My 1997 M3 (That I'm not going to part out anymore)

[ChrisO]

Currently doing my RTABs, 

Blown out pretty bad

The drill method worked pretty good, but I left a small notch in the trailing arm. Opinions on if it'll ever matter? It's obviously not huge, it's in the thickest spot of the arm and it's circular so it wont crack I'm thinking. The poly bushings went in snug

So I have the poly in, everything torqued and the arm is back in the car on the drivers side. unfortunately I found a small hairline crack at the mounting point. I'm not going to risk driving on it, so I need to have it welded and reinforcement plates welded in ASAP, I only have 2 weeks before I go back to school. Can anyone recommend a shop that will do this right? I don't want it rusting or anything like that because a shop didn't prep it right.

  

I hit it with some sand paper, and it is indeed a crack. The other side is the side that clunked bad, so fingers crossed

[ChrisO]

I'm an absolute idiot, and despite trying to be more careful with the other trailing arm I cut into it worse. I didn't feel comfortable with it so I welded it and sanded it down

The trailing arm bushing went in very snug like the other side, but I need an honest opinion on if you guys would worry about this or replace the trailing arm. It's in a nice thick spot, but I'm not a pro welder and I doubt I penetrated very deep. These are cast from what I understand and I don't want it to crack and explode when I'm driving or something, I don't know if these things get insane load or if it's not that big of a deal

Also more cracks.

[Jdesign]

ChrisO said:

I'm an absolute idiot, and despite trying to be more careful with the other trailing arm I cut into it worse. I didn't feel comfortable with it so I welded it and sanded it down

The trailing arm bushing went in very snug like the other side, but I need an honest opinion on if you guys would worry about this or replace the trailing arm. It's in a nice thick spot, but I'm not a pro welder and I doubt I penetrated very deep. These are cast from what I understand and I don't want it to crack and explode when I'm driving or something, I don't know if these things get insane load or if it's not that big of a deal

Also more cracks.

Honestly it should be fine. A nice piece of mind for you to have it welded, but sadly I have seen much worse on race cars that just send it.

On the other hand, that subframe mount totally needs to be repaired to prevent if from getting worse. Media blasting the area first prior to welding would be a very good idea. Where are you located? I can give you some suggestions based on your location..

[ChrisO]

Jdesign said:

Honestly it should be fine. A nice piece of mind for you to have it welded, but sadly I have seen much worse on race cars that just send it.

On the other hand, that subframe mount totally needs to be repaired to prevent if from getting worse. Media blasting the area first prior to welding would be a very good idea. Where are you located? I can give you some suggestions based on your location..

Thanks for the input, I feel a bit better about the trailing arm. As far as the cracking trailing arm mounts go, I contacted a performance shop in Green Bay hoping they would let me help out with the job so it's done right, as they have never done something like this on a e36 before. Finding a shop who has done a trailing arm reinforcement job already would be ideal, so I'm open to anyone within an hour or so of Green Bay.

[jc43089]

No problem at all to cut a little into the trailing arm.  The full RTAB reinforcement it is necessary to drop the gas tank but you can cut the front portion of the AKG plates off or just leave it there but not welded.  Either way works.  Hang a soggy towel over the gas tank to prevent melting.  I have done it that way with no problems.

[ChrisO]

Little update, I'm currently at school and finally got the car registered and drive it occasionally. The rtab bolt hole cracks I welded, and I have reinforcement plates that will go in this winter or spring. I gently drive the car to class or just around town a few days a week. Other then that it sits in my garage, but it's a blast and it's a very solid feeling car with the new BC's and poly rtab bushings on it.  

Here is a day before I left for school, I had just gotten a fresh alignment so I threw my Fikse Mach V's on

I had about 1/2" of front wheel gap and -2.5 degrees of camber so I figured I might get some slight rubbing on corners and such. My old M3 had a way more agressive fitment with the rays then this, and I never had problems.

about 15 feet down my street I hit a bump while slightly turned and the fender hit the tire and literally bit a chunk out of the sidewall despite being mildly rolled. The Rivals are so soft that my fender is undamaged, but I guess I need a new tire and a pull on the front fenders 

I know, another stellar update

here's some pics from some of my drives in Eau Claire back on DS2's/ a LTW wheel 

My friend Evan and I took a trip to Mondovi for no reason one weekend, and I got a burger at Mondovi family restaurant.

WIBIMMERS food reviews: Don't go to Mondovi family restaurant. 

When I was in high school we got better food

[KaiserRolls]

Eau Claire? 

Thats where I exist at

[straight6pwr]

as an homage to stock wheels, you should roll with:
(1) DS1

(1) DS2

(1) LTW

(1) M-contour

[YoungCR]

I'll second that the Mondovi family restaurant is not worth stopping for.

[Rekpoint]

Shit. a mcdouble looks better than that! LOL

[ChrisO]

KaiserRolls said:

Eau Claire? 

Thats where I exist at 

Last year I saw someone at Culvers off Brackett Ave with a WIBIMMERS T-shirt on that wasn't @Rekpoint 

I live off water street

[SteelBlue]

That burger looks like it came out of a vending machine

[KaiserRolls]

ChrisO said:

Last year I saw someone at Culvers off Brackett Ave with a WIBIMMERS T-shirt on that wasn't @Rekpoint 

I live off water street 

O rly, I’m not too far away!

[ChrisO]

KaiserRolls said:

O rly, I’m not too far away!

(˵ ͡☉ ͜ʖ ͡☉˵)ᓄ

[KaiserRolls]

[Rekpoint]

KaiserRolls said:

Hey when was the last time you were at C&C? o wait...  to be fair the same people show up every-time essentially. Besides you...

[patsbimmer1]

KaiserRolls said:

Accurate.

[patsbimmer1]

ChrisO said:

Last year I saw someone at Culvers off Brackett Ave with a WIBIMMERS T-shirt on that wasn't @Rekpoint 

I live off water street 

You live off of Water within walking distance of Mogies and Dooleys and you went to Mondovi for food?  Come on!  If you're going to travel I'd go to Norske Nook in Osseo.  53 is a nice little drive from Eau Claire.

[Jdesign]

patsbimmer1 said:

 Mogies and Dooleys and you went to Mondovi to Norske Nook in Osseo.  

[GunMetalGrey]

I'm so stoked you did that for me Jason ^ 

I read it and felt the same way.