» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | 1999 M3 Swap 09-07-2023 10:10 PM 05-02-2024 08:18 PM 6 Replies, 405,276 Views | | | | | 03-24-2014, 02:50 PM | #1 | Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: coloRADO Posts: 15 | Swap Medium Case diff into 318ti I have a medium case LSD and I want to figure out a few details before I go for the swap. Looking at Pelican parts I see that there is a different wheel bearing for e30 6spd cars than there is for the 1995 318ti. Also, the half shafts that are in the car currently have a 30mm axle nut, the 6cyl e30 half shafts have a 32mm axle nut. so i am deducing that I will probably need to change wheel bearings, maybe hubs? Does anyone have more info? I have looked at a handful of writeups ( http://www.318ti.org/notebook/diff_conversion/) and nobody mentions this so I could be over thinking it, but I don't want to find this out when I get it apart. Thanks in advance | | | 03-24-2014, 06:20 PM | #2 | Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: coloRADO Posts: 15 | I just talked to a BMW mechanic who pulled out his book and told me that there are some date ranges to anticipate on half shafts. earlier (pre 9/85) have a smaller diameter which sounds compatible with the 318ti. I need to do a bit more digging. I am sure someone here has done this so if you have info I would love to hear about it. | | | 03-25-2014, 03:19 AM | #3 | Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: norcal - 94590 Posts: 3,186 | Don't over-think it... Been done many, many times by members here, myself included. No need to change the wheel bearings, either... The shaft diameter isn't the issue, it's the half-shaft length. I used e30 m3 half shafts, but any 6 cyl e30 half-shafts should work. Shim the ABS sensors. You have to swap the diff side flanges and use the originals from the ti, but they simply pop off and press in. Here are some better examples of setups used that don't require the frankenstein approach of the write-up in the notebook article. http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=28958 __________________ James 95 active w/leather interior and sport interior conversion, Vaders, full M-Tech exterior conversion. Now m50 swapped* Eibach sway bars, D2 Coilovers, Depo's w/AE's, blacked-out sides and grills, LeatherZ console and door armrests, 1 series starter button mod, and custom finished Style 5's <--- in this color! Named "Roddy": *M50 6 cyl. swap with fan delete, S50 cams and chip, AFE stage 2 intake, M3 clutch and 11.5 lb Fidanza flywheel, 3.15LSD, battery relocated to rear and complete custom exhaust. Sweet! 97 318ti sport, Alaska Blue, Contours, coilovers, Dove Vaders and custom black/grey interior named "Max" 95 318ti Active in Cosmos, S50 swap in progress... named "Pit" SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE! Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW! | | | 03-25-2014, 04:24 AM | #4 | Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: coloRADO Posts: 15 | Thanks for that. I assume that just means the axles have a different size nut, but not a different size thread? I'll be doing a bit more measuring but I got a bit spooked and knew I needed to drive the car this week so i didn't pursue it this weekend... plus the PS pump blew on the other car so I had to replace that. Last edited by CameraCourage; 03-25-2014 at 04:38 AM. | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | |