crappy e36

[frcefed]

Well, ive got a few questions and need some help making my e36 cool. First, the rear suspension feels really soft and loose, as in the bushings feel weak, where should I go to find either better bushings or control arms?

Second, I put some h&r lowering springs in all the way around but the rear sits just as high as it did before?! Why is that? Haha I hate how high it sits in the rear.

Third, is anyone running a 7200rpm limit? I want to but I'm worried that the m50 w/vanos can't handle it with drifting seeing as I'm @ rev limit literally all day on track days.

[jc43089]

I have the UUC red poly RTABs, I don't remember how much they cost but not that much.  Otherwise new OE with limiters (oversize washers that limit deflection) would probably be much better than old worn out ones.

[patsbimmer1]

Are they wearing inside or out?

[patsbimmer1]

The e36 naturally has a lot of toe in and premature outside tire wear is a common problem. If it's inside then it is for sure the rtab's. The rear wheels will toe out at speed with bad rtabs.

[frcefed]

I have the UUC red poly RTABs, I don't remember how much they cost but not that much.  Otherwise new OE with limiters (oversize washers that limit deflection) would probably be much better than old worn out ones.

How stiff are the ones you are running? For me, I need something very stiff, almost solid.

Are they wearing inside or out?

They are wearing almost evenly but the car is lowered about 2 or more inches and I also have 18x9.5" m3 rims on it and I can tell it has some camber already.

[jc43089]

If you are lowered that much and don't have adjustable lower arms then the camber is probably pretty aggressive in back.  When I put the poly RTABs in it was much more stable feeling in back, most noticeable in bumpy corners and similar situations.  The rear toe is adjustable on e36s, the holes in the RTAB mounting plate are slotted to allow moving it from side to side.  There is no eccentric to help you position them though, just have to hold it with a prybar, tighten, check it and repeat.

[frcefed]

If you are lowered that much and don't have adjustable lower arms then the camber is probably pretty aggressive in back.  When I put the poly RTABs in it was much more stable feeling in back, most noticeable in bumpy corners and similar situations.  The rear toe is adjustable on e36s, the holes in the RTAB mounting plate are slotted to allow moving it from side to side.  There is no eccentric to help you position them though, just have to hold it with a prybar, tighten, check it and repeat.

Do you track your car at all? I'm just worried that the poly rtabs won't last long when subjected to the abuses of drifting and all out track days. I just really want to bulletproof my e36 because on my e34 I've gone with cheaper/easier routes throughout the build and im constantly redoing things.

[jc43089]

I haven't tracked it yet, just aggressive DD duty.  They have been on for 20k ish and when I tore everything apart last winter they looked like new still, I would think that they will hold up better than the OE ones, that is one of the selling points, that they will last the lifetime of the car.

[frcefed]

I was reading up on another forum and there was a guy saying that poly rtabs are a consumable when tracking an e36 regularly but he never said how long they last. If I can get a whole season out of them I'd be fine with that instead of the solid rtabs because the solid rtabs supposedly wear subframe bushings and whatnot out faster due to their lack of movement.

[jc43089]

I can see how that would be somewhat true, the OE rubber bushings twist rather than how the poly bushings just rub/pivot on the center sleeve.  That being said mine were still tight after 20k of street driving.  I would think with proper lube they should last quite a while.  They also are easy to install and don't need to be pressed in like OE.

[industrialsized]

if your drifting an e36 the rear rubber trailing arm and diff mount are the two weakest things. the trailing arm bushings don't last me an oil change if i drive my car hard but they are easy to change. the urethane ones aren't that great either, i'd go for delrin, brass, or uniballs in that order. e46 arms are a near must for you that and a shimmed or welded diff. just my .02 cents

[Rowleym]

if your drifting an e36 the rear rubber trailing arm and diff mount are the two weakest things. the trailing arm bushings don't last me an oil change if i drive my car hard but they are easy to change. the urethane ones aren't that great either, i'd go for delrin, brass, or uniballs in that order. e46 arms are a near must for you that and a shimmed or welded diff. just my .02 cents

Delrin it is. Love machining that stuff. E36/46 rtabs are the same right? My brother needs a set made bad..

[frcefed]

if your drifting an e36 the rear rubber trailing arm and diff mount are the two weakest things. the trailing arm bushings don't last me an oil change if i drive my car hard but they are easy to change. the urethane ones aren't that great either, i'd go for delrin, brass, or uniballs in that order. e46 arms are a near must for you that and a shimmed or welded diff. just my .02 cents

Yeah I think im just going to get solid rtabs then. My car feels like its sliding on ice when I drive it down the street whether the tires are toed in or not. I didn't want to go broke on the rear end but it seems like there's no other way, not to mention the fact that I'm going to have to build a custom coilover setup for the rear. Ha

[jc43089]

Rowley, get machining!  I could measure the ID of the trailing arm hole tonight, mine are in the basement with bushings out.  I can also check the dimension of the ID of the sleeve that goes through the poly.

[patsbimmer1]

There are "true" rear coilover set ups out there but they are ridiculously expensive.  AST and Intrax are the two that come to mind.  When you do it just make sure you have some kind of reinforcement on the strut tower beyond the normal strut tower plate.  I looked into this before I went with my FK's and switching to the true rear coilover will increase the loads on the towers by quite a bit.

[Rowleym]

Rowley, get machining!  I could measure the ID of the trailing arm hole tonight, mine are in the basement with bushings out.  I can also check the dimension of the ID of the sleeve that goes through the poly.

Honestly that would be amazing. I can build them in minutes, and we have delrin in stock. Brothers gonna be stoked about this haha. 

[frcefed]

There are "true" rear coilover set ups out there but they are ridiculously expensive.  AST and Intrax are the two that come to mind.  When you do it just make sure you have some kind of reinforcement on the strut tower beyond the normal strut tower plate.  I looked into this before I went with my FK's and switching to the true rear coilover will increase the loads on the towers by quite a bit.

Yeah, ill have to reinforce the tower and the spindle but itll be worth it to have a real coilover setup.

And if you guys could machine solid rtabs that would be AMAZING.

[jc43089]

I will get the measurements.  The only problem I can see with a solid mount is that it is not a purely rotational force.  I would think that it would be a good time to weld in rtab pocket reinforcements.

[frcefed]

I will get the measurements.  The only problem I can see with a solid mount is that it is not a purely rotational force.  I would think that it would be a good time to weld in rtab pocket reinforcements.

Definitely, I would reinforce the rtabs and anything else I can in conjunction with the subframe

[wasnt m3]

Just curious what benefits you think you might see out of a true coilover in the rear.

[jc43089]

Definitely, I would reinforce the rtabs and anything else I can in conjunction with the subframe

AKG motorsport has excellent prices and the parts are good, they are what I used.

[frcefed]

Just curious what benefits you think you might see out of a true coilover in the rear.

Easier adjustability, better limiting of wheel travel, I just think the e30/e36 rear suspension is outdated, I mean every other car in the world has struts or coilovers at every corner for a reason..

[patsbimmer1]

Usually the race guys go to a true coilover in back for increased wheel travel and to use a tube style LCA.

[frcefed]

Usually the race guys go to a true coilover in back for increased wheel travel and to use a tube style LCA.

I would think wheel travel is increased to a ridiculous amount with the stock setup in coilover form, what acts as a limiter with that setup? The shocks?

[patsbimmer1]

Yea its the shocks. I believe they typically run maybe 5" of travel and after lowering itbon the shock you decrease it further.

[frcefed]

Yea its the shocks. I believe they typically run maybe 5" of travel and after lowering itbon the shock you decrease it further.

I've never heard of track cars having 5" of travel, even with rally cars that would seem like a lot. My coilovers on my e34 travel about an inch and if I adjusted them for 5" of travel they would basically ride like stock struts except with dampening capabilities.