4 lug 5 lug dilemma

[csab327i]

So Im being indecisive about what I should do.

Stay 4 lug:yellow adj. koni's
ST sway bar kit from TMS
IE stage 3 race springs
Already have m3 control arm bushings
urethane sub and trailing arm bushings
3.91 ix diff

Go 5 lug,mainly for bigger better brakes and wouldnt mind those double claw motorsport wheels over my borbet A's(16x9 all around).

Would a 2000 m roadster front and rear suspension fit?Is everything interchangable?I mean from sway bars to steering rack,subframes, diff, struts springs?Is it direct bolt on?



What parts are the best for the 5 lug conversion?

What would you do and why?

btw:my car originally is a 91 325i coupe

[etxxz]

take the engine while you're at it!

[peerless]

I would stay 4 lug. With all the money and time you will spend on a 5 lug you could have built a competition 4 lug and upgraded the brakes. 5 lug is cool if your a wheel whore, but even then I have seen that turn out to be a false dream. You find that killer set of wheels, off set is wrong and it rubs so you sell those and by another pair and those are just not what you wanted or take too much tire stretch to work, so in the end you finally find a set that fits perfect, are you going to change them again?

As a quick note I have done the ST sway bars and I have to say the new UUC sway bar kit is way better in reinforcement and overall quality. Worth the few extra dollars.

Bigger brakes are cool, that is providing you can actually get the ABS to function properly. With the money you save you can rebuild your calipers, add stainless lines and upgrade brake pads. Don't discount aggressive pads, they can do amazing work with stopping power.

The last 5 lug swap I did we used Z3 rear trailing arms and Z3 springs on 328is spindles. The abs sensors do not line up and send false signals to the ABS computer thereby failing. We tried to orientate them correctly and it got better but it still errors out.

Typically unless you use the M3 spindles (expensive) you cannot get the front wheel centered and it will sit about 1" backwards from center. Even with M3 bushings or tree house bushings. So now you have less caster, wider wheels and heavier steering. In the end it just seems like a whole lot of money, time, and headache.

Stay 4 lug and get the best stuff you can get to dial it in. If your going to go big on sway bars I recommend you use the AKG front swaybar reinforcements and the Turner engine mount reinforcements as you only want to do the front subframe once. On the rears use the Turner trailing arm tabs as they are the best I have used yet.

I am doing a Koni Adjustable setup right now with the UUC sways. Also did a young gals Angela's E30 all dialed in. Took it into the canyons on Valentines day and it handled like a dream on 225/60/17's. Also has the proper caster and functional ABS.

from experience.

Rob
E30 Motor Werks

[csab327i]

Thank a lot Rob for clearing that out!
I already checked out the uuc sway barbarian set.Will prob. go with that one.

And stay 4 lug to save money and headache!!

[bimmer630]

Just a sidenote.. rear abs problems are avoided and lots of hard work is avoided if you just press in 5 lug z3 hubs into your e30 arms, have you checked out Aptyps' thread on this?
This is how my setup is and my abs works fine. you do have to splice the front sensor wires to get the e30 connecter on the e36 sensor wire..

Also the front spindles can be found fairly cheap. I got a set with front and rear brakes all for 300 bucks, but sold the E36 M3 brakes cause they dont work

Still though after all these issues are ironed out it may be better to just stick with what is tried and true.. the 4 lug is whats supposed to be on that car and plenty of good track cars are running 4 lug