Custom 5-Lug Conversion Questions

[Bimmerfreak87]

18x8 ET35 will fit without spacers pretty nicely.

Ok cool. Still might use small spacers then because I am going to roll the fenders and use 2" fender flares and I want the wheels to come out a bit to look real nice with the flares.

You can bolt on 318ti trailing arms, you'll just have to live knowing that you replaced high performance porsche bearings with low performance tiny bearings.

I have been going by this write up http://www.torque-bound.com/5-lug.htm and it says 318ti rear can be used on the 84-85 E30... but it can work with my 87 E30?

I have my 318ti rear end and you are welcome to it for cheap, I need garage space more. Brakes, axles, new pads, trailing arms and lines. I can toss in a subframe but you would want to modify it for adjustable camber and toe.

I'm interested in the 318ti rear you have. Please shoot me a PM so we can work something out.

Other choices are to just get e30 m3 hubs for the rear and a big brake kit for the e30 m3. Your wheels may stick out farther in the front but you could take advantage of a staggered set of wheels. Wide rears.

I want to run 18x8, 18x9 CSL wheels if I can find them. I have seen the 19x8, 19x9 CSL wheels and assume there is a staggered 18" set.

I suggest getting a bbk for the rear if you go the e30m3 route as this will cost only a little more than stock and you will actually be able to find them. Stock e30 m3 calipers tend to be a little hard to find.

I will eventually order front bbk for sure, but are there bbk's for the rear if I buy your 318ti setup or would I have to go E30 M3 rear end to get a rear bbk? Not even sure I care about rear bbk that much, just wondering if I have that option with a 318ti rear setup?

If I did go the E30 M3 rear setup way, would I only have to change hubs and brakes or would I need trailing arms, spindles, etc. for rear 5 lug?
Thanks guys... I'm getting a lot of important info and my q's answered.

[Dagamus(NM)]

I personally would not run 18's and definately not 19's. My 17's are already almost too big but that is a matter of taste.

You can pm me about the parts, I am indifferent towards selling them and would want to make sure that this is the route you want to go. I can tell you that they would limit options for big brakes in the rear. 18's and rotors designed for 15's would look silly. They look fine with 17's.

To run the e30m3 rear you just need the hubs and brakes. I'm pretty sure the bearing is the same, just check realoem for those and compare. Big brakes will cost about the same as getting your hands on the regular stuff. Not cheap and you would either get the sir tools bearing press set or borrow one or pay somebody else to do it.

Then there is always the mcoupe rear, still requires an adjustable subframe. The decisions are not easy and I have done mcoupe and ti. I can only wonder how e30m3 would be.

Let me know how else I can help, I have spent a good amount of time doing this stuff. Also, I have big brakes on all three of my e30's and the e36 m brake system is my favorite. 300mm.de and corvette brakes are the others.

[Bimmerfreak87]

[quote=Dagamus(NM);2059763]To run the e30m3 rear you just need the hubs and brakes. I'm pretty sure the bearing is the same, just check realoem for those and compare. Big brakes will cost about the same as getting your hands on the regular stuff. Not cheap and you would either get the sir tools bearing press set or borrow one or pay somebody else to do it.quote]

So I just need to find some e30m3 hubs and pick a rear bbk kit for e30m3 and I can bolt on and go? This seems pretty simple and all it really takes is some $$$. Thanks again.

My last questions are about how aftermarket suspension stuff would bolt up if I have e36m3 front brakes and e30m3 rear brakes... does f/r suspension all stay e30 stuff except for the front struts, which will have to be e36m3 struts? CC plates for e30 or e36? Sway bars for e30 or e36? Also, is there any aftermarket tubular style adjustable/stronger rear control arms/trailing arms I can buy to get better rear suspension?

[Dagamus(NM)]

You need all e36 m3 up front, late model m3 arms. You can run stock e30 rack with the tie rod ends almost all the way threaded in. I think I have maybe three turns of thread on each side after alignment. You can go to e36 rack of choice, but I have not done this so you will need to get advice elsewhere. The stock swaybar works. I have a cabrio so I think my bar is acceptable. As far as camber plates you would go e30 as they have to fit the body. Be careful as there are many plates that show adjustability but then can't actually move within the bore of the hole in the tower. I am undecided on which way I want to go and my indecision is leading me to procrastinate in doing this job I can get a realignment.

The rear really depends on what you want to do with your car. If you plan on putting down big power to turn those 18's then you can do mcoupe rear with the big Porsche cv axles and reinforced arms with braces. I had to have custom made brake lines as I used the existing e36m3 calipers I had on the mcoupe arms. If you are going staggered with 9's in the rear go e30m3 so that they don't stick out to an aesthetically unpleasing amount. Swaybar in the rear remains whatever e30 bar you want. I went with an eibach 19mm.

As far as a reinforced e30 rear, peerless at e30motorwerks sells a set that has the crossbar and extra plates around the bearing. You could probably get him to get you a set of m3 hubs and press them into bearings on the reinforced ams and then ship them to you eliminating the need for pressing bearings and getting the sirtools setup. He is in huntington beach, google search.

[Bimmerfreak87]

You need all e36 m3 up front, late model m3 arms. You can run stock e30 rack with the tie rod ends almost all the way threaded in. I think I have maybe three turns of thread on each side after alignment. You can go to e36 rack of choice, but I have not done this so you will need to get advice elsewhere. The stock swaybar works. I have a cabrio so I think my bar is acceptable. As far as camber plates you would go e30 as they have to fit the body. Be careful as there are many plates that show adjustability but then can't actually move within the bore of the hole in the tower. I am undecided on which way I want to go and my indecision is leading me to procrastinate in doing this job I can get a realignment.

I'll use e30 rack for now if it works and order f/r e30 sway bars. I will have to look into cc plates more, but thx for the help.

The rear really depends on what you want to do with your car. If you plan on putting down big power to turn those 18's then you can do mcoupe rear with the big Porsche cv axles and reinforced arms with braces. I had to have custom made brake lines as I used the existing e36m3 calipers I had on the mcoupe arms. If you are going staggered with 9's in the rear go e30m3 so that they don't stick out to an aesthetically unpleasing amount. Swaybar in the rear remains whatever e30 bar you want. I went with an eibach 19mm.

I plan to build up at least 2 motors, a turbo street monster that makes gobs of power and a full race n/a m3 swap for the track. To start I want to go through the chasis and change out every suspension part I can with m3 or better parts. Also, I found nice 17s similar to the CSL wheels at a much better price so I will go with them instead of the "heavy 18s." Figured I will have 1k+ every month for my build. I have two more weeks of research time and then I will start mass ordering parts. :-D

As far as a reinforced e30 rear, peerless at e30motorwerks sells a set that has the crossbar and extra plates around the bearing. You could probably get him to get you a set of m3 hubs and press them into bearings on the reinforced ams and then ship them to you eliminating the need for pressing bearings and getting the sirtools setup. He is in huntington beach, google search.

I will call them and see what they can do for me. Lastly, I found a pair of 95 frt m3 calipers for 120... would it be worth grabbing these frt calipers along w/some pads and rotors as I do not have a frt bbk or m3 brakes yet for my 5 lug conversion? Are the m3 brakes a nice improvement over stock that will justify spending a couple hundred $$$?

[Dagamus(NM)]

If you run m suspension you need either m brakes or a bbk for an m.

Good luck with your engine plans, a little ambitious.

[Bimmerfreak87]

If you run m suspension you need either m brakes or a bbk for an m.

Good luck with your engine plans, a little ambitious.

I guess I'll grab up the m brakes for now. Ambitious is my middle name. :up:

[Aptyp]

I have been going by this write up http://www.torque-bound.com/5-lug.htm and it says 318ti rear can be used on the 84-85 E30... but it can work with my 87 E30?

On that site, I covered swap that doesn't require removal of trailing arms; just hubs, bearings and brakes bolt on. If you choose to unbolt trailing arms, you can use 318ti trailing arms, but bearings are smaller.

[Bimmerfreak87]

On that site, I covered swap that doesn't require removal of trailing arms; just hubs, bearings and brakes bolt on. If you choose to unbolt trailing arms, you can use 318ti trailing arms, but bearings are smaller.

I got that, but what rear suspension can I use that is the same or better than stock suspension? I want to upgrade the rear suspension, but I heard the only rear suspension that would be better than stock is the mz3, m coupe stuff that is like impossible to find and would cost thousand$. Is the cheapest rear suspension w/o compromising the e30m3 rear stuff which would cost like $600...???

Options I heard I can use:
1. 318ti - has smaller bearings and no bbk options, but is cheap
2. e30m3 - expensive hubs, but use all same other suspension and = to stock rear just w/ 5 lug and has bbk options.
3. mz3/m coupe - very expensive and impossible to find, but is a rear suspension upgrade w/ stronger parts and bbk options.
These are the options I heard I have for the rear... are there any others and anything that is recommended?

Also heard I can upgrade my stock trailing arms with welding a tubular piece and gussets to make an "A" arm which would be a major improvement in strength and stiffness...???

[Bimmerfreak87]

Is above ^ my only rear 5 lug options???

[HellzMindPlaya]

No... Nou can use I6 Z3 (inline 6, not the 1.8(1.9) 4 banger... mine came from a 2.8L car) hubs and brakes... you end up using new late model e30 bearings too.

You just can't use the complete rear suspension out of a 2.8L Z3 because you will have what my signiture shows... the rear wheel sticks out a whole shit ton. (which it sounds like you may want in the long run but you will have to do the fender flairs first!!!)

[Aptyp]

What are you talking about? The porsche bearings/axles are the mcoupe stuff. The 318ti rear bearing fit the same size as the stock e30.

WRONG

Stock e30 bearings 86+ are the same as used on a lot of 911's of 80's and 90's (turbo models and race cars)
Dimensions:
42x75x37 86+ e30 bearing (even m3)
39x72x37 318ti

[Aptyp]

Everything else here is covered pretty well...

1. Use 318ti
2. Use z3-I6 hubs and brakes.
3. Use e30 m3
4. Use M-coupe/roadster ENTIRE REAR END

It pretty much follows the cost order from cheapest to most expensive and to most desirable. Can't do better than having e36 m3 brakes all around, and not go after market. Also something about ///M's on calipers makes me feel good.

[Bimmerfreak87]

Everything else here is covered pretty well...

1. Use 318ti
2. Use z3-I6 hubs and brakes.
3. Use e30 m3
4. Use M-coupe/roadster ENTIRE REAR END

It pretty much follows the cost order from cheapest to most expensive and to most desirable. Can't do better than having e36 m3 brakes all around, and not go after market. Also something about ///M's on calipers makes me feel good.

So I can just put z3 I6 brakes/calipers/rotors/hubs on my stock rear suspension i.e. stock trailing arms, struts/springs, etc.???

[george graves]

I don't understand what bigger bearings do for me? Last longer? When you're talking about a part that last 200k miles, it's kinda moot. Right?