Questions about my setup

[KD718]

So today I FINALLY installed my M3 control arms, Koni yellows, H&R springs, and GC camber plates after having them sitting in a box in my house for months. I apologize for no pictures but the front is damn low! I read that that particular shock/spring combo was one of the lower ones around and that camber plates can actually drop it that much more, I didn't think to compare the stock top hats and the Ground Control camber plates before I put them in. The plates are currently sitting at -1.0 and the wheels seem considerably raked and the tires squeal on the lines on the road at slower speeds. Obviously I need to get an alignment as well. I'm trying to weigh my options here. There's too much rubbing going on up front. The rear is fine although my initial feeling is that the car feels very jittery. First, can I go with a taller camber plate? A half inch might give me enough room to stop the rubbing and no I don't NEED camber plates but I do intend on bringing the car to the track occasionally after I come back from deployment so they seemed like a logical investment. Second, anyone know how much difference in drop between the H&R sport springs and Swifts? I figure if I keep the Koni's that Swifts would match up well. Opinions welcome. I'll try to post a picture or two as soon as possible.

[Pyrat 2]

Don't have any personal experience with the gc plates. I have Dinans which actually raise the ride height by about 1/8 compared to stock because they sit above the strut bearing. They also serve as a strut tower reinforcement plate. I am at -1.5 camber and have read that I could go to probably -2 if desired.

[Pig Farmer]

Sounds like you installed the kit yourself. Did you get an alignment since the install? The M3 control arms and lower ride height is going to have a pretty significant effect on your toe. I suspect that the front has several degrees of toe-out which would explain the squealing when riding over paint. If I were you, I would shorten the tie rods on each side by equal amounts (at least one full turn), drive it for a week to let the suspension settle, then go in for a proper alignment.

[KD718]

Yea I installed it with a buddy. No I just finished it yesterday evening put a couple miles on it and haven't messed with it today because I'm stuck on duty. I will adjust the tie rods though. Still think I'm going to want to change my plates though, didn't really want to be tucking tire.

[I35it]

I would adjust the tie rods right away before driving the vehicle again unless your driving straight to get an alignment. The car probably feels jittery because of some severe TOE going on.

Where are you rubbing in the front? I am going to assume you have stock tires? Have you thought about more camber?

And what H&R springs are you running?

[KD718]

Running Pilot Super Sport 225 front, 255 rear 45/40 series' respectively iirc, maybe 40/35. Rubbing the fenderwell near the top, the front bumper on the inside of the upper corner, and the inner fender a little more towards the front of the car. I'll get some pics up tomorrow.

[KD718]

Haven't driven it so I haven't adjusted the toe yet. Still waiting to hear from Ground Control for the height measurement of the camber plates to see if swapping those would help me or if I need to change springs. Vorshlag got back to me and told me there's are the same height as stock. This is how it sits at the moment, pardon the grime.

[houtan]

be careful when turning and hitting big dips. after i lowered on swift springs, installed m3 bits, and installed my apex arc 8s, 235/40 in the front, i would get a slight rub on big bumps going straight and small bumps when turning.

i thought i was only rubbing on the black plastic in the upper corner where the bumper meets the fender, so i shaved that down. it helped but i still had a rub. every time i would check where it was rubbing i couldn't see any additional tire marks so i couldn't tell where it was rubbing. i let it be for a while and figured it would work its way out. after about a month, i checked again and could clearly see where the tire was rubbing on a little bit of the fender lip because i could see bare metal. also you could see my fender was pulling out ever so slightly.

installed my dinan camber plates, covered up the bare metal with some primer, and got an alignment. no more rubbing, camber is set at 2.2, which is the minimum i could set it at. car drives really good and it raised up the front a little bit which is what i wanted. the swifts are supposed to be even front to rear, but i always felt it had a slight forward rake before the dinan camber plate install.

anyway, sorry for the long post. just wanted to give a heads up since i had a similar rubbing issue.

[chris82]

First off, get an alignment ASAP. Then worry about the other stuff

[KD718]

Good info houtan thanks. I don't want to get an alignment if I'm going to mess with it, an alignment won't change the fact that it rubs like crazy. The cars sitting until I can figure a plan for springs or plates.

[Freon]

There's only so much travel in the suspension. I actually tend to think the 135i is already low enough from the factory. Chasing that look is going to sacrifice performance and ride quality. Plus ground clearance is also already pretty bad. I scrape at stock height on quite a few speed bumps.

[KD718]

Originally Posted by Freon

There's only so much travel in the suspension. I actually tend to think the 135i is already low enough from the factory. Chasing that look is going to sacrifice performance and ride quality. Plus ground clearance is also already pretty bad. I scrape at stock height on quite a few speed bumps.

Agreed, I didn't really want to lower it too much but I probably chose the wrong suspension.

[KD718]

So I found I put my camber plates on backwards....as in the arrow that says passenger or driver front was facing towards the front of the car. Supposedly it should face towards the passenger compartment. Anyone have a picture to give me a reference. If you just clock it 180 degrees the bolts no longer line up.

[houtan]

Do you have the instructions for the plates?

[KD718]

Only thing they came with was a paper saying to torque to 18 ft-lbs

Edit: After further analyzation they had to be right the first time. There really is no other way. I guess it's just too low with these springs and plates.

[houtan]

Really. Mine had verbal instructions written as well. I'll tey and find them.

[houtan]

Says letter should be inwards, arrow forwards. So L is the drivers side, should be inwards towards the engine, arrow forwards.

[KD718]

Update: After following your directions and staring at my strut mount and plates for 30 minutes, they were in right the first time. I went to a pretty decent shop down here in SD, and the shop owner took one look and said they were clocked wrong and the shop did the same thing on an M3 the other day. Problem is, the M plates do not look like the non-m at all. I'm pretty sure the measurements are in a different spot. Luckily I already ordered Dinan plates so I just reinstalled my stock top hats and out in the dinan plates I didn't have a tape measure but I'd say I gained about a half inch. I post a picture of the final product when I get a chance.