Author Topic: E30 brake swap (Read 8091 times)

ose30 · « **on:** October 24, 2011, 02:39:02 AM »

We started a brake project for a friend.
Three Porsche men with Beemer parts

Start of the Beemer brake project

First we pressed in the bearings

And then E30 M3 5-lug hub with E46 rear disk

Test fit Boxster caliper

Then we measured dimensions for the adapters

Front end need some special parts to be able to use E36 5-lug hub

With 16" E30 M3 wheel there is a lot of space with Boxster caliper. Even Beemer 15" wheel will work. I suppose we are going to use bigger front calipers

Got to have similar brake set up for my own E30 1988 318I Beemer. Picked up rear disk brake control arms yesterday (my Beemer have rear drums)

DesktopDave · « **Reply #1 on:** October 24, 2011, 09:15:07 AM »

That's awesome...how did you get the e36 hub on the e30 strut, if you don't mind me asking?

Ever think about running off a few extras? There's a lot of 7-series in salvage yards over here, might be a cheaper source for decent calipers. If you have a CNC in that nice machine shop it'd be a cinch.

IMHO there's a good market for adapting e36 front components with e30 strut mounts. Every 5-lug conversion I've seen is a real PITA.

ose30 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 25, 2011, 02:45:48 AM »

There will be a special spacer ring between E30 strut and E36 hub, which allow a direct bolt on of these parts. Since i do more Porsches than BMWs, i have good source for Porsche brake parts. My friend also wanted to use Porsche parts. We don't have 7-series available that much, so swaps which seems to be logical and easy in the USA are not in Finland.

strypt · « **Reply #3 on:** October 26, 2011, 01:08:23 PM »

It's a great setup, it's exactly what I'm using for my 318 is turbo track toy. Only I kept the 4-lug since I have a lot of rims already...:rolleyes:

15" BBS BMW rims will fit over the rear brakes but in the front I'm running 312 mm discs and there they don't...

Edit: My calipers are from the Boxster S/ 911 C2. Might not be exactly the same setup then..

mr.vang · « **Reply #4 on:** October 26, 2011, 11:52:23 PM »

romkasponka · « **Reply #5 on:** October 27, 2011, 01:07:56 PM »

Nice workshop

ose30 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 28, 2011, 03:00:30 AM »

I suppose we have the same calipers. What rear rotor you are using ? Might be possible i won't go to 5-lug after all. Would like to use 15" BMW/BBS wheel.

strypt · « **Reply #7 on:** October 28, 2011, 06:05:56 AM »

I'm probably using the same rear disc as you, ventilated E46, 294 mm diameter. Can't remember exactly which model it was from since it was a couple of years ago I did the upgrade, but I believe it was from a 328.
Just drilled a new bolt pattern and lathed off the old hub guide from my old discs and used it as a spacer since the 5-lug discs has a bigger hub pilot hole.