Track day modifications - Tight budget - 318ti
Discussion
Hi Guys,
I was just looking for some advice regarding the best placed modifications on the e36 318ti.
I have recently purchased the car, it was a well maintained low mileage car in good condition. It has a few minor rust spots that I intend rubbing down and painting in the summer (with a bit of vinyl wrapping in the end to hide my paint job😁)
The car will be used for track driving and occasional road driving if I get a board with the daily. I do intend on stripping it slightly, however will be keeping the rear seats as the moment as the kids might be in it now n again
I have a strict budget of £400.00, however I do have coilovers, reinforcement plates and top mounts aswell as a full brake upgrade consisting of pads, braided lines, discs and calliper carriers.
When parts fail I do intend on upgrading them at the time, but basically looking to see where would be best to spend the extra money ? (PS wheels and tyres are sorted at the moment - I will upgrade the tyres once they are worn) - Cheers
I was just looking for some advice regarding the best placed modifications on the e36 318ti.
I have recently purchased the car, it was a well maintained low mileage car in good condition. It has a few minor rust spots that I intend rubbing down and painting in the summer (with a bit of vinyl wrapping in the end to hide my paint job😁)
The car will be used for track driving and occasional road driving if I get a board with the daily. I do intend on stripping it slightly, however will be keeping the rear seats as the moment as the kids might be in it now n again
I have a strict budget of £400.00, however I do have coilovers, reinforcement plates and top mounts aswell as a full brake upgrade consisting of pads, braided lines, discs and calliper carriers.
When parts fail I do intend on upgrading them at the time, but basically looking to see where would be best to spend the extra money ? (PS wheels and tyres are sorted at the moment - I will upgrade the tyres once they are worn) - Cheers
Cheers !
The suspension will be set up on the hunter, and I may corner weight it if I can be bothered. These costs have been taken care of. Brake fluid has also been accounted for in the cost, as s0meone mentioned I will probably go for the ate super blue for easy purge / bleed.
Tyres lol - well there are 4 proxes current fitted, 4mm tread, so I will burn these and get new set, I'm not going to include these in the budget though as when these are shot (After the first track day by the sound of it, I intended to replace upgrade as Bart of the maintenance regime.
I'm thinking pads and seat ? I'm sure the leather SE chair may end up causing me problems.
Unless anyone thinks strategically placed bushes / arbs etc would be a more beneficial ?
The suspension will be set up on the hunter, and I may corner weight it if I can be bothered. These costs have been taken care of. Brake fluid has also been accounted for in the cost, as s0meone mentioned I will probably go for the ate super blue for easy purge / bleed.
Tyres lol - well there are 4 proxes current fitted, 4mm tread, so I will burn these and get new set, I'm not going to include these in the budget though as when these are shot (After the first track day by the sound of it, I intended to replace upgrade as Bart of the maintenance regime.
I'm thinking pads and seat ? I'm sure the leather SE chair may end up causing me problems.
Unless anyone thinks strategically placed bushes / arbs etc would be a more beneficial ?
Excellent post Mark - thanks ! Sounds like the mods selected so far are about as much as I need, the coilovers are cheap pro sports, so not the best. But it was a budget build so the best I could afford with the start up budget I have available.
Yip stripping is on the list it will be minimal to start with but I will get there in the end !
Tuition also sounds like a plan
Yip stripping is on the list it will be minimal to start with but I will get there in the end !
Tuition also sounds like a plan
Hi Guys,
That's the coilovers on, and been out all weekend testing them out ! The pro sports are ok, although the rebound seems to be a bit excessive. I have kind of half assed corner weighted them as well, so I'm going to let them settle over the next couple of weeks and go and get the alignment done
Anyhoo re the track tyres, I'm not trying to be competitive (if I was I wouldn't of bought a compact lol) therefor slicks etc are out of the question. I don't think I will be running a roll cage therefor don't want to tempt fate will increased grip levels, the name of the game is fun so I will be purchasing the nakangs or federal once the toyos are worn.
Upon driving the car the handling still has a bit to go before I'm going to be happy with it, when I was underneath the bushes didn't look to bad. I've replaced the top mounts and with the exception of the ARB drop links (I'll get these purchased soon) the rest were ok.
The question is where to go now ? The issue is with direction changes, e.g. I steer the car, the car kind of changes direction but almost a second later " rolls " like that's when the steering takes place, hard to explains but I'm sure some will be aware of this issue, the question is how to eradicate this - is it a bushing or anti roll bar issue ? - ps I have the upgraded sport arbs 26 front and 16mm rear (I think that's the sizes) h&r kit is 28 and 19, but again guys in the CC actually run these without the rear ARB
That's the coilovers on, and been out all weekend testing them out ! The pro sports are ok, although the rebound seems to be a bit excessive. I have kind of half assed corner weighted them as well, so I'm going to let them settle over the next couple of weeks and go and get the alignment done
Anyhoo re the track tyres, I'm not trying to be competitive (if I was I wouldn't of bought a compact lol) therefor slicks etc are out of the question. I don't think I will be running a roll cage therefor don't want to tempt fate will increased grip levels, the name of the game is fun so I will be purchasing the nakangs or federal once the toyos are worn.
Upon driving the car the handling still has a bit to go before I'm going to be happy with it, when I was underneath the bushes didn't look to bad. I've replaced the top mounts and with the exception of the ARB drop links (I'll get these purchased soon) the rest were ok.
The question is where to go now ? The issue is with direction changes, e.g. I steer the car, the car kind of changes direction but almost a second later " rolls " like that's when the steering takes place, hard to explains but I'm sure some will be aware of this issue, the question is how to eradicate this - is it a bushing or anti roll bar issue ? - ps I have the upgraded sport arbs 26 front and 16mm rear (I think that's the sizes) h&r kit is 28 and 19, but again guys in the CC actually run these without the rear ARB
I'm not sure what the spring rates are they are not the hardest,
Apart from the ARB drop links the bushes looked decent, there was no real sagging cracks or deterioration. Obviously 17 years and 74k will take its toll, but I just can't see anything that makes me think this is the cause of the problem. Although from previous e36 experience as you said, the feeling is that of the bushes being shot. I've fitted new top mounts and wishbones as well all mehyl HD, so decent bushes.
Next I guess is drop links, lower the rears by another 10mm and get the alignment / geometry set up, and see where we are from here.
I won't be doing anything else before my first track day in the car, I'm going to go and investigate bushing prices I prefer super pro to power flex so I'll see if I can get them at a reasonable price somewhere.
After this track day I'm going to give the car a full fluid change, with the exception of the brakes I'll fit my BBK after the second track day.
Apart from the ARB drop links the bushes looked decent, there was no real sagging cracks or deterioration. Obviously 17 years and 74k will take its toll, but I just can't see anything that makes me think this is the cause of the problem. Although from previous e36 experience as you said, the feeling is that of the bushes being shot. I've fitted new top mounts and wishbones as well all mehyl HD, so decent bushes.
Next I guess is drop links, lower the rears by another 10mm and get the alignment / geometry set up, and see where we are from here.
I won't be doing anything else before my first track day in the car, I'm going to go and investigate bushing prices I prefer super pro to power flex so I'll see if I can get them at a reasonable price somewhere.
After this track day I'm going to give the car a full fluid change, with the exception of the brakes I'll fit my BBK after the second track day.
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