BMW suspension suitability

[888sp3]

I'm half way through welding my chassis but haven't committed to anything that can't be changed with regard to diff and suspension fitment. I've seen a BMW 316 compact in a scrap yard and was thinking of taking the front uprights and brakes as well as the rear hubs, drive shafts and diff. Does anybody have any knowledge of suitability of these components and ease of fitment. Any help gratefully accepted.

[ozzy1]

A few manufacturers are now using bmw parts so it cant be that hard or far removed from the original drawings using ford parts.What about going to one of the kit manufacturers who use bmw parts and having a look or maybe ask them if they sell their front and rear wishbones and buying them it would save all the aggro

[gepetto]

i too would like to know more about using bmw uprights, just finished stripping my donor and away to start the chassis again but dont know enough about the uprights and wishbones, is it text book wishbones with altered bm uprights? i know its been talked about before on here but not seen any made or detail?

[ozzy1]

You would need to alter the wishbones to suit the bmw upright and basically put it in the same alignment/orientation as on the bmw itself although alter the length of the wishbones to keep the roadster track.Hope that makes some sense.

[aerosam]

Chris Gibbs did design an adaptor to allow you use 3 series front uprights with standard wishbones. there is a drawing of it somewhere on the forum, sorry, i don't have time to search for it and link to it right now.

I think the later E36 differential can be used, the earlier one is not very suitable as it's mounts are all on one side. Not sure about drive shaft length either.

I'm using an E34 5 series rear end, but with a LOT of modification to the chassis. 5 series front hubs are unsuitable, but again, has been done, by Chris Gibbs brother in law.

[mr henderson]

Originally Posted by 888sp3

the rear hubs, drive shafts and diff.

I don't know for sure, as I am not familiar with every BMW model, but the one's I've looked at don't have rear hubs that unbolt from the trailing arms in the way that Sierra units do

[AshG]

your right you have to chop them off face them on a lathe and weld them to the haynes rear upright. there was a guy on here a while back that did it but i can remember his name for love nor money

this is the design chris did for the bmw front hub

[mr henderson]

Originally Posted by AshG

your right you have to chop them off face them on a lathe and weld them to the haynes rear upright. there was a guy on here a while back that did it but i can remember his name for love nor money

I wonder if there would be someone who could make a bolt on bearing holder similar to the Sierra units, I understand you can get alloy Sierra replacements, so why not BMW.

Certainly be a lot more straightforward way of doing it, and the bolts would allow for a bit of toe adjustment if needed (probably)

[monsterob]

Is it possible for someone to post some pictures of the std sierra hubs ? I'd sure find them usefull ive already theoretically worked out what i need to do just need some measurements from an original sierra hub i think it would benefit alot of those not going down the standard route ?

[gepetto]

i could put up pics tmrw of e30 bmw hubs alwell, for cross reference? i was also wondering about e30 diff, ive taken off the axle mount thingy that houses the diff, maybe put up pics of that to for ideas?

i would also like to look at the seirra ones just to play spot the difference.