Artic Silver 2.8 - OEM+ long term project
- Thread starter 5harp3y
- Start date
I once tried bending a new plate I'd just bought from Halfords. Got it home and left it overnight with a pencil underneath the centre and a book on top of each end. Woke up and found the backing had peeled away where it was bending. May have worked better if I had left the new plate a couple of days I guess, but will certainly be looking for a metal plate supplier when I get round to it.
The guys I used on eBay were rapid and £18!
MOT today and ........
Failed
But only a few massive things!
Front Shock gone
Front wishbone bushes gone (knew this)
Advisories were
Rear shocks misting
Front springs corroded
brake flexis
so
im going to have to get 4 x new shocks and springs for the front along with wishbones. but whilst im there im going to upgrade to Meyhle HD bottom arms with new bushes. also going to get some lowering springs as they are the same ish money than standard.
Expensive month.
whats everyones thoughts on standard sachs shocks with new eibach springs? or are the bilsteins a worthwhile upgrade?
Failed
But only a few massive things!
Front Shock gone
Front wishbone bushes gone (knew this)
Advisories were
Rear shocks misting
Front springs corroded
brake flexis
so
im going to have to get 4 x new shocks and springs for the front along with wishbones. but whilst im there im going to upgrade to Meyhle HD bottom arms with new bushes. also going to get some lowering springs as they are the same ish money than standard.
Expensive month.
whats everyones thoughts on standard sachs shocks with new eibach springs? or are the bilsteins a worthwhile upgrade?
So ... bit of a spend up today.
Bilstein B4s (Front and Rear)
Eibach 30mm springs
Meyle HD Rear Topmounts
Reinforcement plates
Lemforder Front top mounts
Nuts and bolts and gaskets from BMW
Solid rubber wishbone rear bushes
all to get through a bloody MOT! at least it will do ALL the work needed to get it through
scuppers any cosmetic work this side of Christmas
Bilstein B4s (Front and Rear)
Eibach 30mm springs
Meyle HD Rear Topmounts
Reinforcement plates
Lemforder Front top mounts
Nuts and bolts and gaskets from BMW
Solid rubber wishbone rear bushes
all to get through a bloody MOT! at least it will do ALL the work needed to get it through
scuppers any cosmetic work this side of Christmas
They're still building Rome so don't fret it! The time will come! JIM
Small update on what feels like the longest process ever.
After the car failed the MOT i decided i was going to do things properly and repalce everything it needed with brand new.
So afer waiting for demon tweeks to deliver some shocks (3 weeks!!!!) i am still waiting on all the hardware from BMW as it appears to be lost in the post!
Have managed to do a couple of bits this weekend.
Under supervision from Pickles:
After 3 hours a side of swearing and a sheared bolt (inside the car!!!!!!) i have powerflext polybushed wishbone lollipops.
hopefully this weekend i'll be able to sway out the rear shocks and springs and then do the fronts when my hardware turns up.
lucky this is a weekend car
After the car failed the MOT i decided i was going to do things properly and repalce everything it needed with brand new.
So afer waiting for demon tweeks to deliver some shocks (3 weeks!!!!) i am still waiting on all the hardware from BMW as it appears to be lost in the post!
Have managed to do a couple of bits this weekend.
Under supervision from Pickles:
After 3 hours a side of swearing and a sheared bolt (inside the car!!!!!!) i have powerflext polybushed wishbone lollipops.
hopefully this weekend i'll be able to sway out the rear shocks and springs and then do the fronts when my hardware turns up.
lucky this is a weekend car
Gone for Bilstein B4s and Eibach -30mm springs.
Wanted to go for the B6s but could justify the extra pennies on a car that isnt going to be tracked.
The B4s are deisgned to take a slightly lower spring so should be a good compromise of ride and comfort.
Wanted to go for the B6s but could justify the extra pennies on a car that isnt going to be tracked.
The B4s are deisgned to take a slightly lower spring so should be a good compromise of ride and comfort.
So, nicely productive night last night.
I've ordered brand new bolts and gaskets etc from BMW and we've had a bit of a mare getting them to me as the postoffice lost the parcel for a week.
mark and the guys @Soper Parts Lincoln have been amazing and offered super levels of service. Royal mail cocked up, but the parts arrived at last and i was able to build up the front shocks in preparation for slotting them in on the weekend.
One thing to note when using Lemforder top mounts si that the recess for the top nut is tiny .... this wouldnt be a problem with standard 21mm top nut but the bilsteins use a 22mm nut!!!!! which means a impact socket / lambda socket doesnt fit.
i had to use a really old 22mm socket i had (which was thinner walled than modern stuff) and some mole grips to tighten down the topmount. not ideal, but it worked.
best of the best
few of the spares, all brand new and proper brands, FEBI, Lemforder, MeyleHD etc
All built up with brand new BMW hardware.
One thing i love about this set up is that it looks so stock.
hopefully get them on this weekend along with the rears.
I've ordered brand new bolts and gaskets etc from BMW and we've had a bit of a mare getting them to me as the postoffice lost the parcel for a week.
mark and the guys @Soper Parts Lincoln have been amazing and offered super levels of service. Royal mail cocked up, but the parts arrived at last and i was able to build up the front shocks in preparation for slotting them in on the weekend.
One thing to note when using Lemforder top mounts si that the recess for the top nut is tiny .... this wouldnt be a problem with standard 21mm top nut but the bilsteins use a 22mm nut!!!!! which means a impact socket / lambda socket doesnt fit.
i had to use a really old 22mm socket i had (which was thinner walled than modern stuff) and some mole grips to tighten down the topmount. not ideal, but it worked.
best of the best
few of the spares, all brand new and proper brands, FEBI, Lemforder, MeyleHD etc
All built up with brand new BMW hardware.
One thing i love about this set up is that it looks so stock.
hopefully get them on this weekend along with the rears.
Nice touch with aerial Tim.
Tony.
Tony.
Great tips, I to have just bought a 2.8 Z not put it on the road yet as want to service and do bits as I go along. Inspired by all I've seen as just joined the club. Keep all the news posted. Thanks again John
Just spotted your last bit about the aerial, I bought a replacement but found the holder is knackered as trying to get old aerial out. Can only find the replacement aerial on eBay to screw in. Does the criterion come with the holder and lead ? Thanks John
Carry on upgrading. Any ideas on alloys yet.
Has anyone tried a sharkfin meant for a top on their fender? I think it would be a neat clean look! JIM
No just the aerial itself, looks like you might be best off getting a second hand aerial from a breakers
It wouldn't work well Jim as the car body works as a ground plain for the aerial and being mounted on one side or the other it would affect reception from one direction or another. We had this same issue with CB radio back in the day, for best reception/ transmission the aerial ideally needs to be in the centre of the car (roof) next best was centre of the boot on a mag mount.
Tony.
Tony.
Keeping the standard alloys for a while.
Have a very good idea what I want but gotta work out offsets. Will be a bmw wheel though
I fancy z3m alloys.