M42 zf gearbox change help

[bumpygt]

A little introduction to my car as its used for a unusual sport.

As it stands it a m42'd touring with standard 318i front suspension and 20mm spacer to the top mount
60mm spacer on rear shock and vw t5 van springs.
195/80/15 on mini steels.
Small case 4.45 or 4.27 diff.



--So my question is has anybody ran a e36 gearbox or the zf 328i gearbox on a m42?

--will the standard m42 clutch/flywheel work on the ZF

I'm looking to find more details on the gearbox swap because I'm blowing small case diffs and on looking at ratios on e36/46 gearboxes they are lower.
My theory is that if I can bolt a zf (328i) box to a 3.91 med diff it will give me a very close to final wheel speed to my current m42 box and 4.45 small diff

[age]

you can run the e36 iS box with the standard clutch and flywheel no problem.
alternatively you could get a medium case e28 diff in 4.45 or 4.27 and swap the back plate.
does your e30 need to be fast or just make it up the hill?
because personally i run an e36 box in my 318is with a 4.27 and first and second are basically crawler gears (no use in the real world)
where are the diffs breaking? would a drop of weld to the spider gears not do a world of good in this case?

[bumpygt]

Thanks im wanting to use the lower ratio gearbox so I can try and save money with the really expencive 4.45 med case, there on eBay.de from a e34 about €600. I've got a 3.91 already and I see them up all the time a lot cheaper
The car is only used for these events and the aim is just to get up. My class have to run open diff too.
The events are ran across roughly 180 mile route but the timed speed is relatively low.
I currently run about 220/250 kg of balast in the rear. And need a little more.

Diff 1 has shattered internals I still haven't investigated (happened whilst spinning one wheel at about 6k)
Diff 2 the Center little gears are giving a lot of clunking and groaning when turning corners.

[Brianmoooore]

Not such rare sport on here. Second thread in a fortnight: http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=258417

[bumpygt]

Brian thats the same as what i do. he runs m44 gear on mini super charger his dads got a z3 same set up.
He had flipped his rear trailing arms over too. something I'm going to try before easter weekend. he's also 5 studded the from and what looks like it has put left on the right and upside down.
lowered his subframe down to.
he keeps all his secrets to him self so its harder to achieve the same results

heres my video of 9/10 jan trial

[bumpygt]

here is that z3

[Brianmoooore]

It was our Easter Saturday tradition for over thirty years to go and spectate at a hill not too far away on the Lands End Trial, then a few years ago the organisers rescheduled this particular hill to an earlier time, and we haven't been since.

[bumpygt]

I've been doing the lands end for the last 9years in mgbgt (not suitable) then the iS.

What hill did you watch Brian

[Brianmoooore]

Darracott, on the Devon - Cornwall border, and then occasionally onto Crackington.
Have relations living very near to Darracott, who we used to meet up with.

[bumpygt]

Both great hills, Crackington has a nice tricky clay area that is not natural to the area and strangely gets wet on a dry day.