Think BMW have stock of drivers side arms at the moment for £1300 each. None for the passenger side.
#ZedShed Z3M - Save or not to save!
- Thread starter Lee
- Start date
There’s nothing in that list that isn’t fixable with a bit of patience.
Those arms, I’d want to know exactly how bad they are before splashing out on new. Batter them back with a flap disc, or steel brush in a grinder. BMW arms are 2.35mm thick minimum, so likely formed from 3mm steel. They’re wax filled, so they rust from the outside, they can look really, really bad, but still be useable. Quite easy to reinforce, or reinforce further than standard.
I got a pair of 2.8 arms cheap that were described as probably scrap, I’ve welded quite a few suspension arms over the years, both Z arms were a simple, though time consuming, fix. My time is my own, so I don’t care.
Grind them clean, go over with a small ballpein hammer, find out if there are any ‘soft’ areas. You can also heat it with a blow lamp, OUTSIDE, in case it goes Woomf, any porous areas will ‘sweat’ from the wax inside. If the damage isn’t significant, cut out and replace the soft area(s). Reinforce to death. Sorted.
That’s a real nice job. Wish we had someone who would do that for us.
BIG UPDATE - someone else has tried to remove the backend of this car and failed. I found 3 rounded off beam plate bolts, on top of that the damage is worse than we thought, nothing that can’t be fixed though.
In she comes
Gut out the boot area
inspecting the area
took some of the paint away to reveal the broken welds
the comedy continues with parts on this car. Say hello to the rear springs, 10 points if you can spot what’s wrong
Next up exhausts off, didn’t cause many issues. Just cut off the rusty bolts.
this was where I got greeted with a past attempt to remove this subframe. What a headache to sort.
manage to get one out the other side.
After talking really dirty to it I noticed some passed damage.
shortly after disconnecting the handbrake it was very simple to drop the subframe out.
had to change the method slightly due to the propshaft still being in the car.
not a bad subframe overall.
beam bushes shot as we know
can see the original torque marks from factory so we know it’s never been stripped down before.
and what everyone’s been waiting for. The damage to the beam and supporting structure.
il admit worse than I thought.
least while the subframe is out I can sort these brake lines out. I’m still shocked by this.
welder will be tomorrow. Fingers crossed for us.
In she comes
Gut out the boot area
inspecting the area
took some of the paint away to reveal the broken welds
the comedy continues with parts on this car. Say hello to the rear springs, 10 points if you can spot what’s wrong
Next up exhausts off, didn’t cause many issues. Just cut off the rusty bolts.
this was where I got greeted with a past attempt to remove this subframe. What a headache to sort.
manage to get one out the other side.
After talking really dirty to it I noticed some passed damage.
shortly after disconnecting the handbrake it was very simple to drop the subframe out.
had to change the method slightly due to the propshaft still being in the car.
not a bad subframe overall.
beam bushes shot as we know
can see the original torque marks from factory so we know it’s never been stripped down before.
and what everyone’s been waiting for. The damage to the beam and supporting structure.
il admit worse than I thought.
least while the subframe is out I can sort these brake lines out. I’m still shocked by this.
welder will be tomorrow. Fingers crossed for us.
Im hoping one of the springs is the right one and not two random springs the previous owner found in his shed. Basically they’re very different from each other.
Why not show him the swing arms and ask if he can refurb them too?
If there was a budget to do it all we would.
Very successful day, the subframe is now solid and part of the car. Took a good 6 hours and 6 bottles of Gas to fix it all. Combination of 1.5mm plate and plenty of weld and she’s golden
Just need to do some tidying up, primer and paint it all.
Dan was having a nightmare between the thickness of the metal and just blowing holes in the floor. Said it was very difficult.
Some plate to make it all more solid, and other spot welds plug welded
Showing the raw welds. Rough but strong.
all empty!
roll on Monday. Brake lines, beam bushes and an oil leak to sort.
Just need to do some tidying up, primer and paint it all.
Dan was having a nightmare between the thickness of the metal and just blowing holes in the floor. Said it was very difficult.
Some plate to make it all more solid, and other spot welds plug welded
Showing the raw welds. Rough but strong.
all empty!
roll on Monday. Brake lines, beam bushes and an oil leak to sort.
Good work chaps
Many many hours later and she’s back together. Once the welding was done I got onto sorting that brake line.
with that brake line sorted I can now sleep better. Next up we changed the beam bushes for some shiny newens.
arms hanging precariously.
with them out and new bushes in least she will handle like an M.
new bush in
beam assembled and torqued.
Few hours later and she’s all back in
beam bushes now sitting higher.
amongst the parts on the shelves I found some Z3M rear springs. Winning.
much better knowing the rear will be even. Can also see the new brake line coming in.
Also ran the old spring picture through ChatGPT. It told me it’s an old Eibach Pro sport spring.
with the back end done thought I would move to the front and see where all these oil leaks are coming from. Found silicone everywhere. Fitted new oil rings and a new oil level sensor as the old one was goosed.
This looked like the main leak.
fingers crossed this is the main leak dealt with. Looking much tidier.
tomorrow I’ll refit the exhaust, bleed the brakes and take her for a test drive.
with that brake line sorted I can now sleep better. Next up we changed the beam bushes for some shiny newens.
arms hanging precariously.
with them out and new bushes in least she will handle like an M.
new bush in
beam assembled and torqued.
Few hours later and she’s all back in
beam bushes now sitting higher.
amongst the parts on the shelves I found some Z3M rear springs. Winning.
much better knowing the rear will be even. Can also see the new brake line coming in.
Also ran the old spring picture through ChatGPT. It told me it’s an old Eibach Pro sport spring.
with the back end done thought I would move to the front and see where all these oil leaks are coming from. Found silicone everywhere. Fitted new oil rings and a new oil level sensor as the old one was goosed.
This looked like the main leak.
fingers crossed this is the main leak dealt with. Looking much tidier.
tomorrow I’ll refit the exhaust, bleed the brakes and take her for a test drive.
Nice one again chaps. Another one in much better health
Got wheels down today. Last few bits went on like exhausts and various undertrays. Had to rebuild all the boot items aswell.
So overall the oil light issue is now sorted. The boot floor is strong and the brakes in a safe condition. After a drive I could still see oil and it looks like it might be running down the back of the engine from the rear main seal.
After a drive she’s dry this side
but can see fresh drops, really annoying.
test drive went well though. Car feels lovely n tight at the rear, front is very bouncy and needs constant adjustment. Didn’t get enough heat in the oil to open her up but the engine does feel smooth and enough torque below 4K.
she looks good and Graham is chomping at the bit to pick her up already.
So overall the oil light issue is now sorted. The boot floor is strong and the brakes in a safe condition. After a drive I could still see oil and it looks like it might be running down the back of the engine from the rear main seal.
but can see fresh drops, really annoying.
test drive went well though. Car feels lovely n tight at the rear, front is very bouncy and needs constant adjustment. Didn’t get enough heat in the oil to open her up but the engine does feel smooth and enough torque below 4K.
she looks good and Graham is chomping at the bit to pick her up already.
AlexGSi2000
Dedicated Member
Nice turnaround - good to see the initial works take shape.
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2011
- Points
- 165
Excellent job.
It's riding high at the rear because there should only a bottom spring pad. There are three thicknesses (5mm, 7.5mm and 10mm)
The usual reason for the oil level sensor failing is because people turn on the ignition during an oil service when there is no oil in the engine, and the hot wire melts.
It's riding high at the rear because there should only a bottom spring pad. There are three thicknesses (5mm, 7.5mm and 10mm)
The usual reason for the oil level sensor failing is because people turn on the ignition during an oil service when there is no oil in the engine, and the hot wire melts.