Rear coilovers too high on lowest setting

[John_B]

Afternoon all,

I have just finished fitting coilovers, replacing the lowering springs I fitted last year which resulted in the front axle remaining OEM height, and the rear axle looking like I was carrying breeze blocks (top picture).

With the coilovers the front axle has remained the same height more or less, but I'm not worried about that. There is still plenty of adjustment left to get the front dialled in.

But the rear axle is really concerning me. With the adjustment on its lowest setting it is way too high. I could remove the adjuster and just run the spring and spring pads, but this seems to defeat the whole point of fitting coilovers, on the rear axle at least anyway.

I've reached out to the vendor to see if maybe I have been given the wrong springs, but thought it would be worth asking here too in case I have missed something really stupid (it's my first time fitting coilovers).

Thanks in advance

 

[Duncodin]

I looked a 'ProSport' coilovers and spoke ProSport because I couldn't find anything for Z3 on their site. He explained to me that the Z3 front is the same as other E36 but the rear is same as E30. So standard E36 Rears won't work. The ones to order would be for the E36Compact which also has the same E30 Rear as Z3. But he went on to explain that the rear end of E36 Compact is way heavier than the Z3's so although the rear springs would physically fit they wouldn't lower much.. . He said.

 

[John_B]

I looked a 'ProSport' coilovers and spoke ProSport because I couldn't find anything for Z3 on their site. He explained to me that the Z3 front is the same as other E36 but the rear is same as E30. So standard E36 Rears won't work. The ones to order would be for the E36Compact which also has the same E30 Rear as Z3. But he went on to explain that the rear end of E36 Compact is way heavier than the Z3's so although the rear springs would physically fit they wouldn't lower much.. . He said.

Thanks! that would certainly explain what I am seeing! The site I bought them from said they were compatible with the Z3. Hopefully they'll get back to me soon and we can figure something out

 

[Duncodin]

Thanks! that would certainly explain what I am seeing! The site I bought them from said they were compatible with the Z3. Hopefully they'll get back to me soon and we can figure something out

I did buy the ProSport E36 Compact. I'm not looking for lowering. Not much anyway. I'd be happy to fit the rears without the adjuster seats but I can't see that working because the coil that sits in the adjuster seat is much bigger than the original rubber seat so would just slop about.

But I haven't fitted anything yet. Not for the want of trying. I just can't budge the old strut bolts. Rusted totally solid. Try again tomorrow with some heat.

 

[John_B]

I was in the same boat last year. I have two words for you:

Impact. Wrench.

i got a £60 one from Amazon and it's been great. Doesn't get a ton of use, but it's never let me down when I've called on its assistance!

 

[Duncodin]

I was in the same boat last year. I have two words for you:

Impact. Wrench.

i got a £60 one from Amazon and it's been great. Doesn't get a ton of use, but it's never let me down when I've called on its assistance!

Got one. It's supposed to be 550nm. Ordered a decent 18mm six sided socket which came today. Was out there just now with it hammering away. No budge.

 

[t-tony]

Did you try tightening before loosening?

Tony.

 

[Duncodin]

Did you try tightening before loosening?

Tony.

Yeah. Tight loose, tight loose, repeat.

In hindsight though I didn't press the max button. But that just increases the impacts per minute.

Having a drink now so don't make me go out and play with power tools

 

[t-tony]

That could be where you went wrong. Always loosen on Max. power.

Tony.

 

[Duncodin]

Having a drink now so don't make me go out and play with power tools

Ok. Ah fishid me drinkypoos sho I cun go oushide, ouffshit . . Sho I'll go out and jag, jack th car up and have anurher, another go. . . Wotscha wurshatcanhappen.

 

[IainP]

View attachment 312285

That's a strange looking set, not seen ones that came with new rubber mounts before.
Removing the locking collar will gain you 10mm, fitting the standard rubber top pad another 5 by the look of that pic. You can replace the lower pad with thinner rubber too.
As Duncodin said though, the spring rate is usually higher than a Z3 needs.

 

[John_B]

That's a strange looking set, not seen ones that came with new rubber mounts before.
Removing the locking collar will gain you 10mm, fitting the standard rubber top pad another 5 by the look of that pic. You can replace the lower pad with thinner rubber too.
As Duncodin said though, the spring rate is usually higher than a Z3 needs.

The pads are floflex ones I had fitted previously. Good idea about removing the locking collar, I hadn't thought of that!

 

[Pennelle]

Double-check the specs and compare them to what’s recommended for your setup.

 

[Nodzed]

Got one. It's supposed to be 550nm. Ordered a decent 18mm six sided socket which came today. Was out there just now with it hammering away. No budge.

If you are really stuck you're not too far from me, come down I have a nugga that will flip the car over.

 

[Dino D]

Had that issue with BC coilovers there for the Z3.
Solved by removing the collars and running the spring pads only.
They came with 6kg springs that were bottoming out badly not helped by the long adjusters threads on the collar.

Changed them for 8 kg and no collar, just the pads and it’s great (can still bottom out but not harshly or as often as before).

I want raise the car now a bit and of course now can’t find the spring adjuster collars(!) may have given them away, but in any case will just use spring pads.

I can’t remember the ratio exactly but I think it’s something like a 10mm spring pad will actually raise it by 14mm because of the geometry (that number is probably wrong but the point was it will raise / lower more than the spring pad thickness)

Hope that helps.

 

[Duncodin]

If you are really stuck you're not too far from me, come down I have a nugga that will flip the car over.

Thanks for the offer. But I've cracked them now. Got some heat on to them and they're loose.

 

[Duncodin]

Afternoon all,

I have just finished fitting coilovers, replacing the lowering springs I fitted last year which resulted in the front axle remaining OEM height, and the rear axle looking like I was carrying breeze blocks (top picture).

With the coilovers the front axle has remained the same height more or less, but I'm not worried about that. There is still plenty of adjustment left to get the front dialled in.

But the rear axle is really concerning me. With the adjustment on its lowest setting it is way too high. I could remove the adjuster and just run the spring and spring pads, but this seems to defeat the whole point of fitting coilovers, on the rear axle at least anyway.

I've reached out to the vendor to see if maybe I have been given the wrong springs, but thought it would be worth asking here too in case I have missed something really stupid (it's my first time fitting coilovers).

Thanks in advance

I finally got round to fitting my rear springs. I fitted mine with the adjusters at the top. No room at the bottom to get the adjuster wrench on.

At the lowest adjustment the bottom of the rear jacking point is 6 inches off the ground.

I thought about fitting them without the adjusters but the size of the coil is much bigger than the rubber seat/pad meaning the spring could slip about on the pad. I didn't like the sound of that.

 

[John_B]

My circumstances have changed somewhat drastically - I am buying a 2.8! It was going to be for an engine swap, but in the cold light of day and considering the would-be donor car, I am 90% sure I am chickening out and deferring my soiree into engine swapping for a later date

Now I need to decide whether I sort the ride height out on this car and sell it with the coilovers, or put the previous set up back on

 

[Duncodin]

My circumstances have changed somewhat drastically - I am buying a 2.8!

Do you mean that the 2.8 'donor' is now going be restored and kept and the 1.9 is being moved on? I don't know the condition of the 2.8 but if it's fixable then that would be my prefered option.

Now I need to decide whether I sort the ride height out on this car and sell it with the coilovers, or put the previous set up back on

My coilovers were pretty cheap. If I was selling my car I couldn't be bothered to take them back out. I'd just adjust the front up to match the back and sell it as is.

 

[John_B]

Do you mean that the 2.8 'donor' is now going be restored and kept and the 1.9 is being moved on? I don't know the condition of the 2.8 but if it's fixable then that would be my prefered option.

Exactly. From pictures and chatting to the seller I don't think it will need much in the way of restoration, it looks pretty solid.

My coilovers were pretty cheap. If I was selling my car I couldn't be bothered to take them back out. I'd just adjust the front up to match the back and sell it as is.

My thoughts too It rides so much nicer on the coilovers too, even with them set to Monster Truck mode