I have decided to replace the front shock absorbers nonetheless because the right example devellops a 'cluncking' sound on rougher roads. OEM Bilsteins are still available from BMW so I bit the bullet and bought some to replace the front-pair.
As a bonus, a few pictures from the 2010 trip to the Ardennes with the Dutch E21 owners group.
My attempts to get them straight from Bilstein proved to be a tiresome and exhausting story, so I ended up buying them from BMW as well. About a year ago I paid more than 400 a piece, so I guess you got a pretty good price on them!
After waiting for almost two years, the new output flanges came in about a week ago. Their price has risen to 107 Euro plus exchange ex VAT, but this still beats the price for remanufacturing on own initiative and directive.
When I examined them more closely, I noticed that these are made from aluminum rather than cast from steel as the original ones. I suspect that the original tooling is no longer available and that BMW decided to have them machined and not casted. This can be done straight from a CAM-file by a routing-machine without additional tooling, but the process is more expensive.
The advantage of alloy is that they won’t corrode, but whether these will be able to withstand the M88/3’s power remains to be seen. This especially applies to Alpina’s B7 turbo that yields more than 500Nm of torque on the crankshaft.
I also have some new OEM front springs that will be fitted in the winter of 2012/2013 together with the new shock-absorbers.
Every time I am going through #231 E28 M5 rebuild and see all these sweet brand new parts you are buying. I have noticed there is not even one part that is good quality aftermarket to improve the over the factory design...Small and just an example...I had to go through many bushing being Mahle made for E24/E28 cars but smaller to fit the E24/E28 place without to stretch the bracket...exact what you have there after not to many miles the annoying shimming is back as again and again...In order to replace the upgraded bushing from Mahle you Must have to have the tool to remove the bushing while the Arm is connected to the suspension. If you try to remove the arm and do it outside the car you are going to damage 100% the balljoint rubber because no chance and way to take it out without damaging it. The simply the grease is going out and the joint is drying...Bear in mind I have 160.000 kilometer behind my back on the same exact suspension ! just badged differently. I am positive sure that you don't have the experience to see what part will last long etc..
Not to mention I did drove my daily driver complete Dinan suspension E24M6 at the local Canyons and after ~40miles of fun only sharp turns they were destroyed again...The shimming is bag again.
Yes the installation was done correct every single time by having the car on a drive in jack so the body will sit on its shoes and then tight the Green/bushing..
So many years pass since I dont have that problem any more ! Thanks to the Spherical Bearing/Bushing I have on my car. As I can see you are using a factory 225 50 16 tire profile that means that the Side Wall is very soft, tall and smooths out all the road imperfections..you know what I mean..You are not driving on a 19 inch with 30 profile tires. Using a Spherical bearings/bushings will make the steering super tight and the feedback that our old school BMW have and grabbed the World with that feeling will only increase !
Exterior Touch up.
Ray I am not trying to pick on you what so ever, its all my opinion weather its worth a something or not..
I have noticed your "M5" badge is not in the proper Factory place, looking at this picture taken at the reaver.
The reason I am pointing is because after I have complete restored many Mercedes and BMW M6's few E28 M5's they have that badge and when do complete restoration then you lose the proper badge place and then it does look funky, at least to me.
I am turning even more picky every time I do restore the next car...That is only making the new owner only one way, being happy...
I took the measurements on the E28 'M5' Badge but dont know were it is since its has been years since I restore the last E28 M5. If I were you I would take the badge off and get a Factory picture and chop that on photoshop take some measurements.
Get a spray water mixed with a dishwasher soap spray the area and apply it light then measure it and before you press hard step away 10 meters or so and see it visually to see the outcome look.
By the way have you ever thought to install the M-Tech factory rear spoiler ? or stock look is preferred.
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- It is super fun to build your own custom car the way you want it and like it.
- E24 M6 1988. Shwartz/Tan Original condition. Daily driver, keeper, Dinan suspension, Dinan adjustable sway bars, Evo S14 A100 cam gear, TMS chip, 360mm 6pot front, BBS 17x9,5 BBS E26 Magnesium Race wheels wrapped 255's.
- E24 M6 1988 Shwartz/Grey Collectible for shows 100% all original unrestored, keeper..
- E24 M6 1988 Shwarts/Lotus For Sale E24 M6 http://euroclassicmotors.com/galleries/bmwm6e24.html.
- E24 M6 1988 Royal Blue/Lotus white S85-B50 Restoration in proses.
- E24 M6 1988 Shwartz/Recaro S38-B36 3.6 goal is ~52/48 weight distribution at around 2800 pounds. My Track car for Vintage Racing !
- E30 M3 1990 Euro B38 3.8 goal is ~52/48 at ~2800 pounds.
- E53 X5 3.0 2003 Wife's car.
- E31 840Ci 1997 Black/Black, CSI exterior.
Are these measurement taken from the factory spec ? You have not mentioned that ?
In my opinion Ray's '///M5' badge sits little too high...but that could be just me...Regardless that the car does not have a factory M-Tech spoiler.
Anri
Gents,
I am not a detailling-enthusiast, so I cannot really bother about a few millimeters. What I do know is that #231 still has its original paint and it did not come with the badge-delete option. A previous owner may have removed it and later got regrets; maybe ? but that is a fact-finding that I do not care about.
- Does the badge improve the handling ?
- Does the badge make the car faster ?
- Does the badge improve fuel-efficiency ?
- .....
- .....
There are dozens of other issues to concern about with these cars and I already do not have that much time driving my cars. Less than 700km this year with a prospect of not exceeding the 1500km. Having said that, we will have a season closure meeting the the south of Limburg on Sunday 21-October and I already look forward to that.
As a matter of coincidence, I took #231 out for a goof warming-up drive last Sunday evening. Took the opposite direction of my usual-route; followed the 120kmh restricted A1 towards the German border near de Lutte; from there the A30 towards Hannover untill highway intersection with the southbound A31 near Schuttdorf. I drove almost 160km in just 90 minutes including a fuel stop in Gronau for Shell's finest. Todays fuel-prices are already dismal, but why bother.....
Maybe I will buy myself a GoPro Hero2 for the fun of it.
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