Flinchy's E87 Project Thread

[flinchy]

Originally Posted by jozeff

I would have so thought this was the coolest, most awesome build as I also own a 130i.... Ive always loved fast hatchbacks for their sleeper look... Then the M135i came out!!

indeed!

it's a bit of a pity it's the N55 and not the N54, though

and i'm still not a huge fan of the F20 looks.

so this is still a win for me! hahaha

[jozeff]

Flinchy, I'm still one of your biggest fans mate! I have to agree, our e87s look better, plus you will have something the 135is AND m135is will never have-hydraulic steering!!!

[flinchy]

Originally Posted by jozeff

Flinchy, I'm still one of your biggest fans mate! I have to agree, our e87s look better, plus you will have something the 135is AND m135is will never have-hydraulic steering!!!

Ahh true - thats a good plus side haha, i dont think i could handle losing any more steering feel!


I've been looking at m3 rear subframe setups on ebay to go in... I'm still not convinced it's what i really want/need though

It is a cheap solution to LSD *and* strong axles plus all the suspension...

[yawn]

I think that's all part of the fun - modding the car for individuality. And of course your own driving pleasure keep it up flinchy!

[TimMc]

Originally Posted by jozeff

Flinchy, I'm still one of your biggest fans mate! I have to agree, our e87s look better, plus you will have something the 135is AND m135is will never have-hydraulic steering!!!

Hmmm. That power steering reservoir under my bonnet must be there for aesthetics only. I'll have to stop checking the level.

[Knightelf]

^ as above, 135i has hydraulic steering

[flinchy]

Originally Posted by TimMc

Hmmm. That power steering reservoir under my bonnet must be there for aesthetics only. I'll have to stop checking the level.

yah, just to fool 135 owners into thinking they have hydraulic, obviously.


didn't pick up that he said the 135i doesn't have hydraulic.

[flinchy]

I'm shopping for an M3 complete rear axle setup right now as it's definitely the smart choice (same price as a quaife or something for the lot?!!?!)...

I believe a 6MT diff (3.85) is an absolutely stupid idea.. but there's WAY more of them (and cheaper) than DCT

.... is it as stupid an idea as i think it is? lol

[yawn]

With regards to simply bolting on an M3 diff, do we have to take note of whether our original diff is welded or not? How does it work when all other aftermarket diffs always request to know what year our car is for the welded/bolted, large/small pumpkin questions?

And....

Why would one go with an aftermarket diff which seems to be so much more expensive, than an M3 diff from ebay.de?

Sorry to be OT flinchy, but your last post got me thinking... and asking

[froop]

Originally Posted by sharkatron

With regards to simply bolting on an M3 diff, do we have to take note of whether our original diff is welded or not? How does it work when all other aftermarket diffs always request to know what year our car is for the welded/bolted, large/small pumpkin questions?

And....

Why would one go with an aftermarket diff which seems to be so much more expensive, than an M3 diff from ebay.de?

Sorry to be OT flinchy, but your last post got me thinking... and asking

Getting an M3 diff requires a complete pumpkin swap so it doesn't matter if your diff is welded or not.

In regards to the second question, the reason why people go with aftermarket diff's is because when you get an M3 diff you need to replace other parts in order for it to work. You must also get a custom prop shaft and the M3 drive shafts as the stock shafts are different.

In saying that though when you have a welded diff the install is prohibitively expensive. I went the M3 route as it was cheaper to buy and ship and install an entire M3 rear end for less than it would cost to get an aftermarket LSD installed. Plus I get an upgraded subframe, bushings, drive shafts and rear suspension arms. Of course I need to buy some coilovers but hey, I was going to do that anyway

Whilst we're on the subject of aftermarket LSDs, BR Racing actually have released an aftermarket LSD which comes pre-installed into a pumpkin so it's actually a straight swap. Works out to be much much cheaper than getting a quaife or wavetrac etc installed.

[flinchy]

Originally Posted by sharkatron

With regards to simply bolting on an M3 diff, do we have to take note of whether our original diff is welded or not? How does it work when all other aftermarket diffs always request to know what year our car is for the welded/bolted, large/small pumpkin questions?

And....

Why would one go with an aftermarket diff which seems to be so much more expensive, than an M3 diff from ebay.de?

Sorry to be OT flinchy, but your last post got me thinking... and asking

nope, it's the full diff, housing and all. if you have welded, like froop said, it's smarter to just get the M3 one financially.. and you get a proper LSD too.

and why? some people don't want the hassle (as froop said) haha

Originally Posted by froop

and the M3 drive shafts as the stock shafts are different.

In saying that though when you have a welded diff the install is prohibitively expensive. I went the M3 route as it was cheaper to buy and ship and install an entire M3 rear end for less than it would cost to get an aftermarket LSD installed. Plus I get an upgraded subframe, bushings, drive shafts and rear suspension arms. Of course I need to buy some coilovers but hey, I was going to do that anyway

Whilst we're on the subject of aftermarket LSDs, BR Racing actually have released an aftermarket LSD which comes pre-installed into a pumpkin so it's actually a straight swap. Works out to be much much cheaper than getting a quaife or wavetrac etc installed.

m3 driveshafts aren't much of a worry if you just get the full rear axle. it's fairly cheap for what you get lol

it's pretty ridiculous that it's so much cheaper to get the full setup

and if you're like me with BC coilovers, $150~ in lower mounts that simply screw on = fits with the camber link.

what's BR racing's LSD thing?... not that i'm interested any more so much, it's cool to know lol

i have a feeling that the 3.85 would be TOO short though, especially on stock (frame) turbos :/

[froop]

http://www.brrperformance.com/store/index.php?cPath=1_267_268_287_293_294

It's about $2250-2450 depending on what gearing you select but it's a straight swap, pumpkin for pumpkin. Looks like an excellent option for those with a welded diff. It's like $4000 just to install an LSD into our welded diffs.

But yeah, the DCT 3.86 FD diff would he undrivable, especially on the highway. You'd be at like 4k revs going 100kph in 6th gear or something silly like that.

[flinchy]

Originally Posted by froop

http://www.brrperformance.com/store/index.php?cPath=1_267_268_287_293_294

It's about $2250-2450 depending on what gearing you select but it's a straight swap, pumpkin for pumpkin. Looks like an excellent option for those with a welded diff. It's like $4000 just to install an LSD into our welded diffs.

But yeah, the DCT 3.86 FD diff would he undrivable, especially on the highway. You'd be at like 4k revs going 100kph in 6th gear or something silly like that.

mmm 11% shorter than my current 3.46.. 25% shorter than 3.08

for some reason i didn't think about highway driveability hahah. that's important...

it only works out to about 3k (or 3125?) RPM at 100 though (without properly working it out haha)... 2500RPM for 3.08 for you guys isn't it?. so it's not TOO bad.


the prices for those diffs aren't bad at all, swap and go.. you really would be pretty crazy (or super lazy and wealthy) to go ahead installing an LSD in your welded diff these days... so many better options.

however

>rnal components (including ring and pinion gearsets) were interchangeable as far back as 1977. The latest BMW design change put an end to this interchangeability. The introduction of the '95 models came with completely redesigned differentials. These featured unique ring/pinion gearset dimensions -- which meant that any pre-1995 BMW internal components were now not compatible or swappable with those from later models.

that's... not accurate.. there are (iirc) 3 (4?) different ring gear sizes? if you have a particular one, an LSD for that ring gear size will fit whether it's an E30 or an E90, as was discovered recently :/

[Venom]

Cant wait to see this project get closer to completion! I also am curious how you are going to get that LSD to fit. Is it a straight swap for the open diff?

[ilikebmxbikes]

What I am curious is why not just get a full m3 rear subframe w/ axels and diff and use the 1M driveshaft instead of welding a e82/m3 shaft together. It would cost a bit more than a build direct swap LSD but you get the suspension bits

[yawn]

Thanks froop and flinchy for the lesson I guess to install an m3 diff you'd need to know where to cut and weld with regard to the drive shafts as well, correct? I mean it doesn't sound exactly DIY. And if done correctly, all this cutting and welding shouldn't affect structural integrity right?

[flinchy]

Originally Posted by Venom

Cant wait to see this project get closer to completion! I also am curious how you are going to get that LSD to fit. Is it a straight swap for the open diff?

yes

except since i'm getting the full subframe.. it's a straight swap (except driveshaft) for everything haha

Originally Posted by ilikebmxbikes

What I am curious is why not just get a full m3 rear subframe w/ axels and diff and use the 1M driveshaft instead of welding a e82/m3 shaft together. It would cost a bit more than a build direct swap LSD but you get the suspension bits

that's what i'm doing

but the E82 and E87 driveshafts have always been a different length - i'm not sure if that's purely because of gearbox/diff lengths though

if the 1m driveshaft would fit, i'd like to know as that's probably what i'd do. save a LOT of effort

Originally Posted by sharkatron

Thanks froop and flinchy for the lesson I guess to install an m3 diff you'd need to know where to cut and weld with regard to the drive shafts as well, correct? I mean it doesn't sound exactly DIY. And if done correctly, all this cutting and welding shouldn't affect structural integrity right?

driveshaft is definitely not DIY. unless you obviously have the skill to do so. hardest part.

[Kirst]

Flinchy, hurry up already and get into finishing this! The finished product will be awesome!

[Alpine*]

Why not buy a E92 M3 and put a N54 in it?

[flinchy]

Originally Posted by Alpine*

Why not buy a E92 M3 and put a N54 in it?

LOL

Sacrilege

[froop]

Originally Posted by ilikebmxbikes

What I am curious is why not just get a full m3 rear subframe w/ axels and diff and use the 1M driveshaft instead of welding a e82/m3 shaft together. It would cost a bit more than a build direct swap LSD but you get the suspension bits

I have researched this option but unfortunately it would not be possible, not even on an E82 135i. The reason for this is that all N54 135i's use one gear box and the 1Ms and N55 135i's use another. It means that the 1M prop shaft is too short (I think) and would need to be lengthened to make it fit, hence not making it worthwhile. Cheaper to buy a 540/740i prop shaft and make a custom one.

[froop]

Originally Posted by sharkatron

Thanks froop and flinchy for the lesson I guess to install an m3 diff you'd need to know where to cut and weld with regard to the drive shafts as well, correct? I mean it doesn't sound exactly DIY. And if done correctly, all this cutting and welding shouldn't affect structural integrity right?

You actually only need the rear quarter of the prop shaft from an E9x M3 or E38/39 740i/540i. It's the joint that's required. Much cheaper to just get the 740/540i prop shaft. I picked up a 740i prop shaft shipped from the UK with ~60k miles on it for AUD$138.