E36 DW Lock Kit

Thread in 'Technical Questions' started by A32 Hero, Feb 16, 2015.

  1. A32 Hero

    A32 Hero Member

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    So firstly, if anyone from DW reads this - pleaaaasee rumble or at very least de-bur these, i slit my hand open picking one up, the edges were razor sharp :(

    Secondly, have i got this positioned wrong, or do i definitely need to cut into the bottom of my coilover to fit this in there?

    [​IMG]
     
  2. Andy318ti

    Andy318ti Active Member

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    Says in the ad you might need to.
    Mine bolted straight on.
     
  3. A32 Hero

    A32 Hero Member

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    Just wanted to make sure before i start cutting. Are you running HSD's or similar?
     
  4. miffy

    miffy Member

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    The pic doesn't help much , maybe a better one ? I might be able to help as I fitted them to mine
     
  5. A32 Hero

    A32 Hero Member

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    The driftworks logo facing down whilst it's bolted on top of the knuckle? I can't see how else it would mount, just wanted to make sure I wasn't being retarded before I cut the coilovers
     
  6. Andy318ti

    Andy318ti Active Member

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    Running bc's and was plenty space for them to bolt on.
     
  7. A32 Hero

    A32 Hero Member

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    So i've got the kit on the car, with a bit of confusion..:

    The studs that come in the kit, they don't bite into anything therefore how can you really tighten down on them? I've replaced it with a hex head, because unless i'm missing something it's not very safe..
    Next thing is where the outer ball joint bolts through the DW billet and then the knuckle, the tapered nut doesn't fully thread onto it because of the added thickness... that doesn't seem right, surely?

    The main problem: on full lock, the track rod ball joint hits the lower arm before i reach full lock, can anyone suggest why?

    Regret buying these adapters now, way too much hassle and they don't seem like the safest things in the world :/
     
  8. miffy

    miffy Member

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    There a damn sight safer then bad welding
     
  9. A32 Hero

    A32 Hero Member

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    Well a stud that can't be tightened, a tapered nut which only engages half the thread and the tie rod put in a place that fouls the lower arm, doesn't sound massively 'safe' to me.

    Superstyle hubs - pre heated and tig welded, safer.. unless you've personally had some bad experience of these, or you bought some from someone who didn't know what they were doing?
     
  10. miffy

    miffy Member

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    Super style hubs are the opposite of bad welding , mine didn't have the problems your describing
     
  11. A32 Hero

    A32 Hero Member

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    Then the stud that comes in the kit, where / what orientation did you put it so that it bites into something and allows you to tighten a nut on the opposite end? And when on full lock, where is the bottom of your tie rod ball joint in relation to your lower arm?

    And well clearly i'd trust in Superstyle's reputation and ability and get them, not some random guy with a gasless mig on ebay. Have you actually had a bad experience with cut / welded knuckles or was it just speculation?
     
  12. miffy

    miffy Member

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    I havnt personally but I've seen have modded hubs go for some people
     
  13. A32 Hero

    A32 Hero Member

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    So do you have any actual help / advice about what i asked with the lock kit? I'll take that to mean speculation.
     
  14. miffy

    miffy Member

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    Obviously not
     
  15. FAbity6032

    FAbity6032 Member

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    Probably will not work without E46 arms mate I have tried this myself. However you can fit the right tie rod end onto the left side and the left tie rod end onto the right side that will buy you a little more clearance.. Or read my thread:
    http://www.driftworks.com/forum/driftworks-shop/228494-driftworks-e36-bmw-lock-kit.html

    The stud thingy is supposed to bite into the the place where the steering ball joint went originally. Altough sometimes it bites better than other times (because people hit it with a hammer when the ball joint gets stuck in there). So I used an impact wrench and then it got real stuck.
     
    #15 FAbity6032, Feb 22, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 22, 2015
  16. A32 Hero

    A32 Hero Member

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    Ah I forgot to say, I do have e46 lower arms. The tie rods are a kind of shallow S shape and aren't handed so I'm not sure what you mean by that? And I also can't see that it would matter what angle the lower arm was at to whether the tie rod ball joint would foul it :/

    That was what I thought the stud was for, but on my knuckles they don't bite at all, they spin freely in the knuckle so I put a bolt through instead.

    Also.. what conclusion did you come too with your clearance issues and rack stop stuff?
     
    #16 A32 Hero, Feb 22, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 22, 2015
  17. FAbity6032

    FAbity6032 Member

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    Well the bolt will probably work, I just used an impact wrench and that works as well when the stud starts spinning. Also you need to put some load on the tire that might help you because it will make the angle of the control arm more straight which makes the control arm longer.

    You can use the rack stop if you want to I just quit trying because it took me to long and went back to stock.
     
  18. Clive

    Clive Active Member

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    Have you emailed DW direct?
     
  19. Andy318ti

    Andy318ti Active Member

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    I don't see how your track rod end can hit the arm unless your car is at standard hight and then some.
    The stud they supply could do with being slightly larger but it does tighten up.
     
  20. A32 Hero

    A32 Hero Member

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    Yep i couldn't see how it would have made a difference but i just gave up and dropped the car, and obviously loading the hub up changes the angle of it and it clears by about 5-10mm.

    As for the stud, i ended up using an extended wheel bolt as obviously they're tapered - i don't have any impact tools and the stud was completely free in the knuckle so it'd just have ended badly for me.

    Still not too happy that the outer ball joint nut doesn't fully engage with the thread, but the only way it could is if the ball joint stud was longer or the knuckle adapters were thinner.
     

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