How do the outer sills actually come off?

[DrWong]

Just stripping down the Z down for the first time to treat the inner sills. Been following instructions as per https://zroadster.org/articles/bmw-z3-sill-removal-and-protection.67/ and managed to get everything loosened off. The sill moves freely now.

I’m stumped on how to actually take the sill off the car though. Seems whichever way I move it something is in the way, such as the door or the securing tab for the rear wing. Does the rear wing have to come off?!

Have tried moving the sill forwards, backwards, down etc and and just can’t seem to get the clearance needed

Any help much appreciated, thanks!

 

[Grumps]

I believe you have to remove the small front wings and rear wings to get them properly.
@Sean d

 

[Mazza]

If all the bolts off then they just pull off. The rear wing needs to be eased out and the door open.
Is all the trim round the door undone?

 

[DrWong]

If all the bolts off then they just pull off. The rear wing needs to be eased out and the door open.
Is all the trim round the door undone?
View attachment 89262

View attachment 89263
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Thanks mate. Yeah all the trim is removed, bolts undone and the sill can move around. When you say the sill should just pull off, do you mean I should be able just pull it straight out, away from the chassis? Because when I try that the lip of the sill catches the bottom corner of the door, which I've got wide open.

On the rear wing securing tab, I can see the sill's tab is sandwiched between the chassis tab and wing tab. Not entirely sure it's meant to be like that as it was preventing me from pulling the sill away from the car at the back. So will try and wiggle the sill enough to move its tab so that it's on the outside and try again tomorrow.

Cheers for the photos - good to know the rear wing doesn't actually have to come off. And your inner sills look in really good nick mate

 

[Mazza]

You can definitely take them off without removing the rear wing. I have looked but I haven’t taken any pictures of that area. Dont know if this helps

 

[DrWong]

Thanks Mazza, appreciate that

The more I think about, the more I think my difficulties are to do with the sill’s securing tab being trapped between the rear wing and chassis securing tabs

 

[Nodzed]

As long as all the bolts are undone then the sill will come off with a pull. I had to loosen the rear wing bolts on the rear of the door recess to allow the tab to free up. I've had 2 sets off and had no issues personally.

 

[DrWong]

As long as all the bolts are undone then the sill will come off with a pull. I had to loosen the rear wing bolts on the rear of the door recess to allow the tab to free up. I've had 2 sets off and had no issues personally.

Thanks mate. Makes sense it should just come off with a pull, as long as the sill tab isn’t stuck behind one of the tabs for the wing or chassis (which is what I think my problem is)

 

[DrWong]

I am a ‘tard:

Thank you all for your input. It did just come off by pulling straight away from the body. My mistake was assuming some kind of sliding forward or back was involved. In my defence, this is the first time I’ve done this

 

[Mazza]

Success. Good stuff. The other side will be easy !!!!

 

[colb]

Good job, inners look very clean, give them a good coat of waxoyle as well as the outers when you have cleaned them up.

 

[roadvoyager1]

Well done, that looks in pretty good condition. If you have not do so yet, take the jack pads out and check underneath. This was the worst area on mine for rust.
As well as painting the outer surface of the inner sill with Waxoyl or similar get some spray wax and apply it to the inside through the holes. Also make sure the drain holes underneath are clear.

 

[DrWong]

Good job, inners look very clean, give them a good coat of waxoyle as well as the outers when you have cleaned them up.

Thanks mate, was really pleased when I saw the inner sills as I expecting them to be much worse given the state of the outer ones. Good shout on Waxoyle - bought some Bilt Hamber stuff as apparently they're the dog's danglies

 

[DrWong]

Well done, that looks in pretty good condition. If you have not do so yet, take the jack pads out and check underneath. This was the worst area on mine for rust.
As well as painting the outer surface of the inner sill with Waxoyl or similar get some spray wax and apply it to the inside through the holes. Also make sure the drain holes underneath are clear.

I'd seen your previous comments re: jack pads and it was one of the first things I checked. They're mildly crispy on the surface but thankfully still very solid underneath. The sill ends are probably worse than the jack pads for me.

Thanks for flagging the drain holes as I wasn't aware of them Are they on bottom of the chassis sill?

 

[DrWong]

I was mildly horrified by the amount of stuff I had to acquire just to treat the two sills. I ordered all of this lot last week:

We have 4x 2 tonne axle stands; 3 tonne trolley jack; chocks; epoxy primer + activator + thinner; panel wipe; stonechip paint; primer, topaz blue base coat and lacquer aerosols; Bilt Hamber Deox gel, S50 and UC waxes and injection lances; various flap wheels and discs; brushes; tack cloths; masking film; and AP1-P2 mask (safety first!)

Not pictured is a cheapo Dremel clone and 60 mini wire cup brushes that arrived from Amazon after all this lot

 

[roadvoyager1]

Thanks for flagging the drain holes as I wasn't aware of them Are they on bottom of the chassis sill?

Yes, the chassis sill is enbossed along the bottom egde. If you look carefully 2 of the emboses are larger and more rounded than the others. I used the end of a tie wrap to poke into them and make sure they were clear. They are drain holes for any moisture that gets into the sill.

 

[DrWong]

Yes, the chassis sill is enbossed along the bottom egde. If you look carefully 2 of the emboses are larger and more rounded than the others. I used the end of a tie wrap to poke into them and make sure they were clear. They are drain holes for any moisture that gets into the sill.

Thank you roadvoyager, I would not have known to check for that otherwise