Brian H - Imola Z4M
- Thread starter Brian H
- Start date
Exhaust repaired, pleased with the result, good to find someone who is willing to repair something.
You can see the tips of the exhaust have been replaced with new stainless flanges.
Had the centre section and a backbox repaired, £60 all in.
You can see the tips of the exhaust have been replaced with new stainless flanges.
Had the centre section and a backbox repaired, £60 all in.
We often get people in at work needing exhaust repairs Brian, and, IF I was still working for myself there would be many more welded repairs rather than tossing away easily reusable parts. This where our Government should be looking at recycling, not just reusing your old Baked Bean cans.
Tony.
Tony.
TBH the pure cost put me down this route Tony, no second hand parts lying around for these cars. Buying new, a centre section is c£700, a single backbox is c£1000.
Someone mention my name
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2011
- Points
- 165
Just repair your exhaust with an old baked bean can - win-win.
Been there, done that, many years ago.
Tony.
So after 12 1/2 years I have decided to refresh the suspension, my love of track days sent me down an aftermarket route, I managed to pick up a second hand set of KW V3s for the car, the front shocks had been used for a few months but the rears were brand new, I guess the previous owner did not want the hassle of accessing the rear top mounts!
Something I wanted out of the new suspension was to add a little camber, I searched on the internet, did some research and ordered a set of milltec adjustable top mounts from Hack Engineering. Now when modifying anything we should know that things are not as plug and play as we would like, turns out that the KW is somewhat bespoke and the top mounts I ordered were not suitable. A message to Hack Enginnering and an email to KW confirmed that I would need to change both the spring type to accommodate an adjustment top mount. The Milltec mounts were sent back (with a hefty restocking fee I may add) and the new springs and top mounts were ordered. The finished article aside a stock unit.
One of the observations made was when comparing both units was the physical footprint of the new mount, The new set up had a far smaller surface area and therefore could put undue stresses on the chassis, searches on various forums said not to worry about this but something was niggling me, I as aware of OEM suspension reinforcement plates but a search showed no results fit the Z4M.
I took a punt on some E30/E36 reinforcement plates and they fit like a glove. These are basically a 1.5mm pressed plate with punched holes.
Super happy with the result.
The rear shocks came without any top mounts too, I decided to replace the OEM 7nits due to age and settled on Rogue Engineering mounts.
Fitted these today in the snow! Update on this to follow.
Something I wanted out of the new suspension was to add a little camber, I searched on the internet, did some research and ordered a set of milltec adjustable top mounts from Hack Engineering. Now when modifying anything we should know that things are not as plug and play as we would like, turns out that the KW is somewhat bespoke and the top mounts I ordered were not suitable. A message to Hack Enginnering and an email to KW confirmed that I would need to change both the spring type to accommodate an adjustment top mount. The Milltec mounts were sent back (with a hefty restocking fee I may add) and the new springs and top mounts were ordered. The finished article aside a stock unit.
One of the observations made was when comparing both units was the physical footprint of the new mount, The new set up had a far smaller surface area and therefore could put undue stresses on the chassis, searches on various forums said not to worry about this but something was niggling me, I as aware of OEM suspension reinforcement plates but a search showed no results fit the Z4M.
I took a punt on some E30/E36 reinforcement plates and they fit like a glove. These are basically a 1.5mm pressed plate with punched holes.
Super happy with the result.
The rear shocks came without any top mounts too, I decided to replace the OEM 7nits due to age and settled on Rogue Engineering mounts.
Fitted these today in the snow! Update on this to follow.
Look very tasty!
Be interesting to hear how you find these compared with BC on the Z3 - different car so probably not a fair comparison but these KW’s are big step up in price.
In the first pic they look like progressive springs but the second pic looks like a linear spring with a helper spring?
Be interesting to hear how you find these compared with BC on the Z3 - different car so probably not a fair comparison but these KW’s are big step up in price.
In the first pic they look like progressive springs but the second pic looks like a linear spring with a helper spring?
Also the front struts would appear to be more like the E36 front struts than the E46 which the "standard" Z4 runs on?
Tony.
Tony.
100% correct, a little exited to test them too.
Very much like the stock Z3 struts but the OEM top mount is larger with a radiused* top.
*not sure on spelling!
As it was a lovely day decided to do a bit of work today on my car, whilst refreshing the suspension I notivpced the front brake pipes had seen better day so out with the old and in with the new.
The top one is the offside front, the bottom one is the near side front, had to make a joint in the near side. The kunifer is quite difficult form but with the aid of my new favourite tool the job is easy enough.
The top one is the offside front, the bottom one is the near side front, had to make a joint in the near side. The kunifer is quite difficult form but with the aid of my new favourite tool the job is easy enough.
The N/S/F inner pipe is usually joinable just behind the w/arch llner and makes good sense.
Tony.
Tony.
I took in in just a bit further @t-tony, there was more space just inside the engine bay, also used a tip I picked up on here a few days ago, locked the brake pedal in the down position, no fluid loss.
Today’s update, upgraded the hoses today with stainless steel ones, as usual nothing is straight forward but got there in the end.
Old rear pipes have seen better days. (The bracket has been blaster and painted black as new ones are an eye watering £45 ea.)
New stainless hoses mocked up.
Notice the spring retaining clip does not touch the bracket....sigh!
10 mins in the workshop and we have a spacer.
Fitted and all fine now.
Snapped a bleed nipple in the near side front caliper...doh, fortunately I had a spare bleed nipple and a drill and tap to repair it.
Old rear pipes have seen better days. (The bracket has been blaster and painted black as new ones are an eye watering £45 ea.)
New stainless hoses mocked up.
Notice the spring retaining clip does not touch the bracket....sigh!
10 mins in the workshop and we have a spacer.
Fitted and all fine now.
Snapped a bleed nipple in the near side front caliper...doh, fortunately I had a spare bleed nipple and a drill and tap to repair it.
I used some "body" washers Brian and just cut off one side to allow it to mate up to the body.
Tony.
ps. Definitely a good modification.
Tony.
ps. Definitely a good modification.
If I remember I think I did that on the Z3 but the gap this time was a little too big, it is annoying that they don’t fit first time!
Finally my new brake kit arrived so got it fitted in time for Cadwell.
To say I am super pleased is an understatement, the floating discs are 350x32 which are not that much bigger than the CSL discs the Z4M has as standard but the calipers are 6pot calipers.
RS29 pads compliment the discs and calipers.
They are superb and stop the car on a sixpence........
To say I am super pleased is an understatement, the floating discs are 350x32 which are not that much bigger than the CSL discs the Z4M has as standard but the calipers are 6pot calipers.
RS29 pads compliment the discs and calipers.
They are superb and stop the car on a sixpence........
The car has hardly turned a wheel this year 