incredirog Posted May 30, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2018 It finally came!! bad news is i’ve got to paint the house to “earn” a day off from the kids to fit it all. Think I’ve found a good local place to sort the four wheel alignment after. momo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Evil Posted May 31, 2018 Report Share Posted May 31, 2018 On 30/05/2018 at 12:49, incredirog said: It finally came!! bad news is i’ve got to paint the house to “earn” a day off from the kids to fit it all. Sounds like my life 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted May 31, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2018 got a load of new brake hardware to go on so been jazzing the crusty calipers up in the theme of the current models with the optional painted calipers.. gonna do one per evening at home then knock out the hardware and fluid flush on a night shift at work 👊🏼 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Evil Posted May 31, 2018 Report Share Posted May 31, 2018 What make brakes have you gone for? My Touring needs new discs soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted May 31, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2018 Mtec grooved, they offer them “coated” in silver black or gold which basically means they come painted, I didn’t realise this until after I ordered so I coated my bare discs in black VHT. It’s deffo worth the few extra pounds to avoid this job if rusty hats and edges are something you don’t like. I got some of their braided stainless steel brake lines as well and brembo pads from ECP. I’m rebuilding the handbrakes with a Meyle shoe set and some additional OEM bits like the adjuster wheels. Planning on using dot5.1 fluid but I don’t really know why. At the most the car is going to do a leisurely lap of the ring at some point in the future possibly some fully loaded mountain descents. I just wanted grooved discs to look nice mainly not for performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted June 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 Still no photos but there’s gonna be a big update coming! The house is nearly painted which means the driveway workshop will be back in business real soon. Anyway i was down cooper croydon yesterday ordering some bits and pieces for the struts and shocks job! My plan is to just build the H&R struts with the new hardware I’ve got on order which I can do in the evenings. Should mean I can just remove old strut assembly and put new strut assembly straight in right?! Also means I should only have to do the spring compressing twice rather than four times so will save loads of time on the big day for the usual headaches you get with this job. Maybe even do the brakes on the same day! Anyway after those two jobs my budget and goodwill from the wife will be empty but luckily I’ve got two retrofit electrical projects in storage. The powerfold mirrors and a TPMS switch panel with heated seats HK and DSC. I’m undecided whether I’m going to put this in now or wait until the political climate shifts and she allows me to purchase a black leather touring interior for the rear bench and doorcarss and black leather M3 or M6 front seats/interior, possibly the X5 comfort seats, they seem pretty rare though. But alas that’s a distant dream right now, shot myself in the foot buying that cheap electric coupe interior!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2clubsp Posted June 9, 2018 Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 Go for M6 seat if you can find a set. Took me well over 6 months to find mine but absolutely love them. They match the rest of the interior better than the M3 ones (unless you change the whole interior, of course). incredirog 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted June 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 forgot to add that I’ve discovered my EGR bypass leaks at the manifold connection. everything is heavily sooted in that area, I suspect it’s the gasket but I can’t say for certain that I torqued the bolts up correctly either so that’s coming off and hopefully I’ll have finally tracked down the occasional exhaust smell in the cabin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted June 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 these cars! rounded out a second locking wheel lug bolt, unfortunately unlike the first that went this one is firmly in the hub. gonna try and smash a socket on it when the kiddy’s aren’t sleeping! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted June 9, 2018 Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 It could be worse! I had one snap off in the hub! I didn't even notice until I thought I had a puncture so took it to a shop and they told me.. It snapped quite far in too. All garages said "Nope! Wont touch it - replace the hub!!" Managed to knock it loose with a screwdriver and hammer so took it to a mates garage, welded a nut to it and wound it out. I thought thank f*ck for that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted June 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 ordered some twist sockets and a new set of febi lock bolts. I’m losing count of the £10 here, £20 there, purchases. it’s insane!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted June 14, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2018 (edited) Built one up! The new, genuine, lower spring pad doesn’t seem to line up nicely on the H&R strut but I don’t think it matters too much. Also stupidly ordered a set of twist sockets that were too small so hammered a 21mm socket on the old locking wheel lug bolt and got it off the old fashioned way. Edited June 14, 2018 by incredirog momo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted June 16, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2018 Massive day ahead on Monday, going to attempt to completely replace my suspension and brakes in one day before the football! Wish me luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted June 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2018 I didn’t do it in one day! rear half finished. momo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted June 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 nightmare, fell into the trap of the first pinch bolt coming out with the cheat bar. Got the new strut and brake discs on. The second pinch bolt turned a few times then sheared like it was made of play dough. Too late to drill it out left it all in situ need and I need to get some vibranium drill bits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted June 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 did the school run with an unsecured strut, (I’d test driven it last night) it wasn’t too bad no knocking just a little vague. straight down to screw fix for a HSS drill bit set and a set of easy outs. I’d dremeled the bolt through the gap right up to hub knuckle bit and then proceeded to work up through the drill bit sizes. broke a few, had to fish a few out of the hole but finally made it to the cut section with the biggest drill bit. I then drifted the bolt out of the unthreaded section and got brave with the biggest easy out. Took about 2 hours and was noisy as hell. Thread seemed ok so didn’t re tap it whizzed in a new OEM bolt with the impact gun! Pics to follow but I’m messy so my painted calipers are ruined! 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted June 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 (edited) finally got there! The shakedown revealed a rattle which I traced to the NSF, doubting my strut assembly skills I feared the worst but having watched a YouTube of an idiot shearing his megane top mount I erred on the side of caution and performed the hammer tyre test. This led me to the fuel filter (which is giant on the M57) contacting the strut wall. A bit of bending and tightening of the bracket and all is well. First impressions, the brakes look nice but really don’t perform or feel any different save for fixing a slight vibration when performing long gradual brake from speed. The H&R cup kit feels fantastic I can’t compare it to new OEM as the suspension has always needed doing in my owner ship. Ride height is basically the same as the sport setup. The father in law has a leased 520d msport and it feels a lot more like that now. It’s a bit wayward but the four wheel alignment on Saturday should fix that! If I was doing it again I would probably take the car out of daily service for the duration of the job. Paint the calipers off car. Generally spend more time cleaning bits and pieces you don’t get to see. In my opinion unless the pinch bolts come straight out first time the quickest way is to cut them in the middle and drill out through the centre up to no10 bit and then use an easy out. I found this preserved the thread and if I’d had the tools to do it first time round I’d have saved hours and not “had” to drive the car in an “unsafe” state. So to summarise as I won’t be updating now for a while (turns out I will!). If you’ve got old suspension get it all replaced and your car will feel like new! Brakes, if they ain’t broke don’t waste the money fixing them! Edited June 22, 2018 by incredirog momo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted June 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 I haven’t fixed the rattle, only way to replicate it when stationary is to bounce up and down on the passenger sill and then it sounds like the noise is coming from directly underneath or drivers side. I’ve taken the ARB and re seated it. Droplinks were new last year for the standard sport suspension. ARB bushes new last year. Scratching my head a bit until I can get a helper to bounce up and down while I investigate! Opinions welcomed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted June 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 (edited) I hadn’t tightened one of the tie rods! Solid as a rock now! Can’t wait for the alignment! Edited June 22, 2018 by incredirog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted June 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2018 (edited) Realised it wasn’t sitting correctly, checked, double checked and worked out the troubled OSF strut wasn’t seated in its collar correctly. Applied some ghetto engineering and removed the pinch bolt and took it round the block. A satisfying clunk later and all four corners are sitting correctly! Pinch bolt reinstalled and torqued all without jacking the car! bit of in car World Cup action while waiting for the school to kick out Edited June 22, 2018 by incredirog momo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted June 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2018 (edited) this is painful, I feel like my amateur wrenching skills are being judged! which technically they are! Pro tip, don’t skimp on the budget and decide not to do inner and outer trackrods. The alignment guy will not thank you for being so frugal! Edited June 23, 2018 by incredirog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted June 23, 2018 Report Share Posted June 23, 2018 (edited) Or tell him to stop being a girl! Most people don't replace them unless they fail/seize! Edited June 23, 2018 by momo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted June 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2018 all done took forever, it’s true though, it really does feel like a brand new car after! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted June 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2018 1 hour ago, momo said: Or tell him to stop being a girl! Most people don't replace them unless they fail/seize! they were seized he had to get a pipe wrench and some weird induction coil heater on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted June 23, 2018 Report Share Posted June 23, 2018 My mechanic mate says it all the time too.. I call him a little girl and to stop whinging! If you've never had to use heat to loosed seized bolts - you're no mechanic! lol. The time before last I had my tracking done the place I used we're really professional about it - when they finished and presented me with the bill they said "Here's the printout sir, that'll be £XX. Sorry it took so long sir as we had to use heat to loosen one of the ends". That's it! I mentioned other mechanics/garages would've given me a sob story about it. He just laughed. He said they have to use heat a few times a day when doing tracking so they're used to it. Those coil heaters are awesome btw! Not cheap by any means.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
