[uucdigest] Sunday, February 9 2003 Volume 03 : Number 6099
_________________________________________________________________ | | Search the ARCHIVES: | http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] | | Visit Richard Nott's Ultimate BMW Database: | http://www.bmwdatabase.com | | For all available Digest commands including unsubscribe/subscribe, | visit the BMW UUC Digest page: http://www.uucdigest.com | | Send SUBMISSIONS to [EMAIL PROTECTED] | Complaints? Send 'em to [EMAIL PROTECTED] if you must. | Technical Problems? Send 'em to [EMAIL PROTECTED] |__________________________________________________________________ In this BMW UUC Digest: [uuc] re: swaybars [uuc] FS: e36 M3 stuff + Snow tires. [uuc] Yokohama tire promotion from waay last year Re: [uuc] E28 M5 FS $5000.00 [uuc] Re: [uucdigest] V3 #6097 [uuc] 96 - 2003 BMW 540i Questions [uuc] Black E36 dashboard? [uuc] [LSCchat] 2003 LSC BMW CCA DE at MotorSport Ranch March 8/9 [uuc] DC area wanted - oil pan for '88 BMW 325i/s [uuc] Sway Bars and Steering Issues [uuc] Contact Info for E30 M3 FS in Bay Area Re: [uuc] Sway Bars and Steering Issues [uuc] Urethane bushings on e36 daily driver/track car for rear suspension ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 07 Feb 2003 12:30:33 -0800 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [uuc] re: swaybars Sorry for the second posting on this, I forgot to mention the most important thing before making any suspension mod. That is to be sure that all the components alread on your car are in good tight condition. Check all your suspension mounts, bushings, ball joints, tie rods, etc. For example: Just may be that its a worn tie rod that you're trying to compensate for by wanting a thicker rear swaybar. Or that you're stiffening up the adjustment on your rear Koni's when its actually worn out rear trailing arm bushings that are the problem. And never understimate the effects of alignment. Maybe you have too much rear toe in to ever waggle the tail around an autocross gate, or not enough rear toe to hold stable around a high speed sweeper on an exit ramp or the track. The desire to modify, modify, modify leads to cars with stiff springs installed onto worn out bushings, solid bushings installed without checking the alignment, stress bars attached to stressed out upper strut mounts, etc. After the miles start rolling up, easy to forget what that snug and nimble original factory suspension and ride was like when it was brand new. Does it make sense to modify part of it until you get your car back to that original condition again? This has been brought freshly to mind because I just replaced rear trailing arm bushings and front tie rods at 80k miles. Then spent my alignment money wisely by going to a top of the line shop who uses the more accurate BMW factory wheel pickups rather than paint chipping universal clamp on kind, and an entirely competent alignment operator. There is no one magical set of alignment figures, you have to work out for your particular car and driving style what you prefer. On the Road, 'jk ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 07 Feb 2003 18:28:44 -0500 From: Mo Karamat <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] FS: e36 M3 stuff + Snow tires. Dear All, I have the following parts for sale from a 98 e36M3. 1. Stock exhaust. The exhaust has about 45k on it & is in excellent shape. From what I understand it is a good upgrade for non-M e36's. 2. Front Strut hats. (2) 3. Stock Air box. I also have a set of steel rims w/ Yokohama guardex snows on them. The tires have about 1 season on them. They will fit any non M e36. Pls e-mail me directly if you are interested. [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thanks Mo ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 16:12:09 -0800 From: "T WALROD" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Yokohama tire promotion from waay last year Am I the only one? Remember waaay back in September how Tire Rack had a groovy promo going on? Buy a set of Yoko tahrs and get a free RC car? I thought that was a great plan - new shoes for the 533 and a RC car for my nephew for Christmas.. It seems that Yokohama didn't expect people to actually buy so many of their tires, because they didn't have enough of the promo cars on hand to meet demand. Christmas has come and gone and young Danny managed to tough it out with the normal surfeit of presents. What the heck - his birthday is pretty soon, so I called Tirerack to check on the status. This must have been a pretty important promotion for Yokohama - they expect to get some RC cars to the Tirerack in May (of this year I assume, though I didn't think to ask..). The nice customer service lady put a great spin on it: Yoko had considered an alternate gift but decided that the RC cars were so good that there was no substitute. Whizzz. Translation: Ernie got a trailer load of them cars for a song, we promoted them as a $99.99 value, and we haven't found a low cost jimcrack that people will believe is a reasonable substitute yet. Sorry for the pissnmoanin sarcasm, but looking at an eight month wait does that to me. Hell, my Little Orphan Annie decoder ring only took ten weeks to get, and that was when you had to mail things both ways. Tom Walrod (formerly posting as oldpa@wowmail) (yup, the yokos are keeping the bottom of my car off the pavement. So were the Dunlops I replaced) ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 07 Feb 2003 16:17:17 -0800 From: "Truxtun Jayne" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] E28 M5 FS $5000.00 > > , never tracked, raced or > > smoked. Includes Conforti chip, track pipe, K&N filter, outdoor car >cover > > >Hmmm, statements like that always make me wonder what the chip, track pipe >and K&N filter are for then, eye candy? > >haha, just teasing > >Mike Mike, I appreciate your wondering! I actually intended to attend driving school and get that car on the track, but due to children, work, etc had not got around to it. It sures sounds sweet w/o that cat!! Trux. _________________________________________________________________ Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 07 Feb 2003 21:15:28 -0500 From: Chris Baker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Re: [uucdigest] V3 #6097 O.K., there's been quite a bit of discussion going on while I wait for digests. I want to thank everyone again for taking the time to reply and offer advice. I appreciate all of it. First of all, the text below is definitely applicable. I've been to a total of three DE's. I'm a rookie. I haven't read up on the subject. I don't really know what I'm doing or talking about. But I'm working on it, and this is all part of the experience. To reply to some other advice, like I said in the beginning, cash is a very big factor. I won't be buying coilovers, much as I'd like to. I just bought the Bilstein/H&R's last spring, and they're staying. I won't be buying a full set of new aftermarket bars for the same reason. I'm not saying it shouldn't be suggested, as it may very well apply to someone else. I just won't be doing it. The sum total of the advice so far is that bigger/smaller bars in the front/back may increase the understeer/oversteer in any possible combination. I can appreciate that. There's lots of factors here, and lots of ways to affect the car's balance. I think I may buy someone's old M3 bars so I can dick around a little bit and have some fun trying with a cash outlay I can live with. Like I say about most things - the guy who knows the most is probably the guy who's screwed up the most. Thanks again, Chris B. > Date: Fri, 07 Feb 2003 11:47:56 -0800 > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [uuc] Understeering Drivers was re: E36 bars/weight transfer > ><snip> > > So when trying to cure a handling problem, its not always the car. > Many times, its an _understeering _driver. Can any amount of > performance part$$ can compensate for that? > Enjoy, > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 07 Feb 2003 23:24:03 -0600 From: Jay Quinn <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] 96 - 2003 BMW 540i Questions Hi all, What are the body/engine numbers & letters used to denote the styles and engine sizes, HP/Torque on the '96 - '03 BMW 540i? I think this is for a '99... the body is a E39, the engine M62, the HP/Torque 286/324. What is it for the 96 - 98, and '00 - '02. I think it could all be the same name and number, but the HP/Torque may be less in 96, and more in '02 or '03. Please let me know. Also, how does a 540i compare to say an M3? Can these (I've seen lots about Dinan) cars take well to mods and give a level of performace similiar to a M5? I would think certain year models would play a role in achieving that level of performance. Thanks, Jay mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 07 Feb 2003 21:36:40 -0800 From: Mark Dadgar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Black E36 dashboard? Anyone have a black E36 dashboard lying around they want to get rid off? Lemme know. Thanks! - - Mark - -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 07 Feb 2003 23:42:28 -0600 From: Mark and Heather Williams <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] [LSCchat] 2003 LSC BMW CCA DE at MotorSport Ranch March 8/9 (forwarded message) It's time once again for the annual Lone Star Chapter BMW CCA Driver's Education weekend! This year we will be hosting the event March 8/9. We decided to host the event a little earlier this year to avoid the intense heat of last years event. The DE will once again be held at MotorSport Ranch in Cresson TX. The basic DE format will be carried over from last year. Four 25 minute run sessions per day and a catered dinner Saturday night. This year we will have entirely brand new t-shirts as well (I promise!!). The cost for everything has remained the same with the exception of a $5 increase for the event. This is to cover the insurance increase of 15%. To sign up simply go to our website and hit the MOTORSPORTS button. Please follow the directions from there. http:///www.lscbmwcca.org So I encourage everyone to sign up again this year, it promises to be our most successful and coolest :-) year yet. I look forward to seeing y'all out there. If you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to email or call me. I will be out of town from Thursday evening until Sunday evening, so my cell phone will be the best way to get a hold of me over the weekend. Sincerely, Bob Mainini Motorsports Chairman LSC BMW CCA 214 557-1215 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 08 Feb 2003 11:12:09 -0500 From: "Lin Gary" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] DC area wanted - oil pan for '88 BMW 325i/s Sorry for the crosspost but I know not all of you are on each list. I cracked my oil pan and pickup over a curb. Does anyone happen to have an '88 ('87-91?) pan for sale? I'm having the car taken to Curry's in Chantilly. Please call me directly, I can pick up. Thanks. - -- Gary Lin 24h 571-216-6371 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2003 14:31:41 -0500 From: "Joseph T. Baptista Jr." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Sway Bars and Steering Issues I recently purchased a 1996 328i...I have an opportunity to purchase a set, front and rear, of used but excellent condition sway bars from an 98 M3. Should I go this route or is it better to buy a new pair? or should I go aftermarket sway bars. I do not plan on racing but I would like to improve the performance. Second question, the steering is extremely tight and can be choppy. As a result, I have not pushed the car yet. It feels as though the steering pump needs replacement but it does not sound like the pump is bad. What could be the cause of this problem? steering rack? Thanks in advance for your input. Joe ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2003 12:02:39 -0800 From: "Scott & Charlotte Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Contact Info for E30 M3 FS in Bay Area Recently someone asked me if I knew the owner of an E30 M3 for sale on the Bay Area E30 Network Classifieds. I don't know the owner, but in reviewing the ad, I discovered that the seller did not post his e-mail address. So I asked for it, and here it is: [EMAIL PROTECTED] The car can be seen at: www.baye30.net Click on Forums, Classified, and then FS: '88 E30 M3. Scott Miller GGC BMW CCA ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 08 Feb 2003 12:23:28 -0800 From: "Bora Akyol (BMW)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Sway Bars and Steering Issues On 2/8/03 11:31 AM, "Joseph T. Baptista Jr." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I recently purchased a 1996 328i...I have an opportunity to purchase a set, > front and rear, of used but excellent condition sway bars from an 98 M3. > Should I go this route or is it better to buy a new pair? or should I go > aftermarket sway bars. I do not plan on racing but I would like to improve > the performance. > > Second question, the steering is extremely tight and can be choppy. As a > result, I have not pushed the car yet. It feels as though the steering pump > needs replacement but it does not sound like the pump is bad. What could be > the cause of this problem? steering rack? > > Thanks in advance for your input. > > Joe > The rear bar is a bolt-on and you should not have any issues with the sway bar bracket ripping out, the front bar is also usable as long as you use the sway bar links that came with your car. The question you should ask yourself is whether you want the tune the car using springs/shocks or just by sway bar changes. I prefer the whole package approach myself. Bora ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 09:08:57 EST From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [uuc] Urethane bushings on e36 daily driver/track car for rear suspension In an effort to make my '92 e36 325IS more predictable and easier to rotate at the limit on the track I am strongly considering replacing the stock rear suspension bushings with urethane components such as the POWERFLEX bushings sold by Bimmerworld. They are 25% stiffer then stock rubber. The bushings in question are the rear trailing arm, control arm, subframe bushings and possibly differential mounts. A few questions, 1. How is the streetability and durability effected with urethane, the car is on H & R sport and Konis with stock bars and is driven spring thru fall in New England? 2. Are Urethane bushings a significant performance advantage over new stock rubber bushings or do you really have to get into the solid bushings for noticeable improvements. Can you feel the rear rotation earlier and is it more predictable and recoverable at the limit? 3. Are the urethane bushings legal for BMWCCA stock classes and are they widely used? Thanks, Gordon Geick 1992 e36 325IS 1976 Alfa Spider (lot of fun for the daily commute) ------------------------------ End of [uucdigest] V3 #6099 *************************** | | In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. |________________________________________ | Please visit these UUC-approved BMW parts vendors/service providers: | (listed alphabetically) | | Autoscope-Motorsports - http://www.autoscope-motorsports.com | |==================================================== | | Koala MotorSport . BMW technical information, special tool sales/rental | http://www.koalamotorsport.com | |==================================================== | | Taylor BMW - http://www.taylorbmw.com - Doc Bimmer! | UUC Motorwerks . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com |__________________________________________
