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Thread: DAS VADR: Evan's E39 Touring Build Log

  1. #26
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    Great work sir!

  2. #27
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    With the E60 hub bores you'll be able to run E38 M-Pars without any extra boring or hub rings, since the E38 has the same 72.56 hub bore as most other BMW's. I have no idea why BMW decided to give the E39 (and only the E39) a silly 74.1mm hub bore.
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

  3. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by dannyzabolotny View Post
    With the E60 hub bores you'll be able to run E38 M-Pars without any extra boring or hub rings, since the E38 has the same 72.56 hub bore as most other BMW's. I have no idea why BMW decided to give the E39 (and only the E39) a silly 74.1mm hub bore.
    Yes, correct. I like the E38 MPars compared to the E39s due to the added .5" width in the rear. Internally I am a little torn since the MPars have been my sweetheart wheel since I first fell in love with the E39, being 18s they will also allow me to run a meatier tire setup with I am all about for a daily driven car probably a 45 up front and 40 in the rear.

    I am REALLY hoping to find a good deal on the style 167 since I love how concave they are for a factory wheel, they are forged, and you can never go wrong with a clean 5 spoke design.

    I also just realized that the offsets of my Forgestar F14 SDCs, although the rears would be very aggressive, would work with fender work and properly sized tires. Fronts would fit no problem.
    I have seen SDCs on an E39 but only the rear and it had concave or deep concaves up front which completely kills the look, running SDCs all around would look pretty menacing on a black wagon.

    Attached Images Attached Images

  4. #29
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    Evan, nice work so far on the touring can tell you've done this before. Would love to see what the Forgestar's look like on the touring.
    Curious, how long have you've owned the car ? A lot has been accomplished in a short time.


  5. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by jp5Touring View Post
    Evan, nice work so far on the touring can tell you've done this before. Would love to see what the Forgestar's look like on the touring.
    Curious, how long have you've owned the car ? A lot has been accomplished in a short time.
    When I had my M5 I didn't do much mechanical wrenching as I was living abroad and didn't have a garage when I was in the US for a few months in the summer. Most of my projects revolved around aesthetics, headlights, stereo, etc.
    Most of my "real" wrenching experience is on the E61 and where that was a very challenging engine, drivetrain (AWD), electrical vehicle to work on as my "first" I now have a lot of BMW knowledge under my belt and the E39 is relatively easy to work on. That and I can literally Google "E39 (insert anything)" and you can find numberous YouTube videos, DIY guides, etc. It is awesome!

    I have had the wagon for a little under 2 weeks. lol Yes, a lot has been done.

    Evan

  6. #31
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    Cookie cutter muffler delete cold start video....


  7. #32
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    haha love it so far! The hub conversion might be one of my favorite mods thus far, it's one of those why on earth didn't BMW do this in the first place things that opens that wheel options door soooooo much!

    -James

  8. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by ECSTuning View Post
    haha love it so far! The hub conversion might be one of my favorite mods thus far, it's one of those why on earth didn't BMW do this in the first place things that opens that wheel options door soooooo much!

    -James
    Although the hubs were not sourced from ECS I have given you guys a good amount of money $X,XXX in the past few weeks for a lot of the oem and engine rebuild parts.

    Evan

  9. #34
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    Well... I almost left the thread when I saw that.... but it happens from time to time (sadly). The studs, gaskets, etc were your saving grace

    -James

  10. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by ECSTuning View Post
    Well... I almost left the thread when I saw that.... but it happens from time to time (sadly). The studs, gaskets, etc were your saving grace

    -James
    I understand the quality associated with oem-caliber products and usually you pay what you get for but when it is $540 vs $70 for a pair of hubs and the oem ones for $540 have either a 1 year warranty or perhaps no warranty due to the type of part it is, compared to a lifetime warranty for the $70 with a price and warranty discrepancy like that I will roll the dice!

    I should note I have had a great experience with ECS in the past and have nothing bad to say about them!

  11. #36
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    I'm also new to E39s (went thru 3 generations of M3s). Looking forward to see how this project turns out.

    I've always ordered my maintenance items from ECS and will more than likely get the e60 hub kit soon.

    Keep up the great work!
    Last edited by moderu; 09-23-2017 at 04:05 PM.

  12. #37
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    After a relatively short but intense searching period I finally landed a deal on a set of wheels I am happy with. I was between Style 37 in E38 fitment or Style 167 (E63 M6) and although it was a win-win in my book I am happy I have Style 167s for the clean 5 spoke design, relative exclusivity on the E39, and forged oem quality. Wheels have not major damage/repairs but are not perfect with some minor curb rash and chipping clear coat in a few places, down the road they will be refurbished but look very presentable after a quick cleaning.

    Fronts have Gen 1 Hankook V12 255/35 with about 80% tread and rears are Michelen Pilot PS2 285/35 with low tread. Hankook V12 245/40F and 275/35R is what I have in mind and my goal is flush wheel to fender fitment with as much tire width as I can run, meatier the better.







    Went to the Dentist and he said I had a concavity...


    All season rubber floor mats front and rear, I love these OEM ones, well made and they have a comfortable design
    BEFORE


    AFTER


    Driverside tail light had some burnt out LED running lights so I snagged a used one off eBay, it is fully functional but the lens was pretty weathered.


    Hit it with some polishing compound


    Far from perfect but much better


    BEFORE


    AFTER


    Ordered the oem license plate delete. I was hoping to find it in the oem sport black plastic but was unable to track down a part number for it, all I could find was the primed piece to I ended up hitting it with Plasti Dip for the intern. Chances are I will get a M style bumper in the not so distant future so I will run it like this until I upgrade the bumper and as that time I can remove the Dip and sell it primed for the next owner. Where the finish of the Dip and paint are not perfect my priority is the cleaner design with the license plate holder deleted.

    The bumper is in pretty tough shape so this is a little like polishing a turd but a bit buta step in the right direction nonetheless.


    Added a small rubber cap to help protect the spline/wiper pivot which is now exposed from the delete. It is sized right so it is held securly in place with tension.


    In preparation for install I cleaned up the rear hub assemblies which not only makes them look better but more importantly will make them easier to work on with clean threads and splines.
    BEFORE


    AFTER
    Last edited by ucsbwsr; 09-25-2017 at 10:02 PM.

  13. #38
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    I dig most of what you've done, but I can't say I'm a fan of the rear wiper delete. I find it to be pretty useful when it rains hard, and having a rear wiper is one of the best parts of having a wagon IMO.
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

  14. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by dannyzabolotny View Post
    I dig most of what you've done, but I can't say I'm a fan of the rear wiper delete. I find it to be pretty useful when it rains hard, and having a rear wiper is one of the best parts of having a wagon IMO.
    It rarely rains where I live and when the forecast calls for rain I usually apply some hydrophobic coating, easy peasy.

  15. #40
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    AquilaBMW is offline Mad Bimmerist BMW CCA Member
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    Some very impressive going on here.... bravo!



  16. #41
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    Looks great, can't wait to see the rest of the build!


  17. #42
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    I was planning to do the front KW coilovers and 72.56 hub conversion in one fell swoop but unfortunately I had a slight oversight on my end and didn't realize the KWs required different strut mounts and hardware, pretty frustrating because it was stated by KW but it was borderline "fine print" the way they mention it. As it is an oversight on my part so I have no one but myself to blame.


    Old vs New


    Unfortunately the aluminum insert on the driver side came out with the tie rod end. I used one of those C-shaped pullers with a threaded bolt, worked fine on the passenger side but not driver.



    As it turns out these are not sold individually so the options were A) successfully remove and reinstall it or B) Buy a wheel carrier. You can see the tie rod was in rough shape from more previous forced and failed attempts.


    Busted out the Dremel and cut down the bent threads


    Snagged one of the 3/4" separators from Harbor Freight which fit perfectly and is clearly what I should have used originally, now I know.


    When it tie rod released there was so much energy that the separator dented the insert.


    Used the Dremel again to bore out the insert, followed that with some hand sanding


    Built a press with an old differential bolt from my E61, some washers, a socket (32mm?) I use for the axle collars, worked like a charm.


    As good as new ....errrr good enough!


    The other tie rod had stripped threads so both were replaced, some of the guides online recommended counting the number of revolutions when removing the original tie rod end to record alignment, that seemed a little silly so I simply applied some tape.


    The linkage for the auto leveling headlights was MIA. lol WTF


    Sway bar end links can be replaced.


    Had no choice but to throw the stock suspension back in, here is a Before/After contrast. Amazing the difference some wheels can make but the 4x4 front end (and blown strut ride quality) make me anxious to get the KWs installed.


    19x8.5 et12 fits pretty well up front. I measured ~8mm until the rim would be flush with the fender but not certain how accurate this is on stock suspension we will see once it is on the KWs and new ride height.


    I love concave wheels


    I have only ran Hankook V12s on all of my cars, I like their performance, value, and tidy sidewalls which allow tight fitment but without compromising contact patch. 255/35 is a bit wide for a 8.5 and 35 a bit thin for what I want. Ultimately these will be replaced with 245/40s.

  18. #43
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    Yep, the Harbor Freight ball joint tool is the right tool for the job in this case. I've popped all the ball joints on my car with it, no problems at all (other than the scary loud BANG when the ball joints pop).

    +1 for Hankook V12's. Seems like everyone's too caught up in Michelin/Continental tires to see what a good value the Hankooks are. I have them on the front of my 540it, they've been on for like 16k miles and they show no signs of wear. Meanwhile the Continentals on my rear wheels are quite worn despite being newer. I'll probably replace those with Hankooks as well, and then I'll finally have matching tires on a car for the very first time ever (I'm too broke to buy 4 tires all at once).
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

  19. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by ucsbwsr View Post
    I was planning to do the front KW coilovers and 72.56 hub conversion in one fell swoop but unfortunately I had a slight oversight on my end and didn't realize the KWs required different strut mounts and hardware, pretty frustrating because it was stated by KW but it was borderline "fine print" the way they mention it. As it is an oversight on my part so I have no one but myself to blame.
    Forgot to tell you that. Front hats from an E9x chassis do the trick. Can either use the supplied washer or the E9x curved one to ensure the hat spins freely.
    Last edited by itsbrokeagain; 09-30-2017 at 10:17 AM.

  20. #45
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    I did a rear hub conversion on my E61 when I retrofitted M5 brakes it required I ditch the stock 535xi AWD hubs for RWD/M5 units so I am generally familiar with the process and all the hassles which can arise. To gain "proper" access to the torx bolts I disassembled most of the rear suspension, the combo which really made it work was deflating the rear air suspension and removing the complete swing arm as this allowed the axle to come completely out and consequently I had access to the 4 bolts. The wheel carrier had to be supported properly and counter-help while removing and installing the bolts as to not damage the air bag.

    Left axle slid right out with my 5 ton puller but the right side was very stubborn and I needed to get a 12 ton puller. The arms on the 12 ton were actually too long so thankfully I was able to mount the smaller arms from the 5 ton unit and it all worked out. swapping hubs is one of the projects where if you don't have the right tools "you're gunna have a bad time."

    Carnage



    I learned my lesson on the E61: clean the splines as well as you can prior to reinstallation, it will make your life much easier in the near future.


    Powerwashed the swing arms.


    The rear rotors although with plenty of life left, they were looking pretty sub par. A wire wheel brought them some new life.
    BEFORE


    AFTER


    After much work:


    4x4 stock suspension


    Finally ordered the right set of strut mounts and got them from RMEuropean. Really pleasant experience with this place. First of all BMW of San Diego didn't have them and said no dealerships in the southern territory did either. ECS was backordered until Nov. RMEuropean had them in stock and I was able to get them overnighted for $15, they arrived at 9am the next day. Excellent.


    Keep it simple, stay within the lines.


    Coding rear air suspension


    Oil change!


    Took the opportunity to drop the lower oil pan to inspect for particles, etc. Happy to report I didn't find a chainguide in my oil pan, lol. I also dented the oil pan with a floor jack mishap so I wanted to confirm there was no damage to the oil pump pick up.


    I don't like seeing larger chunks like that so I will keep an eye on things.


    Dent fixed (enough), oil pan cleaned, and new gasket installed.


    Bath time





    Can't wait to rebuild the headlights as they are now the exterior eyesore. Mismatched tires bug me especially when they are the Michelin Pilot Sport with the obnoxiously large sidewall.


    CLEAN

  21. #46
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    Touring looks pretty cool with the new wheels. They look great with the black color of your car.Agreed more low and will look sweet.
    Your work ethic is impressive to say the least. Well done.


  22. #47
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    I gotta say, I'm digging those wheels. I usually don't like newer wheels on an E39, but these work quite well. I guess it's because they're a fairly classic 5-spoke design, plus your car is black which fits the sleek look of the wheels.

    How did you go about lowering the rear air suspension? I have INPA and have been messing with my ride height for the better part of a year, just curious to hear how you approached it. I would go to the air suspension section and tune the level by following the formula that INPA specified for figuring out the height values. Did you do any steps after that?
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

  23. #48
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    While it was all apart, woulda been a great time to do the rear ball joints!

  24. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by dannyzabolotny View Post
    I gotta say, I'm digging those wheels. I usually don't like newer wheels on an E39, but these work quite well. I guess it's because they're a fairly classic 5-spoke design, plus your car is black which fits the sleek look of the wheels.

    How did you go about lowering the rear air suspension? I have INPA and have been messing with my ride height for the better part of a year, just curious to hear how you approached it. I would go to the air suspension section and tune the level by following the formula that INPA specified for figuring out the height values. Did you do any steps after that?
    I have been a long time fan of Style 167s, especially on E39s. They have a great formula with the 5-spoke design and the concave face which is actually very concave for a factory wheel. If you really pick apart the design language of the wheel it matches up well with the E39, there are no sharp angles for example the transition from spoke to lip is rounded and tapered and although the overall design is "aggressive" being concave and 5 spoke, the details make it conservative with all the soft transitions. I agree some of the modern wheels look funky because they are over the top with sharp creases and a lot of "flare."

    For the air suspension it can be set with the "hand controls" in INPA. The E39 software is a little different than I am used to with the E61 but I think you can simply use the hand controls to set what you want and then end hand control and it should be saved. If I am incorrect then I might be missing another way to save the settings. The odd thing is on the E61 software you can start/stop actuation when you want where on the E39 you must let it raise or lower for 10 seconds (unless I am missing something).
    Quote Originally Posted by itsbrokeagain View Post
    While it was all apart, woulda been a great time to do the rear ball joints!
    Yea, the rear upper control arm and guide arm have torn boots but I figure it takes a bit of time for a ball joint to degrade to a failed state from a torn boot so although I will address it I don't consider it urgent, integral link and ball bushings seemed fine.
    When poking around I did notice that my front thrust arm bushings are in bad shape and my trans mounts are literally torn in half so I ordered those and some new engine mounts.


    Quick and easy weekend mods:

    Vinyl decals for wheel roundals


    Cluster rings


    DAS VADR shot

  25. #50
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    Engine and Trans mounts were completely severed.



    Now that I have 72.56 hubs I have the luxury of easily playing around with other wheels with "normal" BMW fitment. I threw my Forgestar F14 Super Deep Concave (SDC) on to see how they would look.

    Rears were too aggressive but fronts looked perfect. I have seen F14s on an E39 but never SDCs at all 4 corners which is the only way to run them IMO as opposed to running SDCs in the rear and semi or deep concave in the front, it looks really odd when the concavity doesn't match up. Besides, SDCs all around look beast!










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