my car 4 times as much as you Lol.


Keep it up!

Hey thank you! It is a blast, if you stay sway from the walls! haha

- - - Updated - - -

So we got another knuckle with the small brake setup (325 I believe) and once again the dang axle diameter was different. I really hate whoever decided to change the axle size by 2mm.

Finally we went to a different used parts place, and they had ones without axles in them and were able to match one up to our axle. Horay for early build cars!

Hoping to have it back on the ground tomorrow and aligned saturday.

[protomor]

Wait. so 328 axles are thicker than 325 axles? What about 323 axles? WHY did I throw out those axles?!

[Novablue454]

Wait. so 328 axles are thicker than 325 axles? What about 323 axles? WHY did I throw out those axles?!

No, mine are smaller then every other hub that place had. Like we'd stick the axle in the hub and it could spin in the hub without engaging the splines. The one we found at the second place that fit was marked as a 1999 328i, so I don't know if it's just an early model year thing or what, but mine is def the oddball out of them.

[Novablue454]

Got the car back together just in time. Have an appt to get aligned tomorrow. Also picked up a Sponsor!



This is the layout for this weekend. That's a pretty long straight at a steep nascar bank, last time they did this layout the pro-am level guys were entering at 100ish mph. The top wall of a slightly less banked portion of the track is what bit me in the first place, so lets hope I don't go in to this wall at 100, lol
14322770_1095739327187803_8657177058667271100_n.jpg

[JesterMX6]

how does one go about picking up a sponsor?

[protomor]

Beg. Get table scraps at best. Over promise. over deliver on those over promises. Become JR.

[JesterMX6]

[protomor]

Funny, but that's literally my experience. And actually the advice I was given by JR himself.

[Novablue454]

Eh, It's hardly a sponsor. Zestino seems to be handing them out to anyone with a half decent build. They have an application up on the site. They call it the "driver support program", basically for running their stickers and promising to use only their tires, you get a pretty decent discount on them. I even rammed the wall in front of the rep at No Coast and they still gave me one, lol.

With that said, if anyone here want's to try some, I can get you 25% off with a discount code, so let me know!

[Mikestokman]

What do you pay for tires then? Or better yet what would you be paying for a 215/40 or 225/45 17" tire, If you're allowed to say. Might be worth applying for if they're cheaper then I currently pay for tires... I know when the drift Union guys had their Achilles "sponsorship" (same driver support program as you have essentially) it was cheaper for them to buy from a distribution warehouse then it was to buy them from Achilles themselves.

[SLR]

Hey Justin,

I'm looking through this thread and I really thought I replied earlier when you were asking about the sway bar things but I don't see any post from us. You can run the E46 bar if you cut the ends down and drill it, but the easiest thing is to run an E36 bar. Non-M E36 bars were larger than M3 bars because they had less leverage via the arm rather than strut mounted links. The stiffest bar they ever did was the 325is sport model and I actually have one of those sitting here on the shelf if you're interested.

Our arms have the sway brackets slightly outboard of where the E36 bar will connect, (we did this to compensate for the extra long arms because the lever ratio changes dramatically) and you can run it like that with the links at an angle,but we are also releasing an SLR sway bar specifically to mate with our kits. I was just in the swaybar shop today going over the CAD files.

As for the sway links, our brackets are stock 8mm so it works with the original E36 non-M link, but we also offer solid links which are 10mm, but we include reducer buhings so it still uses an 8mm bolt. That's also why our bracket is 3mm wider than stock, so it fits the reducers, or you use 2 washers with a stock link.

Also I'd like to address our prior customer service issues. You mentioned earlier in the thread that you didn't bother tring to contact us because it was hard to even buy something from us. Obviously if you don't contact us, there's no way we can do anything, but I can only apologize because I know customer service was not our strength through 2014-2015 as we grew. I'm happy to say it has definitely changed for the better! Since Nov.2015 our main guy on emails and shipping is Kyle, and he has helped TREMENDOUSLY in getting things done faster. I'm sure you noticed this with your recent purchase of repair parts after the crash, so that's how we intend to keep things going; shipping things as quickly.

Please don't ever hesitate to call us directly, I normally answer phone calls until at least 9pm eastern, and I routinely spend an hour making sure a customer get exactly what they need or helping with setup and install questions. We're always here 561-542-2810

Regards,
Sean

[protomor]

Does Kyle have a username on BF.c? Cuz him checking this section once a day could help a lot as many people seem to post here (and pm me).

[Novablue454]

I can say that ever since I got my kit (I think Kyle came on right after that) The customer service side has improved immensely. When I wrecked recently and needed the replacement inner ball joint stud he responded fast, had me an invoice fast, and had a tracking number fast. If it wasn't for that I would have missed the final round of our points series so that is greatly appreciated. Overall the product was/is worth the wait, it just got a bit frustrating not knowing where the kit was months after paying for it. You also took the time to call me before ordering and talked to me for like an hour to make sure I got the right parts, which was also very appreciated. No worries though, I still recommend SLR kits to anyone and everyone with a BMW I talk to, and would run nothing else on my car. I'm glad you guys got the communication issues resolved!

As far as the sway bars go...that is interesting. I bought a non M (325i, I think) E36 sway bar and it was not long enough to reach my links. Now, I was using Bimmerworld adjustable links, so maybe that was part of my problem as well. I haven't run any sway bars all season and probably won't ever, but it's good to know there will be one specifically for the kit soon!

Thanks Sean!

- - - Updated - - -

So I made it to Rd 5 thanks to Jeepster letting me borrow a rear camber arm (my TMS replacement is lost in the mail). It was a blast and the car drove great! Track layout was challenging but fun, some of the better guys were entering at 90+ mph. I couldn't get the bank down right all day, but still got some decent runs in otherwise. Went top 16 against my buddy Trevor who is a far better driver but he accidentally hit his kill switch on the follow so I moved on. The top 8 battle were my best runs of the day (possibly season) but I just couldn't shake him on lead and I had a bobble on the bank on chase, so he moved on. Here's some shots!











My season is over now, so it's time to start planning for the winter teardown and rebuild. Here's what I am thinking

-tube the rear
-install denofa 1/4s
-make a trunk lid
-accusump? (maybe)
-tub the front wheelwells?
-clean up headlight wiring
-pull engine and trans
-install cam / valvesprings
-send trans out to be inspected
-carbon fiber hood
-regear the diff

I also want to drop the cradle and inspect my subframe reinfocements

Thoughts?

[TeXJ]

Looks like a good list of "to-dos". What about your rear diff? I would give that a once over as well. Not sure if you're running a spool or a LSD, if it's a LSD I would check it and make sure no broken parts, disks and/or springs are still good...