2002spaceodyssey

Pete- So sorry you lost your dog. We lost our black lab a number of years ago. I agree with everything you said (emotionally childish.) Your metal working skills are awesome, and, as far as I know, self-taught. Hope you find a rescue to fill the void....

BMW 2002 FAQ Blogs Latest Entries Unread Content Mark site read Home Blogs Rear Subframe Redux Select Featured Photo Photo Remove Photo Reposition Photo Upload Photo Rear Subframe Redux A blog by 2002spaceodyssey Follow 0 entries 0 comments 0 views 23 About this blog This is my first blog. Last May (believe it or not) I decided to drop my rear subframe and rehab everything. I didn't fully understand the scope of the project or what a rite of passage it would be. I used cyclopticgaze's series of articles as a reference. Right away I realized there were a couple of rust problems that had to be overcome. Peterman here on the FAQ helped me out by welding in new upper spring perches while Steve at Blunt hooked me up with a used pair of trailing arms with sound lower spring perches. I had the rear subframe and trailing arms media blasted and then used POR15 on them. The first project was new rear wheel bearings. For some reason my hubs were extremely tight on the stub axles. I had to take one to a machine shop because I couldn't pull it. Even after they were off, they were very difficult to get back on the axles. I bought a bearing driver set and a 4 pound hammer to get the old wheel bearings out and the new ones in. My 16 oz. craftsman claw hammer wasn't going to cut it. The bearing drivers are aluminum so you don't damage the bearings while hammering them in. The bearings are then greased. The spacers go between the two bearings in each trailing arm. New seals cover the bearings. Next up were the 4 CV joints. Like most aspects of this project, I had no previous experience with CV joints, but managed to clean them out with brake cleaner, pack new grease in, and fit them back on the repainted axles. The boot clamps I had required a special pair of pliers (called boot clamp pliers, appropriately enough) to cinch the metal bands down tight. (Cyclopticgaze's rear subframe article has a link to a great piece on redoing CV joints.) Next I had to show my stock differential some love. I cleaned it up, installed new side oil seals, and used RTV for the cover gasket per mlytle's excellent rear diff article on the FAQ. I also gave it a quick paint job (with very little prep.) New Red Line lube too. Getting there. S&T Sway Bar. Cunifer brake lines from AceAndrew. Polyurethane trailing arm bushings and rear mount bushings. New rubber subframe bushings from Blunt with polyurethane inserts. Most hardware new from Blunt although some of the original bolts, etc cleaned up really well with EvapoRust. The rear subframe mounts have metal inserts that must be cut out before you can put the new bushings in. I rented a transmission jack from Sunbelt rentals. $35 per day and I only needed one day. I would highly recommend the transmission jack rental for lifting the subframe back into place. Bilstein HD shocks. H&R Springs. I'm experimenting with an aluminum strut spacer in the rear to increase rear ride height. I may end up removing it if I don't like it . The zipties to hold the spring rubbers on is an idea from cyclopticgaze that seems to work well. (The shiny black paint is POR15 covering rust repair sections welded in.) New wheel cylinders and brake shoes. My first exposure to inserting the W-shaped spring was today. They are IN! Here are some tools I recently bought that I never felt I needed in over 40 years of working on cars. I highly recommend you find these tools if you're redoing your rear subframe. The previously-mentioned 4 pound hammer and bearing driver set, a seal puller, and the boot clamp pliers (middle bottom). The needle nose vice-grips are great for brake springs. Thanks for reading! Next up is the front end....

My 2002 is missing the chrome strip with clamps at the top of the driver side door card. (I've attached a photo of the pass side for reference.) It looks like these are NLA? Does anyone have one to sell? Thanks.

So I bought a rear driver side floor panel. Taking TobyB's advice, I dug a little deeper. I found the inner inside fenders (which were covered with sound deadening) have rusted through as well. I also removed the cardboard-like stuff on the passenger firewall and found another hole in the floor there. The inner rear fenders (next to the springs) appear to have been repaired in some manner. And I've added a picture of the previous driver's frame rail repair, which now has surface rust. Again, I appreciate your thoughts. Also, any recommendations for someone in the Mid Atlantic who does this sort of repair? Thanks.

williamggruff - I'm in Westminster Son of Marty - The driver side front floor has been replaced so there is no plug. No sure if the passenger side front floor plug needs re-sealed or patched. I'll try to twist it out and see what it looks like. TobyB and all- Thanks for the suggestions. I do want to be sure I find ALL the rust. I may use dry ice to remove the sound deadening from the inside of the rear shock towers. So far I've just done the flat part of the floor.

I bought a 1974 2002 from a friend who restored the car in the 1990s. It has had previous rust repair in many areas (driver's front subframe rail, driver's floor, rear shock towers to name a few.) It was painted a very dark green (Nissan color) in the 1990s and clear coated. The exterior has had all trim removed prior to painting and looks pretty nice. I bought the car a year and a half ago and have done a few basic things to it. I removed a roll bar and 5-pt belts (it has seen some track time at Summit Point.) I installed retractable seat belts from Blue Devils, an S14 starter, a nice set of E21 Recaros, plugs, wires, rotor, cap, fluids, repainted E21 turbine wheels with Toyo tires. It drives well. I noticed some rust bubbling from the metal floor plugs underneath the car, so I finally pulled out the carpet. I found a repaired driver's floor section and intact-looking black tar sound deadening in the rear and passenger side. I used dry ice (thanks Dry Ice Ice Baby article!) and discovered that all the metal plugs have rusted through (most fell out leaving holes.) One of holes is perilously close to a rear suspension mounting point. The floor is intact where it meets the inner rocker panels save for a 6" section along the rear driver's side, where it has rusted through. The outer rockers appear sound. I'd like to have these rust holes repaired/patched. I don't know if I should buy a new floor section for the driver's side rear where the damage is worst. I'd welcome advice from the many experts on this site! I've learned a lot here over the past year and half. (I'm in Maryland.) Thanks.

I have a 1974 with a tan interior. I'd trade my seats for your recaros. My passenger seat is in great shape, but the driver seat has worn-out padding and the vinyl is showing some "spring marks." I'm in MD (21157).