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Thread: Rear Rebuild - While I'm In There

  1. #1
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    Rear Rebuild - While I'm In There

    This winters project is the installation of an LSD in my E36 track rat. Dedicated track car with 250k on it. Because it's a high mileage car, and I have no documentation from the previous owner showing any repairs to the rear I just pulled the entire assembly. No signs of any subframe mounting point cracks. Everything is very clean like the rest of the car.

    My plans:

    • Replace both bearings
    • Replace lower outer ball joint (upper outer already done by me)
    • Replace both inner joints
    • Replace the subframe mounts x 4 (Polyflex)
    • Replace the diff front mount
    • Weld-in subframe mount reinforcements
    • Weld-in RTAB pocket reinforcements (RTABS already upgraded)
    • Weld-in sway-bar reinforcements (currently running stock rear, with poly bushings
    • Paint everything


    So that leaves me a few questions:
    • Both outer CV joints have a small bit of rotational play in them. Maybe 1/16" measured from the outer rim of the CV. Inners tight. Heard bad stories about the replacements. Leave it alone and reinstall?
    • I'm pondering replacing the lower wishbones (33326770813) with adjustable camber arms. The least expensive set from an actual vendor (ECS) is about $120. I'll keep an eye out for a used set and see what pops up. Advice?
    • I am planning to remove the parking brake assembly at least enough to cut off the last bit of dust shield, as my previous cut off job is sharp, ugly and needs to go. On a track only car, should I bother to reinstall it, or just leave it off? I don't ever remember using it other than in the trailer but I also leave it in gear.
    • Any other while I'm in theres?


    Thanks!

    Glenn

  2. #2
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    If you get adjustable camber arms, make sure you can adjust the left one without removing muffler. On many of the cheaper ones, you can't.
    Folks used to highly recommend Turner Motorsports brand...not sure if they still make 'em.

    If replacing axles/cv joints, go OEM reman or pop over into FI section and ask what those guys are using. There's a few places that have heat treated full axles, that have good reputations.

  3. #3
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    Replace the ball joints and keep the parking brake for trailering IMO. Also buy the cheapest real lower arms you can find.

  4. #4
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    It looks like one of my rear arms is bent anyway. The car always aligned fine at a performance chassis shop that knows what they are doing. Must not have been bent enough to effect alignment.




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  5. #5
    NeilM is offline Member BMW E36 M3 Expert
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    The best designed and made ARCA's I know of are from Rogue Engineering, see http://www.rogueengineering.com/Rogu...ARCA_p_55.html. Easy to adjust, well made and have seals to protect the inner ball joints.

    If these are beyond your price range then I'd stick with stock.

    Neil

  6. #6
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    Those are quality, by a good company.
    I personally preferred TMS's for a road/track car because you could get them with bushings on the inner joint. But, I don't think TMS has them anymore!

  7. #7
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    Thanks for the additional thoughts. Any real value in adding the weld-on reinforcements that a few companies sell to the stick arms?



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  8. #8
    NeilM is offline Member BMW E36 M3 Expert
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    Quote Originally Posted by wake74 View Post
    Thanks for the additional thoughts. Any real value in adding the weld-on reinforcements that a few companies sell to the stick arms?
    On the plus side, the stock parts aren't that hard to bend, so that strengthens them.
    On the minus side, the stock arms are designed to bend first in order to protect other stuff.

    Neil

  9. #9
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    Don't get the cheapest arms you can find -- some of these have a weld on them that shear off. People have stuffed their cars into walls because of cheap control arms.

    I like the Ground Control arms. I'm not a fan of the company, but that is one product they designed correctly. The rod ends are beefier than any of the other options out there and have a knurled grip so you can adjust them without tools (after loosening an allen on the clamp).

  10. #10
    MINIz guy's Avatar
    MINIz guy is offline #buttstuff2k14 BMW CCA Member
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    Do you want to buy my stock E36 arms? I removed them for eBay adjustable ones.

  11. #11
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    Check my build thread. I just re-did the rear end of my car. New ball joints all around, new subframe bushings, new diff bushings, weld-in sway bar reinforcements. I used the weld-in control "salad tong" reinforcements bc I didn't want to spend the extra $200 on adjustable control arms. Also because my alignment is good and doesn't require them. not to say I won't pick up a set in the future though.

  12. #12
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    GG - I follow your build, our cars have very similar themes to the build. I stumbled upon a local set of rear arms today in like new shape by a company called Proper Fabworx. They seem to cater to the drifting crowd, but the arms are built like a tank, so I picked those up.


  13. #13
    MDR629 is offline Just Go Faster BMW CCA Member
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    I need to do pretty much the same work that you're describing. Meant to do it for like the last 2 winters. Maybe it'll happen this winter haha.

    Typically people delete all the parking brake stuff on race cars. Saves some unsprung weight and prevents the mishap of setting the parking brake after just getting off the track. If you ever "need" it, use blocks near the tire. But usually leaving it in gear works.

    Minor thing, but do you have a new "upgraded" front diff bolt? They're like $6 and have been known the break.
    Interests include: Any VIN beginning with "WBS", any engine code with a "7" as the second digit, any Individual car, and all things Touring.
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  14. #14
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    Just to complicate things, my rear end rebuild turned into buying a salvage M3 for the M3 parts. It was too cheap to pass up. A simple rear rebuild is now a spindle and brake swap :-)

  15. #15
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    I disconnected the parking brake on my e36 track rat, but after a few months I put it back. Turns out, there are more times than I realized that I want to get out of the car and leave the engine running. Keeping a wheel chock behind the driver's seat wasn't a great substitute for the brake.
    If God meant for man to motor-swap LS engines into track cars, He wouldn't have created Corvettes.

  16. #16
    NeilM is offline Member BMW E36 M3 Expert
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    Quote Originally Posted by wake74 View Post
    I stumbled upon a local set of rear arms today in like new shape by a company called Proper Fabworx. They seem to cater to the drifting crowd, but the arms are built like a tank, so I picked those up.

    Because of the jam nut location at the the inboard mounting point, that arm design is very hard to adjust and to get the nuts tight. There's very little room up there for the business end of a wrench. Contrast that with a better thought out design (http://www.rogueengineering.com/Rogu...ARCA_p_55.html) where the adjustment hardware is all at the outboard end.

    Neil
    Last edited by NeilM; 12-11-2018 at 09:34 AM.

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