Help needed!! E30 m3 lug conversion! *not your typical*

[09asm]

Hey guys, long time reader, 1st time poster!!

As the title suggests, i need help with a 5 lug conversion!! I have been reading through 5 lug conversions for weeks now and can't seem to find the right thing that suits my situation.

The car is a 1989 318i coupe. I have decided to do it the proper way by replacing everything with e30 m3 suspension etc. However instead of replacing ALL the suspension & brake components with e30 m3, i only want to swap what is necessary for the 5 lug conversion to work perfectly with camber, caster etc. as I will also be upgrading some of those components anyway and don't want to double up.

- Planning to go bigger brakes (probably 6 & 4 pot wilwoods with 310ish discs)

- suspension would also need to be upgraded further, i like the look of the ground control coilovers OR the H&R sport/Bilstein HD combo (which ever way will work better/easier with the lug swap)

- wheels will work around the above... main reason for this swap is to handle extra power. Currently have my built LSX sitting in car and working everything around that!
i will be doing probably 70% street / 30% track.

So the question stands, for this to be done properly, what e30 m3 components will be a must to work with upgrading the above?

I like the list made at http://www.strictlyeta.net/technical/5lug.html but alot of it won't be necessary for me. Strut assemblies/mounts? Sway bars? Control arms? Trailing arms? Where do i draw the line??

Any help/ideas would be greatly appriciated.

I hope i got everything, go easy on me haha Thanks in advance peeps!!

[shogun]

Moved to E30 forum

[richardodn]

Read this guide too. Notice it's only available in the internet archive as the site is no longer live. http://web.archive.org/web/201701291...rei.com/?p=141

[dahlem]

The biggest issue will be what diff you are planning on using that can handle all that torque.
My son did this swap on his 91 318is and used 318ti rear trailing arms and a mid sized case LSD with 3.73 (I believe) gears.
He has yet to swap the motor but is not doing an LS swap. The e30 aluminum control arms are not cheap and the ball joints are not serviceable.

[09asm]

The biggest issue will be what diff you are planning on using that can handle all that torque.
My son did this swap on his 91 318is and used 318ti rear trailing arms and a mid sized case LSD with 3.73 (I believe) gears.
He has yet to swap the motor but is not doing an LS swap. The e30 aluminum control arms are not cheap and the ball joints are not serviceable.

Not decided yet and still keeping options open but 4.1 medium case lsd is in front. Alot of strong options for medium whilst keeping it bmw

- - - Updated - - -

Read this guide too. Notice it's only available in the internet archive as the site is no longer live. http://web.archive.org/web/201701291...rei.com/?p=141

Very nicely detailed... keep reconsidering the e36 m3 front with z3 rear!!! So frustrating

[superj]

on the guys making big power, the problem wasn't the diff, it was the half shafts shearing