Today I have fitted the newly arrived fuel tank straps, sold on here by @Mazza.
sale thread here:
https://zroadster.org/threads/z3-tank-strap-sets.37049/
These are really well made, and he has thought of (almost
) everything, even down to the little clips to hold the sensor cables, complete with supplying tie wraps for them.
Straps are powder coated, foam already fitted, and are an absolute bargain for the set.
The UK car passenger side strap (LHS) looks like this:
the Drivers side set looks like this:
This shows my old strap next to it, after I had cut and bent it to get it out, then reset it to show them side by side.
I did the drivers side first
First remove the securing bolt. 13mm socket.
Next you have to cut off the strap (just behind the lower part of the tank is the best place), (not at the bottom like I did) and you may need to bend them a bit afterwards to remove them.
Remember if you are using some form of grinder, to place something metal behind the strap, because if the grinder slips, the tank is plastic, it will leak petrol onto your sparks and you wont be best placed to move out of the way.
The safest way is a hand powered hacksaw.
To fit the new straps I found this is the best way. (other methods are available)
the trickiest was the drivers side, but if you do it this way it seems to be the easiest way:
Pass the new strap over the rear beam, to the left of the swing arm bush nearest to the diff:
then feed the handbrake cable over the top of it:
Then you can move it to the right to line up with the mounting hole, and place it inline where the old strap went:
Now you can fit the second part:
Hook the front over before you put the bolted halves together, you cannot do it the other way around:
Then place the bolt threads through the first strap and loosely fit the washers and nuts.
Bolt the top of the strap in next and tighten it fully, fit the tie wrap and trim it off.
then tighten the two nuts (10mm spanner) on the strap joint.
The passenger side is even easier
Just remove the bolt, bend the strap down near the hook part and remove it. No need to cut this one.
The new strap is fed over the top of the anti-roll bar drop link:
Hooked in first: (Note the nuts are fitted but remain loose)
then fit the securing bolt and tighten it, again fit the tie wrap and trim it off.
followed finally by tightening the last two nuts:
All done
If only I had fitted two nice new securing bolts too but they will have to wait until the garage is open.
(Mazza the only way you could have bettered this brilliant set, is by selling us two new bolts in the kit as well, hint hint
)
So all done easily but then having one of these lifts does help slightly:
Other fitting methods i am sure are available.
Many thanks to Mazza for designing, organising and distributing these parts, which are top quality, a great price and a godsend.
Hope you don't mind me making this @Mazza
sale thread here:
https://zroadster.org/threads/z3-tank-strap-sets.37049/
These are really well made, and he has thought of (almost
) everything, even down to the little clips to hold the sensor cables, complete with supplying tie wraps for them.Straps are powder coated, foam already fitted, and are an absolute bargain for the set.
The UK car passenger side strap (LHS) looks like this:
the Drivers side set looks like this:
I did the drivers side first
First remove the securing bolt. 13mm socket.
Next you have to cut off the strap (just behind the lower part of the tank is the best place), (not at the bottom like I did) and you may need to bend them a bit afterwards to remove them.
Remember if you are using some form of grinder, to place something metal behind the strap, because if the grinder slips, the tank is plastic, it will leak petrol onto your sparks and you wont be best placed to move out of the way.
The safest way is a hand powered hacksaw.
To fit the new straps I found this is the best way. (other methods are available)
the trickiest was the drivers side, but if you do it this way it seems to be the easiest way:
Pass the new strap over the rear beam, to the left of the swing arm bush nearest to the diff:
then feed the handbrake cable over the top of it:
Then you can move it to the right to line up with the mounting hole, and place it inline where the old strap went:
Now you can fit the second part:
Hook the front over before you put the bolted halves together, you cannot do it the other way around:
Then place the bolt threads through the first strap and loosely fit the washers and nuts.
Bolt the top of the strap in next and tighten it fully, fit the tie wrap and trim it off.
then tighten the two nuts (10mm spanner) on the strap joint.
The passenger side is even easier
Just remove the bolt, bend the strap down near the hook part and remove it. No need to cut this one.
The new strap is fed over the top of the anti-roll bar drop link:
Hooked in first: (Note the nuts are fitted but remain loose)
then fit the securing bolt and tighten it, again fit the tie wrap and trim it off.
followed finally by tightening the last two nuts:
All done
If only I had fitted two nice new securing bolts too but they will have to wait until the garage is open.
(Mazza the only way you could have bettered this brilliant set, is by selling us two new bolts in the kit as well, hint hint
)So all done easily but then having one of these lifts does help slightly:
Other fitting methods i am sure are available.
Many thanks to Mazza for designing, organising and distributing these parts, which are top quality, a great price and a godsend.
Hope you don't mind me making this @Mazza
Last edited:
Almost as bad as something James May would wear!
and no need for a silly ramp either. Just a good old fashioned jack and a couple of axle stands. Funnily enough I found the passenger side harder than the drivers side as where the strap is hooked on it was nicely seized together with rust. Took me a while to free it but apart from that it's a simple job. Although my 13mm bolts were 14mm, or so I thought 