e36 swap chassis reinforcement question

[birdman2447]

I figured i would start a thread on this as i haven't found thread on e36 swap chassis reinforcement. What have you guys reinforced or broke in the rears of your cars? I am running a cammed ls1 with 245 star specs and wondering what is necessary to reinforce. I the car wont be back on the road untill spring so its my time now to upgrade now. I welded in trailing arm pocket plates for now. Have all of you guys upgraded the front diff mount in some way? My car is m3 so it has the rear sub frame plates all ready, have any of you guys cracked or damaged the sub frames?


Stephan

[asinapple8805]

i'd talk to the turbo guys. they would probably know best.

off the top of my head, i think your main problem is going to be the front differential mount bushing.

After that, maybe your sway bar mounts?

i've been dealing a terrible clunking in the rear of my car, but i haven't even done my swap yet. Normally it's due to a bent front diff bolt, or an old front mount diff bushing. I've already replaced two on two of my cars and it's a pain in the ass. if you can find some kind of way to stabilize the differential a little better, i think that'd be your best bet. IMO, i think it's the weak point in the design, but i think it was designed that way on purpose.

I'm just waiting on my cousins from out of state to leave before i start on my rear suspension bushing overhaul and reinforcement.

[M5Hunter]

I fun my car on drag radials 100% of the time so I spent some time back there to keep stuff from breaking. Welded in trailing arm pocket reinforcements and installed powerflex trailing arm bushings. Welded in rear subframe mount reinforcememnts from bimmerworld and used powereflex busing in the rear subframe as well. installed a Maximum PSI front diff mount upgrade and used solid mounts on the diff. I also welded in some home made braces on the front diff mount. This car sees daily hard launches and has had 20+ 1.8 60' times at the drag strip with no issues at all so far. Pics can be found here http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...1347123&page=9 starting at post #222

[birdman2447]

sweet, your reinforcements looks nice, i will have to do the same. With the maximum psi brace installed can you still remove the diff from the car with the subfame in place?

[M5Hunter]

Its a bear, but it will come out, I've pulled it twice since the brace. To make it real easy you can just loosen the subframe bolts some and it will darn near fall out

[birdman2447]

nice, i cant wait to try mine at the track, if you are getting 12.2 i cant imagine what my car could do with a .604 lift cam and patriot ls6 heads. Well once i learn how to actually launch the car, haha

were you able to weld the tab for the diff bolt to the diff complete, or would you recommend removing the pinion seal so that heat dosent damage it?

[invictuse36]

So what's your guys opinion on the strength of the 188 diffs?

I currently have a 188 3.23 and was wondering if it would be a better idea to just grab a 3.62 210mm and the $150 conversion from rally road.

[DieselGhost]

210 will hold forever !

[M5Hunter]

I'm on a 188 3.91 with no issues so far. Lots of turbo guys are still on the 188 with 400+ hp