24V AWD Swap Knowledge Base

[The Dark Side of Will]

With the E30 rack in its original orientation, the steering shaft will probably go through the left RWD mount arm. As I investigate this packaging, it becomes more obvious why BMW moved the engine mounts. Clearance to the left one was probably the driving factor. On the E30, they pushed the left mount forward of the RWD position. On the E34 they pulled it back. On both of those platforms, BMW then arranged the mounts symmetrically, matching the right side where they had to put it on the left side.

However, on the E53 X5, BMW staggered the mounts. The right mount is forward, the left mount is to the rear. The left mount is moved back to drop under the steering shaft as on the E34, but the right mount is moved forward to clear the axle and six cylinder exhaust like on the E30.

I'm starting to think that I should be looking at E53 mount arms. I had initially rejected that idea because using those arms would require developing a lot more structure for the crossmember due to the left mount being behind the axle. If the options are to use E53 mounts for a bolt-in swap or modify the steering rack for EVERY swap, using E53 mounts sounds like a better option. Also, it only requires adding structure on one side of the engine bay. The added structure can be an additional piece which bolts on the to crossmember and picks up the lollipop bushing mount, which is a nice strong hard point on the body. I just hope the E53 mounts aren't so wide that they interfere with the E30 frame rails.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Was able to get RWD engine mount arm data into a usable form.

This still requires gussets to support the RWD mount locations, but it's a solid start.
I'm getting to the point at which I'll have to add the ball joint blocks on the back sides of the rear transverse vertical bulkheads to make sure that the RWD mount plate gussets fit around them.

[The Dark Side of Will]

If it's not any problem, that would be super handy. Thanks!

[Eskie]

Do you want me to mail you the shaft? I can next week when I get back to work


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[The Dark Side of Will]

I have been thinking that I might need to take an ATC-350/700 input shaft and cut off the female splines that mate to the output shaft of an GS6-53BZ so that I can use those splines as the basis for a shaft coupler to install whatever T-case I want.

[Eskie]

WOuld be interesting and there are some guys here who have used the ATC... but you may not have it anymore at this point
I think it's pretty awesome that the ATC 700 bolts in place of the ATC 350.

I still have it, it’s in a box under my desk


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[The Dark Side of Will]

I'll need to pull the airbox and AFM to get a better look, but it looks like the RWD mount arms will interfere with the AWD steering shaft, but probably not the rack itself.

I already knew that the spool valve on the iX rack would interfere with the E53 front diff and had figured out a candidate method for rotating the rack. Rotating the rack will require an "exotic" 3 or 4 joint steering shaft geometry, but that's nothing new in the hot rodding world. It'll just have to reach over the RWD mount arm. I was hoping that only E53 based swaps would need to rotate the rack, but maybe they all will. Feh.

[The Dark Side of Will]

WOuld be interesting and there are some guys here who have used the ATC... but you may not have it anymore at this point
I think it's pretty awesome that the ATC 700 bolts in place of the ATC 350.

[Eskie]

We also have a ATC350 t-case from a F02 we are throwing out. Its all disassembled if there is any interest in pictures there..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[The Dark Side of Will]

Snazzy, but I'm not sure if anything is relevant to the E30 iX.

The left mount behind the left axle is something BMW has always done in their SUV's, apparently.

Also, the T-case is extremely compact.

[Eskie]

We've got an N63 out of an E71 on the engine table getting warranty valve seals done. I don't know if any pictures of the front diff would be relevant to this thread but I took some:





He's going to be on it for a while, so I can grab more pictures if needed.

[nomansland92]

I looked into this awhile ago and zeroed my angle meter off the pinch weld like were the airbox sits and I believe the motor was 2-3 degree tilted back, I cant remember exactly.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[The Dark Side of Will]

I don't doubt that... I guess BMW could have made the manifold level with the engine tilted. It would definitely be out of the ordinary for it to be level.

[Eskie]

I mean I also measured it with my iPhone app that’s only accurate within 1 degree


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[The Dark Side of Will]

Weird... because the driveshaft definitely comes out of the transmission higher than it goes into the diff... but I wouldn't have designed a system using a giubo with a static angle.