Please share pics of your car and your ride heights >>

[beady]

I was hoping to see many pictures of E36’s with different ride heights so I know what I’m shooting for. I’m sure others will find it helpful also.

If you have a picture, and either know or can go measure your ride height, please post a picture(s) and also provide Front and Rear ride heights, and state if you have camber plates and who makes them. Also, please list what springs/shocks/coilovers you have, and spring rates if you know them.

Measure from the wheel center up to the fenderwell to check your ride heights.

I’ll start, here is my coupe with the Ground Control coilover conversion kit, 13.75” Front and 12.5” Rear ride heights, no camber plates, 375 lb/in Front and 430 lb/in Rear.





Thanks,

Mike

[beady]

All you gotta do is hit the search button. I know for a fact there is a thread called post pics of your drop and there are hundreds alike.

I have searched. A lot. I don't care what the suspension manufacturer "says" about how much lower the car will be. Since cars don't all start out at the same height that doesn't tell me squat. I've also seen people try to give measurements from the wheel arch to the ground, or the rocker or facia to the ground, all of which are meaningless since it varies based on sidewall height, tire pressures, etc.

I'm looking for actual, measured numbers from people. If I missed a thread like that which you recall seeing, prehaps you could direct me to it?

My coupe was run over a curb by a red light runner, shoving the wheel back into the fender, destroying wheel, fender, control arm, strut, strut mount, etc. I'm going to buy a full coilover setup as soon as the shop gets my car on the frame machine and says it is repairable rather than a total. I need to be able to order ASAP so I can get the car back, so I'm trying to get everything lined up. I want the softest spring rates I can go with, still have a height quite a bit lower than stock, and still have enough suspension travel. I want to be able to tell TC Kline I want "X.X" ride heights and the lowest springs rates I can go with and get there. I'll be using camber plates to gain back travel. What I don't want is to end up getting the lower spring rates that I want, but not being able to lower the car where I want it. I "think" I want to sit about 12.5-12.75" Front and 11.5-12" Rear. That's why I'd like to see pics and actual measurements.

Basically, I want zero, or almost zero, gap between the top of the front tire and the fender. Same in the rear, perhaps a tad lower. I do NOT want the rear down where the wheel lip is almost up in the arch. Nor do I want the front tire up in the arch.

I have a set of DS1's to go on since one of the wheels in the pics was damaged. Will probably run 235/40/17's all around, waiting to buy tires until I see if the damage is fatal also.

Thanks,

Mike

[Drew Manzella]

So where do you want a measurement from that you will consider "useful"? Jackpoints? Rocker seam?

Attached are 2 pics of my 98 M3/4. The first is with Koni inserts and Eibach Prokits. The second is Tein SS-P coilovers.

[beady]

So where do you want a measurement from that you will consider "useful"? Jackpoints? Rocker seam?

Attached are 2 pics of my 98 M3/4. The first is with Koni inserts and Eibach Prokits. The second is Tein SS-P coilovers.

The only (that I know of) consistent method of measuring ride height from one car to another without wheels or tire pressures changing things is from the center of the wheel (Rounel centercap) up to the sheetmetal body fenderwell. Basically a tape measure from the fender, straight down to the center of the wheel.

Your front ride height in the 2nd pic looks perfect. I like the rear ride height in the 1st pic.

Thanks,

Mike

[bennyfizzle]

The usual measurement for ride heights in these cars is from the center of the hub to the lip of the fender.

[Drew Manzella]

Your front ride height in the 2nd pic looks perfect. I like the rear ride height in the 1st pic.

The 2nd pic is adjustable so it can be raised/lowered.

Believe it or not the car is level in both pics. The sedan has a lower rear fender lip.

[///w3fl3x]

Stock sagging springs with koni's.

[99MPower]

no measurements since I just raised them up for clearance for my 255 R comps for auto-x...

i can take current pics if you like with measurements...

GC track/school with vorshlag camber plates 500/550

[Eric98Sedan]

Eiback Prokit with Billy Sports..... the drop was WAY less than advertised.

F = 13.25"
R = 12.5"

[artifact]

Eric98Sedan, damn man, that doesn't even look like it's lowered. Still a nice Esotril, though

I just measured my height on my 105k miles stock shocks and springs. 13.25R & 13.75F.

[Eric98Sedan]

I know, the ProKit dropped the rear about .75" and the front about 3/8th inch.

[beady]

"Yes, thank you for posting pictures of before and after ride height, but , i asked for pictures with measurements you idiotic fool. Now get out of my face before I throw a hissy fit. "

Well, gee, that's the one thing I did ask for in my initial post wasn't it? Why come back feigning insult when you were the one being condescending towards me?

My car started at 15.5" in front. I've seen other cars down to 14.5" or 14.24" in front. This is stock, before anything is changed. So great, on the 14.5" car a 2" drop makes it so you have no gap between your wheel and fender. On MY car with 15.5" height after the 2" drop I still have a 1" gap and it's not the ride height I wanted. Is that so tough to comprehend? That's whay I don't care what the manufacturer "says" the drop is. I care what the "actual, measured" drop is so I will know where my car will end up.

As for me wanting the measurement from the wheel center to the fender, think about what happens if one car has 225/45/17's all around and another has 235/40/17's all around. The tires have different sidewall heights, so even though you are measuring from the fender to the ground, you will get different measurements on each car even though the suspension may be lowered the exact same amount from stock. Those tires aren't that different, but some will be. Some are 1/2" or more different in the sidewall height.

Same thing goes for tire pressures. One guy has his tires at 40 psi and another at 20 psi. The guy with 20 psi is going to show a lower ride height when measured from the fender to the ground, even though his suspension may be exactly the same amount lower as the 40 psi car. Measuring from the wheel center to the fender takes all the other variables out of the equation.

Mike

he shows the drop on the exact same car from the ground to his fender.

However, I don't know why you don't trust the manufacturer so much, while wanting some shaky handed person who just spent a couple of hours drinking beer while installing his new coilover kit to take pictures of his particular drop.

Really, are you just trying to see how big of a pain in the ass, and pissy you can act to people on the board?

Yes, thank you for posting pictures of before and after ride height, but , i asked for pictures with measurements you idiotic fool. Now get out of my face before I throw a hissy fit.

[DBK81]

Good lord if you are not going to post a picture and some measurments people just shove off, seriouslly.....

13.25" Front 12.75" Rear.

I can't remember the spring kit I used, and the struts were installed before I bought the car, but they are aftermarket.

Wheels are 18"X8" with 225/40/18 Falken Rubber.

No ground clearance issues at all, it's a perfect drop for the roads I am on.

Great topic, an actual picture and measurment thread has NEVER been done here to my knowledge.

[savage217]

This is the best pic I have at the moment.

I since lowered the front a bit more. But the front is 12.25 and the rear is 11.25. Ill get better pics eventually.

[Simann]

H&R Coilovers

What brand wheels are those? Look like ROTA P45?

[beady]

What brand wheels are those? Look like ROTA P45?

Or some type of Volk?

Mike

[beady]

Thanks for the pics so far everyone.

I think I like the front at about 12.5"; maybe even 12.0" and maybe 12.0" in the rear. Sure does "make" the look of the car.

Mike

[Nevergivein]

Good lord if you are not going to post a picture and some measurments people just shove off, seriouslly.....

13.25" Front 12.75" Rear.

I can't remember the spring kit I used, and the struts were installed before I bought the car, but they are aftermarket.

Wheels are 18"X8" with 225/40/18 Falken Rubber.

No ground clearance issues at all, it's a perfect drop for the roads I am on.

Great topic, an actual picture and measurment thread has NEVER been done here to my knowledge.

Those M6 Wheels look clean on your car...

Anyways heres mine. 18's on stock suspension lol.

[chandlerseattle]

~11.75" front(235/40) and ~ 12" rear(255/40) koseis/falken 615's
550/650 gc race set up

[M///BMW]

use ur imagination......

imagine it all 1 color....and maybe just the pink lipstick

[EURO M3 CSL]

ill post mine tomorrow morning.. really dark outside rite now

[giterdone]

fish, I love the pink lipstick. Like a tarted up hussey.

I'm trying to decide if I like the e46 style hood or no. Yet I can't focus with the two tone and pink action going on. >.<

[Eric98Sedan]

Those M6 Wheels look clean on your car...

Anyways heres mine. 18's on stock suspension lol.

What wheels are those? Your car looks nice.... I'm thinking some darkish tint and an E46 trunk spoiler would finish it off nicely!!

[bmwpowere36m3]

GC Track/School COs w/ 440/525# and "kicked" struts

Ride Height: 13"F & 11.75"R

[joenationwide]

I belive this is something like 13" front and 12" rear. I have the GC coilovers / Dinan valved Konis. 525f/450r.



For autox and track, I've found this ride height to be perfect. I would definately caution anyone trying to go lower in the front....you will likely have more trouble with understeer and hitting the bumpstops. The rear can go lower, but you'll want to manage your camber and toe changes with any kind of ride height change. If you lower the car without setting a good alignment, the car will likely understeer, have poor suspension travel, and tramline on the street.