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Thread: Z4M and E46 M3 suspension interchange

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    Colton, Oreeeeeeeeeeeee
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    3,229
    My Cars
    Z3 and Z4 M Coupe

    Z4M and E46 M3 suspension interchange

    I know there are very minor differences between the z4m and M3 front suspension (steering rack is a different ratio) but are there any interchange problems? Will the entire front suspension of one bolt right into the other?
    Drink wine! BMW CCA #373875 - 2007 M Coupe (project) - 2000 Z3 Coupe - 2015 Impreza wagon

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    ATL
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    164
    My Cars
    '91 325i
    Kind of, but there are major differences.
    The control arms on the Z4M are alike to the ZHP non-M, which isnt a big deal and can interchange.
    The control arm bushings are offset to add caster, but also interchange you just lose some caster.
    Front uprights are Z4M specific, they use E36 struts with a caliper ears for the E46M based brakes.

    You can swap in the E46 M parts, but it has to be essentially the entire upright to strut top, and likely have to add the E46 M control arm bushings.

    There is a difference in feel though, the E36 based upright has more trail and feels different at the limits before the traction lets go. I think BMW did this because of where you sit in the car and your sense of the car's movement is skewed vs the regular M. Aside for feel, I am not 100% certain where you end up with geometry; since base Z4 is the same as the E46 and E46 M and non-M parts are fully interchangeable, the Z4M to M3 defaults to interchangeable and should be identical alignment settings to the E46 M3.
    Harrison Motorsports
    Motion Control Suspension
    Daytona M3

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
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    New York
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    E53 4.6IS imola red
    really cool info honestly!

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