FYI: Solving the 5 lug swap problem (centered wheel)

[lukasbmw]

The owner or AKG Motorsports kicks ass! A few days ago I left him a message asking him how he did his E36 M3 suspension conversion on their e30 V8.

Today he called me back and chatted with me for about 20 minutes.

Turns out the reason the front wheels will not center after you install E36 front suspension on an E30 is because the E36 upper strut mounts are offset while the E30 mounts are not. Duh! I can't believe I didn't think about that.

Cheap fix:

Redrill E30 shock tower to accept E36 upper strut mounts

or

Convet to E36 coilovers and try to fit camber upper mounts (again redrilling)

I may first look into using GC E30 upper strut mounts and getting those to work with the E36 suspension so no drilling is required.

[Bill 84 318i]

Huh?

The control arm ball joint essentially controls where the wheel hub will sit. You can move the upper strut mount a little (hell, even over an inch) and I can't see it making that much of a difference where the wheels sits front to rear in the wheelwell.

[Jordan]

[lukasbmw]

That has been done already Jordan. The problem still exists.

[Jordan]

Alright.. well then.. get e30 M3 parts.

[Streetspec_iS]

Alright.. well then.. get e30 M3 parts.

i cant, id like to see this e36 conversion get worked out 100%. keep us posted lukas

[Jand3rson]

i cant, id like to see this e36 conversion get worked out 100%. keep us posted lukas

Sure you can, get them from someone over here, or on US ebay.

Is that an R32 Skyline in your sig in front of your car? R32 Skyline is one of my all time favorite cars. :D

[Bryson]

as i said in another post.. you can use 95 e36 M3 control arms and e30 M3 offset control arm bushings to push the wheel farther forward
with the OBD2 e36s, the M3s went to offset bushings instead of control arms, so theoretically, offset control arms WITH offset control arm bushings (96+ M3, or e30 M3 I'd assume) it *should* fix your problem. Don't quote me on this, it's just what I'vecgathered over the net from talking to 318ti guys who went to the six cyl suspensions

[Spaz]

as i said in another post.. you can use 95 e36 M3 control arms and e30 M3 offset control arm bushings to push the wheel farther forward
with the OBD2 e36s, the M3s went to offset bushings instead of control arms, so theoretically, offset control arms WITH offset control arm bushings (96+ M3, or e30 M3 I'd assume) it *should* fix your problem. Don't quote me on this, it's just what I'vecgathered over the net from talking to 318ti guys who went to the six cyl suspensions

from what i recall....that makes total sense and would be the best option for any e36 swap... imo

[lukasbmw]

I must have missed that Bryson. It's worth looking into.

But so is the advice I got from AKG. If this guy did it and got the results he did, then I'm gonna side with him.

I will keep you posted.

[Streetspec_iS]

Sure you can, get them from someone over here, or on US ebay.

Is that an R32 Skyline in your sig in front of your car? R32 Skyline is one of my all time favorite cars. :D

this is true. but it would prob be easier to source e36 gear locally.

yep, thats my mates R32GTSt with GTR running gear. and one of my faves too.

[Jand3rson]

Sure you can, get them from someone over here, or on US ebay.

Is that an R32 Skyline in your sig in front of your car? R32 Skyline is one of my all time favorite cars. :D

this is true. but it would prob be easier to source e36 gear locally.

yep, thats my mates R32GTSt with GTR running gear. and one of my faves too.

Can you get me some pics of it?

(Sorry to jack your thread, Eric.)

[nando]

Huh?

The control arm ball joint essentially controls where the wheel hub will sit. You can move the upper strut mount a little (hell, even over an inch) and I can't see it making that much of a difference where the wheels sits front to rear in the wheelwell.

it does, because camber and castor and wheelbase are all affected if you change the angle of the strut. offset bushings do it by moving the control arm pivot point foward, which causes you to lose some camber and gain some wheelbase. Come to think of it, it should make your car a small amount lower in the front too. in any case all you really need to happen is the spindle moving forward!

[Bill 84 318i]

Huh?

The control arm ball joint essentially controls where the wheel hub will sit. You can move the upper strut mount a little (hell, even over an inch) and I can't see it making that much of a difference where the wheels sits front to rear in the wheelwell.

it does, because camber and castor and wheelbase are all affected if you change the angle of the strut. offset bushings do it by moving the control arm pivot point foward, which causes you to lose some camber and gain some wheelbase. Come to think of it, it should make your car a small amount lower in the front too. in any case all you really need to happen is the spindle moving forward!

Well, of course.

Just from looking at the strut though, I can't see how it can make that big of a difference.

Here's my crappy pshop logic.


Just a ballpark on the location of the control arm outer ball joint.

Any thoughts?

[bimmerphile]

Sure you can, get them from someone over here, or on US ebay.

Is that an R32 Skyline in your sig in front of your car? R32 Skyline is one of my all time favorite cars. :D

this is true. but it would prob be easier to source e36 gear locally.

yep, thats my mates R32GTSt with GTR running gear. and one of my faves too.

Can you get me some pics of it?

(Sorry to jack your thread, Eric.)

I didn't know you liked R32's so much, Josh. Shit, there's a slate grey one about 200 feet away from me :-D