E30 Zone

a bit more than I was expecting but it could have been worse

steering track rod/end worn excessively
Anti roll bar drop link bushings both sides
hand brake drivers side not holding enough
brake pipes, pitted, nearside rear and center rear.

most are ok but anyone know whats involved in the steering track problem?

is it the track rod end or the rack itself?
if it's not the track rod end (outboard joint) you may be lucky and find it's the inboard joint. pull the rack boot off and give it a wiggle to see where the play is. changing the rack is a heap more work.

in my experience, the track rod ends are usually siezed into the track rods by the time they need replacing but usually come off once heated and helf properly in a vice. if you pull thr track rode off the rack, make sure you replace the knock-over washers so they don't fall off again!

Its normaly the inner ball joints at the end of the rack, inside the gaiter that wear out first.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=32&fg=25
I've found its easier to replace the whole lot (4) rather than messing about trying to figure out if its just one worn ball joint at the hub because once the MOT bloke spots a problem they don't pay too much attention to the other side and then fail that one on the re-test
If you only do one the others not far from failing anyway and its a pain trying to undo the tracking adjustment on old rods.
I'd say do both sides and you'll notice more of a difference and probably extend the life of the front wheel bearings as long as you get the tracking re-set after your done.

sorry to hear she failed! i was fortunate that i replaced everything on the front end of mine, the mot tester said.... so what havent you replaced?

slinky2000 wrote:a bit more than I was expecting but it could have been worse

steering track rod/end worn excessively
Anti roll bar drop link bushings both sides
hand brake drivers side not holding enough
brake pipes, pitted, nearside rear and center rear.

nothing here that would cause concern. all minor problems.

all of them jobs above are easy enough to sort out and wont cost to much,

not having a dig at you or your car mate but, dont people check before the MOT to make sure there is nothing that is excessivly worn like bushes etc?

1an wrote:all of them jobs above are easy enough to sort out and wont cost to much,

not having a dig at you or your car mate but, dont people check before the MOT to make sure there is nothing that is excessivly worn like bushes etc?

I do because i'm far too tight to pay for two MOT's,even if the second is half price.

Fuzzy be right though,only minor things your motor has failed on.

IMO i would just change the whole rack instead messing about with track rods.

1an wrote:all of them jobs above are easy enough to sort out and wont cost to much,

not having a dig at you or your car mate but, dont people check before the MOT to make sure there is nothing that is excessivly worn like bushes etc?

i dont. i take it as it is then fix as necessary.

fuzzy wrote:

1an wrote:all of them jobs above are easy enough to sort out and wont cost to much,

not having a dig at you or your car mate but, dont people check before the MOT to make sure there is nothing that is excessivly worn like bushes etc?

i dont. i take it as it is then fix as necessary.

Do you pay the garage to fix all the wrongs and not fix anything yourself? Would that be why you do it that way around?

Jesus325iTouring wrote:

fuzzy wrote:

1an wrote:all of them jobs above are easy enough to sort out and wont cost to much,

not having a dig at you or your car mate but, dont people check before the MOT to make sure there is nothing that is excessivly worn like bushes etc?

i dont. i take it as it is then fix as necessary.

Do you pay the garage to fix all the wrongs and not fix anything yourself? Would that be why you do it that way around?

no ,i fix everything myself. i take it to the garage for the test then fix as necessary.

fuzzy wrote:

Jesus325iTouring wrote:

fuzzy wrote: i dont. i take it as it is then fix as necessary.

Do you pay the garage to fix all the wrongs and not fix anything yourself? Would that be why you do it that way around?

no ,i fix everything myself. i take it to the garage for the test then fix as necessary.

So your obviously handy with the old spanners,why not check evrything first and save the arse ache of going for two MOT's if it fails?
Just curious really.

Jesus325iTouring wrote:

fuzzy wrote:

Jesus325iTouring wrote: Do you pay the garage to fix all the wrongs and not fix anything yourself? Would that be why you do it that way around?

no ,i fix everything myself. i take it to the garage for the test then fix as necessary.

So your obviously handy with the old spanners,why not check evrything first and save the arse ache of going for two MOT's if it fails?
Just curious really.

no real reason apart from not having time to . easier just drop the car of ,pick it back up later and fix whatever the mot man has noted then back for the free re test a couple of days later.

fuzzy wrote:

Jesus325iTouring wrote:

fuzzy wrote: no ,i fix everything myself. i take it to the garage for the test then fix as necessary.

So your obviously handy with the old spanners,why not check evrything first and save the arse ache of going for two MOT's if it fails?
Just curious really.

no real reason apart from not having time to . easier just drop the car of ,pick it back up later and fix whatever the mot man has noted then back for the free re test a couple of days later.

Fair enough then

Apologies to slinky for going waaaaaaaay of topic

and me to

Jesus325iTouring wrote: i would just change the whole rack instead messing about with track rods.

Why on earth would you want to change the rack if a rod end has failed? Nothing to do with the rack!
Don't agree with Martinaston either; I've changed far more rod ends than track rods.

Its a bit of a habbit now as most of the track rods i've come across have been crushed in a vice to get them through the MOT.

1an wrote:all of them jobs above are easy enough to sort out and wont cost to much,

not having a dig at you or your car mate but, dont people check before the MOT to make sure there is nothing that is excessivly worn like bushes etc?

well slinky didnt as hes importing his bmw to the Rep of Ireland next month and has to have an irish mot any way, so this was more just a see if it passes if it did happy days, if it didnt well he now knows what to get fixed next month when he imports it down to the south of ireland.

I didnt have time to get anything fixed, it only done about 3k since last years mot so I thought it's be fine but obv the last moter was a bit softer than this one!

Brianmoooore wrote:

Jesus325iTouring wrote: i would just change the whole rack instead messing about with track rods.

Why on earth would you want to change the rack if a rod end has failed? Nothing to do with the rack!
Don't agree with Martinaston either; I've changed far more rod ends than track rods.

Because i've wasted too much time in the past messing about trying to unseize the darn things,much easier just to change the rack.
Lazy way,and sure a little more expensive,but for me,if it means being able to avoid undoing rod end etc i'll do it.

I'm already on the way back down stairs before I get told off for being idle...................