best combo street/track suspension for e36m3

[m3f_e36mmm3]

Hello All,



I'm looking to mod the suspension on my e36m3 which will not be a dedicated

track car (yet). Therefore, I want something that will really hold up on the track , yet not rattle your teeth out on the street.



Depending on what vendor you speak to, the response seems to be a moving

target.......coilovers...no coilovers...Pss9 won't hold up.....can't use camber plates

with the H&R coilovers........what you really need is the world challenge suspension

staring at 5000.00 (right....)



I know that I definitely want more than -1.5 degrees camber for the track....... I

already have the tires to prove this (severe rollover) thus my desire for camber

plates.....



What works? What doesn't? What's the most affordable route to go here?



Thanks in advance!

[m3f_Vitolo_a2bba142f1]

After trying someone's car with the TCKline truematch s/a coilovers, I was sold. They cost about $1500 and are a really nice balance.



Note: I am replacing my PSS9's with them if that helps

[m3f_Max M3]

I couldn't agree more! :dance:



About camber plates... you have several choices...

The first is none at all... stock camber is "okay" but great for track.

The second choice is to just swap your left and right strut tower hats... that will give you an automatic -2.x degrees negative. That will be nice for track and street, but easy on the tires over the long term.

The third choice, and my recommendation for you, is to use KMAC camber plates. These have hard rubber centers as opposed to metal to metal pieces which makes for a bit more fogiving ride, yet still allow complete adjustability. See this: http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/subcategory_detail.asp?subcat_id=64

The fourth choice is to use a race camber plate like the TMS, or GC, or TCKline. Those are race quality, but your street ride will be harsher than with the other choices.



My setup is the aforementioned KMAC plates with TCKline Tru-Match system and I feel it does everything well. Only if I turned my car into a dedicated race car would I change anything.

[m3f_SG_M3_d1201712b5]

I've had 375/450 and now 450/525 springs on my car. This is with GC coilovers. The 375/450 springs were great around town, rode better than my car with hr sports/koni's. If you are worried about ride i'd get the 375/450 GC track/school kit. Now that said, my car with 450/525's is so much better on track. I would not go lower than 375 for a front spring, 450 is better, but probably not enough. Check out www.ground-control.com , even better call them up and talk to them. They will advise you on a great setup, without trying to sell you too much.



I've had stock hats, and swapped hats on track and street. My car with 13" front ride height hat -2 degrees with the hats in their normal positions. Same ride height with swapped plates gave me almost -3 degrees. As long as you run 0 toe tire wear isn't bad and turn in is still great.



As for camber plates, it's really 2 kinds. You should decide if you want solid bearings or a rubber/poly isolated bearing. The solid bearings will add Noise, Vibration, and Harshnes.



Non-soild types, Ground Control makss a street plate for the e36 with a non-solid bearing. KMAC as max mentioned, though they have a not so great rep in the community, not my first choice. HIOP also makes a non-solid bushing camber plate.



Solid bearing types, there are really only 3 to look at. GC, TCK, and the new Motor Force plates. GC, TCK, and MF offer all about the same product, price and bearings really seperate the plates. These will give you more range of adjustment for camber and caster, as well as about and inch of added suspension travel.



That all said, if you are looking for non-solid plates the GC's are the ones to go with. For solid plates the new Motor Force look really nice, and are cheaper than either GC or TCK.



Don't listen to these 2 guys above me, they all have ***** spring rates

[m3f_e36mmm3]

Thanks for all your leads folks. Good info. Nice pics too.

[m3f_astan100_7ef66fbe89]

I think my Kmacs broke. I can't adjust them anymore...though I haven't tried lifting the front and then giving it a shot. Maybe somehow they got jammed because of the weight? who knows.

[m3f_99DakarM3_146594ecf1]

TCKline - but not the coilovers. I've studied this for sometime now and unless you really need to corner weight the car - which you wont for the street - coilovers aren't necessary. If it is primarily a street car the coilovers will be somewhat noisy compared to a good shock/strut & spring combo. TCKline has a custom Koni shock/strut package w/ H&R Sport springs that really do a nice job of balancing the street vs. track issue. I haven't done a suspension on my car yet, but got a ride in someone's with the above mentioned setup & it was quiet, tight & gave much improved handling & steering. I believe the price is only arond 1100 as well - a little cheaper than the coilovers. Just my .02 - and that doesn't mean much some of the time.

[m3f_Max M3]

...Non-soild types, Ground Control makss a street plate for the e36 with a non-solid bearing. KMAC as max mentioned, though they have a not so great rep in the community, not my first choice. HIOP also makes a non-solid bushing camber plate....







Actually GC doesn't technically make a non-solid type... Their "Hybrid" plate still uses the same metal spherical bearing as their "Race" plate. The only difference is they put a rubber "isolation" pad between the plate and the upper housing.



I've also had issues with KMAC right from the beginning. Their quality control (or lack thereof) allowed parts with incorrect bearing dimensions to be released. That problem was caught while Turner was installing my suspension last year and they swapped out the bearings even before I got the car back! Now THAT's good quality control! Unfortunately I think the bearings are gone again, so now I'm faced with either replacing them AGAIN or getting a REAL camber plate.... What to get....



The NEW TCKline plate looks to be the best design, but at $550 it's apparently priced accordingly. So then there's GC or Turner. Quality is likely the same in each, but I don't like the Turner design... at extremes you would be tightening the nut onto a non-flat surface (see: http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=E36CAMBER )



I don't mean to thread-jack this, but what are you using for plates? (anyone?)

[m3f_SG_M3_d1201712b5]

I've used swapped hats, and now i'm using the stock hats in their normal position with shims on the lower shock bolts.



If I had my choice, i'd go GC race plates or the new Motor-Force plates.

[m3f_Sammyzuko_f27405666b]

TCKline - but not the coilovers. I've studied this for sometime now and unless you really need to corner weight the car - which you wont for the street - coilovers aren't necessary. If it is primarily a street car the coilovers will be somewhat noisy compared to a good shock/strut & spring combo. TCKline has a custom Koni shock/strut package w/ H&R Sport springs that really do a nice job of balancing the street vs. track issue. I haven't done a suspension on my car yet, but got a ride in someone's with the above mentioned setup & it was quiet, tight & gave much improved handling & steering. I believe the price is only arond 1100 as well - a little cheaper than the coilovers. Just my .02 - and that doesn't mean much some of the time.





I don't need coilovers, but I'm considering the GC coilovers because I haven't found a spring setup that I know I'll like. I was considering the H&R Sport springs, but I don't like how they seem to drop the back of the car lower than the front.

Who do you guys recommend having install a suspension?(Dealer, independent shop, or is it easy enough to do yourself) After the install an alignment should be done. Is adjusting camber/toe included in an alignment?

[m3f_Fishey]

I don't need coilovers, but I'm considering the GC coilovers because I haven't found a spring setup that I know I'll like. I was considering the H&R Sport springs, but I don't like how they seem to drop the back of the car lower than the front.

Who do you guys recommend having install a suspension?(Dealer, independent shop, or is it easy enough to do yourself) After the install an alignment should be done. Is adjusting camber/toe included in an alignment?



There is a reason they drop the back of the car... Its a very very very very good reason.

[m3f_Sirius_880bd69485]

There is a reason they drop the back of the car... Its a very very very very good reason.



And that would be.... why?

[m3f_///sleeper_f29d08a5a4]

There is a reason they drop the back of the car... Its a very very very very good reason.

Yes, go on....