M3 spindle with e36 brakes?

[Massive Lee]

Any of you ever tried the m3 spindle and normal caliper combination?

Won't work. Different offset and height.

[CrAzY_DrIveR]

i need to fit 16" wheels on the m3 spindles so 300mm ou original 286mm brakes need to fit. Any of you ever tried the m3 spindle and normal caliper combination?

[E30-323ti]

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[E30-323ti]

You need to run 'rotor' spacers (iirc 12mm SBI use to make them) under the E36 M3 rotors (315mm dia) to use the E36 M3 calipers/carriers.

Non-M E36 calipers/carriers will 'bolt-on', but the matching rotor's will still need a spacer to fit, custom no doubt, and I doubt you could use E30 M3 rotor's as they are 25mm think vs 22mm non-M E36, unless you always ran half worn pads and still the diameter is different (275 vs 286mm).

You could always look at E28's for calipers.

Or better yet, just get some nice 'massive' brakes.

[Roysneon]

Bumping this bish back from the dead just to post a dumb question.

If I buy E30 M3 front struts and hubs without the rotors or carriers, can I use E36M calipers and carriers on them without spacers? Only want to do this as the E36 stuff is more readily available than E30 brakes (carriers NLA)

[Shaun K]

source of information?

This is the only place I can find it now:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=163542&highlight=z3+springs

Correct me if you know this to be wrong, otherwise I was planning on ordering Z3 front springs and E30 rear springs for my car. If it works that's great, if not then I guess I'll have to find a different front spring.

[psyber_0ptix]

source of information?

[Shaun K]

True but non M (and 95 M) struts take larger diameter springs. So e30 diameter springs won't sit nice. I love my e36 m3 koni inserts in stock 96-99 m3 struts, gotta say.

My understanding is that you can use Z3 springs up front. Their lower diameter is the same as E36 non-M and the upper diameter is the same as E30.

[M-technik-3]

all new parts..They did have them on sale for awhile for under 900.

http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=325toM3brakes

[Mossman]

True but non M (and 95 M) struts take larger diameter springs. So e30 diameter springs won't sit nice. I love my e36 m3 koni inserts in stock 96-99 m3 struts, gotta say.

[bimmer630]

all e36 struts work with all e36 spindles. makes no difference in that area. the spindles themselves are different in geometry and caliper mounting

[Shaun K]

Guys, please let's be serious. Next question will probably be about fitting used Kia rotors with scrap Firefly calipers on VW struts and fit them to an e30?

Actually it was a pretty serious question. I am gathering parts for my 5-lug swap now. My rear shocks are Koni STR.T units, and I'd like to use matching front struts. However since Koni doesn't make an STR.T for an M, I would just use standard E36 STR.T struts and M3 calipers/brackets/spindles/rotors. So far I haven't seen any mention of M3 spindles not working on non-M struts; in fact Bimmerworld sells the M3 brake kit as an upgrade for non-M's. Just thought I'd ask here, but I guess I can make another thread.

[Massive Lee]

Guys, please let's be serious. Next question will probably be about fitting used Kia rotors with scrap Firefly calipers on VW struts and fit them to an e30?

[Shaun K]

You can put the e36 carriers and calipers on the M3 spindle using spacers between the carrier and the caliper mounts on the spindle. But it doesn't mean the circumference of the rotor will line up with the top of the pads.

The difference in offset is 6mm give or take 0.1mm, that's a tad thinner than 1/4" (6.35mm)

The M3 and non-M hubs/bearings are the same.

What about doing the opposite, using non-M struts with M spindles and brakes? Is that possible?

[Massive Lee]

You can put the e36 carriers and calipers on the M3 spindle using spacers between the carrier and the caliper mounts on the spindle. But it doesn't mean the circumference of the rotor will line up with the top of the pads.

The difference in offset is 6mm give or take 0.1mm, that's a tad thinner than 1/4" (6.35mm)

The M3 and non-M hubs/bearings are the same.