a few questions on a 5lug swap

[B3M2W5]

Thats the way it goes with this shit... I spent like 2 weeks every free min i got when i got to the wiring portion of my motor swap.
i was 19 am 20 now but i got it on the first try.
its just a little harder trying to find the diagrams to mate the OBD1 harnes to an 87 ETA most are for 88 or 89+ 325's and every thing is diff so i had to look check re-check against an 89+ and them look again.
That was just pain.
But yes i hope some one can tell us if the E36 M3 brakes do thro off the Bias.
Cuz im sure i can fab up a bracket to make the carier work but i would hate to do that and get M3 brakes and mess up the Bias when the it was actually corect with the 318ti or 325 brakes to begin with.
Plz help us

[platanos]

My head hurts too...I hope someone else can chime in and set us straight. My wife gets mad cause I always have my nose in the computer...


I know alot of ti'ers upgrade their rear brakes to 32x brakes. I guess it would'nt hurt to go this way, but I'm not a 100% on that.

[B3M2W5]

Wierd so actually going with E36 M3 front and REAR brakes will throw off the bias
I must have got that backwards i thought sticking with the Ti or E36 325 brakes would.
How does that set up on the E36 M3 not throw off the bias then? I wonder or i may just be miss informed or miss interpreting stuff here i have a lot running through my head here with all this stuff

[platanos]

OK so sorry if this seems dumb but im going the same route as OP.
I just completed an M50 swap. Now on to the suspension.
I looked into just moding E30 style and every thing and it seems if i go E36 i can gain every thing in need + bigger brakes which i have come to notice would be nice as im heating into some coners alot faster then i used to.
I have some simple ?s just for varifacation.

Im going to go E36 M3 front every thing Brakes Knuckles and suspention.
With this set on the front. Do the E36 M3 struts and springs work with fitment and alignment. The mounting in the top and every thing works out fine?

And for the rear i guess my option is to go 318ti traling arms and hubs.
Question on the rear would be do E36 M3 brakes fit right on this set up with no prb. Also just for clarity with OP I would need to run E30 shocks(does it have to be 325ic or can i just run a set of E30 rear springs from Ireland Engineering stage 3 race springs)

And Last I am gathering from reading that i will need to runn 17" E36 wheels with this set up.

You have some good questions. From what I gather, the fronts off an s52 M3 should fit right up....You may need some offset control arm bushings, I bought some treehouse eyeballs.

I have seen peolpe put M3 rear brakes on a ti, so yes it can be done, but it will throw off your brake bias. You can find more info on this swap here www.318ti.org I was told by a few people that my e36 shocks and springs will swap over too but that is just hearsay. Most peolpe say to stay with e30 shocks and springs....

Yes, 17" is the minimum for clearing M3 brakes.


I hope this helps. I am sure that someone will correct me if I'm wrong. I am doing my engine swap and 5 lug tomarrow. Hopefully I will be done by sunday and I'll report back then.

[B3M2W5]

OK so sorry if this seems dumb but im going the same route as OP.
I just completed an M50 swap. Now on to the suspension.
I looked into just moding E30 style and every thing and it seems if i go E36 i can gain every thing in need + bigger brakes which i have come to notice would be nice as im heating into some coners alot faster then i used to.
I have some simple ?s just for varifacation.

Im going to go E36 M3 front every thing Brakes Knuckles and suspention.
With this set on the front. Do the E36 M3 struts and springs work with fitment and alignment. The mounting in the top and every thing works out fine?

And for the rear i guess my option is to go 318ti traling arms and hubs.
Question on the rear would be do E36 M3 brakes fit right on this set up with no prb. Also just for clarity with OP I would need to run E30 shocks(does it have to be 325ic or can i just run a set of E30 rear springs from Ireland Engineering stage 3 race springs)

And Last I am gathering from reading that i will need to runn 17" E36 wheels with this set up.

[Borat]

On the front you might want to get the e36 CA's and some camber plates with castor adjustment since you are using e36 bits.

I'm pretty sure that the standard e36 control arms are the same spec as e30, its only the e36 m3 evo arms that have the different caster on them, those are the ones you want for the swap.

[Van Westervelt]

You will use e30 springs on the ti trailing arms.

What are the exact specs on the wheels you WANT to run? Chances are that by the looks of it, you will have to do more than rolling and pulling to fit in your wheel choice.

18 x ???

You would be more likely able to run those wheels on a proper e30 m3 setup, and still have to massage the fenders out.

[atomic]

Thanks! I realize I will need to fender work done. I just hope that rolling and flaring ill be enough.

As far as lowering the rear goes....Do I want some ti rear springs or do I get E30 springs? Any info woud be great as I want to do all my swap ASAP....

Thanks again!

I really have no clue on what springs you will need. I would assume you would want e30 springs because they were made for the rates your car is. And the e36 ones might be rated completely different. I however have no idea if the e30 springs will mount into a e36 ti trailing arm though. Maybe someone else will chime in that has done this or maybe search for some others suspension setup in that sticky thread that says what they used. Or PM them and ask??

Good Luck...

[platanos]

Since you are using e36 bits for a 5 lug swap. You can ONLY use e36 wheel offsets ie et41 to clear without issues. Any offset wheel like you are planning will take huge efforts to gain clearance at the fender lips. Even more so with it lowered. And will likely be more than just "some rubbin" too after making as much room as you can for "said" wheels...


Good luck...

Thanks! I realize I will need to fender work done. I just hope that rolling and flaring ill be enough.

As far as lowering the rear goes....Do I want some ti rear springs or do I get E30 springs? Any info woud be great as I want to do all my swap ASAP....

Thanks again!

[atomic]

Since you are using e36 bits for a 5 lug swap. You can ONLY use e36 wheel offsets ie et41 to clear without issues. Any offset wheel like you are planning will take huge efforts to gain clearance at the fender lips. Even more so with it lowered. And will likely be more than just "some rubbin" too after making as much room as you can for "said" wheels...


Good luck...

[platanos]

another question...

How do I lower the rear suspension? Do I buy ti lowering springs and sport shocks? Or do I buy E30 325ic springs and shocks?

Remember, I have ti trailing arms.....

[Van Westervelt]

The wheels in my pic are bbs rs. 16x8 et11. BUT thats on e30 m3 brakes and susp.

Pull up my last members rides thread for more pics.

[platanos]

I'm not scared of some rubbin.....haha. Yeah, I'll roll/pull if I have to. If not, I'll sell my wheels and get something with proper fitment. You have bbs rs?

[Van Westervelt]

You will have some fitment issues with those wheels at that low of an offset. Plannin on some fender modifications? :)

[platanos]

Ok, I will swap those bushing out.

Now, about the wheels....I want to run a set of 18" et 13 and 20. Can this be done or did I just open a can of worms?