Mightymousetech installs Ohlins

[MightyMouseTech]

So, I have finally decided to install a set of Ohlins R&T coil overs on SACRBLEU. (2013 135i) But this is going to be a little different than most, as I am trying to correct some other issues at the same time.

Some background:

I am running APEX EC-7 with 245/35/18 front, and 265/35/18 REAR. Currently MPSS, but will be getting MPS4S. So front tire clearance is an issue.
Currently have M3 front arms and Dinan plates.

I have a 1M front strut tower brace. This is causing some creaking noise as the studs of the 135i Dinan front camber plates are not long enough to fully engage the nuts for the front brace, so they can not be torqued properly.

Planned install:

This is strictly a street car, so lack of noise/harshness is paramount. This is the main reason I don't want to install adjustable camber plates. I plan on lowering the car only 10mm front, 15mm rear to get rid of the rake from the 245/265 tire sizes.

Since most of the suspension has been converted to 1M bits (front thrust and lower arms, rear guide and upper arms, RSFB and front sway bar) I plan to install the 1M version of the rear shocks along with the 1M rear camber arms. Also planning on using Swift rear springs.

For the front, I want to use the 135i front struts, but use 1M front upper mounts, along with Dinan 1M camber plates and Swift coil over springs and adapters for the 1M upper mounts. This will allow proper install of the 1M brace, and more suspension travel than the stock 135i mounts and adapter plates.

Not sure how different the stack height will be at the front, so not sure what front spring height will be needed to maintain tire clearance.

Not sure if this combination of front parts will all work together either. Will the 1M upper strut mounts fit on the 135i front struts?

Will be purchasing all aftermarket parts from Harold at HPA.

[ornicar]

Hi,

do you think to use 1M or maybe M2 Knuckles in order to fit a full 1M Ohlins kit. The big + is that you can setting the height witout change the springs. of course you can use the 1M upper mount too. What is a lttle tricky is the choice of calipers and brake discs.

[Suprgnat]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

...on SACRBLEU.

Could have stopped there.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by ornicar

Hi,

do you think to use 1M or maybe M2 Knuckles in order to fit a full 1M Ohlins kit. The big + is that you can setting the height witout change the springs. of course you can use the 1M upper mount too. What is a lttle tricky is the choice of calipers and brake discs.

Have thought about this.....a lot. Would like to keep current brakes, did lots of searching and looks like I would have to switch to 1M brakes. Plus there is the issue of wheel offsets and fitments. Seemed to solve one problem and create several more.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by Suprgnat

Could have stopped there.

[ornicar]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

Have thought about this.....a lot. Would like to keep current brakes, did lots of searching and looks like I would have to switch to 1M brakes. Plus there is the issue of wheel offsets and fitments. Seemed to solve one problem and create several more.

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

Have thought about this.....a lot. Would like to keep current brakes, did lots of searching and looks like I would have to switch to 1M brakes. Plus there is the issue of wheel offsets and fitments. Seemed to solve one problem and create several more.

I understand your hesitation about brakes. With M2 knuckles, to keep your 135i brembo caliper you have to use 345mm e46 csl disc & 11mm spacer, or better a special bracket ( see hydra performance ).

What do you mean by "the issue of wheel offsets and fitments"?

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by ornicar

I understand your hesitation about brakes. With M2 knuckles, to keep your 135i brembo caliper you have to use 345mm e46 csl disc & 11mm spacer, or better a special bracket ( see hydra performance ).

What do you mean by "the issue of wheel offsets and fitments"?

Not sure if going to a 1M or M2 knuckle will change the offset required for wheel fitment. It is VERY tight running 245 on the front. I also personally feel that if you require fender rolling/mods or limiting suspension travel to make a wheel/tire combo fit without rubbing, it does not fit properly.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by ornicar

Hi,

do you think to use 1M or maybe M2 Knuckles in order to fit a full 1M Ohlins kit. The big + is that you can setting the height witout change the springs. of course you can use the 1M upper mount too. What is a lttle tricky is the choice of calipers and brake discs.

Have been scouring the net a lot lately. Now thinking that going to an M2 front knuckle and brakes, and using a 1M bearing might be the ticket. Then can just run the 1M specific dampers. Big question is will my 18" APEX EC-7 wheels clear the M2 front brakes and caliper?

The 4 pot blue calipers will compliment the car, then I can just have my rear calipers powder coated blue to match. Would probably run RB 2 piece rotors front and rear.

[NorthernDancer]

Hopefully car doesn't have to come out of winter storage for this work.

I now know 6 people with 1 series in our area. 5 out of 6 winter store their car so they'll never see rust. I've always said that any small, rust free BMW with a manual tranny will not just hold their value but increase substantially as "they don't make them anymore".
If I add in Max, that would be 6 out of 7.

[ShocknAwe]

Just throwing this out here again..

I'm on F8xM front knuckle, 135i front hub, hydra caliper bracket, e46CSL rotor, 135i brembos. Have 1M front end with 275/35/18 fitted on 18x9.5et22 wheel which is tight fitment for 1M. Slight scrub on full compression at lock.

Omar@hydra is running 255 square with almost identical setup but stock narrow body I believe.

Should be ok!

Allows E9xM3 damper which has independent ride height collar and fits perfectly with the 1M top hat (which is better) and I added dinan fixed plates.

Great setup.

[ornicar]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

Just throwing this out here again..

I'm on F8xM front knuckle, 135i front hub, hydra caliper bracket, e46CSL rotor, 135i brembos. Have 1M front end with 275/35/18 fitted on 18x9.5et22 wheel which is tight fitment for 1M. Slight scrub on full compression at lock.

Omar@hydra is running 255 square with almost identical setup but stock narrow body I believe.

Should be ok!

Allows E9xM3 damper which has independent ride height collar and fits perfectly with the 1M top hat (which is better) and I added dinan fixed plates.

Great setup.

one more thing, you can use the "corrective" F8x knuckles that allows to increase negative camber in a very elegant way IMHO.

#PN : 31217853639 & 31217853640

search @beepee threads about this topic on M2 forum.

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by ornicar

one more thing, you can use the "corrective" F8x knuckles that allows to increase negative camber in a very elegant way IMHO.

#PN : 31217853639 & 31217853640

search @beepee threads about this topic on M2 forum.

These are different from stock F8x knuckles?

Do the E9xM3 front control arms bolt up after?

[ornicar]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

These are different from stock F8x knuckles?

Do the E9xM3 front control arms bolt up after?

They are F8x Knuckles, but with corrective values. Normaly they are used to correct/balance left to right value after a crash if there is a difference after the reparation.

"Do the E9xM3 front control arms bolt up after?" : Yes bolt on

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by ornicar

one more thing, you can use the "corrective" F8x knuckles that allows to increase negative camber in a very elegant way IMHO.

#PN : 31217853639 & 31217853640

search @beepee threads about this topic on M2 forum.

Yes, I know about these knuckles. Don't think it would add enough camber. I am running Dinan plates right now, so the camber correcting knuckles would only be adding about half the camber of those. Currently at -2.2 and would like to stay the same for tire clearance.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

These are different from stock F8x knuckles?

Do the E9xM3 front control arms bolt up after?

Ya, BMW offers these for most cars, can correct +/- 30 minutes, or half a degree.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

Just throwing this out here again..

I'm on F8xM front knuckle, 135i front hub, hydra caliper bracket, e46CSL rotor, 135i brembos. Have 1M front end with 275/35/18 fitted on 18x9.5et22 wheel which is tight fitment for 1M. Slight scrub on full compression at lock.

Omar@hydra is running 255 square with almost identical setup but stock narrow body I believe.

Should be ok!

Allows E9xM3 damper which has independent ride height collar and fits perfectly with the 1M top hat (which is better) and I added dinan fixed plates.

Great setup.

Wait, so the regular 135i hubs fit the M2/3/4 knuckles? That's promising.

How do I see/order these brackets?

This sounds like the perfect set up. You mentioned an 11mm spacer for the rotor? Did you use the 1M specific Dinan plates and transfer over the studs?

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

Wait, so the regular 135i hubs fit the M2/3/4 knuckles? That's promising.

How do I see/order these brackets?

This sounds like the perfect set up. You mentioned an 11mm spacer for the rotor? Did you use the 1M specific Dinan plates and transfer over the studs?

I'm not using a spacer up front. I have a 5mm spacer in rear to run 275/35/28 back there too.

Barry@3DM customized my 135i dinan plates to fit the 1M top hat.

Caliper bracket is purchased through Hydra Performance in lebanon.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by ornicar

They are F8x Knuckles, but with corrective values. Normaly they are used to correct/balance left to right value after a crash if there is a difference after the reparation.

"Do the E9xM3 front control arms bolt up after?" : Yes bolt on

I was thinking about the camber correction knuckles some more. They are very useful, but unfortunately they won't work for me. By using the knuckles to increase camber, they will reduce the strut to tire clearance. Unfortunately I have zero extra clearance there right now, as I only have a couple mm of clearance as it stands.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by NorthernDancer

Hopefully car doesn't have to come out of winter storage for this work.

I now know 6 people with 1 series in our area. 5 out of 6 winter store their car so they'll never see rust. I've always said that any small, rust free BMW with a manual tranny will not just hold their value but increase substantially as "they don't make them anymore".
If I add in Max, that would be 6 out of 7.

Don't worry, she is sitting all warm and snug in a heated garage, among good company.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

I'm not using a spacer up front. I have a 5mm spacer in rear to run 275/35/28 back there too.

Barry@3DM customized my 135i dinan plates to fit the 1M top hat.

Caliper bracket is purchased through Hydra Performance in lebanon.

It also looks like the E46 M3 CSL rotors use the two metal pins and the two smaller rotor screws. I guess it would be ideal to use the 1M front hub/bearing. This would allow proper installation of the M3 rotor, and still retain the use of the 12mm stock wheel bolts.

[ornicar]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

It also looks like the E46 M3 CSL rotors use the two metal pins and the two smaller rotor screws. I guess it would be ideal to use the 1M front hub/bearing. This would allow proper installation of the M3 rotor, and still retain the use of the 12mm stock wheel bolts.

Correct with 1M or M2 wheel bearing you have the benefits of the pin.

The wheel bearing offset is the same between F8x and our cars e8x e9x

the 14mm wheel bolt is an amelioration compares to the 12mm. Stronger. 140N.m / 120N.m wheel torque.

Some tuners sell it as a track kit upgrade.

The important thing you have to understand is that with f8x knuckles your caliper will be offsetting +11mm outside and +R5 (radius + 5mm) so check if you ill have enough clearance to fit your wheels without wheel spacers.

attached the caliper spacers i used

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

It also looks like the E46 M3 CSL rotors use the two metal pins and the two smaller rotor screws. I guess it would be ideal to use the 1M front hub/bearing. This would allow proper installation of the M3 rotor, and still retain the use of the 12mm stock wheel bolts.

The ecs floating 2pc CSL rotors I used are direct fit to the nonM hubs. One of the reasons I used them.

I may switch to the M hubs eventually but why replace them if theyre in good shape on a mostly street driven car.