Bmw e36 rear subframe crack

It was my understanding that all e46 and e36 cars had the weak subframe attachment point design flaw. Bmw settles 3 series subframe suit, will inspect, repair. In the doghouse garage took it down to the bare shell, then sent it to jim pierce motorsports in torrance, calif. How to replace rear trailing arm bushings on a bmw e36 without a. Rear subframe reinforcement plates bmw e36 akg motorsport. The best bmw e46 rear subframe reinforcement part 1.

Basically due to engineering defects, the subframe of the e46 will eventually have tears on them. The e46 might be the most popular m3 chassis to mod by enthusiasts, but like all cars, they have their common problems. What happens is flexing of the rear subframe and body eventually crack and in extreme cases, pull out, the drivers side rear mount or the passenger side front mount from the body. You can use these plates to repair a cracked chassis or to prevent cracks from forming and avoid costly repairs. Without the additional bracing, the floor can flex and crack. Fixing the bmw e46 cracked subframe issue speed academy. Nasioc welcome to the north american subaru impreza owners club. Inspecting the subframe, we could just see the beginning of cracks aterting to appear in the subframe. E36 rear suspension bushing overhaul package this package allows you to build your own rear bushing package to cover the parts you want to replace. The bmw e36 and e46 chassis includes m3, 320i, 325i, 328i, 330i are prone to cracking at the rear subframe, and strut tower mounts when put to the stress of performance suspension, aggressive driving, normal commuting, and track events. One thing we recommend checking is the rear subframe mounting pointsfloor sheet metal. Once we had the complete rear end removed and stripped down, were were on the phone to cotswolds bmw to buy the replacement parts we needed.

If i were you i would get it reinforced if you plan on owning it for an extended period of time. Namely the e36, e46, and of course, the e367 and e368 chassis. In this video i show you how to check a bmw e46 325i for subframe cracks. The attachment points where it gets bolted are spot welded to the sheet metal of the floor. Bmw e36 m3 rear chassis suspension noise or clunk 318iisic, 325iisic, 323isic, 328iisic. Bmw has prepared an inspection, approved repair procedure, and reimbursement policy. And to my surprise probably believed like most owners that this would not happen to me i found a crack on the. You can access archives of the bmw repair methods online and compare to the alternate approach using kits like turners. Had my newly purchased m3 examined at a bmw specialist today and after a thorough inspection i was relieved that there are no cracks in the subframe. According to bimmer magazine, bmw e30 and prior engineers used complex math equations and heavy field testing to figure out required strength and durability, then they would double or triple the outcome, resulting in a fairly bulletproof car. Due to the complexities of stripping out a fair amount from the car, is the reason for the price, he also says that he prefers to see each car indiviually on our lift to see the extent of the cracking, to determine the size of patch required, and not just using a.

In this tech article, we will discuss replacement of the rear shocks and springs on the bmw e36 3 series. They are actually used in the factorydealer repair of cracked e36 chassis mounting locations so bmw knows that this is an issue with the car. Rear subframe and floor failures are quite common on the e36 and e46 models. One of these problems is the rear mounting points for the subframe, which can rip out from their spots in the sheet metal.

Installing rear subframe and floor reinforcements in bmw e46 models 323i. During the minirestoration of our m coupe we decided it was best to. An unfortunate side effect of this is that the e46 also shares some of the same problems as the e36. Unlike the e36 m3, the e46 models did not receive sheetmetal reinforcements from. Hello, thanks for the great website, and thanks for this how to on the rear sub frame.

Has a small crack on bumper but everything else is normal. Took it all apart, reinforced the body, and now it should be good forever. This article applies to the rear suspension on all 318, 325, 328, and m3 models from 199299, except for the 318ti which uses the rear suspension setup off the earlier e30 models. Bmw originally was replacing the entire body panel in. My suspension technician says that we would charge between r1400 to r1800 to do the work, using our own materials to do the job. The subframe is bolted to the chassis at four points under the trunk floor. They probably have more than enough to keep them going with service work alone. With my recent garage cleanup i can actually get to the areas ive long been neglecting. Fortunately, bmws factory reinforcement kit is designed to prevent this from occurring by properly reinforcing the failureprone rear subframe mounting. This problem was also common in the earlier e36 models, but they reoccurred in. Symptoms include clunking from the rear and outright subframe failure.

There are other kits out there, but turners is probably the most often used. I have heard about a lot of pre95 models tearing the subframe mounts. Pierce reinforced the rear subframe where it attaches to the body. Unlike the e36 m3, the e46 models did not receive sheetmetal reinforcements from the factory and subframe and floor failures continued to be a problem well into the e46 production. We had a 2002 m3 with 80k miles and tracked once and it had a small crack in the body just above the rr subframe mount. Chassis rear subframe reinforcement in the bmw e36 brent ford. I have followed the instructions for the e30 subframe removal, and i have a jack beneath the differential. For years, owners of the bmw 3 series e46 models have been reporting ruptures in subframe structure of their cars. Just wondered if any bmw experets or mechanics have any photos or information on where the e36 tearing points are likely to be. The e46 rear subframe reinforcement kit has been designed to provide the best repair and reinforcement option available on the market, regardless of crack damage, age, mileage, service. Bmw e36 m3 rear chassis suspension noise or clunk 318i. Bmw e60 m5 e63 m6 s85 differential final drive rear cover w crack 20062010 oem fits. And it has nothing to do with how modified the car is. I have a crack in the usual leftrear mount location, and i have decided to do the vincebar bracing as well as redish plates so that the.

This is the results from the infamoustorn subframe issue with e36s, had to. It will outlast other types of rubber or urethane bushings. Regardless of what bmw offers my mission here is to get the turner kit blessed as a no points mod since that is the most cost effective solution. Bmw chassis reinforcements are often recommended for bmws driven in highperformance environments and are required for longterm durability on bmws driven on track regularly. There is where the crack appear in the frame making the subframe to move. Polyurethane and rubber bushings will deflect and slide, potentially causing your chassis to crack on the subframe mounting points. On a street car it is a waste of money youll probably hate all of the noise and vibration a solid metal bushing will introduce and you will probably end up causing other issues on the car due to the lack of vibration dampening. Genuine factory bmw rear subframe reinforcement plates bmw e36. But the rear subframe issue is the real achilles heel of the e46. E30 rear subframe and subframe bushing removal and install. On this project, our bmw master tech emil basically took the whole back of the car apart. The complete stripdown of my e36 m3 chassis is nearing completion. Bracing for reality upgrading an e36 for the rigors of. Subframe repairs is just another string to their bow, its a time consuming dirty job to carry out.

Also just wanted to know if my 1997 r reg 328i has had the problem rectified when it was manufactured, or would i have to reinforce them myself. This is a repair that needs to be caught early or the damage can be so bad it can total the vehicle. I doubt very much if eta care about subframe competition with redish at all tbh. Our engineers has developed a kit to offer a cost effective long term solution to the welldocumented problem of floor cracking which the bmw e46 series suffers. E36 and e46 front strut tower crack repair and reinforcement. Bmw cracked subframe and shock tower welding and repair. Redish motorsport e46 rear subframe subframe cracking which the bmw e46 3series and m3 motorsport e46 rear subframe reinforcement plate kit.

We always recommend reinforcing your subframe before the fractures happen but as youll see in the images below, this subframe floor had already started to crack. One of the last remaining large jobs was removal of the rear subframe. E46 rear subframe reinforcement tdr4675412 the e46 rear driveline and suspension are very similar to that of the e36. All of our bmw chassis reinforcement products are engineered to extend both the performance and longevity of your bmws chassis, both street or track. A little bit of background on the e36, which covers the 9299 3 series models with some exceptions. Rating is available when the video has been rented. Einzel bmw e46 e36 rear subframe crack reinforcement rear axle. This roll cage ties into the differential subframe mounting locations with an x brace. As advanced and solid as the e46 feels it has a major weakness in the rear suspension.

Bmw has agreed to a proposed settlement of a class action lawsuit concerning the subframe structures on 3 series e46 models produced from 1999 through 2006. While bmw produced arguably their best vehicles in the 90s and early 00s, many of the models suffered from rear subframe and trunk floor issues. If you have a bmw e46 or are in the market for a used one, you might have heard of the rear subframe issue. As these cars age, they require a number of suspension bushings to be replaced. We find this happens often especially when using coil overs with camber plates and stiff springs. The rear subframe, particularly on the early produced nonm 3 series, often rips from the mounting points over time. We use uhmw in all our suspension bushings because it is stiff, has almost zero deflection yet also absorbs some vibration.

I did this first because i knew if they wouldnt fix it, it would at least be in the system and acknowledged by bmwna that the subframe was disatached. The redishmotorsporte46v2rearsubframereinforcementplatekit has been designed to provide the best repair and reinforcement option apart from a new rear axle carrier panel from bmw available on the market to date, regardless of crack damage, age, mileage, service history, or modifications made. Under rare conditions the attachment points of the subframe may develop a fracture or crack. Similar to the e36 bmw the e46 series chassis was cursed with thin sheet metal in some vital areas. The e36 rear subframe mounting points can crack due to torque traveling through the driveline into the rear of the chassis. Subframe repair cost and time page 3 the m3cutters. Use leftright arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe leftright if using a mobile device. E46 rear subframe failure gallery turner motorsport. Did you know that sprint motorsports offers subframe welding and shock tower crack repair for your bmw. News e46 m3 rear subframe strip down and repair tms. It is the body of the car that cracks, not the rear subframe.

Rod bearings, vanos, or smg pumps are not uncommon and not cheap or easy. I remember having read a few posts about e46 rear subframe mounts ripping out of the floor on certain models of a certain age. Quck call to redish motorsport for the subframe repair kit. While bmw made a recall kit for the e36 chassis they didnt do so for the. Reinforcement plates, rear subframe e36 condor speed shop. Rear suspension bracing on an e36 starts with your cage builder. The chassis is known to crack due to excessive flex and lack of strength. This can often result in cracked subframe attachments or tornoff rear sway bar mounts. Similar to the issues that the e36 and e46 rear subframe mounts have, the front strut towers are notorious for cracking. Continuing to drive with a cracked floor only worsens the problem and cracks. E36rsway described as e36 rear swaybar reinforcement kit, which you can buy online at bimmerworld at the best price. Polyurethane and rubber bushings will deflect and slide, potentially causing your chassis to. This classaction suit was brought on due to numerous complaints, and bmw will inspect and repair at no cost to the owner or leasee of the vehicle.

E36 common problems bmw 3 series forum bimmer owners. Check ou road race technologies, dulles, va, web site. Bmw e36 3 series rear suspension overhaul pelican parts. From the ground up building a bmw e36 m3 for performance. In this video i begin to address one of the most crucial weak points of the e46 chassis, the rear subframe mounting points.