Sam Webber's e21 320is

[BrandonMcKiernan]

looks great man. always been a sucker for black.

[SamuelWebber]

guess i'll have to look into it. Thanks man

[TheNeek]

I was riding on my control arms for a VERY long time before I realized it. My subframe was starting to form itself around where the control arm was striking it. You can see it in the picture I posted on the right. I know of a guy who is riding on MK1 struts and had to shorten his subframe to take advantage of the extra space. Just sayin.

[SamuelWebber]

He's right

Chances are the car is bouncing on the controls arms, not the strut bottoming out. The subframe will need to be shortend or notched to allow the arms to keep moving.

Let me straighten this out. I never said the strut bottomed out. I said it blew up. What I meant by that was that was the hydraulic fluid and gas blew out of the strut insert itself. Now, if blowing it up like I described is the result of bottoming out, I stand corrected...but I don't think that's the case. I feel like I would know if I was smacking the control arms and would probably hear it? As far as I'm concerned, the only rubbing is my wheel to my fender due to the lack of a working insert. I personally think the stock mk1 rabbit struts I used aren't durable enough. But then again, only one has blown out.

[TheNeek]

Interesting. For being shortened by 2", I feel like your car isn't nearly low enough to start bottoming out the shock (no offense, just saying).

He's right

Chances are the car is bouncing on the controls arms, not the strut bottoming out. The subframe will need to be shortend or notched to allow the arms to keep moving.

My shortened subframe on left, stock on right:



This is how low the car goes with the stock valance. No IS lip or BBS or anything:



I'm going to notch my subframe next to put the car all the way down.

[SamuelWebber]

Car got a feature on Petrolicious! Since those photos the car has been lowered a little more, and front wheels have been spaced out a bit. New photos soon...

http://www.petrolicious.com/this-bmw-e21-is-inspirational

[CubbyChowder]

I'll look into bilsteins...

Yeah the front housings are shortened by 2", and I used a spacer at the bottom of the strut so the collar nut could tighten it into place.

Interesting. For being shortened by 2", I feel like your car isn't nearly low enough to start bottoming out the shock (no offense, just saying). I wonder if you could use Bilstein HD's from a 325ix model E30, which are commonly used on E30 coilover conversions because they are about 3.5" shorter than regular E30 shock inserts. Not sure if the E21 strut housings are big enough to fit E30 shocks though, you'd have to find out.

[SamuelWebber]

I'll look into bilsteins...

Yeah the front housings are shortened by 2", and I used a spacer at the bottom of the strut so the collar nut could tighten it into place.

[CubbyChowder]

Are the front strut housings shortened? You could always shorten them and run a shorter shock insert, and then you'll have plenty of travel at that ride height (and lower even).

[theseeker411]

Bilstein sports? I think they're not as thick as Konis, so they should work. Don't just take my word on that though.

[SamuelWebber]

no suggestions on front strut inserts? I'm sick of bouncing haha

[SamuelWebber]

thanks man!

[Belgian_Astra]

Looks perfect to me man!

[SamuelWebber]

Went to Staggered 2014 yesterday, and lowered the car a little more in the front. Don't have any good pictures from the show so if you do please post them! Thought I'd share the new ride height...



blew up a strut lol










As mentioned above I blew up one of the stock replacement mk1 strut inserts after cruising at this height for one day. They were fine until then. Does anyone know of a better insert that will fit or a step to be taken to avoid blowing them out at this height? Thanks!

[SamuelWebber]

Thanks dudes