E30 m3 5 lug vs. E36 M3

[5150ct]

any advantages / disadvantages? seems like from a cost standpoint E30 M3 would be cheaper? also added bonus of replacing only inserts (struts) for the front vs replacing complete strut.

[phreshkid]

Wrong forum brah.

I don't think e30 m3 would be cheaper by any means.

But to answer your question, if it's bigger brakes your after, e36 m3 offers better brakes. You lose precious offset in wheel choices though. Oh and the e36 5-lug conversion will ad something like 100 lbs to your car. Not exactly a selling point.

If you can do it, go e30 m3.

But why? Why would you want to go 5-lug other than the wheel choices? If it's big brakes your after, buy a big brake kit.

[JoeMadoo]

From a cost standpoint, E30 M3 is more expensive and harder to find.

An e36 m3 swap is much cheaper than buying an aftermarket BBK. Don't know about the 100 lb figure but its a bit heavier. I should have weighed mine.

[IronFreak]

Sorry but it doesn't add 100lbs. I just did mine. MAYBE if you use ti trailing arms but I just swapped in z3 hubs out back. I could see maybe 50lbs. but that's on the heavy side, mainly from the bigger rotors and calipers. the strut and spindle assembly are about the same.

Back to OP, if you find e30m3 cheap get it....not likely though. Honestly I'd go with a big brake kit, Sometimes I regret going 5-lug as like mentioned above everything is different. I'm going to be running an LS1 with KA motors ultrawide flares so it's not as drastic, but to keep a relatively stock look, wheel selection kind of sucks and are more expensive too.

If I did another e30 I wouldn;t waist my time or money, just a big brake kit and call it good. I have well over $3k wrapped up in my 5 lug swap. People forget its more then sourcing parts, you also have to buy all the brake stuff. and most likely rebuild your calipers or get new ones. It knickle and dimed me to death and I still have to buy pads and SS lines........

[marshallnoise]

This is good info. I have read that even higher quality stock stuff works just fine for most of these cars.

[5150ct]

for some reason the e30 m3 hubs and lower control arms are cheaper to buy from ate than the e36 stuff is. also i like the e30 struts as you can run inserts over having to replace the whole strut assembly like on the e36 m3. Question though, the rear e30 m3 stuff is just the hub correct?, or are the rear control arms beefier? also the e30 m3 arms are all steel correct?

[FredK]

The rear control arms are the exact same between M and non-M. The E30 M3 rear setup consists of a different brake backing plate, brake caliper and carrier, brake discs, and rear hub.

The caliper carriers are fairly difficult to source cheaply.

[5150ct]

are the front e30 struts the same between reg and m3? so i would be replacing just the spindle, lower control arm, caliper, rotor, and backing plate?

[wazzu70]

No, the M3 spindle is a larger diameter to fit the larger bearing in the M3 hub.

[nrubenstein]

No, the M3 spindle is a larger diameter to fit the larger bearing in the M3 hub.

Don't forget the detachable lower knuckle that allows for cheap geometry correction.

[Northern]

strut inserts are the same, unless you have early oddball 45mm inserts, and you can use your existing control arms, because I doubt you want to fork over that kind of cash for the small change in weight.

but you may as well add e30 m3 swaybar drop links to your parts list.

[IronFreak]

You don't have to replace the the whole strut on the e36 m3 fronts. Especially if you go coilovers you can the cut-n-gut inserts from Koni.

[dude8383]

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=197583&highlight=e36

Weight comparisons of stock e30 vs 5lug e36.

[wazzu70]

Don't forget the detachable lower knuckle that allows for cheap geometry correction.

Very true. I wish it was that easy to do roll center correction on the regular E30 struts!

[Roysneon]

You're gonna shell out close to 2k for the front strut housings and lower tie rod plates for e30m3 parts. As mentioned, good luck getting rear caliper carriers, and the calipers themselves front and rear aren't exactly growing on trees. There are ways around the front calipers such as what I did using E24 635 front calipers. Basically this stuff is older, was more limited when new and especially now and people want a premium for it as a result, which makes sense.

You can pick up the front e36m3 knuckles for less than $200 and then the other parts like control arms, calipers (buy rebuilds) and rotors really should be purchased new anyway.