Complete steering kits for BMW

Polyurethane bushings for BMW

Custom control arms for BMW E36

Key parts to prepare BMW E36 for drifting

If you want to build a drift car, you need the right base. The BMW E36 is perfect for this role. However, buying the car is just the beginning. Now you need a good drift parts shop. To achieve the best results, you will need to properly modify the car for drifting. In this article, you will learn how to prepare BMW E36 for drifting using parts that will improve the performance of your drift car.

What parts to replace when preparing BMW E36 for drifting

Although BMW cars have a sporty edge, the engineers who designed the BMW E36 did not think about creating the perfect drift car. The stock suspension is quite soft, which translates to comfortable damping of uneven surfaces, even on Polish roads. However, such settings will not work for drifting. Therefore, you need to start your drifting journey by changing a few parts that affect vehicle handling:

• Steering adapters for BMW E36,
• Steering kits for BMW E36,
• Custom control arms for BMW E36,
• Polyurethane control arm bushings for BMW E36,
• Sunroof cover for BMW E36,
• Hydraulic handbrake for BMW E36.

How to prepare BMW E36 suspension for drifting

Suspension modifications aim to make it easier to initiate a controlled drift, the characteristic rear-end slide of the vehicle. Here, it's also important to control the drift and change the driving direction with as little body roll as possible. This can be achieved in several ways.

Steering adapters and complete steering kits for BMW E36

If you want to increase the stock steering angle without modifying the bodywork, you can use steering adapters for BMW E36. These allow you to change the camber toe, specifically increasing the vertical tilt of the wheel, which results in better wheel contact with the surface. Of course, our shop offers the right drift parts for this!

If you're a fan of comprehensive solutions, you'll love the complete steering kits for BMW. These kits contain everything needed to adapt the front suspension of the BMW E36 for drifting, from control arms, steering rods, and steering adapters to polyurethane bushings and mounting bolts. The entire kit is Plug&Play, making installation simple.

The CNC71 solutions are the result of years of drifting experience, conversations with drivers, and drift car testing.

Custom control arms and polyurethane bushings for BMW E36

The original rubber bushings may not be suitable for racing. A solution to this problem are polyurethane bushings for BMW, which make the suspension stiffer and more durable under sudden overloads, improving handling and making it more sporty.

If you want a radical camber for the front wheels, you can use custom control arms for BMW E36. Their installation does not affect the wheel position—it remains centered within the wheel arch. Custom control arms for BMW E36 are 50 mm longer than the stock arms and also feature holes for stabilizer mounting.

How to reduce the weight of the drift car

Just like in every motorsport, vehicle weight is crucial in drifting. The lower the weight, the better the power-to-weight ratio, improving the car's performance. All this should be done without compromising driver safety.

A common solution is to remove the rear seat, soundproofing, door panels, audio system, and any unnecessary equipment for driving. This is a battle against every unnecessary kilogram.

This reduces the car's center of gravity and makes room for installing safety equipment such as a roll cage or suspension strut bars.

Bucket seats for BMW E36 work great in drifting, and you can install them using aluminum bucket seat adapters for BMW from CNC71. Many of our customers asked us:

How to install bucket seats in BMW?

That's why we created seat adapters for BMW that allow for bucket seat installation in nearly any BMW. They are exceptionally lightweight and precisely made. Our seat mounts fit BMW E36 and other models, and we can also make custom sizes.

Sunroof cover for BMW - what does it do?

Not everyone knows that unnecessary weight can also be hidden in the car roof. Removing the sunroof and installing a dedicated polycarbonate cover can reduce vehicle weight by up to 15 kg. Therefore, the most popular sunroof covers for BMW available in the CNC71 shop are:

• Sunroof cover for BMW E30,
• Sunroof cover for BMW E36,
• Sunroof cover for BMW E46,
• Sunroof cover for BMW E92.

Hydraulic handbrakes for BMW E36

A hand-operated hydraulic handbrake is one of the essential elements to install when preparing a car for drifting. A common solution is vertical installation of the handbrake lever, which significantly reduces the time needed to engage the handbrake, as you only need to remove your hand from the steering wheel to grab the lever, which is placed right next to it.

The kit often includes a brake pump, but due to different sizes of the calipers on the rear axle, it's best to choose a pump that fits the specific car model.

For BMW E36, the ideal choice is the 0.65’ pump, but newer models of this brand work better with a 0.7’ pump.

Since not all drift cars stay on the track, a great option is a hydraulic handbrake with quick removal. This is an excellent solution when you need to remove it during vehicle inspection or technical review.