Author Topic: 5x120 swap (Read 23308 times)

bme30 · « **Reply #30 on:** March 21, 2009, 07:15:39 AM »

Great! thanks for the info.

95m3032679 · « **Reply #31 on:** March 21, 2009, 09:56:55 AM »

Why 96+ m3 front front & not earlier?
What is the difference?

Boosted E30 · « **Reply #32 on:** March 21, 2009, 05:13:41 PM »

97+ the control arms have more positive caster so it centers the wheels better if i understand correctly.

bme30 · « **Reply #33 on:** March 21, 2009, 11:18:29 PM »

it almost looks like that the 97+M CA's with the E30 M offset bushings will put it in the right spot... therefore you wouldn't really need the caster/camber plates... just camber.

what i going to try is this... i have the e30 m offset bushings.. the 97+ M CA's are on the way.. i'm using a e36 strut and stock spring assembly with the e36 ti front spindle hub assembly. i'll see how it all lines up and how it is with alignment.. if i need to get camber or camber/caster plates then i will. keeps from spending more than i have to.

Boosted E30 · « **Reply #34 on:** March 23, 2009, 05:50:06 PM »

Only way to find out is to try, let us know what happens you should be good with just camber plates though.

deekay · « **Reply #35 on:** March 28, 2009, 08:45:52 AM »

that's e36 non-M steering knuckles/brakes with 96+ e36m3 control arms and THR bushings in the front, and z3 trailing arms in the rear. shocks are e36 non-M in the front, regular e30 in the rear, and springs are for a z3 1.9 all the way around.

don't mind the oversize tires, the guy doing the work for me while i'm overseas hasn't mounted my 17" wheel/tire setup yet, he's in the middle of relocating his shop.

Boosted E30 · « **Reply #36 on:** March 29, 2009, 12:18:24 PM »

Nice that looks great! what wheel tire size are you using for your 17's offset to?

xwill112x · « **Reply #37 on:** March 29, 2009, 02:07:07 PM »

i kinda like the over-sized tire look, makes that vert look more aggresive.

deekay · « **Reply #38 on:** March 31, 2009, 12:07:18 AM »

thank you both.

wheel/tire sizes are as follows (IIRC, ordered them back in january):
front: 17x8 et40, 205/45
rear: 17x9 et41, 225/40

according to the offset calculator at marksink.com, the outside lip of the front wheel should be in almost exactly the same place, while the rear is going to stick out about 13mm further. i hope so, because this is the 2nd set of 5-lug wheels i bought for this car... i f***ed up the offset math the first time in the hopes that i'd be able to use a set of M Roadster wheels, and that didn't really pan out so well. still need to find someone to offload those on. or just get another bimmer to use 'em on...

Boosted E30 · « **Reply #39 on:** March 31, 2009, 05:59:54 PM »

Ok so the e36 suspension you end up with a pretty high offset......So if im using e36 m3 front suspension and e30 m3 rear hubs i should end up with a high offset in the front and low in the back?

which in turn means i could have a nice staggared set up with a decent dish on the rear wheels. Correct?

deekay · « **Reply #40 on:** April 02, 2009, 05:11:35 AM »

sounds right to me.

only thing i have to say to that is you don't HAVE to use e36m3 front suspension, except the control arms which have to be from an S52 car. like i said, everything else i used is either e30 or some variant of e36 non-M (or just pure aftermarket, in the case of the THR CABs).

i personally didn't see the value of adding the extra unsprung weight of the M front brakes when the e36 325/8i brakes are still spec'd to stop a heavier car with more tire.

bme30 · « **Reply #41 on:** April 03, 2009, 12:01:26 PM »

Deekay : the z3 1.9 springs stock? the drop looks great. it also looks like your front tire is centered. The THR CAB's are the offset like the e30 m3? I'm in the middle of my swap.. cleaning all the parts right now getting them ready for paint.

so it looks like the 96+m3 CA's are needed. I was told that they weren't as well as camber plates weren't really needed. This was coming from a local performace bmw shop who has done a few already. but i'll see how they fit without and post pics in about a months time. And if i need those parts i'll get them.

sweet ride!

Boosted E30 · « **Reply #42 on:** April 03, 2009, 05:59:24 PM »

Quote from: deekay;69265

sounds right to me.

only thing i have to say to that is you don't HAVE to use e36m3 front suspension, except the control arms which have to be from an S52 car. like i said, everything else i used is either e30 or some variant of e36 non-M (or just pure aftermarket, in the case of the THR CABs).

i personally didn't see the value of adding the extra unsprung weight of the M front brakes when the e36 325/8i brakes are still spec'd to stop a heavier car with more tire.

Ya i know but i got a good deal on the m3 stuff and plus i like the bigger brakes. thanks for the info though much appreciated.

deekay · « **Reply #43 on:** April 06, 2009, 07:00:09 AM »

bme30: the z3 springs are H&R sport for a 1.9 vert from TMS.

the THR cabs are offset like the M3's, but i can't confirm that they're the same -amount- of offset. the guys at THR are good people though, i'm sure a quick phone call would answer that question.

the wheel looks centered to me as well, but the guy doing the work on my car says it's about an inch aft of center. it is hard to tell from the pics; i'll have to wait a few months to see i guess.

i didn't use camber plates, just stock e30 top mounts.

Selfish · « **Reply #44 on:** April 16, 2009, 09:13:25 PM »

Has any of you heard of these guys (or their adapters)??

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-4-LUG-TO-5-CONVERSION-KIT-E30-84-91-318-320-325-M3_W0QQitemZ270369096220QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item270369096220&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A1171%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318[/URL]

It looks almost too good to be true

Just paste that in your browser, can�t seem to be able to upload the link