E30 M3 S62 Build - Loads of queries about 4x4 drivtrains

[Turk]

Might use m3 arches for bigger wheels, so chunkier hubs may just work...

Thanks Will. Hows yours coming along?

[The Dark Side of Will]

There aren't any. The iX fronts are very thin/low profile. I think 318ti rears are similar, but if they are installed on the front, there are no 5 lug rotors that are shallow enough to clear the knuckle.

So you'll have to find a hub & rotor combo that's deeper than stock and use those. You'll have to adjust your front wheel offset accordingly.

[Turk]

Hi guys, I have finally gotten back to this project. Been extremely busy :)

I am going to go 5 stud all round. What are the best 5 stud front hubs to use on the ix legs? Need to get them ordered.

Thanks
Adem

[The Dark Side of Will]

FYI, here's the strut tower difference:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1933981-Normal-vs-IX

[The Dark Side of Will]

I don't have any, but there have been pics posted... Check out some of the 24V swap threads in the iX section on www.e30tech.com

The notch is not very deep... Less than an inch certainly.

[Turk]

Do u have any pix of the notch? Measurements would be even better!

[The Dark Side of Will]

The cars originally built with AWD have a small notch in the frame rails right above the CV joints which allows the powertrain to be mounted higher than it would with the RWD frame rails. You may have to duplicate that notch.

[Turk]

If this set up doesnt work for any reason then yes tubular will be my next stop.

Without chopping into the chassis rail Its not going to be possible to raise the engine. (is that what you're suggesting?) Im not planning on slamming the car to floor so will see how clearance etc fairs when its all bolted together.

Considering the lengths of the front drive shaft and the tightness between the hub, and suspension movement when the car is travelling may for me to raise the engine anyway. As the car is compressed to the ground it will force the wheels outward as the shaft lines up. I'm aware this could cause other issues so will have to play that with caution.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Looks like your oil pan is well below the bottom of the crossmember in those pics... That's not a good idea for a street car.

When I check the breaking yards for X5 4.4i oil pans, the uppers are MUCH more common than the lowers... you can figure out why.

How close are your inner CV's to the crossmember?

Since you cut away so much of the original, have you thought about making a tubular unit to fit the way you need it to fit?

[Jean]

Crazy!

[Turk]

I know what you mean about the steering rack, it wont rotate easily as there are banjo bolts all over the place, The solution is just jiggling things around. Im very close!

I am currently rebuilding the front legs, once theyre all bolted up and have some weight on the shocks I will know more about everythings positioning.

Heres the drive shaft in situ

[The Dark Side of Will]

This is how tight the clearance between the diff, steering knuckle, and subrame is. Basically none! I going to try and shrink the size of the steering rack banjos. if that doesnt work the rack may have to be converted to manual.

The iX bodies have saddles in the frame rails to clear the CV joints. The RWD bodies do not have these saddles. If your engine is already about as low in the body as it can go, don't try to make it any lower... just carve the frame rails a little more for clearance to the inner CV's.

Also, not sure you're picking up what I'm putting down regarding the steering rack. What I want to do would rotate the entire rack assembly around the axis of the rack... it wouldn't get any higher, so no accommodation of engine position would have to be made... The spool valve would just be rotated closer to vertical, so that it would fit between the front diff and the left mount tower.

That's on my mockup with the iX rack. If you're set on using the M3 rack, I don't think I can help you.

[slammin.e28]

All this makes me feel bad not getting my engine just in the car. Ugh.

[Turk]

The rack wont rotate any higher without raising the engine a couple of inches. Also depends which rack you are using. I have an e30 m3 one as its slimmer then most other i tried. Manual racks are slim but the knuckle is too near the centre and fouls everything.

But yes machining anything down will help!

The cross member is exactly where an IX subframe is. Hapily the wishbones etcs all bolt up as they should :D

Its also worth mentioning I have moved the steering column right over to the chassis leg too.

[The Dark Side of Will]

I was planning to machine off the mount boss on the left end of the rack and use a shaft collar to rotate the pinion closer to vertical. Will that work in your installation?

Are you sure you have the crossmember in the correct location?