And I am stored for the winter: the work begins

[5style]

This year is d-day.

To start, I am very unhappy with my koni suspension. It sits retardedly high for a lowered suspension and koni shocks suck, badly. Noisy, crappy rebound, etc

So, that is going to get swapped out.

- Next, new control arms for the front, new bushings, time to get rid of the squeeks. Already in the trunk, ready for installation.

-M3 Zf 5 speed!!! Its been sitting in my garage for far too long and its time to get it ready to go in.

My questions start here. I have a brand new clutch, throw out bearing, pressure plate, etc for the 318's getrag. I have tested the 318's clutch disc and it fits the Zf's input shaft perfectly.

So, that means i can use my stock flywheel, and this clutch kit, with the ZF right?

I am going to be doing a fluid flush in the zf ( duh), new tranny mounts to match the new m3 engine mounts ( already installed) , what else do I need?

I want to run the stock diff for now i think, I am guessing shifter linkage, shifter support, and driveshaft?

Next, m3 rear sway arms with m3 brakes! I am going to do ALL the bushings on these, new rotor shields, wheel bearings while its still out of the car.

I have the whole kit, now, do I need to use the m3 halfshafts? I have them WITH the diff sprockets.

Can I use my stock spring perch arms, and control arms? ( they are significantly cleaner, the m3 ones are damaged ( the control arms especially))

I don't want to drop the diff for now ( small garage , no lift) so I would love it if i could recycle my spring perch arms and control arms for the time being.

Brake booster! I have an m3 one ready to go. I noticed one of the fluid lines has a different input flange ( its larger on the m3), is the 328's usable, or will the m3 one work?

Thats about all i can think of for now! Pics coming

[5style]

Also, what is good in terms of tranny mounts? Nothing super stiff...

[Steve30]

Go with stock mounts. You could use the e21 ones which are a bit beefier. Anything else that's poly will be pretty stiff.

[propr'one]

What koni suspension do you have? Did you buy it new?

[SiR]

koni makes great shocks.

which are you running?

[Discostar]

Originally Posted by SiR

koni makes great shocks.

Opinions vary. I myself have had a bad experience with Koni’s, and I have heard first hand stories about problems with leaking after just one or two years.

I don’t know if its inconsistencies in build quality, or something else, but it seems they don’t fair too well with our winters. I’m sure there not complete crap, but unless I lived in the south where it was warmer all year round, I wouldn’t go with Koni again.

[propr'one]

I only ask because bilsteins aren't an option for people who want to go really low. (internal bump-stop)

[doogee]

Originally Posted by Discostar

I have heard first hand stories about problems with leaking after just one or two years.

Try 3 track days! Haha

[Discostar]

Originally Posted by propr'one

I only ask because bilsteins aren't an option for people who want to go really low. (internal bump-stop)

If your using them on the street they may be a little stiff, but have you seen the Group N's from Bilstein? Even at their highest setting they are still lower then stock.

I assume your referring to the HD's, or PSS9's?

Originally Posted by doogee

Try 3 track days! Haha

Case in point...

Ouch, that sucks. I hope Koni exchanged them for you. I hear they are usually pretty good with that atleast. Although not much of a consolation.

[Axxe]

Originally Posted by 5style

This year is d-day.

To start, I am very unhappy with my koni suspension. It sits retardedly high for a lowered suspension and koni shocks suck, badly. Noisy, crappy rebound, etc

So, that is going to get swapped out.

- Next, new control arms for the front, new bushings, time to get rid of the squeeks. Already in the trunk, ready for installation. [Hope you got m3 offset bushings

-M3 Zf 5 speed!!! Its been sitting in my garage for far too long and its time to get it ready to go in.

My questions start here. I have a brand new clutch, throw out bearing, pressure plate, etc for the 318's getrag. I have tested the 318's clutch disc and it fits the Zf's input shaft perfectly.

So, that means i can use my stock flywheel, and this clutch kit, with the ZF right?Not 100% sure on this, will likely have to experiment with throwout bearing combos incase the depth isn't right. But I've heard of m50 flywheel/clutch/etc on a M42 getrag so I don't see why you can't go the other way. Call UUC and ask them, they are pretty good at answering questions.

I am going to be doing a fluid flush in the zf ( duh), new tranny mounts to match the new m3 engine mounts ( already installed) , what else do I need?I have e21 tranny mounts and they are perfect.

I want to run the stock diff for now i think, I am guessing shifter linkage, shifter support, and driveshaft?

Next, m3 rear sway arms with m3 brakes! I am going to do ALL the bushings on these, new rotor shields, wheel bearings while its still out of the car.

I have the whole kit, now, do I need to use the m3 halfshafts? I have them WITH the diff sprockets.I would use the m3 halfshafts since you already have them. I assume by sprockets you mean flanges, if so don't bother unbolting the halfshafts from the flange. Pop out the whole assemble and it will be immediately clear what combo you will have to use to make it work. If you need a medium case diff, I have a 3.91 open you can have for a 12 pack of polish beer. Changing the diff is a piece of cake on these cars FYI.

Can I use my stock spring perch arms, and control arms? ( they are significantly cleaner, the m3 ones are damaged ( the control arms especially))Yes you can reuse your stock parts, the only difference in the back is the trailing arm. I would change the inner bushings on both while you're in there though.

I don't want to drop the diff for now ( small garage , no lift) so I would love it if i could recycle my spring perch arms and control arms for the time being.

Brake booster! I have an m3 one ready to go. I noticed one of the fluid lines has a different input flange ( its larger on the m3), is the 328's usable, or will the m3 one work?Do you mean master cylinder? Take a picture of what you mean here, will be easier to figure out. I put an m3 master on my 328i booster, and swapped to m3 abs as well.

Thats about all i can think of for now! Pics coming

Answered everything I could.

[5style]

This year is d-day.

To start, I am very unhappy with my koni suspension. It sits retardedly high for a lowered suspension and koni shocks suck, badly. Noisy, crappy rebound, etc

So, that is going to get swapped out.

- Next, new control arms for the front, new bushings, time to get rid of the squeeks. Already in the trunk, ready for installation. [Hope you got m3 offset bushings

-Oui!

-M3 Zf 5 speed!!! Its been sitting in my garage for far too long and its time to get it ready to go in.

My questions start here. I have a brand new clutch, throw out bearing, pressure plate, etc for the 318's getrag. I have tested the 318's clutch disc and it fits the Zf's input shaft perfectly.

So, that means i can use my stock flywheel, and this clutch kit, with the ZF right?Not 100% sure on this, will likely have to experiment with throwout bearing combos incase the depth isn't right. But I've heard of m50 flywheel/clutch/etc on a M42 getrag so I don't see why you can't go the other way. Call UUC and ask them, they are pretty good at answering questions.
Damn it! depths! I ll have to do some research here too!

I am going to be doing a fluid flush in the zf ( duh), new tranny mounts to match the new m3 engine mounts ( already installed) , what else do I need?I have e21 tranny mounts and they are perfect.
Gotcha, gonna order a set, 100% stock ones right?

I want to run the stock diff for now i think, I am guessing shifter linkage, shifter support, and driveshaft?

Next, m3 rear sway arms with m3 brakes! I am going to do ALL the bushings on these, new rotor shields, wheel bearings while its still out of the car.

I have the whole kit, now, do I need to use the m3 halfshafts? I have them WITH the diff sprockets.I would use the m3 halfshafts since you already have them. I assume by sprockets you mean flanges, if so don't bother unbolting the halfshafts from the flange. Pop out the whole assemble and it will be immediately clear what combo you will have to use to make it work. If you need a medium case diff, I have a 3.91 open you can have for a 12 pack of polish beer. Changing the diff is a piece of cake on these cars FYI.
Got it. I will double check, but I know its not the mid diff for sure, its too small.

Can I use my stock spring perch arms, and control arms? ( they are significantly cleaner, the m3 ones are damaged ( the control arms especially))Yes you can reuse your stock parts, the only difference in the back is the trailing arm. I would change the inner bushings on both while you're in there though.

Bushings and bearings, rotor shields, i am going to swap everything out PRIOR to installing, I don't wanna go through the front end fiasco again with train wheel sounds from dead bearings.

I don't want to drop the diff for now ( small garage , no lift) so I would love it if i could recycle my spring perch arms and control arms for the time being.

Brake booster! I have an m3 one ready to go. I noticed one of the fluid lines has a different input flange ( its larger on the m3), is the 328's usable, or will the m3 one work?Do you mean master cylinder? Take a picture of what you mean here, will be easier to figure out. I put an m3 master on my 328i booster, and swapped to m3 abs as well

Yeah, master cylinder, i noticed one of the hoses has input/output flanges which are not the same size.... will take pics when I go to the garage next

Thats about all i can think of for now! Pics coming

[5style]

Originally Posted by SiR

koni makes great shocks.

which are you running?

Koni SP + front and back. Rears are garbage, fronts are garbage now too, not satisfied at all

[dcramer]

while you have the tranny out, replace the 5th gear detent bushing and pin

[T.Dot_E30]

Originally Posted by 5style

Koni SP + front and back. Rears are garbage, fronts are garbage now too, not satisfied at all

Koni SPs are stock replacements, not meant for lowering. I would say that is why you had a bad experience.

My Koni SAs have been great so far. Kurt did have problems with his TCKs? Which are re-vavled Koni's (Almost everyone sells re-valved koni kits), not sure if the re-valving has any effect on reliability. or QC. either way they have lifetime warranty and can be fixed, it's just a hassle.

[5style]

Originally Posted by T.Dot_E30

Koni SPs are stock replacements, not meant for lowering. I would say that is why you had a bad experience.

My Koni SAs have been great so far. Kurt did have problems with his TCKs? Which are re-vavled Koni's (Almost everyone sells re-valved koni kits), not sure if the re-valving has any effect on reliability. or QC. either way they have lifetime warranty and can be fixed, it's just a hassle.

Well that explains the pathetic ride height and wobbly weak rear!!!