Right off 325 BMW

[rmccomiskie]

I'm particularly interested in hubs from E30 or E36.

Bob.

[Chris_]

Wont a 6 pot be a little tight in the bay? Not to mention heavy. (117kgs)

Especially with it being quite wide due to the heave cant.

Oh and a problem with the diff could come about with the single 'ear' like load bearing mount. Will this throw off how the loads are transmitted through the chassis?

If you find ways around all the problems i would love to know as rusty E30's are sooo cheap now. And the mechanicals are easy to work with as well as being reliable.

Chris

[rmccomiskie]

Oops! I wasn't clear. I'm considering the 4 cylinder M42 engine and gearbox from a 318i. I've seen a couple of such builds on the Web.

Drawings of front upright adapters are encouraging. I'd like to use a single donor for most parts but I haven't seen how the diff mounts. Will have to evaluate the chassis loads if it's a strange mount. Rear uprights are still a question too. The BMW rears carriers don't look too promising.

[Chris_]

Ahh, M42 is a much simpler proposition. Profile gasket should be checked out while its out though and might as well do the cam chain tensioner. Cant help much more though, i'm a six pot boy

E30 diffs are the same across the range with regard to mounting.
They come as either small or medium case. Bigger obviously stronger and fitted to the larger engined cars.

Favourable ratios or LSD (for a 1000kg BM) are getting a bit pricey now up around £250-350 but i dont know what sort of ratio you need in a roadster (not started building yet)

Mount with four large bolts on top through the rear beam, and a large bushe mounted 'ear' to one side. (this can be replaced with a Z3 bush for stronger mounting)



Cheers
Chris

[HandyAndy]

sorry to invade the thread but
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Chris.
hope you,ve had a good un.

andy

[Chris_]

Ahh, thank you

Might have to shrink that piccy. It's a bit bigger than i expected.

Chris

[Chris_]

Ooh, another piccy of E30 rear ends.



Chris

[rmccomiskie]

Originally Posted by Chris_

Mount with four large bolts on top through the rear beam, and a large bushe mounted 'ear' to one side. (this can be replaced with a Z3 bush for stronger mounting)

Hmm. What is the purpose of the 'ear' mount? Does that isolate the torque reaction? Does the diff hang on the ear or could an arm be attached from the ear to the chassis?

Thanks for the pics.

Bob.

[Chris_]

Couldn't tell you in any major technical detail. but.

The four bolts hold it to the rear beam, the rear beam attaches to the body with some quite sturdy bushes, one at each end.
Although these are strong i think they would be wear out a lot quicker if it wasn't for the 'ear' which i have always just presumed is the main torque bearing structure. But actually looking at it a little closer, i reckon you might get away with just mounting it with the four bolts.
They are spread across a decent length, and are at two different seperation distances. I reckon it could take the loading ok.

Need someone clever to look at it i reckon.

Chris

[Chris_]

Mind you, (thinking again, always bad for me) when they run proper power in E30's the bodyshell where the rear cover bush (the 'ear') mounts does have a tendancy to rip away so it must take some fairly significant forces.

Hows about an E36 diff (not compact) these have a pair of 'ears' and are considered to be stronger. As well as more symetrical.

Chris