bc racing went from top to bottom on quality

[Stormy_be]

Hi all,

Really surprised i have to write this.
Just started fitting my bc racing front coilover suspension and it doesn't fit.
The holes do not align on the wheelhub.

I first fitted the top screw, then the 2 bottom screws, but i could tighten then up.
The hub surface is not flat to the plate on the coilover.
I tried a different hub (i have a spare set) same issue.
...and it's on both sides.

To make sure i'm not mistaken, i took the other way round in fitting them.
First fitting the bottom 2 screws, so for sure both surfaces are now sitting flat, the top bolt is not aligning at all....
...look at the picture with the bottom bolt fixed....

Paying a 1200€ for a set of coilover then getting this quality of alignment???

@Lee @Brian H @Dino D
Did you have the same issue? I can't imagine the fixing would be ok.
And putting more pressure on the bolt it would snap.

Regards, Koen

 

[Brian H]

Certainly did not have any issue when fitting mine @Stormy_be, I think you have a different set to us though, any chance of a pic with a wider angle?

 

[Stormy_be]

The type indicated on the shocks (front &rear) is I-10

View attachment 19837

 

[GazHyde]

I don't recall there being any alignment issues when Dino's were fitted, in fact the whole process was over really quickly! Biggest issue was not scratching the lovely finish on them...

 

[t-tony]

Might be a daft question, but are they handed?

Tony.

 

[Stormy_be]

Might be a daft question, but are they handed?

Tony.

Your remark can be 2-like:
* Left vs right hand drive? No, the hubs are the same....and even so, I bought the kit in the UK and my car is a RHD car.
* Left vs Right? Yes, there is a difference, but not in these fixations (I even tried the left hub on the right spring - just to be 110% sure)

I have sent them a mail....but some here on the forum haven't been positive on their support when they needed it on the setup of their springs.
So I'm holding my breath.

 

[t-tony]

Ok Koen, it was a long shot mate, I just thought half a chance. Hope you get it sorted out soon.

Tony.

 

[Dino D]

Lee and Gaz fitted mine so I'm not sure but don't think there was any issue. It's not impossible they sent you the wrong ones...
Gaz took plenty of pics when fitting, if you look on that thread you might be able to see any difference?

 

[GazHyde]

Good point about the pictures, I'll see if I have any others tomorrow.

 

[Dino D]

We should make sub forum call BC R+D and charge them commission (or get free coilovers)!!


Ps Koen those stock rear springs look odd, did they have different height spring pads to compensate the height?

 

[Stormy_be]

We should make sub forum call BC R+D and charge them commission (or get free coilovers)!!


Ps Koen those stock rear springs look odd, did they have different height spring pads to compensate the height?

Pads were the same on both sides.
As said above, one of the springs can be a replacement. But I was still surprised to see they were not at all the same.

 

[Dino D]

Some pics of my front right.

 

[Stormy_be]

View attachment 19934 View attachment 19935
View attachment 19936
Some pics of my front right.

looks the same here.
Only the 2 plates on your last picture don't sit flat.
The hub surface and the plate on the shock. On the bottom I have a 1mm gap.

Can you check that?

Thanks, Koen

 

[Stormy_be]

@Dino D,

Do you realize that you mention you have taken pictures of the front right shock and the label is indicating "FL"...which i would think relates to "front left" as my shock have "FL" and "FR" on them.
Nevertheless that, I tried to fit the "FL" and "FR" shock to the left hub, which gave the same result. (And I tried "FR" on the right hub too).

Can you still double check on the gap?

Thanks, Koen

 

[Dino D]

What are the differences between the left and right side parts Koen?

Re the gap, looking at the hi res photo on phone and zooming in I don't see any gap. I will look under the car when I get a chance.

 

[Stormy_be]

What are the differences between the left and right side parts Koen?

Re the gap, looking at the hi res photo on phone and zooming in I don't see any gap. I will look under the car when I get a chance.

I think the only difference on the BC shock is the bracket for the ARB's. On the standard shocks the bracket for the cables is different too, but I don't think it is different on the BC's shocks.

This issue kept me thinking all weekend....I have replaced my hub's....with standard E36 hubs...........
I know E36 hub's should be the same.
I did connect these replacement hubs to the original shocks and there is no gap either.
Therefor I supposed there is no difference between the two.
But maybe, just maybe, it's the standard shock-bracket that get's bend. *starting to see ghosts everywhere*

E36's hub should be the same,
...but what if the seller sold me E46 hub's... *ghosts again?*
I know the bottom suspension-arm is a little more "outwards" (as Tommy used it to get more Camber on his drift-car).

I have given my Z3 hubs as "replacement" for the E36's.
So not directly possible to test them. *grrrr*
Need to get back to the guy selling me the hub's, hoping he still has my old hubs, so that I can try them too.
I need to try this to be again 110% sure it's not 'my mistake' instead of BC-Racings.

.....starting to dought everything for the moment.

 

[Brian H]

This issue kept me thinking all weekend....I have replaced my hub's....with standard E36 hubs...........
I know E36 hub's should be the same.

According to realoem the kingpins should be the same, why did you swap them? (just curious if they were the same?)

 

[Stormy_be]

According to realoem the kingpins should be the same, why did you swap them? (just curious if they were the same?)

1) Mine were very rusted.
2) One of the bolts snapped off when removing the suspension (to be able to fit the BC-Racing ones)....First I didn't want to take the effort in removing it. Secondly it probabily would have made me use a heli-coil, which just isn't the same. The forces I'm going to put on them in doing slalom would not be good for heli-coils inserts.

I thought so to, that they were the same. Except for M- king pin's. But if it were E46's, then it could just be. Had the guy on the phone this morning, he still has my old hub's. He conformed that the hub should be E36's....will confirm this evening with my old hubs fitted to the BC-Racing suspension.

Regards, Koen

 

[Stormy_be]

The response I just got from BC-Racing (UK):

"You need to fit the top bolt but do not tighten it up, and then push the lower end (plate) towards and make sure the bolt holes are aligned, and then screw the bolts and tighten them up (including the top bolt). It is normal that the surface is not flat, but once you tighten them up, the plate will move further and keep contact with hub."​

Not sure I'm happy with that.

 

[Mnbrennan]

You're giving me kittens here!