Materials to Maintain Your ZHP IIIII Hand Protection IIIII Tools to Maintain Your ZHP
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  1. #1

    Doing a bunch of work on the ZHP

    No diagnostic request here. I just want to let someone know I'm doing a whole bunch of stuff.

    Gym memberships are overrated, just drive 16 year old German car with over 160k miles.

    It's amazing how stuff just seems to add up.
    It started like 2 years ago when I for whatever reason was in a bad mood, turned my traction control off, and spun out the car, hitting the sidewalk with my rear left wheel. After this incident, I'm convinced pedestrians have no rights.

    My lower suspension mount got bent and needed immediate replacing, and my mechanic also knew I'd need a new wheel bearings. I ordered 2, and they've been sitting comfortably in my garage for the past 2 years (FAGs).

    Fast forward to today, and I'm finally getting stuff done. Only now, I also need new differential bushings (I drive hard and fast), and since I need to unhook the driveshaft to do those anyway, and removing the driveshaft requires disconnecting the exhaust, and disconnecting the exhaust helps with everything else in the rear, I went ahead and did everything all at once.

    So everything I'm doing:
    flex disk (had cracks, needed replacing whoo!)
    center support bearing. I think I was getting driveline vibrations, so doing this isn't wasted time.
    differential bushings, front and rear (currently in the freezer)
    wheel bearings (also still in the freezer). They made a noise after the accident, but it didn't get worse as promised. Still, worth doing.
    Replace stupid squeaky Bilstein with OEM Sachs rear shocks


    Some BS I ran into while doing the work (so far):

    1. I ordered front struts (Sachs OEM). I got two Sachs struts with the correct part number, but one said "Super Touring" and had a blue label, the other had a white label. When compressed, the "Super Touring" strut rebounded more slowly than the white labeled "regular" srut. I don't know what's going on here, but I don't like this, and I'm going to re-order them.
    2. the locking nuts for the half axle were a PITA to get unlocked. The impact did the trick.
    3. one of the flex disk bolts was FUSED to the flex disk and required oiling and bashing
    4. the rear of the driveshaft was fused to the CV joint, requiring some oiling, bashing, and prying to get off
    5. I wasn't sure how best to remove the center support bearing. Eventually I managed to pry it off with a puller after I just went gorilla on it
    6. the left transaxle (from the broken bearing) REFUSED to come off, even with a sledge hammer. I got the biggest baddest puller I could find to end the negotiation
    7. My parts supplier didn't have the rear differential mount. I had to get one from the dealer for $60 more than I should have spent on it.
    8. I couldn't find a shifter rebuild kit for the ZHP, so although now would be the perfect time to do it, I'm not doing it.

    By the time everything is done, I expect to have used a full bottle of penetrating oil.

    I can diarrhea some pictures into this post:
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    Tomorrow I hope to finish all this. I hope I don't total the car immediately. I would be pissed.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Austin TX
    Posts
    7,606
    I’m interested what you find about the front Sachs. I plan to go the same route someday.
    2005 IR / black / 6MT
    157,000 miles

  3. #3
    I can't get the rear half axles into the wheel hub.

    The car is now stuck on the lift, and I'm going to have to explain it to the owner.

    grr

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    W/S, NC
    Posts
    141
    I appreciate your enthusiasm. I can relate, lol

  5. #5
    It's the really stupid things that end up taking a long time.

    Final major inconvenience:
    After filing the axle, the wheel hub, torching the wheel hub, and dry-icing the axle, I finally got everything set and torqued.

    The rear end runs like butter. The front end is going to happen next, but not for a while.
    Last edited by Fried_Chicken; 03-18-2019 at 03:25 PM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Southern California
    Posts
    18,064
    Wow, a lot of work.

    Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
    Randeaux/Rando/John/jr - '06 Cic ZHP; Southern California
    "ZHP or not, I still like you"


    ZHP Performance Package, Cold Weather Package, Leather, Jet Black/Black/BlackCube, NAV, Anthracite Black "my individual" interior trim
    ESS Stage 1 Twin Screw Supercharger, Sprint Booster, BMW Perf Intake, Magnaflow Exhaust, Dinan TB & STEP S/W, UCC Sway Bars, Apex EC-7 18x8.5 ET38
    Suspension: AST 44100 dampers, Bimmerworld front adjustable end links, Swift springs (8K front, 10K rear), Vorshlag camber plates
    Dynavin D99+, Hardwire V1 (w/V1 Connection), BSW Stage 1 Speakers, Kicker Amp/Subwoofer
    BMW Performance Strut Brace, Orion V2 Angel Eyes, No-holes License Plate, SMG Paddle Shift Mod, Besian VANOS, Gold DISA, Fan Delete, M3 Side Mirrors
    Note: Actual car no longer resembles signature picture

  7. #7
    That's exactly why I purchased the axle puller tool. I plan to do a similar refresh eventually. I'm not at all confident in getting the exhaust bolts off.

    Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
    -Corey

    2003 Blue ZHP Sedan @ 210k
    Dead due to damaged valve. Parts are being transferred to a wagon:

    2003 325iT Japanrot 6MT @ 230k

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by DeathTrap View Post
    That's exactly why I purchased the axle puller tool. I plan to do a similar refresh eventually. I'm not at all confident in getting the exhaust bolts off.

    Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
    Those were surprisingly easy. I just sprayed penetrating stuff and let it sit for like an hour while I did other stuff. I think I also bashed it with a hammer a little bit.... like (nut) <-- (socket) <-- hammer

    If you do the job, you're going to need a lot of penetrating stuff.

  9. #9
    Now that I've done that job, I wish I'd taken the entire subframe off and done every bushing there.

  10. #10
    Do you think rear subframe can be done on jack stands? My rear end is really squishy and I know all my bushings need to be replaced

    Sent from my SM-G935R4 using Tapatalk

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