E36 M3 coilover issues and question

[DustinMills]

Hey guys,

This is my first set of coilovers and they are going on my E36 M3. My first question is when I went to mount the fronts I noticed that when they are bolted into the strut tower one side of the allen key adjustment bolts (I guess they are for castor?) is covered up by the opening which seems to be too small to accommodate. I assume this is normal since messing with it a bit I can't correct it to have all 4 accessible. That being said, how do you adjust it if you can't get to it? Pretty annoying.

My second question has to do with the rears. Since I did not receive any instructions with these, bought them used, I don't see how you mount the adjustable spring perch. The perch is flat and has a bolt but the top seat for the spring has a nipple and appears to be a solid piece. Does that thing bolt on somehow and I need to remove it to get the adjustable piece in there?

These are Stance SS coilovers.

Thanks for any info!

[Greenlantern181]

The situation that you are describing is normal on the front for some camber/caster plates. To adjust them, you will have to jack the car up and loosen the 3 nuts that mount the strut mount to the car. You should then be able to tinker with the camber/caster.

As far as the rears go, the adjuster goes on the bottom, on the control arm. You may have to remove a rubber spring pad if you haven't already. Good luck.

[ben4bama]

Not sure why there's a bolt on there. It should be hollow so the nipple goes inside the perch. That's strange.

[DustinMills]

The situation that you are describing is normal on the front for some camber/caster plates. To adjust them, you will have to jack the car up and loosen the 3 nuts that mount the strut mount to the car. You should then be able to tinker with the camber/caster.

As far as the rears go, the adjuster goes on the bottom, on the control arm. You may have to remove a rubber spring pad if you haven't already. Good luck.

Cool, I was just confused since when I tried looking up pics of installs that some had the adjuster at the top. You were right about removing the spring pad, there was one there but the PO had a top pad on the bottom which I guess had been there forever so it was hard as a rock and glued down. I thought it was a mirror of how the top part was since it has a nipple on it. Once I pried it off I see the hole in the control arm where I can bolt it down through there.

Thanks for the reply.

[ChinoBMW]

Cool, I was just confused since when I tried looking up pics of installs that some had the adjuster at the top. You were right about removing the spring pad, there was one there but the PO had a top pad on the bottom which I guess had been there forever so it was hard as a rock and glued down. I thought it was a mirror of how the top part was since it has a nipple on it. Once I pried it off I see the hole in the control arm where I can bolt it down through there.

Thanks for the reply.

I had the same problem with my Function Form Type 2's. I had a hard time getting it all figured out. I have a 328i sedan...did you have a hard time fitting a wrench in between the axle and LCA to tighten the spring perch in?