Joined the Club Today

[jc43089]

Yea, the dimensions are the same but the M bushings are more solid rubber and less air space.

[SteelBlue]

New rotors and hub centric rings ordered with the eBay 15% off today. Control arms, control arm bushings and lollis ordered thanks to @patsbimmer1.

This was definitely the best way to go. Might as well do it right and replace this stuff while everything is out and have easy access to it.

Made some good progress tonight. Struts, steering rack, and subframe dropped. Gonna clean up the subframe and paint it before it goes back in. Does this surface rust look concerning at all? Didn't break or crumble when I messed with it. Probably will wire wheel it, primer, and paint it. Same goes for the strut housings, it will be nice for everything to be cleaned and painted come time to reinstall.

Got some broken bolts to take care of now though. Broke one of the subframe bolts in the frame. Assuming I can use an EZ out or whatever that drill bit kit is. This shouldn't be that big of a deal with how space I have to work around it. I am ordering 4 new genuine BMW ones to replace them all.

The other ones are the ball joints from the lower control arms that have left some in the knuckle. I'm assuming I can use the same procedure for the subframe bolt by drilling it out or EZ outing it.  Is this portion of the stud threaded, or should I be able to just smash these with a hammer to remove them?

Pulling the steering rack, the spline came out with the steering knuckle that goes through the fire wall. Should this have been tightened at some place in there? It looks like there isn't a bolt in any of the "clamps". Maybe they don't require one, but I thought the M3 had bolts that needed to be loosened on the knuckle to pull it?

On the same note, is the E30 steering knuckle the one to use for the swap? or the one off the ZF rack? Watching this video on a ZF rack swap, this dudes knuckle looks completed different than what I had. I bought the spacer kit, did I miss something else?

Will be pulling the sway bar from the subframe so I can paint the frame. Is there any issue with giving the sway bar another coat of paint? Will also adding to the subframe bolt order are new sway bar end links and bushings to do while its all out and available. I hear the bushings can be kind of bitch...

I appreciate all the help and feedback this forum has continued to provide.

[Jdesign]

SteelBlue said:

Does this surface rust look concerning at all? NAhhh wire wheel and paint it!

The other ones are the ball joints from the lower control arms that have left some in the knuckle. I'm assuming I can use the same procedure for the subframe bolt by drilling it out or EZ outing it.  Is this portion of the stud threaded, or should I be able to just smash these with a hammer to remove them? Just use a punch and hammer it in the direction of the none existing control arm

Pulling the steering rack, the spline came out with the steering knuckle that goes through the fire wall. Should this have been tightened at some place in there? It looks like there isn't a bolt in any of the "clamps". Maybe they don't require one, but I thought the M3 had bolts that needed to be loosened on the knuckle to pull it? There should be a large nut under the dash that works as a looking collar similar to the one in the middle of the driveshaft. This has an internal taper that sinches the shaft into place. They tend to come loose over time.

On the same note, is the E30 steering knuckle the one to use for the swap? or the one off the ZF rack? Watching this video on a ZF rack swap, this dudes knuckle looks completed different than what I had. I bought the spacer kit, did I miss something else?  Thats the one I have in my car. I think it just depends from rack to rack, shaft to shaft. HEH.

Will be pulling the sway bar from the subframe so I can paint the frame. Is there any issue with giving the sway bar another coat of paint? Will also adding to the subframe bolt order are new sway bar end links and bushings to do while its all out and available. I hear the bushings can be kind of bitch... paint away, and nah they shouldnt be too hard at all.

Hope that helps?!

[YoungCR]

Surprised all those bolts snapped, everything on the front end was removed within the last 2 years and not too many miles driven. 

As Jason described there is a 30mm collar nut that connects the upper and lower steering shafts. I remember not being able to get the lower knuckle to come off so I just loosened that nut.

[SteelBlue]

Jdesign said:

Hope that helps?!

Yes it does, thank you!

YoungCR said:

Surprised all those bolts snapped, everything on the front end was removed within the last 2 years and not too many miles driven. 

As Jason described there is a 30mm collar nut that connects the upper and lower steering shafts. I remember not being able to get the lower knuckle to come off so I just loosened that nut.

I really had to fight those lower control arm ball joint bolts. Can I put some lithium grease on these to avoid something like this in the future?

Started cleaning up the subframe and sway bar for paint, hopefully doing that this weekend. Used a combination of a wire wheel and an angle grinder with a polishing wheel.

Got the broken subframe bolt, I'm surprised it worked to be honest. I figured I would have had to fight this thing a lot more.

Best way to loosen the locking collars on the strut housings? I was trying using a channel lock. Collars were pretty rusty so I hit them with a wire wheel to expose the threads and put some WD40 on there. Definitely gonna need my brothers help to stand on these while I try to break them loose, couldn't do it myself when I tried.

[Jdesign]

Coilover collars?

WD40 wont help much for penetrate. Grease or anti-seize would help about 1% on those ball joints. I assume by the time you revisit those anything you put in there will be gone.

[SteelBlue]

Jdesign said:

Coilover collars?

WD40 wont help much for penetrate. Grease or anti-seize would help about 1% on those ball joints. I assume by the time you revisit those anything you put in there will be gone.

Apparently I didn't attach the picture. 

It's number 6 in this diagram. That threaded collar thing that holds the strut in the strut housing. Not sure what the best way is to loosen this up. I've read pipe wrench or channel locks.

[jc43089]

If you totally can't get it off you can always cut a slit in it to split it and get a new one.  Rather than damaging the strut housing trying to get it off.

[SteelBlue]

jc43089 said:

If you totally can't get it off you can always cut a slit in it to split it and get a new one.  Rather than damaging the strut housing trying to get it off.

This is what it currently looks like. Not sure where to cut to get access that would alleviate the situation. Maybe cutting the top off and then cutting it from the inside? Would like to bet to just unscrew it. Gonna try a pipe wrench, heat, and some PB blaster or something.

[m42b32]

The collars on my strut towers were pretty stuck, and a channel locks just chewed up the outside flange, didn't have a big enough pipe wrench, and I was scared to do any cutting. I secured housings in a bench vice so that they couldn't rotate, and used a chisel punch and a BFH after some extensive PB blaster soaking. You can get the corner of the punch into one of the holes on the collar nut, point it in the direction that your hammering will unscrew it, and then it should break loose with a few good whacks. 

[SteelBlue]

m42b32 said:

The collars on my strut towers were pretty stuck, and a channel locks just chewed up the outside flange, didn't have a big enough pipe wrench, and I was scared to do any cutting. I secured housings in a bench vice so that they couldn't rotate, and used a chisel punch and a BFH after some extensive PB blaster soaking. You can get the corner of the punch into one of the holes on the collar nut, point it in the direction that your hammering will unscrew it, and then it should break loose with a few good whacks. 

I will have to double check, but the collar didn’t look like it have any holes or anything in it. Just like a thin hex pattern on the top of threaded part. I saw a video of someone doing the hammer method, but it looked like the collar had a groove in it that was design for that.

[straight6pwr]

removal of my e34 stuck collars:

'

the wheel/tire is key. you can stand on it while you turn the pipe wrench.

[m42b32]

straight6pwr said:

removal of my e34 stuck collars:

'

the wheel/tire is key. you can stand on it why you turn the pipe wrench.

That's a really good idea with the wheel attached! No chance for damaging the strut by clamping it in something either

[jc43089]

SteelBlue said:

This is what it currently looks like. Not sure where to cut to get access that would alleviate the situation. Maybe cutting the top off and then cutting it from the inside? Would like to bet to just unscrew it. Gonna try a pipe wrench, heat, and some PB blaster or something.

I thought it threaded on the outside, my bad.  Don't pay attention to the e36 guy...

[SteelBlue]

straight6pwr said:

removal of my e34 stuck collars:

'

the wheel/tire is key. you can stand on it while you turn the pipe wrench.

The wheel is a very good idea. I'll be picking up a pipe wrench on the way home from work, my brother is PB blasting the collars right now to get ahead start. What size pipe wrench by the way? That red one on the ground looks like the Harbor freight one I was looking at.

Do my eyes deceive me or is the wrench attached to jack handle with duct tape and hose clamps? lol

Also, would the stock struts be gas ones? Probably not a good idea to use any heat then?

[Jdesign]

OHHHH that collar. Yeah, what everyone else said.

[SteelBlue]

Heat is mans best friend. First strut collar went without issue once I got the 24" pipe wrench around it. Second one put up a little more of a fight, heat and a good amount of persuasion and it came off. Anyone have a part number for those collars? The one got pretty chewed in the process of removing. Heat was also a big help in getting the ball joint stud out of the strut hosing.

Once those were out I cleaned them up and got them ready for paint along with the sway bar and subframe. Painting last night:

Continued drying out in the sun this morning:

Today is my birthday(25, getting old), so...

Not like I haven't already been treating myself with buying this car, an S52, and everything else for it. But that's besides the point...

I bought this steering wheel. Think it will look really good in the car, especially when I swap the interior to black. Anyone have any steering hub recommendations? This OMP one looks nice.

[wasnt m3]

I've had both momo and omp steering wheel hubs. Literally the same part in a different box. Buy whatever one of those costs less.

[Earl]

wasnt m3 said:

I've had both momo and omp steering wheel hubs. Literally the same part in a different box. Buy whatever one of those costs less.

For e36's the omp one actually has rounded pleats but a squared off base where it meets the column. The Momo one has angular pleats but it rounded where it meets the column. I combined the omp rounded boot with my Momo hub to make the hub looks exactly how I wanted in the nice car lol

[wasnt m3]

Earl said:

For e36's the omp one actually has rounded pleats but a squared off base where it meets the column. The Momo one has angular pleats but it rounded where it meets the column. I combined the omp rounded boot with my Momo hub to make the hub looks exactly how I wanted in the nice car lol

Thanks for the super anal comparison lol