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Sam

Subframe Issues

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It's finding somwhere that can drop the subframe out etc, I took the rear subframe off my old e36 Al be it we cut the brake lines and handbrake cables it took less than 2 hours easy that was on axle stands, surly with a 4 post ramp talk less than 3 -to have the subframe dropped hour to prep hour to weld 3 to out back together 8 hours say 10 hours need to find somwhere that would charge 30-40 per hour that don't play about!

If I had a ramp or a building todo it in I would be tempted by it but I don't,

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It's not an easy job, most people who complain about the price couldn't do the job.

You have to be a good mechanic to drop the rear axle, you need a lot of tools, a mate to steady the axle when dropping, and after that, you need to be a good welder! A while to remove and replace bushes, seal the floor again, then get it back up there, connect everything, bleed the brakes..... Anyone who does that in 8 hours is well practiced, ive done mine, didn't rush, and my floor was bad, but nowhere close to 8 hours.

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Be careful what you're paying for too.

I've seen a lot of E36s that had "reinforcements". Most used 1.0-1.2mm steel, and alot were bonded with some sort of glue.

Waste of f**king time and money.

I got my plates from Craig at dynotorque, he'd already done blair's at this point. The plates were slightly the wrong shape, i had to reshape with a bench grinder, but they were thick stainless plates, im confident that the floor will never tear again.

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Craig at Dyno torque did mine and I can't recommend him enough. When he removed everything from the rear the subframe mounts dropped out leaving nasty holes. All pictures etc here:

http://www.e46zone.com/forum/topic/50501-creaky-rear-end/page-3

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Harsh.

I was really annoyed when I found it to start with, and had Blair not mentioned getting onto Craig @ Dyno Torque I'm pretty sure that would've been the end of my E46. Craig offered to do the work for a very reasonable price so I figured why not. Once its done its done and apart from that she was/is a good car.

Is your mate going to get it fixed?

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hi guys my 02 320d has an issue with the rear end whats happening is that under load (when taking off anyway hard or accelerating hard) it feels like something is shifting in the rear (sub frame i feel) and its making a like grinding noise or something as if the diff or sub frame isnt sitting straight. when i say hard acceleration it dosent have to be full throttle just anything that isnt granny driving really, so what happens is i can feel a shift and there is like a loud bang like the subframe or diff moves then like a grinding noise.sounds like something isnt sitting straight then, any help or info would be appreciated.

thanks

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You need to have a look underneath where the rear subfame mounts are, its not too dificult to spot when you look in the right place, especially if yours is as bad as mine was (which sounds like it could be if the noise is as bad as you say).

Have a look through this topic or take a look at mine to see what your looking for.

Here's mine: http://www.e46zone.com/forum/topic/50501-creaky-rear-end/

It could be something else of course, but I would suggest you get the subframe mounts looked at, or have a look for your self.

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I will say, based on your description, it does sound like its similar to the noise mine was making and my subframe mounts were no longer attached to the chassis! Have a look at page 3 on the topic I liked to above and you will see the holes left after the mount simply dropped out!

Should also give you an idea where to look.

Good luck with it.

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I will PM you mate.

I had doubts at the time too, and seriously considered scrapping her rather than fixing..... It was just over a year ago now and honestly, I'm so glad I went through with the repair, she's been fine since and hasn't really cost me anything more, other than general wear and tear stuff and servicing, which would have been the same with any car.

You need to decide what you will do with her once repairded if you do go down that route. I didn't do the repairs thinking I would ever get the money back, I did it because I really liked the car, planned to keep her for a few more years and thought (excluding this issue) I had a good car.

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had my car in at cooper BMW Teesside for some warranty work on paint and asked them to check boot floor they said it was ok so I asked about resin reinforcement and they offered to do it for £295 so went ahead. I went with this route as have not found any cases of cars failing with reinforcement done but have found cars with welded plates failing again hope I don't regret this decision as was going to have plates and resin originally.

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That obviously works as a preventative measure.

Craig at Dyno Torque said the key is to stop the subframe mounts (which are inside the body, between the boot floor and the underside of the body) from moving.

This is why a simple patch panel to fix the cracks or ripped underside won't work as the mounts can still move and in time the the cracks will re-appear.

I suppose the resin stuff is injected into where the mounts are, stopping them from moving.

My car now has a bar running from one side of the car to the other, welded inside the body where the subframe mounts are and the mounts are welded to it. This keeps everything solid and guarantys it wont happen again.

But mine was too far gone for preventative resin type fixes.

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                            Do not get me wrong,but l think you will find it is the floor not so

                       much the sub-frame.I have not looked at all 17 pages you have on this

                        so probably quite a bit late.Have seen a lot everywhere else and it goes

                       through the whole range.Being a BMW person l am bitterly disappointed.

                       It goes right back to the 2000 BM which we had 1500,1800,525 i,528i,330D,

                       330Ci,M3 and now 330 Ci Clubsport.

                                   Not that we have found any,but to think over the years that BMW have

                     known about this floor problem and done nothing about it.By the way,you need

                     to take back seats out to see most of it,and l have noticed that it is not filled up

                     under them.Whether this is an attempt at hiding it or strengthening it l do not know.     

                                                 Hope yours are all alright  : )   

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