R11CH Posted September 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2015 (edited) Well finally after a 3 week wait my suspension arrived, went with the sportline kit in the end to give the car a little drop. Also bought new top mounts front and back, arb droplinks all round, arb bushes all round and track rod ends so the old girl should feel a lot better, just need to find a weekend to fit it all. Edited September 17, 2015 by R11CH Daud 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkynut Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 This looks lovely mate. You could get a nice single phase scissor ramp in your workshop to make working on cars easier. Looking forward to seeing it develop as you mod it, even though you say you don't plan to but we all know what will really happen eh! Kirkynut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R11CH Posted September 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 Thanks Kirkynut. I have thought about it before but I dont really have the car up in the air all that much and would find it more of a pain it in the way. If I was to fit one I would get a sissor lift sunk in the floor but again I would hardly use it. Having a mare of a time with snapped bolts on the front suspension and a very little time to work on the car atm but I will be upgrading more bits inside and out along with a bit of paint work as I plan on keeping the car a few more years now so want it all sorted and hassle free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R11CH Posted October 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 (edited) What a weekend, spent both days getting this suspension fitted to the car and what a nightmare, every bolt i touched either snapped or was so rusted i couldn't get a spanner or socket on it GRRRR never had this problem ever! So i battled through and eventually got to the finish... almost. So far i have replaced and fitted: 2x front arb bushes 2x front droplinks 2x outer and inner track rods 2x top mounts (old ones had a lot of play and movement in the bearings) 4x front rubber spring pads 2x springs 2x dampers 2x rear arb bushes ( What a nightmare this job was getting the old bolts undone, exhaust in the way on one side and no way of cutting the bolts out but i did it in the end to the then struggle getting the bar itself out from under the car) 2x rear droplinks 4x rear spring pads 2x rear top mounts 2x springs 2x dampers All i need now is two new front pinch bolts as both snapped on me so both hubs are cable tied in position just to free up the jack. Also fitted new bmw badges, new side indicators and 12mm rear spacers. All the old bits from my recent brake and suspension overhaul. Next up is to get the car moted as it just run out, alignment then off to the body shop for some much needed love. Edited October 4, 2015 by R11CH ibrahimx2001, RichS and Maxtek 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxtek Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 Good work! You've really been on a mission with the mechanics of the car R11CH 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evokid Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 I feel your pain, just done very similar to mine, changed all the bolts... But the Rear Trailing arm bushes were a Mare!! But glad you got done :-) nearly . R11CH 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R11CH Posted October 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2015 Good work! You've really been on a mission with the mechanics of the car Cheers, just trying to get the car back to its nimble self again as its started to feel a little tired in the corners and roundabouts. I feel your pain, just done very similar to mine, changed all the bolts... But the Rear Trailing arm bushes were a Mare!! But glad you got done :-) nearly . Never had a car to be so much trouble to change the suspension on, every bolt i was preying at please please just undo im fed up with drilling haha and its not like i was swinging on bars to undo them just the impact gun was enough to shear the heads off bolts made of cheese. I have done one trailling arm bush before but using the proper puller tool to remove it, came out surprisingly easy to my surprise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkynut Posted October 6, 2015 Report Share Posted October 6, 2015 I was thinking of letting my mechanic put my lowering springs on rather than me get my hands dirty messing about with seized bolts and you have made my mind up. It'll be £100 or just over well spent! Kirkynut R11CH 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R11CH Posted October 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 As long as they do it on a fixed price your be ok other wise they will charge you hourly and that will be expensive. All in all it took me 2 days but I did do more than just suspension and I like to clean up everything, remove rust and inspect parts etc as I go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bungers Posted October 7, 2015 Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 (edited) I'm loving your garage chap! Nice to see some decent spannering going on and the suspension getting a proper overhaul rather than just slammed on the cheapest coilies you can find too! Edited October 7, 2015 by bungers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R11CH Posted October 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 Thanks bungers. Wont find much in the way of cheap bits being fitted here even thou it is my daily car and im one for handling as apposed to super low and a s**t ride. bennno2005 and bungers 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R11CH Posted October 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2015 Today is a good day. Finally got the pinch bolts and after a month on axle stands the car is back down on its wheels Happy with the drop so far, car is level on both axles which is good as i know some peoples sits lower on the drivers side which mine did before with the oem springs but sits nice now, still yet to settle though. Think il get some 12mm spacers for the front to match up the rears. Mot next week, then alignment then il part with the car again to go in the body shop to have both rear arches painted, fuel filler flap, rear bumper, front bumper and maybe bonnet done then il have the wheels refurbed, should be sitting rather nice then. Maxtek, bungers and The_Judge_ 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R11CH Posted October 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2015 Wheeled out the workshop for the first time in 3 months, been nice to get behind the wheel again, so much smoother yet a little firmer to drive, alignment is shot to bits but its off for its MOT in the morning My attempt at snow foaming in the dark, car was filthy since sitting in the workshop all that time CHAOS, TriggerFish, The Laird and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRyan Posted October 15, 2015 Report Share Posted October 15, 2015 I bet its nice finally driving it after all that time! I missed mine after 4 days in a company pool car this week, a month would drive me mad. How much is the paintwork on the bumpers setting you back if you dont mind me asking? Mine need some work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fastasbmw Posted October 15, 2015 Report Share Posted October 15, 2015 Good job.. sits really nice.. not to low.. Good luck with MOT.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHAOS Posted October 16, 2015 Report Share Posted October 16, 2015 Love it bud. Looking forward to the next instalment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R11CH Posted October 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2015 I bet its nice finally driving it after all that time! I missed mine after 4 days in a company pool car this week, a month would drive me mad. How much is the paintwork on the bumpers setting you back if you dont mind me asking? Mine need some work! Oh its been a long time coming, nice to be back in it, car is totally transformed after the refresh, cant wait to have the GEO done. £650 that's everything i listed and a full mop and seal. Good job.. sits really nice.. not to low.. Good luck with MOT.. Thanks man. Flew through the mot Love it bud. Looking forward to the next instalment Cheers man. Geo is next followed by a visit to the body shop. Shall be purchasing some more 12mm spacers for up front as im liking how the car is sitting at the back and then a few more bits and pieces here and there. Well the car flew through its mot, guy was saying how clean the car was all round which was nice to hear I also fitted new led sidelights and phillips extreme vision dipped and main beam bulbs and had them correctly adjusted at the mot station so hopefully that makes a vast improvement over before. Maxtek 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R11CH Posted October 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2015 (edited) So the car went in for alignment today, cost £108 quid in the end but im very pleased with it. Before and after As you can see the before was way off, surprising how lowering the car a fraction dramatically threw the settings off! The after looking much better but i then went and test drove the car and returned to tweek the settings a little more as it wasn't quite right, i didn't get a print out of this but the result now is a 46 that doesn't tramline, no steering wheel free play, feels really tight to drive, smoother and a lot more feedback from the road. Chucked it in to some roundabouts and its so much better, corners a lot flatter and turns in spot on, a lot more pin point and can really balance the car again well as before it was very wollowy, tramlined and had a bit steering wheel free play. Really pleased with the brakes as well, plenty power behind them now, nice firm and consistent pedal and a lot more confidence its going to stop. Fair bit of dust but hey you cant have both. So all in all im very pleased to have the car back to its fun self again, i do like to drive it hard when safe to do so and its now perfect in that way. Edited October 19, 2015 by R11CH Maxtek 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R11CH Posted November 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2015 So another 2 weeks gone by and i actually managed to get out in the car to put some more miles on it.Suspension is a lot firmer compared to the Msport suspension, really do notice the lumps and bumps more.Happy with the settled height too.Pleased with my LED sidelights and Phillips extreme bulbs, can actually see at night.Bit flatter ground TriggerFish and Ruesta 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macp Posted November 8, 2015 Report Share Posted November 8, 2015 Stunning car dude and in my opinion the drop looks absolutely perfect with those wheels. Exactly how I would have it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R11CH Posted November 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2015 Stunning car dude and in my opinion the drop looks absolutely perfect with those wheels. Exactly how I would have it.Thanks man, Im really pleased with the height and the wheels now with the spacers fitted. Cant wait to get that front lower grill painted black when its in the body shop, really lets it down. macp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macp Posted November 9, 2015 Report Share Posted November 9, 2015 No way bro it will look great painted but it certainly doesnt look shabby now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R11CH Posted November 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2015 (edited) Nipped out to the car this morning to find the expansion tank had decided enough was enough and had cracked there for dumping its coolant seems everything is going at once on the car atm but to be fair this was on the list to do as it was the original tank. so with that broken i did the right thing and went to BMW and bought a new expansion tank and thermostat, had seen people use the cheap tanks and had slight coolant leaks so opted for oem. Couple hours later its all replaced and filled up with new coolant. Water pump, belts and radiator was replaced 3 years ago and still looks healthy so left that alone. New thermostat and expansion tank fitted All back together and bleeding the system, gave everything in the engine bay a good clean before assembling. Old bits removed Edited November 28, 2015 by R11CH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichS Posted November 28, 2015 Report Share Posted November 28, 2015 Good work, dude. Hope that's the end of your bad luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R11CH Posted November 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2015 6 minutes ago, Rich (BoxClever) said: Good work, dude. Hope that's the end of your bad luck. I hope so too but she has been good to me for the past 4 years so its only right she has a bit of tlc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
