BoldUlysses' 540i/6 Log & Thread o' Questions

[thatonedood]

Here's a good pic of stock shocks and their bushings. My new shocks look identical


I'm really thinking that pic my shock shows a washer. If it is though, idunno if it's the right size – but it wouldn't be the first time these diagrams weren't exactly to scale

[BoldUlysses]

Here are mine:



I wish I'd gotten a good side of the side of the bottom of the rear struts...

[clevertd]

This is what came out of my trailing arm/Lowtec shock, bolt seized in the sleeve.

[Binjammin]

Yep, that washer is separate from the sleeve. If you were able to remove the bolt you could knock the washer off the sleeve.

[thatonedood]

FWIW, I found a PN for a washer on realoem for the e32 740i: 33521125260. The Hex bolt is the same # as our cars, so maybe it'd work as a replacement?


http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...35&hg=33&fg=45

[BoldUlysses]

Checked the other rear strut-to-trailing-arm bolt last night—no washer. I find it highly unlikely my installer helper could have forgotten both, and I didn't notice any leftover parts on the driveway, so the only logical conclusion seems to be the car didn't come with them, per the RealOEM diagram on the previous page. Will place them on the to-order list.

* * * * * *

Pretty definitely identified the cause of my passenger seat squeak as a slight back-and-forth rock. The driver's seat doesn't have this problem. Raised the passenger seat yesterday and tightened all the 10mm fasteners I could reach with the socket driver. Seat seemed slightly quieter this morning but the rock is still there.

* * * * * *

Discovered 3 rust-flecked paint chips in the roof during a recent wash. Looks like I'll be placing an order with these guys as soon as the budget frees up:

http://www.drcolorchip.com/

- - - Updated - - -

Also I was thinking, since my car has a spoiler and Alpina E34s—with their spoilers—look really good with Alpina wheels, what if I went with an Alpina-ish BMW wheel, like a set of staggered 32s?



Will do a photochop later.

Quick p'chop:



Meh. Screw all this; I'm waiting until I have the money to obsess over wheel choices.

[K Fox]

Meh. Screw all this; I'm waiting until I have the money to obsess over wheel choices.

What're ya doin??!? Going for 15" or 16" 32's there?!!?! Should'a made them a little bigger...but that said, 32's wouldn't look too bad on your car in 17 or 18 inch flavor...just get lip with them. I have a set of 32's on the 94 (it came with them) that have no lip and are flush faced - I don't like them at all. They're either reps or weird 3 series fitment, but I really don't like the look. Lip's would have made it a lot better, but as I said, these came with the car. The one thing I know about 32's though is that they're relatively heavy...

Fox

[BoldUlysses]

That's my best estimate of 17". Not feeling it, though. 32s = wagon wheels to me, and nothing's really going to change that perception.

The only big downside with the side view p'chops is that it doesn't display the lip, which makes or breaks many of the wheel choices...

[ShapeShifter]

Matt, I think 42's are gonna work great for you. Besides, that is one of you favorite oem wheels, no?

[BoldUlysses]

Matt, I think 42's are gonna work great for you. Besides, that is one of you favorite oem wheels, no?

I like 42s objectively, as design pieces, but I just don't think they'd look right on my car, for whatever reason.

[ShapeShifter]

I would have kept mine if I found 9" rears.

[Htay9500]

Damn, I love that color-combo. Nice ride.

[BoldUlysses]

Thanks man.

* * * * * *

Ghetto-rigged a mount for the flipcam (originally my wife's, but she's moved on to her smartphone) this afternoon:



Used shelf and light fixture brackets. It's not up to Kensy standards for sure but it was good enough for this:



I would've made it longer but my mount shook like a banshee on braking and I'm too cheap to upgrade to iMovie '09 with the image stabilization feature...

[Htay9500]

Bold are you coming to Bimmerfest East?

[BoldUlysses]

Sadly not. Too many kid activities this month and I can't be away from the fam that long. I'll have to experience it vicariously through the pictures.

[Leonator134]

Cool vid. Awesome place for mounting a camera, but seems a little too vibration-y.

Geez, I need to get better at quick shifting.. never have I chirped 2nd, but then again I really haven't tried my hardest. Is there are some special trick?

Anyway, looks and sounds good Matt! Any plans for exhaust?

P.S. There's a square set of 19's for sale local to me in mint condition with new tires if you're interested

[BoldUlysses]

Cool vid. Awesome place for mounting a camera, but seems a little too vibration-y.

Geez, I need to get better at quick shifting.. never have I chirped 2nd, but then again I really haven't tried my hardest. Is there are some special trick?

No trick; just shift fast. That's actually a pretty small chirp as I wanted to maintain traction for the run... On a good day, if I'm trying, I can chirp the 2-3 upshift.

Anyway, looks and sounds good Matt! Any plans for exhaust?

B&B when I have the money.

P.S. There's a square set of 19's for sale local to me in mint condition with new tires if you're interested

See above regarding money. Thanks though

[Leonator134]

Hm! Do you come off the gas before shifts or do you just move the clutch so fast that you leave it floored?

Or is it the sudden WOT after grabbing the next gear that chirps the tires?

And cool! I'm lusting after a B&B as well

No worries!

[BoldUlysses]

Hm! Do you come off the gas before shifts or do you just move the clutch so fast that you leave it floored?

I lift, very briefly. No gear crunching.

Or is it the sudden WOT after grabbing the next gear that chirps the tires?

My understanding is that it's the fact that the gears are spaced such that the selection of the next ratio puts the engine pretty much at its torque peak. That and it could have something to do with the brief interruption of the power flow that breaks the tires loose.

Regardless, it's not really the best thing for the longevity of the clutch or the driveline. But it is fun.

[Binjammin]

It's that there's more torque at the wheels than there is friction.

[BoldUlysses]

Aye. Experience helps a bit too; I've been rowing my own gears for 18 years now... The real fun is rev-matching and a well-executed heel-and-toe downshift, among other 3-pedal tricks.

[Leonator134]

Thanks for the info dudes.

I've got rev-matching down pat, working on heel-toe.

when I don't think about it, I can do any of the above very well! (quick shifting [no tire chirping], heel-toe) But it's when I start thinking about it/ trying to do it I can't very well.

Will take lotza practice.

[gixxerboy63]

Dispite what my car is currently wearing, I still think Mpars fit these cars best.

[K Fox]

No trick; just shift fast. That's actually a pretty small chirp as I wanted to maintain traction for the run... On a good day, if I'm trying, I can chirp the 2-3 upshift.

DO be aware that your engine mounts will absolutely hate you for this, and the rest of the driveline only slightly less so...

Fox (slow is smooth, smooth is fast )

[Leonator134]

But not 1-2..?