I did a whole rebuild of my car etc about 2 years ago. I re-used the straps because they looked just fine even if the paint was lifting a smidge. I ordered new ones just to have on hand as I knew I'd have to eventually do them.
So, while working on other things today I figured I'd replace them for the heck of it. I am really glad I did. What you see from the ground is not nearly the worst of it.
Fuel Strap by Jon Kensy, on Flickr
^^ Doesn't look too bad really
Then lift the rubber strip
Fuel Strap by Jon Kensy, on Flickr
Wow
And two bends back and forth and
Fuel Strap by Jon Kensy, on Flickr
So, yeah, if yours look like mine in the first pic, or even close, get new ones it takes about 30 mins to replace them.
awwwww man! i didnt want to have to do this!
-Alex
Welcome to my world breh.
Lucky you knew they were on their way out.
Had mine snap on me going south on the NY thruway coming from CT at about 65mph. Scary Schitz.
Then again nothing puts hair on your chest than trying to pull that balancing act with the crapjack
while sitting in a gas station in a not so nice part of the Bronx at 9pm.
Funny how many people begin notice you when you in such a compromised situation.
Good call. I'm sure everyone's checking as we speak.
Did them when installing the new tank during the transplant... got all the rubber pads too.. should easily outlast the engine..
Wow. Yay for my rust free car!!! I'm not doing it!!
Mine look exactly like that. I will have to order some. Thanks for posting the info.
mmm I sure do love my bimmer, she was born and raised in SoCal
bigsixe34 had one of his go on the way to the PA meet 2 years ago. It was dragging and sparking as we drove. Had ben fix it with something on the side of the road.
You guys gotta realize its not a "bad weather" thing - the rubber strip on the strap traps moisture. Moisture occurs on cool nights that turn into hot days and then repeats. Seriously, I picked at the paint on mine to get it to look like that - it really did not look very bad at all until I removed the rubber strip.
While you're at it, replace the gasoline vent lines, preferably with hoses instead of iron-pipes.
[E39 540i] - with S/C ESS kit (plus some upgrades)
[E34 540iA] - Gone
I thought everyone already knew E34 tank straps were a maintenance item? Just paint the new ones with POR-15 or a similar ceramic paint and you'll never have to replace them again.
Location: California
Heh - these are 20 years old. I can deal with that. I do know its a maintenance item - the point was that from below it just looked like the paint was peeling. It's what lurks under the rubber on the topside which you can't see!
I'll have my aluminum fuel cell in over winter probably.
OK, few more things to add to the list while the car sits on jackstands... New tank straps and fuel lines!!!
Wow. Glad you caught that in time. One of the many reasons I am thankful that my car spent its life in Mexico.
Mine look an awful lot like the first pic....Only $12.72 each from ECS for my 90L tank! Adding these to my next order!
Definitely do it. I had my tank out at the end of 2009 or beginning of 2010 and obviously handled the straps. They were fine, a little paint peeling, but fine. I obviously don't drive the car in the snow or rain and so it's just been chilling in bad weather, and the straps went to crap since. It's that the rubber traps the moisture, not that the region is snowy. It stinks. I thought about stripping them and powder coating, but too much of a hassle and I'll be removing them in the winter/fall anyhow.
Wow.
________________________________
Nik
91' M5 3.9L Stroker
92' M5 3.8L
95' 540i6 Supercharged
95' 540i6 4.7 Stroker
95' 550i6 M70 Conversion
Yeah scary stuff. my tank was literally hanging. Lucky for me the ends had enough tension to hold the tank till I could stop.
If I didn't hear the straps scraping the ground... I'd hate to think what the outcome would have been. (raging fireball comes to mind)
So after that adventure I just made some heavy duty straps from some items at home depot. Didn't even bother to put the plastic pieces back on. Considering they hold moisture the likelyhood of it reoccuring was too high for me. I just undercoated the crap out of them and the tank. Once dry threw the new straps on. Not a problem since.
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