'Upping my Green Credentials' - Meergrün E36 328i Trio

'Upping my Green Credentials' - Meergrün E36 328i Trio

Author
Discussion

vsonix

Original Poster:

3,858 posts

162 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
JordanTurbo said:
Style 32's look great.

What size tyres are you running on them front/rear?
215/45 and 225/45. Amazingly there's no rubbing at the rear although obviously I would expect it with passengers but as the shocks are relatively fresh, even the four old wheels with tyres in the boot and three-quarters of a tank of petrol not even a scrub on WOT up a steep hill. I will however be giving them a light roll soon as I will be carrying heavy stuff about, and if I am lowering the front I will need to do the back a little bit just to make sure the damping rates are all matched. Somehow I don't think aftermarket lowering springs at the front and OEM at the back will do wonders for handling... I'm going for the same as the coupe, around 40/10mm I think.

JordanTurbo

937 posts

140 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
vsonix said:
215/45 and 225/45......
They look good without too much stretch in that picture. Have you got any closer ones?

I'm looking to fit the same wheels to my 328 convertible.

HeftyDanielson

39 posts

117 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
Just read through after seeing a picture up ilsham marine drive, never seen the car(or cars) in and around the bay, I'll keep an eye out and flash if I see ya.

New Wheels should look great with the green.



Keep an eye out for my diesel barge driving about and just joined SW BMW fb page, i'll keep an eye out for the next meet.



carpetsoiler

1,958 posts

164 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
JordanTurbo said:
They look good without too much stretch in that picture. Have you got any closer ones?

I'm looking to fit the same wheels to my 328 convertible.
Drop me an email if you want some 32s, or other wheels. Got plenty of wheels laying around at the moment...

Another Fluffer

3,888 posts

164 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
vsonix said:
I'm halfway through refurbing a set as we speak, I bought them the same week as I got the Tourer! And a set of RC040 at the same time. I have a whole ton of bolts sitting soaking in a bucket of coca cola on the kitchen table.

Edited by vsonix on Monday 1st September 00:38
Just thought I would offer smile

vsonix

Original Poster:

3,858 posts

162 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
Nice one! it's been a bit quiet on the meet front lately; the chap who runs the group lost his E36 and nearly lost his E21 in a garage fire... but we usually have a stand at Sout West Auto Sport. Keep an eye open for my green beasts!

vsonix

Original Poster:

3,858 posts

162 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
carpetsoiler said:
JordanTurbo said:
They look good without too much stretch in that picture. Have you got any closer ones?

I'm looking to fit the same wheels to my 328 convertible.
Drop me an email if you want some 32s, or other wheels. Got plenty of wheels laying around at the moment...
Hmmmz I am toying with the idea of 9j fronts...

vsonix

Original Poster:

3,858 posts

162 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
JordanTurbo said:
vsonix said:
215/45 and 225/45......
They look good without too much stretch in that picture. Have you got any closer ones?

I'm looking to fit the same wheels to my 328 convertible.
Excuse the grime, I was in such a hurry to get them fitted I only gave them a very superficial clean.

Front:

Rear:


just a tiny amount of stretch and plenty of meat still for comfort purposes. They definitely handle better than the 7jx16 style 30s I was running for a few weeks (the 15" were awful to drive on and were shod with 'Admiral' budgets so I got rid, didn't even want them as a spare set).

I was considering 215/40 and 225/40 but they are quite difficult to source quality midrange (I am a big Kumho fan) - the only options are ditchfinders or £100+ per corner. I have to say I am really surprised they fit as well as they do, I was expecting lots of scrubbing on bumps and bends but so far, so good.

Also I think you do need a bit of stretch with these offsets as otherwise the edge of the tread comes very close to protruding from the arch, which is an MOT no-no I believe.

I'm still wondering about springs though. 40mm should be ideal for the front, aesthetically speaking I don't think the back needs to be lower but how will I know which brand lowering springs have the closest to OEM spring rates so I can do just the front w/o upsetting the handling..? Or is that not possible? Anyone have any insight?


Edited by vsonix on Monday 1st September 18:22

JordanTurbo

937 posts

140 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for those pictures, looks good beer

For the suspension, there's a member on e36 coupe that got some taller rear spring platforms to balance the drop on his e46 M3 better.

Guy on e36 coupe said:
Since having my Intrax springs fitted I found the rear a bit too low compared to the front. I had looked into other springs but didn't really find what I was looking for so looked for an alternative. So I read up about spring pads. I looked on the US sites and found Turner Motorsport sell spring pads which are 14.5mm and when fitted don't drop the rear where it appears lower at the back compared to the front. In my case it was to aid in raising the rear a little so that the drop visually looks more even and also gives me a better chance of refitting my rear spacer back on.

So I ordered the spring pads from BM Minibits. They are from the US Xi models and as mentioned the US boys use them. Part number is 33 53 1094754. They were £22 delivered for the pair.

These are the spring pads:

187 by djsyxx6, on Flickr

And this is a comparison pic of the original 5mm I removed and the 14.5mm.

189 by djsyxx6, on Flickr

Yesterday I fitted them on and it has worked, the aim being to see the tyre tread.


191 by djsyxx6, on Flickr
Maybe you could look into whether those pads would fit the e36

vsonix

Original Poster:

3,858 posts

162 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
yeah that does seem like a good idea, and to the best of my knowledge there's no reason why they shouldn't as the springs are quite similar in dimensions... I'll look into it smile

vsonix

Original Poster:

3,858 posts

162 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
quotequote all
Another Fluffer said:
vsonix said:
I'm halfway through refurbing a set as we speak, I bought them the same week as I got the Tourer! And a set of RC040 at the same time. I have a whole ton of bolts sitting soaking in a bucket of coca cola on the kitchen table.

Edited by vsonix on Monday 1st September 00:38
Just thought I would offer smile
Saying that, I've had a couple of people offer to buy mine off me, but I'm not ready to sell so if you want I could send them your way smile

JordanTurbo

937 posts

140 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
vsonix said:
yeah that does seem like a good idea, and to the best of my knowledge there's no reason why they shouldn't as the springs are quite similar in dimensions... I'll look into it smile
You could also try these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390313614200?cmd=VIDESC&...

Another Fluffer

3,888 posts

164 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
vsonix said:
Saying that, I've had a couple of people offer to buy mine off me, but I'm not ready to sell so if you want I could send them your way smile
Yes please!!!

Another Fluffer

3,888 posts

164 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
I also run staggered 32's on my 328i

205/40/17 front and 215/40/17 Toyo T1-R's

Really impressed with the Toyo's, had them on three of my cars now, cost £280 fitted for my 328i

vsonix

Original Poster:

3,858 posts

162 months

Wednesday 29th July 2015
quotequote all
So, I fancied a change one day and decided to sell up a couple of the cars. The cabrio is going to an old school friend of mine who is mega-excited about it. I am also considering selling the coupe and sinking the profits into the Touring. If anyone's interested they could drop me a PM.