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e30 325i suspension upgrades?

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oops, got a bit off topic didn't it.

So to clarify, you will have E36 front & E36 ti rear!?!?!

If so, get all 19x8's the 8.5's won't let you run any more tyre and will be a pain when rotating them to optimise wear etc...

What tyres are you going to run?? 225/35's, even that may be too tall for the E30??

What offset are the wheels??

yea i will be doing the same 5 lug conversion u did. and im looking at the 19x8's only so rotation will be ok as i will be running same tyres all round the guy selling the mags says that 215/35/19, and 225/35/19 tyres will fit the wheels. there is a guy at my work thats just put black faced lenso rs5's in 215/35/18 on his e30 which is a pre facelift where as mine is a facelift. he is running standard hubs an using modified spacers and he also has lowered it on B&S springs he has no gaurd rubb i think. i just think these wheels would look mean on a old skool e30 as im going 4 the euro feel for the car.

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also the offset is 38?? wat the guy selling them says

heres a link to the auction for the wheels

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=93725493

Offset wise for a 8" rim they are fine.

Check and double check your friends car with the 215/35 18's as your's would be 1" taller again!!!

It doesn't sound like much, but it is!!

You do know it is is going to ride and drive like a POS, and it is purely bling factor!?!?!

Just seem like a lot of work for no real gain, other than "bling" but that doesn't really count.

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Offset wise for a 8" rim they are fine.

Check and double check your friends car with the 215/35 18's as your's would be 1" taller again!!!

It doesn't sound like much, but it is!!

You do know it is is going to ride and drive like a POS, and it is purely bling factor!?!?!

Just seem like a lot of work for no real gain, other than "bling" but that doesn't really count.

ok i wasnt going for the bling factor i was hoping they would improve the cars grip and handling with being bigger and wider wheels than the standard 14" basket 1's that are 195/65/14 just wanting some cool looking wheels that also improve the cars handling an sutch

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ok i wasnt going for the bling factor i was hoping they would improve the cars grip and handling with being bigger and wider wheels than the standard 14" basket 1's that are 195/65/14 just wanting some cool looking wheels that also improve the cars handling an sutch

Well don't go near 19's then, 1 rim would probably weigh as much as 2 14" baskets with tyres!!!

15 or 16" wheels with GOOD tyres will improve the handling and grip the most.

I would go with something the 16x7.5" type 1 ACS wheels Mike and Drifty are using.

205/50 or 225/45's are a good size, possibly slighty "over" tyred for lower (or stock) hp'd E30's, but full the guards nicely!

So there is no real need to do the E36 swap either!!

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Well don't go near 19's then, 1 rim would probably weigh as much as 2 14" baskets with tyres!!!

15 or 16" wheels with GOOD tyres will improve the handling and grip the most.

I would go with something the 16x7.5" type 1 ACS wheels Mike and Drifty are using.

205/50 or 225/45's are a good size, possibly slighty "over" tyred for lower (or stock) hp'd E30's, but full the guards nicely!

So there is no real need to do the E36 swap either!!

ok here we go again. glen sorry dude but im still keen to start that hub conversion. could u please give me a full run down on what u did to ur car 2 make all the parts fit. as i have the bmw wrecker in tauranga saying that a e36 rear end wont fit into a e30 as the subframe mounting points are inset into the floor of the car an the e30 isnt. so if u could please clarify what u have done 2 make urs work please fil me in. cheers

shaun

ps im looking at the wheel size 2 run being 17x8 now same style of m3 replica rim just small as u said 19s are just bling an u were right. i want the car 2 look cool as it goes fast round a cornor tho so ive voted 17 cos i hoping they will fit. an considering urs is running 17 in the pics of it so i though what the hey y not do it 2.

an wats a ruff budget i should b looking at to do all this?

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too anwser your wheel question.

You will be fine on 17x8's mate :) just make sure you get about a 20 offset wheel .. or run legal spacers at no more than 15 mm using a 30 to 35 mm offset wheel (common).

The only time you run into issues is running either 18inch wheels or larger than 8.5 width on anything higher than a 15 offset.

I'm thinking I might make an offset chart of real world fitments / solutions to bigger wheels on e30's.

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josh your e30 project is soooo tough...would love to see it sometime!

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cheers man ... for sure ...

Mike your post is edited with the upload .... handy spread sheet dude.

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too anwser your wheel question.

You will be fine on 17x8's mate :) just make sure you get about a 20 offset wheel .. or run legal spacers at no more than 15 mm using a 30 to 35 mm offset wheel (common).

The only time you run into issues is running either 18inch wheels or larger than 8.5 width on anything higher than a 15 offset.

I'm thinking I might make an offset chart of real world fitments / solutions to bigger wheels on e30's.

cheers for your input dude. but as far as gettting a answer out of the wreckers bout parts goes im still stuck. i was just hoping glen could give me a run down on wat he exactly did cos, me trying 2 explain wat i wana do 2 the wreckers is useless i just get a WTF look and acording 2 them a 318 rear end dont fit as the subframe mounts inset into the floor. i was unsure if i am ment 2 still using my 325 rear sub frame or not just little things like that i need sum advice and clarafication so i can get the conversion started cos i want those wheels now! im sick of seeing my baby on 14 inch wheels.

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Use the site Josh put up, has it all listed there.

Your confused looks will be pretty normal when you start doing stuff like this, so get use to it.

Even worse if the source is confused one...

It is the E36 318ti trailing arms that you need, not a 318i, big difference!!

You can also use Z3 or M Coupe/Roadster (rare & $$!!) trailing arms, but they don't have the rear brakes lines to suit a E30, so you will need to make them.

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You can also use Z3 or M Coupe/Roadster (rare & $$!!) trailing arms, but they don't have the rear brakes lines to suit a E30, so you will need to make them.

further to what glen said:

The cost on this is bloody expensive :/ your looking at around 7k to do the M-coupe/roadster rear conversion from new. The 5 series option is far better in this country. Also at this point in time .. nobody is wrecking a m-coupe/roadster in NZ.

You can use your standard hand brake cable but as said above will need to get custom lines made up. This is not too expensive and pre-cert'd (road legal) braided ones only cost about $100 each. ($600 to do the whole e30)

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further to what glen said:

The cost on this is bloody expensive :/ your looking at around 7k to do the M-coupe/roadster rear conversion from new. The 5 series option is far better in this country. Also at this point in time .. nobody is wrecking a m-coupe/roadster in NZ.

You can use your standard hand brake cable but as said above will need to get custom lines made up. This is not too expensive and pre-cert'd (road legal) braided ones only cost about $100 each. ($600 to do the whole e30)

you mean standard braided lines? you can get them for around $320 from alert engineering..

glenn, do you have any more info as to what you did with the e28 rear end?

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probably for stock e30 ones gus .. not if your getting custom .. which youll need for the 5 lug conversion.

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If you use an M3 front and rear end to go 5 lug you will be able to use a standard set of replacement braided lines as the M3 setup is pretty much the same as the 325i. E36 front end with E36 318Ti rear is probably fine too.

Cost is obviously the major factor in doing a 5 lug conversion so I would forget about doing the Z3M Coupe/roadster change as you'll probably have to get the parts new. Not cheap!

if you can get them, the 318ti trailing arms and brakes are probably the easiest way to go as outlined on http://www.ubersaloons.co.nz/uber3/5lug.htm the expensive part being the E36 front control arms as they will most likely have to be bought new. The issue with this set up is that the front wheels tend to sit back in the wheel well compared to stock but using offset control arm bushings will help with this bringing the wheel forward a bit more. This may not really be a problem for most people though.

Edited by Assault

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this is his list he used

http://www.ubersaloons.co.nz/uber3/5lug.htm

The other two ways are m3 front struts (about $1650 for the pair) and m3 hubs etc etc

or Bilstein e30 m3 (5 lug) / shock / spring /strut replacments.

ok guys the wrecker bevan understands me now an has given me some prices. but is unsure on which control arms 2 use as the 1s specified on the ubersaloon site are a bit hard 2 come by. being 'E36 í97 M3 Control Arm' so what other ones could i use? also what while im here i know its off topic but wat size socket is needed 2 remove spark plugs in a m20? just got my rocker cover powder coated black and i think i damaged a spark plug when i was putting the lead back on :( cos ive replaced the lead thinking it was that cos i could hear spark arc'n/ jumping so i replace it and its still doing it. so im off 2 buy a new plug 2morrow just wat size socket is required is al i need 2 know please.

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You'll most likely just need to bite the bullet and get new '97/m3 control arms.. have a look on sites overseas .. as their pricing is pretty good .. seems your looking around 600-700 landed for the left and right.

EG:

http://replacement.autopartswarehouse.com/...rm&dp=false

If you can find them second hand ... awesome! :)

Also ask your parts guy to put a request out on the national second hand parts network wire... they have a mail list they all use.

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You'll most likely just need to bite the bullet and get new '97/m3 control arms.. have a look on sites overseas .. as their pricing is pretty good .. seems your looking around 600-700 landed for the left and right.

EG:

http://replacement.autopartswarehouse.com/...rm&dp=false

If you can find them second hand ... awesome! :)

Also ask your parts guy to put a request out on the national second hand parts network wire... they have a mail list they all use.

ok my budget atm is saying that out the question sorry. i think i may have 2 hold up again an wait till ive saved a bit more money eg 2k i think for all these parts. :( o well thanks for al the advice so far guys

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