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Coil overs
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:26 am
by bkbimmer
I want to convert my e12 to coil overs again, and want to know what is the best setup for a e12.
Spring sizes and rates, and what brand seems to be best?
Or if anyone has a set they want to sell, please let me know!
Brent
Re: Coil overs
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:28 pm
by Adam W in MN
bkbimmer wrote:I want to convert my e12 to coil overs again, and want to know what is the best setup for a e12.
Spring sizes and rates, and what brand seems to be best?
Or if anyone has a set they want to sell, please let me know!
Brent
Brent, see if one of the Cali guys can get you in touch with the guy that brought the yellow euro E12 to 5erfest last year. I think he was in San Jose and he actually posted a handful of times on mye28. He did the full conversion to get his e12 on coil overs and I think even offered to sell some parts for it. I think he works in fabrication so it seemed to be done very well.
The only other e12 I know on coilovers is Zane Coker in Florida with the turbo car.
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:40 pm
by Eddie in TO
Re: Coil overs
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:54 pm
by Peter Florance
Adam W in MN wrote:bkbimmer wrote:I want to convert my e12 to coil overs again, and want to know what is the best setup for a e12.
Spring sizes and rates, and what brand seems to be best?
Or if anyone has a set they want to sell, please let me know!
Brent
Brent, see if one of the Cali guys can get you in touch with the guy that brought the yellow euro E12 to 5erfest last year. I think he was in San Jose and he actually posted a handful of times on mye28. He did the full conversion to get his e12 on coil overs and I think even offered to sell some parts for it. I think he works in fabrication so it seemed to be done very well.
The only other e12 I know on coilovers is Zane Coker in Florida with the turbo car.
Dude, you're bringing me down; I've been running coilovers since 2006
Where is the love?
I got a lot of advice when I started on the project.
Now days, I would have run 8" springs in moderate rates (400-450) and 7" springs in 500-600 (front rates)
Shortening struts by 1" is better, but it is possible to make it work without.
I like Koni 8610-1237race inserts but Sports will work in moderate spring rates.
Of course I'm torturing my e12 more than most folks do (Brendan, Dave and Lee excluded).
I will probably be at 650 7" in the front before it's all over.
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 6:39 pm
by bkbimmer
Thanks guys, I know how to do all of the work, I'm just looking for the best spring rates and what is the best product or brand of parts!
And where is the best place to buy the parts?
Brent
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 11:04 pm
by Pete K
I've got a set of coilovers in the 520i, but you wouldn't want to know the rates. My car is anorexic compared to the sixes!
Front 250, Rear 225. 10" Eibachs.
If I did it again, I'd go with 7" springs (get it away from the tyres and go wider) and probably raise the rates to 350 Front, 300 Rear. My car is exclusively for the track and runs Toyo semi slicks.
Cheers
Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 5:45 am
by Peter Florance
Pete K wrote:I've got a set of coilovers in the 520i, but you wouldn't want to know the rates. My car is anorexic compared to the sixes!
Front 250, Rear 225. 10" Eibachs.
If I did it again, I'd go with 7" springs (get it away from the tyres and go wider) and probably raise the rates to 350 Front, 300 Rear. My car is exclusively for the track and runs Toyo semi slicks.
Cheers
Thanks Pete
Do you have corner weights for the car that you could post?
I think that would help show why your rates fit your car (I think 520 have better F/R weight distribution than e12's with heavier motors)
Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:06 pm
by 1st 5er
Quietly learning...

Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 5:14 am
by Peter Florance
bkbimmer wrote:Thanks guys, I know how to do all of the work, I'm just looking for the best spring rates and what is the best product or brand of parts!
And where is the best place to buy the parts?
Brent
Probably either Ireland or Ground Control.
Front: 500# 8" (don't use the weld-on spacer that comes with the Ireland setup) would be a good start. If you have R compound tires, probably 100# more at least. I'm at 550 7" and they are too soft for A6 tires.
I would use Koni's on the front if you go with Ireland's camber plate. The Bilsteins don't work well with their upper spring perch (I had to buy case-hardened washers to space the bilsteins down a little and still had to re-machine the threads to fit in the camber plate). Koni 8610-1237 will fit the plate without modification.
http://www.firstfives.org/peter/coilover/
Rear 300 8". I knocked the bolts out of the upper spring perch and removed the sheetmetal inner spring centering guide and epoxied on a 2.5" urethane spring pad (Ireland also), notching it (not shown in picture where the bolt heads interfered

Re: Coil overs
Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:54 pm
by Adam W in MN
Peter Florance wrote:
Dude, you're bringing me down; I've been running coilovers since 2006
Where is the love?
Oops, sorry. That was around the time I left the site though so I was out of the loop.

Re: Coil overs
Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:14 pm
by Peter Florance
Adam W in MN wrote:Peter Florance wrote:
Dude, you're bringing me down; I've been running coilovers since 2006
Where is the love?
Oops, sorry. That was around the time I left the site though so I was out of the loop.

No, I think you just partied too hard in South Bend!
I had them there and I got Mike Skeen to drive it for a couple of fun runs at the auto-x (the 'lost event')