Re: <E36> suspension guru?

[Jason Lile <jason@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> My Bilsteins (for a 325is) have tabs for sway bar links, just like M3
> struts.  M3 struts and M-Tech. suapensions mount sway bars to these
> tabs, and stock E36 sway bars links mount to lower control arms.

Bilstein adds those for convenience of manufacturing... depending on the
production date and 2dr/4dr specifics of your car, they might or might not
have those tabs...  Some 325i cars mount the sway bar to the strut housing
like an M3...

> This started making me think that with changing link locations,
> springs, and changing top mounts to offset M3 type would serve as a
> basic level conversion up front.
>
> Is this logic way off?

Only in that the M3 springs will not fit standard 325i strut housings.
The spring diameter for the M3 springs is smaller than that of the 325i.
To get away with M3 springs, you'd have to use factory M3 struts or order
replacement Bilsteins, etc. specifically for an M3.

> Also, the sway bar diameter for a stock E36 (my model is 25mm, 95 M3
> (according to ETK) is 22.5mm.  Bigger is better, right?

Not necessarily... the suspension is setup as a package deal from the
factory... it all works together.  The different mounting points that you
noticed are one variable.  If you've driven an M3 vs. a 325i stock, you'll
notice the M3 handles much better than a 325i even with a much smaller
sway bar.  You have to understand the suspension geometry very well before
you can make well informed modifications.  If the only question was size,
the M3 would have the 25mm bar... obviously the engineer at BMW who
designed it knew what he was doing seeing it's been voted the best
handling street car in and OUT of it's class many times over ;)

> What's the hot licks for aftermarket upgrades?  27mm?

Ya got me there ;)  I always like stock parts when possible... best thing
you could do in my opinion is slap on the M3 stuff.  It's hard to beat
that factory setup.  I've got used M3 springs on my 325e for example ;)
It all depends on what your end objective is though.  I'll have to defer
to Duane on how to set up an E36 suspension using anything other than
stock parts... you can always go back and read his page long posts on the
subject in the archives...

Good luck and have fun!

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Jason Lile                               Administrator
Parts Manager                            BMW Parts Digest
Zionsville Autosport
http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com

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