Rear End Removal - How To?

[Jack Ratt]

Yes,@Faheem that would be ok

 

[the Nefyn cat]

If the gasket you need is the big one on the back, and I can't think of any others, then you could try making one. Take the cover off, clean up the mounting faces, and lay a piece of thinnish card on the diff part, as opposed to the cover. I've used old corn-flake packet type stuff before, works a treat, stiff but slightly compressable, Lay the card on and tap gently around it using your lightest hammer or a round-ended (ring) spanner, only need to hit it hard enough to put a crease in the paper, then borrow some small sharp scissors (best to use someone elses) and the mounting holes you can do with the small hammer or small spanner. May be best to do the mounting holes first, put a couple of bolts in and they'll hold the paper still. Easier to do than explain, especially from a distance, but if you practice a bit first you'll soon get the hang of it, and it'll save a few quid and a bit of waiting/collecting from wherever you'd have to go to buy one.
Done this myself many times, and it works, even used to get rolls of gasket paper back when I were a lad, not seen that sort of thing for a long time.

 

[colb]

Gasket paper available on Ebay
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...XGasket+paper.TRS0&_nkw=Gasket+paper&_sacat=0

 

[mrscalex]

I just bought some gasket paper and a round cutter to make strut top gaskets. Yep I bet most people don’t even know there are any there

They are £5 ea at the dealer for a ring of flippin paper.

What I made was prob 7.5/10 and more than good enough but it was a real faff to save £10!

 

[t-tony]

Gasket making is really easy, all it takes is practice.
I made a hole punch as an apprentice by braising a ball bearing onto the end of a long bolt. I still.have it in my tool box. You place this on the paper over a bolt hole and tap it with a hammer to cut the bolt "hole" out of the paper.

Tony.

 

[Faheem]

Hmm gasket paper is tempting but I've got a tube of RTV gasket maker which will likely do the job just as well. Will give that a go and if I fail and end up with all the diff oil leaking everywhere, will give the gasket paper a go.

 

[Faheem]

Something like this?

View: https://youtu.be/21CvanhKILA

 

[t-tony]

With paper gaskets I always smear them lightly with a multi-purpose grease. Two, reasons for this, 1) it helps keep the gasket in place while you fit bolts/screws etc. and 2) IF you need to strip the joint later it will come apart without tearing the gasket.

Tony.

 

[gookah]

good tips as always tony

 

[t-tony]

good tips as always tony

Thank you Pete, that came from my dear departed father-in-law Reg who was in the REME. Such a shame we lost him, he would've loved the Zed scene.

Tony.

 

[the Nefyn cat]

Ah, them REME dudes. That's where I learnt to bodge for a living. Many a thing remembered forever about how to get a reluctant Chieftain to fire up, sometimes involving a bootlace.

 

[Faheem]

Just wondering what can be used on the fuel tank strap to provide some dampening between the tank strap and the actual tank itself? BMW sell the original foam padding but as usual it's expensive for what it is.

Some of the foam padding was worn so I removed it all and was going to use weather strip with some plastic epoxy to hold it in place. But wondered if there was anything better and more suitable?

 

[Althulas]

Would something like this be ok https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/112912450926 or neoprene foam strip?

 

[mrscalex]

I used neoprene strip when I replaced my roof. It sits there as a first line of defence before the butyl seals although possibly more for dust and dirt. That said it wouldn't be very clever if it sat there waterlogged like a sponge but it is the butyl that does the main waterproofing.So...

I would think neoprene is all that's used on the fuel tank. It certainly looks like it as I know the strips you mean.

So all things considered I think neoprene is waterproof.

But you certainly don't want something that is going to act like a sponge and rot your straps. So I'd do some research to double-check. Otherwise I think neoprene is your material.

 

[Mazza]

I am currently working on getting new tank straps made. Part of this is getting the neoprene foam strip. I should receive a sample of Adhesive one side, 8mm x 25mm in the next couple of days from a local company that specialise in these products. (Based on a sample I showed them)
@Faheem if you want to try it out I could send you some. Can you advise how many strips there are per Tank Strap and how long each strip is

 

[Brian4]

The neoprene foam should be closed cell and this is waterproof and doesn't act like a sponge.

 

[Faheem]

Thanks all.

@Mazza Sorry, I didn't count the number of foam pads on my tank straps - some of them were missing and when I did remove the rest I threw them away. RealOEM suggests 8 pads, not sure if all are meant for the tank straps though.

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=CK93-USA-12-1998-Z3-BMW-Z3_M&diagId=16_0205

Wouldn't mind testing the neoprene foam pads for you if you want to chuck some my way

 

[Mazza]

@Faheem . I’ll PM you when I receive the sample material. In the mean time I’ll get under my car and see if I can workout how many are used.

 

[Mazza]

Checked out the straps today and found mine seem to have foam almost the whole length on both straps.
This is the short one on the passenger side (RHD car)

Hopefully I will get enough sample material to cover this.

 

[Faheem]

From this

To this

Not bad if i say so myself

Not quite as good as this though