[Tambohamilton]

Ultralight wheels for the street, meaty ones for the track...you sure?

They look sweet. No way I could ever own them; I'd trash them in a day!

[Biginboca]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

Ultralight wheels for the street, meaty ones for the track...you sure?

They look sweet. No way I could ever own them; I'd trash them in a day!

These new wheels are about 1/2lb lighter each than the Arc 8’s in the same sizes. So pretty much interchangeable I was actually considering running ARC8 on one side of the car and the other side running the VS-5RS. The sizes and offsets are identical and the weights almost identical lol

[Phil325i]

Looking forward to your report on the effect they have on ride quality Al...

[Biginboca]

Originally Posted by Phil325i

Looking forward to your report on the effect they have on ride quality Al...

Phil, you talking about the wheels? I have no reason to think it would change, they are pretty much identical weight and specs to the ones on the car and I’m running the same brand and size tires. So I would guess any quality improvements will be in my emotional state when I’m looking at them lol

[Phil325i]

Originally Posted by Biginboca

Phil, you talking about the wheels? I have no reason to think it would change, they are pretty much identical weight and specs to the ones on the car and I’m running the same brand and size tires. So I would guess any quality improvements will be in my emotional state when I’m looking at them lol

Fair comment! I guess my question then would be what change in ride did you notice when you fitted your current wheels..?

[Biginboca]

Originally Posted by Phil325i

Fair comment! I guess my question then would be what change in ride did you notice when you fitted your current wheels..?

I went from oem wheels (28lbs) to VMR V710 wheels (22lbs) to Apex ARC8’s (19lbs) to the new Apex VS-5RS (18lbs).

Each time the car felt a little less sluggish in all ways, but it wasn’t a huge difference because it was small progression each step. But if you went from stock wheels to like Arc8’s and knocked off around 10lbs each wheel that would be a huge difference! You would feel that. Porsche estimates 1lb of wheel weight is worth 6lbs of static weight for how it affects handling and performance.

So do the math. Losing 6lbs per wheel for the first evolution I went though would be like losing 6x6x4 lbs off the car, or 144lbs of static weight. So the difference of having a passenger or not. You can feel that.

Now imagine going from stock wheels at 28lbs to my new wheels at 18lbs… 10x6x4 = 240lbs! That is a huge step up in performance gain!

[2one3E90]

lets do a 30 roll

[Biginboca]

Originally Posted by 2one3E90

lets do a 30 roll

Come on by anytime man, happy to try it. I’d rather hit a road course though!

[Biginboca]

Little bit of modding today. At the autocross a few weeks ago I found my shifter was giving me some frustration. Driving home I just wasn’t happy with it. Honestly I’ve never been happy with it. I’ve tried 4 different short shifters, replaced all the bushings with Delrin, tried 2 different DSSR set ups. I can’t help but think the crap transmission BMW used in these cars is just hopeless. It’ll never be like a P Car or Honda.

So today I did another mod. Currently I’m running the Turner adjustable short shifter. The plus is that the center ball is adjustable up or down, and the rod that knobs attach to is a also adjustable up or down like 1.5”. So I bought it thinking with all that adjustability maybe I could make something work to my satisfaction. I tried the short shift knob attachment and loved that it worked with oem style pop on knobs, but it was too short.

So I tried the long Rally style and it was much taller but maybe too tall for me and it only uses a proprietary threaded on Delrin knob that has no shift pattern on it. Because my build is more OEM plus than track car that always bothered me. I ran this set up but found the longer shifter magnified the play and I also deleted the center console lid last week so with my elbow resting lower the shifter felt too high with my new set up, even in its lowest position.



So today I made a new shifter out of the tall one that’s halfway between the 2 in height and uses pop on style oem knobs. This I’m thrilled with!

It was easy all I had to do was turn down the body of the shifter from 15 to 14mm, add a channel for the BMW shift knob grippers to click into, and then groove the top of the knob to make sure it didn’t rotate the shift pattern displayed on top out of alignment.











Very happy with this new height. So it’s a medium height short shifter that’s fully adjustable for throw and can be raised and lowered about 1.5”. And using OEM style knobs is always a plus. Turner should have offered this from go. The action and throw is very similar to S2000 shifter maybe a little bit harder to get into gear though because I have it set for the shortest throws. I think it’s now as good as this crap GM manual tranny can get.

[Tambohamilton]

Haha, sick! Excellent ghetto lathe work! Shame you didn't get the ZF boxes on yours, though I'm sure the linkage still has the same issues. The ZF boxes are tough as nails though, and the shift feel is great I think. Maybe worth researching a retrofit, in case the benefits could outweigh the £200 + shipping etc?

[Biginboca]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

Haha, sick! Excellent ghetto lathe work! Shame you didn't get the ZF boxes on yours, though I'm sure the linkage still has the same issues. The ZF boxes are tough as nails though, and the shift feel is great I think. Maybe worth researching a retrofit, in case the benefits could outweigh the £200 + shipping etc?

I think the US 330i (2006 MY only) had the ZF same as our 335i starting in 2007. The n52 US e9x cars had the GM from 2007 on.

The only good things I can say about the GM tranny are:

It’s lighter than the ZF
It’s not an automatic

Those are the only positive attributes lol

[Tambohamilton]

Ah yeah, I forget the 35i had zf. Well, run the GM until it breaks, then upgrade

[Biginboca]

I’ll be get some better pics of the new wheels soon, just was able to get a few preliminary pics between thunderstorms.

Before (apex arc8 bronze) and After (VS-5RS Brushed)

[BSM n54iS]

Originally Posted by Biginboca

Little bit of modding today. At the autocross a few weeks ago I found my shifter was giving me some frustration. Driving home I just wasn’t happy with it. Honestly I’ve never been happy with it. I’ve tried 4 different short shifters, replaced all the bushings with Delrin, tried 2 different DSSR set ups. I can’t help but think the crap transmission BMW used in these cars is just hopeless. It’ll never be like a P Car or Honda.

So today I did another mod. Currently I’m running the Turner adjustable short shifter. The plus is that the center ball is adjustable up or down, and the rod that knobs attach to is a also adjustable up or down like 1.5”. So I bought it thinking with all that adjustability maybe I could make something work to my satisfaction. I tried the short shift knob attachment and loved that it worked with oem style pop on knobs, but it was too short.

So I tried the long Rally style and it was much taller but maybe too tall for me and it only uses a proprietary threaded on Delrin knob that has no shift pattern on it. Because my build is more OEM plus than track car that always bothered me. I ran this set up but found the longer shifter magnified the play and I also deleted the center console lid last week so with my elbow resting lower the shifter felt too high with my new set up, even in its lowest position.



So today I made a new shifter out of the tall one that’s halfway between the 2 in height and uses pop on style oem knobs. This I’m thrilled with!

It was easy all I had to do was turn down the body of the shifter from 15 to 14mm, add a channel for the BMW shift knob grippers to click into, and then groove the top of the knob to make sure it didn’t rotate the shift pattern displayed on top out of alignment.











Very happy with this new height. So it’s a medium height short shifter that’s fully adjustable for throw and can be raised and lowered about 1.5”. And using OEM style knobs is always a plus. Turner should have offered this from go. The action and throw is very similar to S2000 shifter maybe a little bit harder to get into gear though because I have it set for the shortest throws. I think it’s now as good as this crap GM manual tranny can get.

Have you looked into the AutoSolutions kit?

[Biginboca]

Originally Posted by BdSM n54iS

Have you looked into the AutoSolutions kit?

I did! When I checked it out it looked like the same parts I’m currently running. DSSR, a M3 transmission attachment, and a shifter rod with a metal bearing. So I never really thought to look into purchasing one since the parts seem pretty much the same as what I have now.

[BSM n54iS]

Originally Posted by Biginboca

I did! When I checked it out it looked like the same parts I’m currently running. DSSR, a M3 transmission attachment, and a shifter rod with a metal bearing. So I never really thought to look into purchasing one since the parts seem pretty much the same as what I have now.

That's pretty much the reason I decided to go with Dinan and a few supporting parts, but the M guys swear by AS, never seen 1 guy upset with the setup. Ron does custom throw % so you can make it however you like. What was your biggest complaint though from the other setups I never read what you didn't like.

[rothwem]

Originally Posted by Biginboca

I think the US 330i (2006 MY only) had the ZF same as our 335i starting in 2007. The n52 US e9x cars had the GM from 2007 on.

The only good things I can say about the GM tranny are:

It’s lighter than the ZF
It’s not an automatic

Those are the only positive attributes lol

You're confusing the automatic and manual suppliers. What you wrote is correct for automatics. Your car, though, most definitely does not have a GM transmission. I don't think that GM even makes a manual. I don't think they've made a manual since before WWII.

The two suppliers for manuals were Getrag and ZF. I'm not sure what the break point is, but its the same transmission made by two different suppliers.

[Biginboca]

Originally Posted by rothwem

You're confusing the automatic and manual suppliers. What you wrote is correct for automatics. Your car, though, most definitely does not have a GM transmission. I don't think that GM even makes a manual. I don't think they've made a manual since before WWII.

The two suppliers for manuals were Getrag and ZF. I'm not sure what the break point is, but its the same transmission made by two different suppliers.

Yes! You are right I had a brain fart. Mine is the Getrag manual.

[Biginboca]

Originally Posted by BdSM n54iS

That's pretty much the reason I decided to go with Dinan and a few supporting parts, but the M guys swear by AS, never seen 1 guy upset with the setup. Ron does custom throw % so you can make it however you like. What was your biggest complaint though from the other setups I never read what you didn't like.

If you try a RTD or other chassis mounted shifter on a M3, or try a Porsche/Honda tranny then you’ll see the difference. They have like zero resistance going into gear and just feel locked into place once there. With my manual when I get the throw distance I like the effort is too high and it wants to fight going into gear while the synchros mesh for a second. Like it doesn’t want to slip easily into gear, it wants to make you wait a split second before it yields. And then the shifter play in gear also feels high and rubbery.

The car is outstanding in all respects except the manual driving experience. The heavier flywheel and poor shift quality are the only things keeping the car from being a viable alternative to a manual Cayman S for me. These things just aren’t quite where I want them although for the target market of the 328i originally they are probably ideal.

I’m working on addressing these things (the flywheel will be next year and I’m very close with the shifter now) and getting the car how I want it, more sports car than comfy cruiser. (That said I’m not willing to swap to a chassis mounted shifter because I don’t want to go to firm engine and tranny mounts, my car is primarily a daily so NVH is kept low.)

[Tambohamilton]

Originally Posted by rothwem

You're confusing the automatic and manual suppliers. What you wrote is correct for automatics. Your car, though, most definitely does not have a GM transmission. I don't think that GM even makes a manual. I don't think they've made a manual since before WWII.

The two suppliers for manuals were Getrag and ZF. I'm not sure what the break point is, but its the same transmission made by two different suppliers.

Ah good point, I just assumed Biginboca knew what he was talking about

I'm not sure on the specifics, but getrags have a reputation for being not bullet proof, where the ZF are used for all sorts of abuse (fitted to drift cars etc). The gate on the getrag is just too tight. It's firm and satisfying, but takes too much effort. The equivalent ZF almost falls into each gear by comparison, in a good way.

[ornicar]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

Ah good point, I just assumed Biginboca knew what he was talking about

I'm not sure on the specifics, but getrags have a reputation for being not bullet proof, where the ZF are used for all sorts of abuse (fitted to drift cars etc). The gate on the getrag is just too tight. It's firm and satisfying, but takes too much effort. The equivalent ZF almost falls into each gear by comparison, in a good way.

If it can help:


https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...38;postcount=7

[Tambohamilton]

That is interesting - I had no idea that either would use pumped lubrication. Probably a dramatic oversimplification, but it makes sense to me why ATF seems to work well in the ZF boxes.