[EB89]

Originally Posted by GeTiNQ

How is the turbos brooo suututututuuuuu

Haha

[Flex68]

Vids vids vids pretty please lol

[Socket]

Originally Posted by GeTiNQ

I can't wait to hear it now

What time are you going Vince's tomorrow?

After 9 mate

[T1M]

Everyone meet at vinces at 10am

[Socket]

MOD 51 - M3 Front Control Arms and Dinan Camber Plates

Vince, Nic and I caught up at Bimmer yoda's place to install some new bits to improve the front end performance. Nice new M3 control arms and Dinan camber plates. Ended up being an all day job, thanks to the a front mounting bracket that needed to be widened to fit the new control arms and having cut down a new socket to attach the camber plates to the koni yellows.

Car is going in next week for set up and alignment, by the suspension wizards at Traction in Rowville. But already the steering feels much tighter and more responsive, with much more road feedback through the steering wheel.

Did not expect this mod to make such a difference.

Once again, big thanks to Vince and Nic. Thanks fellas

Pics of control arm install below:

Pic 1 - Old and new control arms
Pic 2 - Before - Wheel removed
Pic 3 - Problem bracket
Pics 4 & 5 - Installing new arms
Pic 6 - After - Wheel removed

[Socket]

Pics of camber plate install :

Pic 1 - Vince fabricating special tool - nice work boots mate
Pics 2 to 4 - Removing shocks
Pic 5 to 7 - Installing new camber plates
Pic 8 - Reinstalling shocks
Pic 9 - Adjusting toe
Pic 10 - New camber

[iliketurtl3s]

Hahahahahahahaha bimmer yoda. Too much mcm

[Trev88]

Socks your thread is so bad! its tempting me to change the arms too! Haha

[vtl]

Heres some pics of the special socket we had to make.

To tighten a strut top nut you normally have to hold the strut with an allen socket while you tighten up the nut. I already have the tools to do with for the stock strut and a bilstein strut (21mm and 22mm respectively). Unfortunately Socket's car has Konis which use a 19mm nut and 11mm head for the spindle.

Ordered a 19mm crows foot socket to work with the Koni shocks but didn't arrive. So Phil bought a 19mm deep well socket and I ground out a large notch.

This took most of the morning including finding out none of my tools would fit inside of the socket. Had to go to the shops to buy a tiny 1/4" breaker bar which is small enough to fit. These things are a pain to find so lucky I have a Total Tools store near my house.

All this effort was so we could tighten the top nut with a torque wrench. I'm not sure most mechanics would bother, probably just rattle the nut on with an impact but I like to do things properly.

[Socket]

Originally Posted by vtl

Heres some pics of the special socket we had to make.

You are a certified genius Vince

[Socket]

Originally Posted by Trev88

Socks your thread is so bad! its tempting me to change the arms too! Haha

Do it Trev!!! makes a huge difference to the steering

My old control arms were in pretty good shape with very little play in the knuckles, so the improvement isn't because there was lots of movement in the arms before hand, just the M3 bits are designed differently to the stock arms.

Vince can chime in here, but I think he said it's useful to change these out after 100-120K or so as part of preventative maintenance

[Trev88]

Originally Posted by Socket

Do it Trev!!! makes a huge difference to the steering

My old control arms were in pretty good shape with very little play in the knuckles, so the improvement isn't because there was lots of movement in the arms before hand, just the M3 bits are designed differently to the stock arms.

Vince can chime in here, but I think he said it's useful to change these out after 100-120K or so as part of preventative maintenance

Haha to do list:
Nick - asks me to change my rims and tyres
Socks - control arms
Vince - bushings and front sway

[Trev88]

Originally Posted by Socket

You are a certified genius Vince

Vince's has become our workshop go to spot

[vtl]

I put the M3 control arms into my car on stock suspension. Gave a little more front end grip on high speed corners but nothing too noticeable in my opinion. Considering how expensive they are, they are not that great bang per buck mod if you only have stock suspension.

Once you have upgraded the roll stiffness (either with suspension or sway bars)
they will do a lot more. The camber plates are much more bang per buck as they give more camber than the M3 control arms. Combine both of them and you'll get a good amount of camber to give that awesome turn in and front end grip. The M3 arms are definitely worthwhile when it is combined with these other mods.

If you have a lot of kms (greater than 130-150kms) depending on the type of driving the car has seen, the ball joints may be worn out, every car will be different though. But if you do have worn out arms, no point in putting in stock ones back in, may as well go upgraded ones.

[titium]

Socket what setting do you run your konis at?

[Socket]

Originally Posted by titium

Socket what setting do you run your konis at?

Do you mean the hardness or alignment settings?
If hardness, I have no idea, have never adjusted them from the stock settings

[bmwheath]

Love the PPE safety workboots
Who am i to judge, i usually weld in my thongs lol
Car must be feeling really good now Sock after all the mods

[Socket]

Originally Posted by bmwheath

Love the PPE safety workboots
Who are i to judge, i usually weld in my thongs lol
Car must be feeling really good now Sock after all the mods

Getting there mate alignment and tune will help

[Socket]

Took SPCGRY into Traction at Rowville today, to have wheels set up following Vinces install of the control arms and camber plates.

Guys really know their stuff, gave them the settings I wanted (aka the settings Vince suggested) and the guys set to work..... 40 mins and $99 later the front end steers like its on rails

Coming from a Porsche that are known for great steering, SPCGRY now has that rifle like precision I loved so much in the Boxster...

All I need now is some new spacers to close up the gap in the front wheels from the extra camber ...

Happy days

Pic 1 - Out front of Traction workshop
Pics 2 & 3 - Shane doing his magic
Pic 4 - Settings

[bradsm87]

Front camber, front toe and rear toe look awesome . With your power level, going down to around -1° to -1°15' camber in the rear will help traction noticeably if the adjustment range is there.

[Socket]

Originally Posted by bradsm87

Front camber, front toe and rear toe look awesome . With your power level, going down to around -1° to -1°15' camber in the rear will help traction noticeably if the adjustment range is there.

So I should get the rear camber brought back in a bit then Brad??

[bradsm87]

Originally Posted by Socket

So I should get the rear camber brought back in a bit then Brad??

I would mate. Maybe see what Vince thinks too. Pitty I can never get tagging working on here.