# Corner Balance Specs from today



## FlyingDutchMan (Jul 18, 2003)

Here are the numbers for my car. Non sunroof 02, E46 M3, full interior Sparco Corsa Drivers seat, half tank of gas. Only other options are Xenon and heated seats. Brembos, Mille Miglia EVO 5's. Full Ground Control Suspension.

3312 Pounds without driver
Cross wieghts are very close. It only took about half a turn on the coilovers from the alignment specs Steve Medina gave me. See Pics for read out. Any feedback would be appreciated.


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## biodan (Apr 9, 2003)

*nice job, another 48 lbs savings from rear seats...*

FYI, i began to prototype a rear passenger seat cover to net a savings of ~39 lbs (48 lbs if you leave it bare). The prototype is made of wood, but i'm looking at honeycomb composites now to minimally halve the 9.5 lb wgt of the wood version. Of course, it doesn't have to stay in the car at the track.

http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/e46m3/forum.php?postid=3789263&page=1

BTW, you may be the only guy who's posted here or RF who has car scales in his own garage!



FlyingDutchMan said:


> Here are the numbers for my car. Non sunroof 02, E46 M3, full interior Sparco Corsa Drivers seat, half tank of gas. Only other options are Xenon and heated seats. Brembos, Mille Miglia EVO 5's. Full Ground Control Suspension.
> 
> 3312 Pounds without driver
> Cross wieghts are very close. It only took about half a turn on the coilovers from the alignment specs Steve Medina gave me. See Pics for read out. Any feedback would be appreciated.


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## FlyingDutchMan (Jul 18, 2003)

biodan said:


> http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/e46m3/forum.php?postid=3789263&page=1
> 
> BTW, you may be the only guy who's posted here or RF who has car scales in his own garage!


The FlyingDutchMan takes driving seriously. I kind of figured by the lack of replies the most people aren't sure what they are looking at in the pics I posted. LOL

The passenger seat is probably worth another 58 pounds, so with the back seat out, add back for the roll bar, we should be about to shave another 50 of easily. Not to mention getting some lighter rims would help another 20-25pounds. I can probably get this car under 3200 without going too nutz.

Actually, that is at my friends garage in Reseda, my garage is the one with the bikini clad women that drew such a response here, remember?

The guy with the scales is Ernesto, he races a maroon SN95 Cobra in the NASA American Iron series out here. He decided to write the check for a set of scales, if we didn't mind giving him a few bucks when we used them to set up our cars to recover the cash outlay. So on Sunday I headed over there, he set up and leveled the scales and then we went to work on getting the car right. I had set the specs prior to heading over there according to Medinas numbers, which turned out toe be dead nuts on. Only half a turn on the coilovers and we decided to leave it alone. WAR STEVE MEDINA!

If anyone wants to use the scales, let me know I'll put you in touch with him. He only wants $100-150 for an afternoon, and he can set camber and toe. If you want to go all out for a full chassis set up, 4 wheel aligment with the strings etc, it will be a bit more. Depends on how much of the work your going to make him do. It's a nice alternative to spending all the dough and waiting around at a shop.

As for your rear seat delete kit, looks great, if you can find a way to make it commercially feasible; I am game. I would just use one of those cargo nets to seperate the trunk from the passenger compartment.

I hope the info was helpful.

---FDM


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## biodan (Apr 9, 2003)

This board isn't as active as RF... My rear seat delete is temporary- i want it completely reversible- for transport to track events it goes in, otherwise i'll pull it out (esp for dealer service issues). And i had no plans to sell it, but there may be some vendors developing a kit.

You may recall, my car in track trim is 3306lbs (no sunroof, GC, Eisenmann xhaust, SSR Comps/PSC). With the rear seats out and a lightwgt battery i'd be at about 3220-3230 lbs (depending on which battery) -- thats with stock power seats!

However, since that corner-balance, i've put in the SS midpipe (9lbs savings plus a little power, Evo sez 6-7hp), Evo underdrive pulleys (Evo says 6-9hp and maybe 1 lb), and got the GC AP Racing front brakes (16.5 lbs). That should get me just under 3200 lbs with the 25lb battery.

Thanks for the scale/balance offer, but i'm in the SF BayArea...my local shop takes about 1 hr for corner-balance (~$90) and about 90min to 120 min for a state-of-the art Hunter alignment.



FlyingDutchMan said:


> The FlyingDutchMan takes driving seriously. I kind of figured by the lack of replies the most people aren't sure what they are looking at in the pics I posted. LOL
> 
> The passenger seat is probably worth another 58 pounds, so with the back seat out, add back for the roll bar, we should be about to shave another 50 of easily. Not to mention getting some lighter rims would help another 20-25pounds. I can probably get this car under 3200 without going too nutz.
> 
> ...


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## FlyingDutchMan (Jul 18, 2003)

*Tell me more about these mods*

Sounds like getting the rig under 3200 pounds is going to be unrealsitic with out letting an ape have a go at the interior?

Where can I learn more about mid pipes?

Where can I find more about your battery conversion?

Also, that Hunter alignment machine, the one I have access to won't handle anything over 2 degrees neg camber, something about the lasers missing sensors?? Is there a certain version of the machine that handles more aggresive alignments.

I'll be up in the Bay Area this weekend visiting my dad, I'll make a run to Alices on Skyline if I have time.


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## biodan (Apr 9, 2003)

Steve Medina posted a wgt sheet previously, but the authoritative E46M3 diet plan was written by Dan Law and posted on Scot Galaba's web page. I've forgotten the final number but 3000 lbs sticks in my mind. But that was with ripping out a lot of insulation, airbags, etc.



FlyingDutchMan said:


> Sounds like getting the rig under 3200 pounds is going to be unrealsitic with out letting an ape have a go at the interior?


For the battery, see http://www.batterymart.com/battery.mv?c=odyssey

The stock battery is about 50 lbs, the 925 battery is 26 lbs and the 680 is 15lbs. However, the 680 will last only a few days if the car is left unattended; the 925 maybe 9-14 days. Some guys have rigged a parallel circuit of 680's for extra security and remove 1 at the track. Thats what my plan is, but fitment of either battery requires a custom brace to keep it from banging around (as they're much smaller than the stock battery cavity). Some guys have used wood or built a metal bracket.

For the midpipe, its part # 787 513 from 
http://bmpdesign.com/exhaust/bmw/3e46.shtml

The stock piece is 2 pipes just in front of the muffler with a resonator. The Supersprint mid-pipe is a single wider pipe with factory connectors on each end. The mid-pipe reduces the rasp as well as adding a bit of power.

There is also another section upstream of this midpipe (and downstream of the headers) but its hard to remove becuz of 1 of the oxygen sensors. There are 2 versions for this part; one with cats and 1 without. If you plan to get Euro or SS headers later, that second midpipe section is where the race cats go (the straight design omits cats but thats, uhm illegal). Neither Euro or SS headers have the cats built into them (the US M3 has the cats here for emissions reasons).



> Where can I learn more about mid pipes?
> 
> Where can I find more about your battery conversion?


I don't know the Hunter version, but 9700 sticks in my mind. I'm running 2.5 to 3 neg camber in front and 1.3 to 1.6 in the rear. I go to Rennwerks in Mountain View. Custom Alignment in Mtn View is also good but i don't recall their equipment now.

Skyline is a good drive, so is Hiway 9, but there are too many bicyclists there now (i don't want to spook too many in a day ... cell phones and all). There are patrols there because of the near weekly accidents.



> Also, that Hunter alignment machine, the one I have access to won't handle anything over 2 degrees neg camber, something about the lasers missing sensors?? Is there a certain version of the machine that handles more aggresive alignments.
> 
> I'll be up in the Bay Area this weekend visiting my dad, I'll make a run to Alices on Skyline if I have time.


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## FlyingDutchMan (Jul 18, 2003)

Biodan, thanks for the 411 on those parts, espeacially the exhuast components. Helps to get pointed in the right direction.



biodan said:


> Skyline is a good drive, so is Hiway 9, but there are too many bicyclists there now (i don't want to spook too many in a day ... cell phones and all). There are patrols there because of the near weekly accidents.


Must be all those out of work .com'ers pedalling in thier spandex?! We didn't have that in '93 when I was at LGHS.


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## SteveMedina (Apr 4, 2003)

dutch...corner looks good....

don't forget that the stock seat still in the car is 60lbs.....while you'r corsa is in the 20-30lb range..depending on hardware used to install

exhuast goes for 57lbs....the moteck I'm running 10.5

also, stock battery goes for 50, odyssey battery im running the 925 goes for 25 lbs....

so there is some weight savings to be had....of course rear seat like biodan said goes for 48ish...

don't forget the wheels may be heavy as well...i'm not familiar with their weight, but at least 10 lbs per corner can be had with a lighter wheel...

here's pics of the battery install....


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## FlyingDutchMan (Jul 18, 2003)

SteveMedina said:


> dutch...corner looks good....
> 
> don't forget that the stock seat still in the car is 60lbs.....while you'r corsa is in the 20-30lb range..depending on hardware used to install


I will most likely pull the passenger seat and replace it with a lighter one.



SteveMedina said:


> exhuast goes for 57lbs....the moteck I'm running 10.5


Is my Active Autowerks as heavy as the stock one?



SteveMedina said:


> also, stock battery goes for 50, odyssey battery im running the 925 goes for 25 lbs....


Do you use the battery everyday or only for the races?



SteveMedina said:


> so there is some weight savings to be had....of course rear seat like biodan said goes for 48ish...


Did you get your rollbar yet? Mine hasn't arrived, will pull the back seat at that time. I figure it will be a wash, the bar will weigh about as much as the seats.



SteveMedina said:


> don't forget the wheels may be heavy as well...i'm not familiar with their weight, but at least 10 lbs per corner can be had with a lighter wheel...
> 
> here's pics of the battery install....


The wheels I have are a big problem, they are 26 pounds plus. I'll get the Srr comps here shortly. This is priorty #1 right now.


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## SteveMedina (Apr 4, 2003)

Im not familiar with the Active Autoworks exhaust...but I can't imagine anything being as heavy as the coffin bmw gave us...


The 925 I use everyday....it should be fine....but on those just in case type deals...battery maintainer or jump kit (which one should have anyway) certainly helps.....

Rollbar should be here on Tuesday.....and you're right about the wash...it should be in the 30lb range...but will stiffen up the car a little, so it does serve double duty....its good weight.

SSR comps at 18lbs a piece are a gem for the price....sure thing...you'll love em.....

if you're going to put street rubber on them...toyo makes one of the lightest tires available....great grip, nice and quiet....coming from the s03's, the grip is the same, with very little road noise...equal sizes between the two.....the toyo t1s's are about 4lbs lighter per tire.


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## FlyingDutchMan (Jul 18, 2003)

SteveMedina said:


> Rollbar should be here on Tuesday.....and you're right about the wash...it should be in the 30lb range...but will stiffen up the car a little, so it does serve double duty....its good weight.


And it keeps my head from getting smashed


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## Irrenarzt (May 22, 2003)

The Active Autowerke exhaust is only 4 pounds less than stock from what I've read...


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## tim330i (Dec 18, 2001)

I run a ltw battery on the street. Built the brackets myself and the whole deal is 15lbs vs the 50-55lbs for the stock battery plus brackets.

All the detaills.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=100730&highlight=battery

Tim


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## MPowerMe (May 18, 2003)

Who typically has corner balancing scales?

The BMW tuner, Porsche tuner, and the Dinan tuner do not have them.

Are there typically certian types of performance shops that do?

I am in North Florida.


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## biodan (Apr 9, 2003)

A *really* good alignment shop or a race-support shop will have them. In my general area, i have 2 places to choose from: Custom Alignment in Mountain View,CA and Rennwerks also in Mountain View and literally within half-mile of CustomAlignment. Call around, in fact the tuners you mention should be able to refer you to someone.



MPowerMe said:


> Who typically has corner balancing scales?
> 
> The BMW tuner, Porsche tuner, and the Dinan tuner do not have them.
> 
> ...


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## MPowerMe (May 18, 2003)

Thanks Dan! Yes, unfortunately they had no interest in helping me. They acted like I was speaking Latin or something. I know someone that races so I am going to ask him. :thumbup:


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## FlyingDutchMan (Jul 18, 2003)

MPowerMe said:


> Thanks Dan! Yes, unfortunately they had no interest in helping me. They acted like I was speaking Latin or something. I know someone that races so I am going to ask him. :thumbup:


MPowerMe-
Your going to need to track down some local club racers or pro race team. Check with local race shops, engine builders, and a the local Longacre dealer. Longacre is one of the largest manufactures of scales and alingment equipment. These people are not likely to have scales you can use yourself, but they will almost certainly know someone that does.

In my case we had trouble finding scales to use, so one of our buddies stepped up and spent the $1600-2000 on the set you see in the pics on the condition that everyone could used them and would pay a small fee each time to recover the cost. Say $50-80 bucks. That way in a few months he had his money back and we all had access to scales.


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## MPowerMe (May 18, 2003)

FlyingDutchMan said:


> MPowerMe-
> Your going to need to track down some local club racers or pro race team. Check with local race shops, engine builders, and a the local Longacre dealer. Longacre is one of the largest manufactures of scales and alingment equipment. These people are not likely to have scales you can use yourself, but they will almost certainly know someone that does.
> 
> In my case we had trouble finding scales to use, so one of our buddies stepped up and spent the $1600-2000 on the set you see in the pics on the condition that everyone could used them and would pay a small fee each time to recover the cost. Say $50-80 bucks. That way in a few months he had his money back and we all had access to scales.


Good idea, thanks!


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