Finally tearing into my 2018 a little bit with some BMR suspension

My project isn't anything earth shattering... just a 2018 MT82 car gunning for 10.90's N/A. I previously added a Palm Beach Dyno E85 tune and PMAS car, but I am now tearing into the suspension a little bit and just wanted to share. Installing some BMR Suspension parts... picked up a set of SP080 Performance springs, CB005 cradle lockouts, vertical links, and adjustable toe links.

I'll eventually add some Viking shocks and some sort of adjustable strut up front, but this is just my first step. I'm hoping I can lay down a low-1.6 60' without noticeably increasing NVH.

Just about got the rear suspension parts buttoned down. I only need to trim the pinion snubber and reattach the exhaust hanger bolts at this point. Believe it or not, the vertical link is what gave me the most trouble. When you remove the factory link, the spindle/control arm really unbinds itself making that bottom bolt difficult to get through the back. Nothing a good prybar doesn't take care of, just finding the right place and direction to pry. After I figured that out, it only took about 10 minutes to do the other vertical link.

Very nice. BMR does make some good stuff.

After finishing the rear, the Christmas/New Year's holiday hit so I took a break for a couple weeks. I'll be starting on the front most likely this evening.

But I wanted to make note for those down the line... I am going to be getting BMR's SM760 shock mounts when they are released 1Q 2019. I spoke with Kelly Aiken regarding them this morning, and he confirmed to me that I will not need to trim my rear bump stops since the SM760 shock mounts will relocate the top of the strut approx 1".

Good deal.

Got the front suspension buttoned up last night. Now just gotta let the springs settle for a week or 2 then I'll take it in for an alignment. I put some BMR camber bolts in the front as well, just in case they're needed. The SP080's lower the front 1.25" so I figure I'll need them.



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just checking in for the sake of those who may do a search in the future...

I took the car for a test drive last week when we finally had a nice break from the deep freeze and had enough rain to wash the salt off the roads. I was unsatisfied with 2 things:
1. I had a nasty harsh clunking in the rear under a hard bump
2. the rear wheels weren't centered in the fenderwells just right.

Fixing the IRS cradle alignment was easy enough. I bought a set of Steeda ST-5554447 IRS alignment bushings for use with BMR CB005 cradle lockouts. It is said that the BMR CB005 cradle lockouts act as a self centering device for the IRS, but my experience says not so. Last night I installed the Steeda IRS alignment kit and the wheels are now properly located in the fenderwells.

Kelly Aiken, and some internet searching, helped point me to where my rear clunking noise was coming from. Alot of people have this issue when they install the BMR TR005 adjustable toe links, but it's pretty much always poor installation... as was the case with myself. When these are installed, you are instructed to install the bearing housing straight up and centered over the bearing end. Where many people error, myself included, is you are supposed to center the bearing housing while the rear suspension is loaded. My installation error was centering the bearing housing and torquing the bolts with the suspension in full droop. Therefore, when I hit a bump, the bearing end was bottoming out. It is very important to torque these bolts and center the bearing housing while the suspension is loaded. The bearing end of the toe link has alot of articulation when the suspension moves, so you have to make sure you have it adjusted so that the bearing housing does not bottom out. When the BMR TR005 toe rod is installed properly, you should see no increase in NVH.

Another BMR suspension update...

A few weeks ago Kelly Aiken sent me one of the first sets of the SM760 extended shock mounts. Install was super duper easy. I cannot stress enough how great a mod these are... they may be my favorite mod yet. They allow the shock to have more compression travel, and this really improves ride quality. They are fantastic for lowered cars, so you regain shock travel for better operation. The heim joint also eliminates any potential binding that may occur in the stock bushing housing. I love these things.

DMassey said:

Another BMR suspension update...

A few weeks ago Kelly Aiken sent me one of the first sets of the SM760 extended shock mounts. Install was super duper easy. I cannot stress enough how great a mod these are... they may be my favorite mod yet. They allow the shock to have more compression travel, and this really improves ride quality. They are fantastic for lowered cars, so you regain shock travel for better operation. The heim joint also eliminates any potential binding that may occur in the stock bushing housing. I love these things.

View attachment 1565427

Click to expand...

Those a pretty much a 'must have' for lowered cars.