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Thread: Ok guys, I need suspension setup advice.

  1. #1
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    Ok guys, I need suspension setup advice.

    Hey everyone, I've posted a few questions in the past regarding suspension and camber arms etc to try to get a little advice on what to purchase along the way and now I'm at the point where I am ready to install everything. I love driving my car fast and keeping it clean. That said, I know a little about the mechanics but not near enough not to ask for advice....so here is the skinny:

    99 M3 Coupe. Right now I am on stock M Contours with Bilstein Sport Shocks and Eibach Sport Springs. I recently purchased KW V2 coilovers, Turner rear adjustable camber arms, and Turner fixed camber plates for the front. For not I am keeping the stock wheels, I just want the car to be lower. It still has a bit of the raked look with the Bilsteins and I want to get rid of that. I want the car to sit lower (finders sitting just at the top of the tire) and I want the car to handle well and not rub. As I stated in a previous post, I do run spacers on the front and the back. 15mm front and 10 or 12mm in the rear (can't recall). When the car is fairly full of fuel and the rear is compressed I get a slight rub at the top of the arch. I'm hoping the rear camber arms will get rid of this as there is not a lot of negative camber in the car now. This car is not a daily driver. She is a have fun on back roads on Sunday and take to Cars and Coffee car so I am not worried about tire wear but I am worried about handling and performance.

    OK....all that said, can anyone provide me with the specs you think I'll need to set up the car correctly? Castor, camber, and toe for all four wheels?
    All advice is appreciated! Thank you!

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    I want mine to sit like this stunning Estoril Blue M3.



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    Quote Originally Posted by Gene V View Post
    Thank you Gene.

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    Running close to zero or at zero toe is fun and engaging, but can be a handful. Definitely more tail happy.

    Caster is generally not adjustable, though your camber plates may provide for it (the Vorshlag ones do, not sure about the Turner ones you've got).

    The Definitive Alignment Guide above is pretty much the E36 Alignment Bible at this point.

    -Josh: 1998 S54 E36 M3/4/6 with most of the easy stuff and most of the hard stuff. At least twice. 271k miles. 1994 E32 740il with nothing but some MPars. 93k miles.

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    Quote Originally Posted by blckstrm View Post
    Running close to zero or at zero toe is fun and engaging, but can be a handful. Definitely more tail happy.

    Caster is generally not adjustable, though your camber plates may provide for it (the Vorshlag ones do, not sure about the Turner ones you've got).

    The Definitive Alignment Guide above is pretty much the E36 Alignment Bible at this point.
    Thanks. And dig those wheels

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    don't run zero rear toe. You are asking for trouble...

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    That Estorial M3 is honestly too low for daily driver status, or even track duty. It really should be about 1/2"-1" higher than that. The front is probably resting on the bump stops if it still has stock tap hats. If you go a full coilover setup, you might gain an inch of travel which would allow it to sit that low. You'll find that it will handle better when the suspension is given room to do it's work. (Let the hate begin).

    Zero toe upfront, around 2.5-3 degrees negative camber upfront.

    I ran exactly what Joey did in that post:
    Front
    Camber: -3.5 deg per side
    Toe: 0 (0.10-0.20 total toe out for autox)


    Rear
    Camber: -2.0 to -2.5 deg per side
    Toe: 0.20 total toe in (IIRC this is 1/8" total toe in)

    With coilovers and a UUC front sway bar. Honestly the car felt like I could turn in at some ridiculous speeds. Inspired a lot of confidence.

    One of my M3's had Bilsteins and H&R sport springs, I feel like it rode like crap... I really never liked those shocks.
    Last edited by Hova; 12-23-2018 at 06:04 PM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hova View Post
    That Estorial M3 is honestly too low for daily driver status, or even track duty. It really should be about 1/2"-1" higher than that. The front is probably resting on the bump stops
    What?! That is a fairly mellow drop depicted.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hova View Post
    That Estorial M3 is honestly too low for daily driver status, or even track duty. It really should be about 1/2"-1" higher than that. The front is probably resting on the bump stops if it still has stock tap hats. If you go a full coilover setup, you might gain an inch of travel which would allow it to sit that low. You'll find that it will handle better when the suspension is given room to do it's work. (Let the hate begin).

    Zero toe upfront, around 2.5-3 degrees negative camber upfront.

    I ran exactly what Joey did in that post:
    Front
    Camber: -3.5 deg per side
    Toe: 0 (0.10-0.20 total toe out for autox)


    Rear
    Camber: -2.0 to -2.5 deg per side
    Toe: 0.20 total toe in (IIRC this is 1/8" total toe in)

    With coilovers and a UUC front sway bar. Honestly the car felt like I could turn in at some ridiculous speeds. Inspired a lot of confidence.

    One of my M3's had Bilsteins and H&R sport springs, I feel like it rode like crap... I really never liked those shocks.
    Thanks for the advice. First, I Fn love that Estoril blue car depicted. That's EXACTLY how I want mine to sit. Keep in mind, mine is absolutely not a daily. Hell it's never even been in the rain. I do have a UUC front shick tower strut bar ironically as well as Turner front and rear sways. Glad to hear you like the way yours rides.

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  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Braymond141 View Post
    What?! That is a fairly mellow drop depicted.


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  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Braymond141 View Post
    What?! That is a fairly mellow drop depicted.
    It's not the ideal height if handling and handling characteristics as good as stock if not better is a goal.

    The OP suggests that he's in it for the Cars and Coffees, so it doesn't matter. Unless there's a speed bump at Starbucks.
    Last edited by MauiM3Mania; 12-23-2018 at 11:11 PM. Reason: typo
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    Quote Originally Posted by MauiM3Mania View Post
    It's not the ideal height if handling is handling characteristics as good as stock if not better is a goal.

    The OP suggests that he's in it for the Cars and Coffees, so it doesn't matter. Unless there's a speed bump at Starbucks.
    I am super careful when it comes to parking lots and speed bumps. Above all I'm a driver. I want the car to handle and to handle well.

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  14. #14
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    Can’t run spacers in the rear on a 96-99 with stock wheels.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rooster20 View Post
    . Above all I'm a driver. I want the car to handle and to handle well.
    Right on. Do a search using e36 m3 solo and winner and check the ride heights. No competitive car sit low as the car in the second post of this thread.

    As I understand it, you're not competing and hope you don't drive at 10/10's on public roads making the ultimate suspension set up unnecessary. So do what you want for the appearance. Coilovers allow the height to be adjusted, but different spring heights would be needed to accommodate a 'handling' set up and another for the dropped look.
    Last edited by MauiM3Mania; 12-24-2018 at 01:20 PM.
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  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by MauiM3Mania View Post
    Right on. Do a search using e36 m3 solo and winner and check the ride heights. No competitive car sit low as the car in the second post of this thread.

    As I understand it, you're not competing and hope you don't drive at 10/19's on public roads making the ultimate suspension set up unnecessary. So do what you want for the appearance. Coilovers allow the height to be adjusted, but I different spring heights would be needed to accommodate a 'handling' set up and another for the dropped look.
    Will do, thanks

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  17. #17
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    Got the V2's installed. Waiting for the car to settle a bit more and then figure out exactly where I want her to sit. Think we got the camber right. Had to pull the rear spacers. If I rolled my fenders they'd probably still be ok but terrified to mess with the paint.

    What do you guys think so far?





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    Oh, also going to sell my other suspension if anyone is interested.

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    I like your garage and the car inside

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    I like the concrete finish. What process?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mless5 View Post
    I like your garage and the car inside
    Thank you. There are a few other babies tucked away in there too. Garage is still a work is progress. It was my "I've been to Afghanistan too many times not to build what I want" garage. You can see the stuff that needs to be hung. It's coming along though.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Braymond141 View Post
    I like the concrete finish. What process?
    Honestly just a natural finish. They got the floor pretty smooth from the start and it turned out nice. Only thing I'll probably do someday is put some sort of protective clearcoat on it. Otherwise I just keep it clean. 😊

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