Well it's been a few weeks now since I lifted my E using the sparman DIY. Got it cleaned up today, so I decided to go take a few pictures.

Specs: 03 MT AWD, Sparman lift, 225/70/16 Hankook DynaPro ATM's, RSX-S wheels, 20mm wheel spacers, Fusion blacked out grille/bumper inserts, Thule fairing on OEM roof rack, 160,000 custom miles.

Enjoy:

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/491/p1280195.jpg

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/4600/p1280211v.jpg

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/1491/p1280223.jpg

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/2585/p1280246.jpg

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/7011/p1280237v.jpg

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/4033/p1280230.jpg

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/3514/p1280225.jpg

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/8453/p1280224.jpg

http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/8373/p1280221.jpg

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/5861/p1280220t.jpg

http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/4125/p1280217.jpg

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/6943/p1280190l.jpg

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/1460/p1280187.jpg

http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/8927/p1280186.jpg

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/7359/p1280180.jpg

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/8449/p1280177.jpg

http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/636/p1280172.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/5814/p1280169.jpg

And my project for this past week:

http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/1696/p1280257.jpg

Nice, what's the water?

I'm not sure actually, haven't been in Knoxville long enough to learn names. It's where I ride my mountain bike and that's called concord, so I'm going to guess maybe this is concord lake.

Correction: Fort Loudon Lake, Knoxville TN

I'd never feel comfortable driving a lifted vehicle. But this looks fabulous, and the gunmetal RSX wheels work rather well.

My original plan when I bought it was to leave it close to stock height, stiffen it up and put some 18's on it with some meaty all season tires. But then I found the sparman thread, and I already had the RSX wheels laying around, so I went for it.

You'd be surprised what a lifted vehicle will still do. It drives just like stock, I've added 20mm spacers all the way around as well. So it's 2" taller and 1.6" wider than stock, theoretically moment of inertia is very close to original. I would have went with 25mm spacers to get 2" wider but I didn't want the wheels to stick out past the fenders. I still take my favorite 180º exit ramps at 45mph+. This is my 4th lifted vehicle, and definitely the most "car like" driving experience.

That said, I do worry about the Polyurethane spacers used in the sparman lift moving/shrinking. I'll just have to make a habit of checking the extended studs on the strut mounts every time I change the oil.

It certainly looks badass, but I'm so used to driving my 323i that even the E feels a little high up. Being lower to the ground just feels so much more reassuring to me. Of course, it's a personal thing :)

Thanks man, I know what ya mean, that's why I talked my fiancée into an RSX-S when it was time to replace her accord. Put progress coil-overs and some 16x8's on it, get my fix when I need it.

Needed a good utility vehicle to replace my old isuzu, and I don't have time for track cars anymore: enter the element. I can't wait to get back in a car as a daily driver. Right now I'm thinking a 1M will do but the new subaru BRZ is looking good depending on how the STi model turns out. 2.5 more years of school, almost there.

So it's 2" taller and 1.6" wider than stock, theoretically center of gravity is very close to original.
No, if you raised it 2" then you've raised the center of gravity 2". The 1.6" wider track would make it more resistant to rollover however.

I'll just have to make a habit of checking the extended studs on the strut mounts every time I change the oil.

Check the CV joints while you're at.

No, if you raised it 2" then you've raised the center of gravity 2". The 1.6" wider track would make it more resistant to rollover however.

Check the CV joints while you're at.

Oops, I meant moment of inertia (on the roll axis) sorry about that, could have swore I went back and changed it when I proofread.

The CV's look great, not much of an angle at all compared to some lifts I've put on. They are surprisingly long axles for such a small SUV. Even the front A arms aren't very far from being level. But I'll keep an eye on them. I'm sure I'll be replacing them(the axles) at some point since they already had 158,000 miles on them before the lift. 30 minute job per side though, so no big deal when that day does come.

I put a lot of research into the lift, this car will have to make it from 160,000 to at least 210,000 before I'm done with my PharmD. I was able to get in touch with gregwoods2k from this forum who was one of the orignal "Sparman lifters" and he racked up 140,000 miles on his lift with no CV, or suspension failure of any kind.