The definitive suspension thread

[cslsuperfan]

Great video Mike

GTR & GT3 tailing was fab...awesome power from your ford

Let us all know when you're going to Snett with the forum

[shimmy]

I remember an R34 Skyline at Snett with a billion bhp that overtook me at the start of the old back straight, shot past me by 100m and I caught him by the time we got to the exit of the Esses (I nearly drove up Curly style inside him at the first left at the end of e back straight)

[shane@mbtech]

Originally Posted by shimmy

Don't worry, Lawsy usually ignores the corners and heads directly across the grass to the next straight

Is there grass up top at eau rouge?

[AlexGTT]

Originally Posted by billyboysm3

In the vidal sassoon mean machine with the rooooooffff down.

Anything under 2min 13 in a M3 is quick. Im sure some geezer off here put a 2.10 lap in but had the cameras around the wrong way. Cant remember his username though, think he has a dodgy surname

Yeah, I think I know that knob. Fookin' show off.

Looking at that vid, I know who my money is on.

[8ARF]

I hope you guys don't mind me giving my two penneth on this issue.
Although my car is a humdrum e46 m3 and not a knicker elastic snapping CSL I too have had a poor experience with the Nitron 1k2 kit. I never felt that the kit had been specifically developed for my car with a way too harsh a ride. it seemed as if the kit was all about mega stiff spring rates and poor damping. I didn't really pay too much attention of the actual rates unfortunately.
I also had a niggling thought that if I started to have issues with the dreaded rear subframe issue, a warranty claim would probably be thrown out due to the non original suspension and with the ride being so harsh I felt that it would only be doing damage to the underside of the car.

I didn't consider anything for the Nitron's replacement other than the AC Schnitzer Racing kit. This, in my opinion IS the best of both worlds with a nice compromise of a (still firm) ride with a nice damping action which feels lightyears better than the Nitrons on the road with a nice predictable attitude out on track.
Also worth considering was the fact that IF in the event of having a problem with the subframe mounts etc, any warranty claim would be looked upon maybe a bit more favourable with having what is essentially a factory approved modification!

As I write, the ACS kit has been on the car for around 18months and now I am looking into enhancing it still further with some Eibach ARB's, poly bushings and Eibach rear control arms.
My question (the reason i'm here actually), does anyone have any recommendations of nice, good value adjustable top mounts?

TMS and Ground Control seem to be the main options in the states but I would appreciate some feedback from someone over here

I hope my "two penneth" has been of some use

Ian.

[8ARF]

Well, just a bit of a update.... Ive bought some TMS top mounts today direct from TMS along with a bush limiting kit. while I was brousing, I bought a AFE inlet boot which apparently adds a little more power and torque (every little helps).
Anyway, my good buddy neil at automac will be supplying some Eibach ARB's, raer arms and poly bushes including the subframe mount bushings.
TBH, i'm not looking forward to finding out what lies beneath the car regards any cracking etc but I did ask the boys at Bowker BMW to give that area a thorough looking at at its last MOT!

Also ordered some Rogue rear mounts from CA Auto. havnt dealt with roy and the boys in years........

Going slightly off topic I've bought some rear Boxster S calipers off Ebay along with mounting brackets and lines from Porschecalipers.
I have 6pot BMW Performance front calipers with CSL discs with DS2500 pads.

Looking forward to throwing it all on and trying it out at snetterton in a few weeks

[Mike R]

Originally Posted by 8ARF

Well, just a bit of a update.... Ive bought some TMS top mounts today direct from TMS along with a bush limiting kit. while I was brousing, I bought a AFE inlet boot which apparently adds a little more power and torque (every little helps).
Anyway, my good buddy neil at automac will be supplying some Eibach ARB's, raer arms and poly bushes including the subframe mount bushings.
TBH, i'm not looking forward to finding out what lies beneath the car regards any cracking etc but I did ask the boys at Bowker BMW to give that area a thorough looking at at its last MOT!

Also ordered some Rogue rear mounts from CA Auto. havnt dealt with roy and the boys in years........

Going slightly off topic I've bought some rear Boxster S calipers off Ebay along with mounting brackets and lines from Porschecalipers.
I have 6pot BMW Performance front calipers with CSL discs with DS2500 pads.

Looking forward to throwing it all on and trying it out at snetterton in a few weeks

I'd make sure that the ARBs are actually an upgrade, as most are for the M3, which upgrades them to the same size as the CSL already has LOL.

[northernjim]

Originally Posted by 8ARF

Although my car is a humdrum e46 m3 and not a knicker elastic snapping CSL



Ian.

Do you know shimmy?

Originally Posted by 8ARF

.
Anyway, my good buddy neil at automac will be supplying some Eibach ARB's, raer arms and poly bushes including the subframe mount bushings.
TBH, i'm not looking forward to finding out what lies beneath the car regards any cracking etc but I did ask the boys at Bowker BMW to give that area a thorough looking at at its last MOT!

Are the ARB's Hollow?

Originally Posted by Mike R

I'd make sure that the ARBs are actually an upgrade, as most are for the M3, which upgrades them to the same size as the CSL already has LOL.

[8ARF]

that's a good point guys but remember, my car is just a standard m3 with a bit of CSL tinsel
eibach f/r 29/25mm
m3 26/21.5mm
csl 30.8/22.5mm

I got those figures from a e46 fanatics thread
but still, the eibach for my car are a great improvement in dimensions.

ACS do a ARB kit but that is north of £600 and for me wouldn't be worth the near doubling in outlay but youre welcome to tell me i'm wrong

[shimmy]

Originally Posted by Mike R

That was just the last vid on my channel to enable you to find the rest. There are plenty of the 300 circuit:

Here is one being held up by a standard GTR and 997 GT3 RS (both get in the way on the corners where the Escort excels, as with 4 wheel drive as soon as you turn in, you can use full power to drive out of the corners faster than anything 2wd, as all 505lb ft can be utilised with no traction issues - and it weighs the same as a CSL). The only place that I suspect a well driven CSL being faster is round Corum and the corners at the end of the straights, where it is very difficult to judge the amount of retardation required due to the speed these are approached at (so I always end up scrubbing off too much - discretion being the better part of valour and all that LOL) Obviously following another car, this wouldn't be an issue, as the Escort has better brakes than a CSL and the 4 wheel drive makes it easier to avoid triggering the ABS when braking.

Just watching tis vid Mike and a few points, I don't think I've ever had ABS triggered in the dry in the CSL, and I think the CSL average speed around every corner a Snett would be faster than the Cossie, and I even think the average speed down the straights would be faster.(no slicks allowed), you may get a faster top speed but that's it.

I think the big trouble is that big BhP drivers tend to point and shoot, thinking that they need all the bhp working when often they don't. Just look at our mx5s running in the CsCc beating cars with twice the bhp just by using the cars good
Outs to the max.