How To: Changing RSMs

[tasmisr]

Here is a detailed DIY for changing the stock rear shock mounts in your Z3 (Rogue Engineering RSMs):
Total time for each RSM: less than an hour
Skill Level (1 to 10): 1
Reason: noise coming from the back of the car when hitting holes at lower speeds.

We are gonna work on the driver side RSM.

1- Get behind the driver seat and take off the 2 plastic pieces securing the black carpet, just pull it.
2- U will see the RSM in front of you


3- Take out the Black hat over the RSM and get a 1/2" socket to remove the 2 upper nuts securing the RSM to the chassis



after jacking the car, here is the RSM after removing the 2 nuts.


4- Get a 18 mm socket along with a galvanized pipe, the galvanized pipe will do a great job to remove the shock bottom nut which is too tight.


5- Remove the bottom nut until the shock falls.



6- Take the shock out, clean it and now we will need to remove the old shock mount. you will need an open wrench and another wrensh to prevent the shock shaft from rotating.

[tasmisr]

7- If you are Having difficulty removing the nut, you will need a Pb penetration catalyst, spray it over the nut and leave it for 10 minutes, now try again. if you still having the same problem, take the shock to a local store (ACE) and they will help you to loosen the nut from the shock.



Now the old RSM is out and the new one is ready


8- Fasten the new RSM to the shock in the same order like the old one, make sure that you don't leave the washers, put one underneath the RSM and one above it.


9- Take the top part of the Rogue engineering RSM and drop it into the car(from inside)



10- Plug in the black plate.

[tasmisr]

11- Plug in the shock into the car, get a 1/2" open wrench to fasten the upper nut first, tighten it first by your hands and then use the wrench, it will be a little tight there but it will work.





12- Adjust the jack so that the shock will align with the control arm, unlift the car until the tire touchs the floor, if the shock is lower than the control arm, squeeze the shock and fasten the nut into the control arm.




13- you are done! take off the jack/jackstands and you are ready to roll!

<b>After a drive with the new RSMS, the noise from the back disapeared and the car seems like pushing harder
</b>


And While I'm here.. I took a shot for my babbbyyy (yah it's Michigan and no snow yet )

[DINANISR3]

Nice write up, thanks for sharing. I had a question on accessing the RSM's. You say

"1- Get behind the driver seat and take off the 2 plastic pieces securing the black carpet, just pull it.
2- U will see the RSM in front of you"

I am changing out the RSM's on monday or tuesday, and was wondering which clips you have to remove? Also, how did you remove the clips ? I know this seems like a dumb question, but I dont want to break anything while im doing it. Thanks

[Alex.M]

Thanks for the write up!
It is greatly appreciated. My passenger side mount needs some attention, so the timing is perfect.

Is the access to RSM's in Coupes as easy as in Roadsters?

[tasmisr]

There are 2 plastic screws on each side(in think total is 4, nothing in the middle), so u will need to remove 2 for each RSM side...I pulled it vertically by a Plier,, it might cause a small damage to the piece but you will still be able to plug it back in..

[tasmisr]

Thanks for the write up!
It is greatly appreciated. My passenger side mount needs some attention, so the timing is perfect.

Is the access to RSM's in Coupes as easy as in Roadsters?

I think it's easier since u can access it from the trunk... Coupe guys would know better than me..

[DINANISR3]

I think it's easier since u can access it from the trunk... Coupe guys would know better than me..

Actually, the roadsters are 10 times easier to get access to the RSM's. Coupes are a bltch to get to them. You have to take apart almost the whole rear of the car. I have seen write ups like this for coupes and it requires alot of work to gain access to the RSM's. Something like it will take you a couple hours ripping your coupe apart, just so the RSM's are visible.

[Hugo]

Good write up. I'm adding it to the DIY stickied thread.

[MSH]

Now this is the kind of post I love to see on Bimmerforums. I did mine long ago, but this is a terrific write-up for someone that hasn't done them before. Nice job tasmisr..have to give you big props on this one

MSH

[tasmisr]

Now this is the kind of post I love to see on Bimmerforums. I did mine long ago, but this is a terrific write-up for someone that hasn't done them before. Nice job tasmisr..have to give you big props on this one

MSH

Thanks!
The job gets easier once you have more details and more pictures, not to mention, it took me like 9 hours to change the first RSM

I would love to see DIYs like this for every little mod in our cars,, especially if it was related to FI

[6i9]

Great writeup. Pic-by-pic DIY's are the most helpful.

[rango44]

Ordered mine based on your excellent write-up. Tanks...

[SexualChocolate]

WOW! Great write-up. Now hurry up and do one for the do-it-yourself-homemade-500WHP-package hehehe. Makes me wish I had a Roadster now, well maybe...

Riaz

[ruffytdog]

Actually, the roadsters are 10 times easier to get access to the RSM's. Coupes are a bltch to get to them. You have to take apart almost the whole rear of the car. I have seen write ups like this for coupes and it requires alot of work to gain access to the RSM's. Something like it will take you a couple hours ripping your coupe apart, just so the RSM's are visible.

I spent more time taking apart and putting back the interior through the whole RSM job. It's not hard to take apart the interior, its just time consuming. Sorta like a puzzle. You can't take this trim off unless you take that trim off, to take that trim off you have to take this other panel off, and so on and so on.

BTW, Great write up!
Mike

[Bond]

Makes me wish I had a Roadster now, well maybe...

Riaz

Blasphemy, does your coupe know you're saying this?

[vdubpsu]

Anyone have the pictures to go along with this write-up?

[MZZZ NC]

Great write up...the pictures don't seem to be showing though. This would be a good project for this weekend, so get them up!

[m34ever]

request for the pictures also please, ill be doing this within a few months im sure.

[jameswbl]

the roadster guys have it easy...haha

try taking off and putting back the puzzle pieces in the back of a coupe...

[jbz3]

Is there any way to view those pictures?

[Llama]

Pictures, please!

-Llama

[lcjhnsn]

bump for restoring the pictures to this thread, i'll be doing my RSMs in the next couple weeks

thanx

[jbbrown9]

bump for restoring the pictures to this thread, i'll be doing my RSMs in the next couple weeks

thanx

There are a couple recent threads on this that still have pics. Here's the one I wrote.