[uucdigest] Monday, March 24 2003 Volume 03 : Number 6240
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Send 'em to [EMAIL PROTECTED] |__________________________________________________________________ In this BMW UUC Digest: [uuc] <FS>Thule Rack for E36 Coupe Re: [uuc] '87 325is control arms [uuc] Re: [E36] Replacing front control arms Re: [uuc] E30 Tail-light needed [uuc] WHEELS FOR SALE [uuc] Re: Wheel size suggestions Re: [uuc] E-36: replacing front control arms [uuc] H*lp e34 525iA cooling system issues (continued) [uuc] Re: E-36: replacing front control arms ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 11:01:19 -0800 (PST) From: Mike Hsu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] <FS>Thule Rack for E36 Coupe Hi. I have a Thule Roof Rack system for sale. It fits E36 coupes. The rack system consists of the following: 1. 400 Aero Foot Pack. 2. LB50 Load Bars. 3. 174 Fit Kit. 4. 4 Locks w/ 1 Key. I'm asking $125 for the whole thing. Located in Novato, CA. Will consider shipping it, but I think shipping will be a bit pricy because of size (buyer pays). For more info please email me privately, and/or you can also check out their web site at www.thuleracks.com. Thanks Mike Hsu __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 13:40:23 -0600 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [uuc] '87 325is control arms I'll second Brad's recommendation. One other thing to keep in mind is that Steve D will send you a set of control arm bushings already pre-pressed into the brackets (aka lilipops). This makes control arm swap a truly DIY job removing the need for a 10 foot press. Yes, you will need to buy a second set of brackets. Then the next time you do this job you buy a set of bushings, take them and the old brackets to any local shop and for $10-20 they will press the old bushings out and the new ones in. Way better than interrupting the control arm swap on a weekend only to realize that you can't swap the bushings without a press and very few shops are open on a weekend. YMMV, alex f "Brad Couvillon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Drew, > > I just priced some Lemforder arms from various places, > and it looks to me like Steve D'G has some of the best > prices. It probably doesn't hurt that I hear he has > top notch service, as well. > > Check him out at: > > www.ultimategarage.com > > Brad Couvillon > > --- Drew Sheppard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Hello group, > > > > I need control arms for an '87 325is. Can people > > recommend parts sources they use? (shipping is > > usually much less than the bay area dealer mark up) > > If you have these parts -new- feel free to send me > > an email directly to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and include > > an estimate of ground/3 day shipping. I would like > > to have them by the end of the week. > > > > Also I heard that while I am doing this I should use > > delrin offset bushings. Anyone have sources or > > thoughts on this? > > > > Thanks, Drew ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 15:04:45 -0500 From: Neil Maller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Re: [E36] Replacing front control arms on 3/24/03 1:45 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Well I need to replace the front lower control arms on the car. Assume the reason is to renew the ball joints? If you install control arms from a 95 M3 instead they'll have the same geometry, but beefier ball joints (non-replaceable outer) that should last you the life of the car. > Bentley make it look easy (I've done enough suspension work to not think it's > that easy). When I took a peek under the car I noticed two things that could > be trouble. Accurate observation on your part! > The outer ball joint nut looks difficult to remove as there is not a lot of > room to work. Is it better/easier to remove the strut first and then > separate the ball joint? Will a pickle fork do the job? A pickle fork will work as long as you're replacing the outer ball joints anyway. Help to break the joint's tapered seat free by using a heavy hammer on the *side* of the kingpin casting where the shank seats. > The center ball joint. Looks like you can't get in there will an impact > socket. Do you have to use a wrench to remove this? Use either an open-end wrench (plus cheater bar as needed) or a crowfoot. These nuts are a pain to undo and refasten. You have to do it a fraction of a turn at a time, usually lying on your back working with your arms in the air. > Again, will a pickle fork be ok to separate this joint also? Yep, as long as you're not trying to preserve the ball joint. > I do have access to a press and will replace the rubber bushings. I was > thinking of going to the Power Flex bushings (car is a daily driver in the > North East that sees about six track days a year), any comments on these? No opinion. > Advice for removing and replacing them? Ideally the bushings should be pressed out using the appropriate press and receiver tools. If you have another car to drive, consider taking the parts to a local dealer for that. Otherwise you can drill/cut out as much of the rubber bushing as possible, then use a chisel to mangle/drive out the metal outer sleeve. An air chisel works well for this. Lube the new bushing OD with soapy water, and press it in. Alternately you can tap it in with a wooden block, being careful not to get it cocked. Neil 96 M3 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 15:26:56 -0500 From: Ed MacVaugh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] E30 Tail-light needed Shameless plug: I have a pair blacked out on eBay. Ed Robert Phelan wrote: > Some $(%*^& hit my E30 in a parking lot back in December. Now that > all the insurance stuff is straightened out, I need to track down a > driver's side tail-light for an 89 325is. Anybody have one stuck back > in the garage? (Note, I believe the 88-91/92 tail lights are > different from those prior to those dates, so I'll need one from that > range. Someone correct me on the dates if I'm wrong please.) > > Thanks, > Robert > > ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 15:35:07 -0500 From: pdunlevy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] WHEELS FOR SALE 2 - 17 X 7.5" 35mm offset Mille Miglia Projecta wheels will fit all E36 excellent condition less than 1000 miles $100.00 each 2 - 17 X 8" 18 - 20 mm offset Fikse FM-10 Forged 3 piece wheels excellent condition fits E30 M3, E28 & E34 $295.00 each Pictures available, located on East Coast but can ship anywhere. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 12:38:24 -0800 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [uuc] Re: Wheel size suggestions Craig, only buy staggered wheels if you like the look. Otherwise, don't bother. With staggered wheels, you can't rotate the tires front to back, and the car will understeer more than it already does. Unless you have a problem with oversteer (highly unlikely), there is no reason for wider rear wheels and tires. But you could go plus 1 to 17 inch rims. It would improve turn-in response, but the ride would not be quite as nice. HTH, Scott Miller GGC BMW CCA >Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 08:51:35 -0500 >From: Craig Cotton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [uuc] Wheel size suggestions > >I have a 95 e38 740i with the stock 16" wheels that came with the car. >I want to upgrade the wheels as they are showing their age. >My question is whether to go with the same size all around or to go with a >staggered set? >Any suggestions or comments on drivability would be appreciated? >Thanks >Craig Cotton >95 740i ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 12:47:02 -0800 From: "J. Ochi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] E-36: replacing front control arms At 09:34 AM 3/24/2003 -0500, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >The outer ball joint nut looks difficult to remove as there is not a lot of >room to work. Is it better/easier to remove the strut first and then >separate the ball joint? Will a pickle fork do the job? Outer ball joint nut is no problem - I've done it without removing the strut, just use a combination wrench and turn the steering wheel until you have the best access. If there isn't enough clearance to totally remove the nut, you can back it off as much as you can, separate the joint, and then take it off the rest of the way. If you aren't reusing the ball joints, a pickle fork works just fine. Use a really heavy hammer - the first time I did this, I used a 24 oz hammer, and had to pound on it forever. After that, I used a 3lb hand sledge, and it was a lot easier. >The center ball joint. Looks like you can't get in there will an impact >socket. Do you have to use a wrench to remove this? Again, will a pickle >fork be ok to separate this joint also? I used a regular combination wrench for this one. If you remove the swaybar, you should be able to get pretty good access to it. It will just take some patience, because you won't be able to turn it a whole lot at a time. Pickle fork with the big hammer worked just fine for this one, too. Jim Ochi [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 13:19:18 -0800 (PST) From: Neil Deshpande <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] H*lp e34 525iA cooling system issues (continued) Roland: "Beaudette, Roland" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> "I've replaced the radiator following the expansion tank explosion, but the car behaves strangely." Why did it explode? I have been out of the loop. "On initial fill-up the system took 2 gallons of coolant with car on slight incline (nose higher than tail). Ran car until temperature needle went to 12 o'clock. Open thermostat housing bleed screw-lots of steam. Nothing from the radiator bleed screw. I shut off the car periodically to keep the needle at no more than 1 o'clock. Plenty of steam. Finally got a gush of coolant from the thermostat housing bleed screw. Still nothing from radiator bleed screw." I have never had any trouble filing my two E30s, but my room-mate, after a head gasket failure, had to rev the crap out of the car for minutes on end to get the system to bleed. I think we were at it for 1hr or so before it was all done, heater core and all. Not sure what it was or if oil was coating the passages. The rad on the 535i I worked on was BLOCKED with gunk. Took many pokes to get it out. Is your's a new rad or a used 'new' rad? "With the needle at 12 o'clock and coolant flowing from the thermostat bleed screw, the fan would come to a dead stop with a piece of cardboard. Bad fan clutch right?" Fan clutch heats when hot air hits it. If there is no hot air hitting it it could be freewheeling even if the car is hot (in theory), but probably toast in your car. Replacement is easy and probably justified at your mileage. "Car overheated prior to the expansion tank burst (to what extent I don't know). Replace thermostat (I heard overheating can kill the T-stat)?" It takes 10 mins to remove the t-stat housing. I R&R'd my t-stat and bled the motors in 20 mins. Just check it out. In my case it was stuck open as the metal had fatigued and cracked. $9. "Although the upper radiator hose gets very hot, it is not very soft as if there is very little pressure. I first attributed this to all the steam. But is was the same even with coolant gushing. Is this normal? New water pump?" Water pump failure is leaking along the shaft and noise from failing bearings. It will still be moving water, just leaking it. Fan will wobble. Don't ask. If all that is stable, you pump is OK. "It seems as if the fan resistor for low speed operation is shot. There is power to the relay, I can hear the relay click and jumpering the wires at the sensor gives only high speed operation. How does one access the auxiliary fan and is the resistor a replacement item?" Yes. $30 or so for it. Easy to splice in with the crunch type connectors. Fan access is via removed bumper on that car I think. Don't worry about it until you have the other stuff fixed. "The car never delivered heat to the passenger compartment with the heat set to max. Heater valve?" Hmmm. My room-mates was the same. The core had not been bled. Try bleeding the thing well first and make sure the engine is running well. Perhaps run some cleaning agent through it and what not. Then, check the over-pressure retrofit if you have it (near firewall on driver's side) as the wax element there would take the core out of the circuit on overheating of the engine to prevent the core from being compromised and burning your feet with hot coolant. Neil Deshpande ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 13:23:24 -0800 (PST) From: david kroth <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Re: E-36: replacing front control arms > The outer ball joint nut looks difficult to remove > as there is not a lot of > room to work. Is it better/easier to remove the > strut first and then > separate the ball joint? Will a pickle fork do the > job? Do not remove the strut. Loosen the nut four or five turns. Break the joint loose with a pickle fork. Finish removing the nut. > The center ball joint. Looks like you can't get in > there will an impact > socket. Do you have to use a wrench to remove this? > Again, will a pickle > fork be ok to separate this joint also? You can do it with a wrench. I recommend a short pattern wrench so you can get more swing. I've seen E30 cars done from the top with about 24" of socket extension, but I don't think that will work on the E36. When you get the nut off, use the pickle fork. Don't be afraid to hit it. ===== David Kroth [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.yahoo.com ------------------------------ End of [uucdigest] V3 #6240 *************************** | | In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. |________________________________________ | Please visit these UUC-approved BMW parts vendors/service providers: | (listed alphabetically) | | Autoscope-Motorsports - http://www.autoscope-motorsports.com | |==================================================== | | Koala MotorSport . BMW technical information, special tool sales/rental | http://www.koalamotorsport.com | |==================================================== | | Taylor BMW - http://www.taylorbmw.com - Doc Bimmer! | UUC Motorwerks . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com |__________________________________________
