Z3 Subframe. How bad is this

Originally Posted by Mroads

If you want it done right you need the tools to do it, in this case vice grips, you can never have too many.

That's what I'm sayin'! If 13 are good, imagine how awesome 20 would be!!!

Originally Posted by z3couper

That's what I'm sayin'! If 13 are good, imagine how awesome 20 would be!!!

There were more in use during the initial fit-up; you can't see the 10" & 18" versions.

BTW, I didn't happen to leave a pair in your oilpan, did I?











I'll use whatever means that it takes, including loading straps, to secure a part before welding:





















Before I weld something, making it permanent, I like to make sure the parts stay where I put them.

Originally Posted by Randy Forbes

There were more in use during the initial fit-up; you can't see the 10" & 18" versions.

BTW, I didn't happen to leave a pair in your oilpan, did I?

I'll use whatever means that it takes, including loading straps, to secure a part before welding:

Before I weld something, making it permanent, I like to make sure the parts stay where I put them.

Awesome Randy. That's my kind of way to do things, wrong tool for the right purpose. I hate spring compressors, I use loading straps to do them instead. I'd rather have 3 straps wrapped around the spring to keep anything from slipping and breaking a finger, or worse.

Nope, no tools left in my Coupe. Although, I don't have a way to check the oil pan without dropping it.

BTW, I just hit 500 miles on the bearings the other day. Redline FTW!

This car arrived last night, it's bad...

It gets even badder...

[QUOTE=Randy Forbes;4718597]It gets even badder...
Wow I guess so, you must be getting really good at it by now, being all the same kind of car and same type of repair, I currently wouldn't want someone working on that mess if it was their first attempt.
You got a good thing going specializing in this type of repair and seems like no lack of future supply. These cars don't end up in the junk yard as other ten year old cars would with this type of problem. What did you do before the Z3?

Originally Posted by Mroads

Wow I guess so, you must be getting really good at it by now, being all the same kind of car and same type of repair, I currently wouldn't want someone working on that mess if it was their first attempt.
You got a good thing going specializing in this type of repair and seems like no lack of future supply. These cars don't end up in the junk yard as other ten year old cars would with this type of problem. What did you do before the Z3?

My experience (which if you recall stems from my own 2 cars having a few popped spotwelds) is the reason that the owner of this car wanted me to do it. This would not be the car to learn on.

Working on basically one model does simplify things, a lot easier than your typical dealership line mechanics have it__they have to know the nuances of the full line of BMW models. I do get asked to work on some other models (E46 M3, 540i come immediately to mind).

As a result of getting the job to fix the rearend of these cars, I'm often asked to carry out other maintenance, repair and performance upgrade work. Those are the types of jobs that keep the rearend work from becoming monotonous; I like to work under the hood too

There has never been a time that I haven't worked on cars, having been mentored by many enthusiasts since I was probably ten (10) years old. By the time I was fourteen (14) I was doing quite a bit of mechanical work for customers on my paper route (67 Firebird Sprint w/OHC I6, 62 Impala SS Convertible, Austin-Healey Sprite and some real customizing work on a 63 Tempest 326/transaxle car and my brother's 68 Coronet R/T). I was working (with supervision) on engine rebuilds before I had a driver's license.

For a day-job, I was doing electrical work at eighteen (18) starting with houses, but then strictly industrial projects by the time I was twenty (20). By the time I was thirty (30) I concentrated almost exclusively on control and instrumentation applications. About three years ago, lower back problems (broken in a 1983 car wreck) caused me to take a medical leave from building electrical control panels (LOTS of bending over, like ALL DAY). When my doctor didn't want me to return to work without restricting the prolonged bending, the company threatened to terminate me, so I quit.

I am thankful for the car work that I do, and even more thankful for the dedicated owners that trust me to do the best job possible on their beloved cars. It's what I have always loved doing.

What an excellent day to be so thankful!

Okay, you asked, so what do you think, TMI?

"As a result of getting the job to fix the rearend of these cars, I'm often asked to carry out other maintenance, repair and performance upgrade work. Those are the types of jobs that keep the rearend work from becoming monotonous; I like to work under the hood too"

Just finished reading this entire thread as well as following the history over the last few years and it just came to me.

Randy Forbes : Z3 Proctologist

Okay, you asked, so what do you think, TMI?

Not at all, just goes to show experience is everything and yours is well documented, now I know the beginning of the story, Thanks

Keep up the excellent work.