E30 Zone

Hi all,
I've recently bought the Goodridge brake line kit for my 325. I've got the front lines and the outer rear lines (to the calipers) on with no trouble.
Now I've come to the lines that cross the subframe These look very difficult to access and undo at the front end of the car. I've undone the connection toward the rear of the car already, but I've no idea how to get to the other ones. Do I just need longer spanners and more patience (ran out of time on my lunch break, so haven't had a proper crack at it yet), or is there a technique or special tool I need? I was considering cutting the rubber hoses so I could get a socket on there, but doesn't help when doing the braided lines up...

All help appreciated

have you ever changed the rear subframe bushes on the car if not it may be a good time to do them and it will make is easier to change the rear hoses, i did mine when i renewed the subframe bushes make the job so much easier with out the beam in the way

The subframe bushes were done 6 years ago (50k miles ago) according to the pile of receipts I went through last night. How long should they last? (I don't know if they were genuine BMW parts). I would like to renew the sub-frame and trailing arm bushes but don't really want the car off the road for that long at the moment. Might leave that job until the weather's a bit better...

Is it possible to do these hoses without removal of subframe or petrol tank? Has anyone out there managed it?

Ive done it with tank and rear suspension in place, also replaced the rear hard lines at the same time, it was a chore to say the least!

Tell me about it! I found the combination of a 14mm crows foot spanner (on an extension and ratchet) with a standard 11mm spanner gave me access (just!)... but then I rounded off the 11mm side

Gonna leave the inboard ones as rubber for the time being (they look in decent nick) and look into dropping the tank and replacing the rear hard lines at some point. Is this a big job?

if your planning on doing your sub frame bushes in the summer i would leave all the work in that area till then if the brack hoses dont look to bad the tank will come out a lot easier with out the beam in the way too

DanThe wrote:Ive done it with tank and rear suspension in place, also replaced the rear hard lines at the same time, it was a chore to say the least!

+1

I did it but used a pit and that was bad enough! Wouldn't like to do it on axle stands

Those pipes going over the tank are a pain. I had the same experience and the connections were very tight while also looking a bit corroded so we decided to leave them in place until it's necessary to remove petrol tank.
Details here http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... highlight=

I'm in the same position - I need to replace the rubber hoses at the rear becouse the ferrules are corroded and the car failed it's MoT. I have also bought some Goodridge hoses but have found that access is a bit tight at the back - trouble is I can't drive the car until they're done and it's parked in my garage on axle stands. (there is a pit underneath but it's full of water!)
Should I get a (very local) garage to do the rear hoses?

toby wrote:Those pipes going over the tank are a pain. I had the same experience and the connections were very tight while also looking a bit corroded so we decided to leave them in place until it's necessary to remove petrol tank.

I'll be honest with you - I read your thread before I started and thought to myself that you were just slacking off with the job half done
Who'd have thought it could be such a PITA...? Probably for the best to wait til the fuel tank's out of the way and then replace the hard lines too.

Let me know if you decide to do that anytime soon - I'd be interested to see/hear how hard it is

If they're split/totally useless then just cut them and hammer a 14mm long socket on the the hose side and hold the hard pipe side with a good brake spanner and remove. Refit the new pipe and bleed, it is really hard to access but do-able. might be worth while borrowing a sump pump to remove the water from the access pit before start tho.

Jim78 wrote:I'm in the same position - I need to replace the rubber hoses at the rear becouse the ferrules are corroded and the car failed it's MoT. I have also bought some Goodridge hoses but have found that access is a bit tight at the back - trouble is I can't drive the car until they're done and it's parked in my garage on axle stands. (there is a pit underneath but it's full of water!)
Should I get a (very local) garage to do the rear hoses?

Is it the inboard or outboard ones? The outboard ones (that connect to the calipers) are easy, it's just wheels off and you have full access. The inboard ones that pass over the rear sub-frame are the difficult ones. You can get to them - just make sure they've been doused in penetrating grease first or you'll round them off like I did.
I got access just on axle stands - you can put an 11mm spanner up the gap between the fuel tank and the sub-frame. Then pass a 14mm crows foot spanner on an extension over the sub-frame from the rear of the car. Get your speedos on and get in your pit of water and it should be easier
Fingers crossed you don't round any bolts!

I keep putting this job off on the 2.7,last MoT I was awarded an advisory for the rear pipes so I have to get them done...got as far as buying the bits and pieces and backed the thing up onto the DiY type ramps and crawled underneath with a lead lamp,then decided to leave them a bit longer...

freynolds wrote:

Jim78 wrote:I'm in the same position - I need to replace the rubber hoses at the rear becouse the ferrules are corroded and the car failed it's MoT. I have also bought some Goodridge hoses but have found that access is a bit tight at the back - trouble is I can't drive the car until they're done and it's parked in my garage on axle stands. (there is a pit underneath but it's full of water!)
Should I get a (very local) garage to do the rear hoses?

Is it the inboard or outboard ones? The outboard ones (that connect to the calipers) are easy, it's just wheels off and you have full access. The inboard ones that pass over the rear sub-frame are the difficult ones. You can get to them - just make sure they've been doused in penetrating grease first or you'll round them off like I did.
I got access just on axle stands - you can put an 11mm spanner up the gap between the fuel tank and the sub-frame. Then pass a 14mm crows foot spanner on an extension over the sub-frame from the rear of the car. Get your speedos on and get in your pit of water and it should be easier
Fingers crossed you don't round any bolts!

It's the inboard ones - could combine a few laps in the pit with replacing them I suppose! Sorry to sound thick but what's a 'crows foot' spanner? Can I get this brake spanner from Halfords?

Jim78 wrote:It's the inboard ones - could combine a few laps in the pit with replacing them I suppose! Sorry to sound thick but what's a 'crows foot' spanner? Can I get this brake spanner from Halfords?

Don't worry, mate - I had no idea until yesterday either! They're like spanner heads which are driven at 90degrees. Like this:

Use an extension in the square hole beneath the jaws and a ratchet on the end and you should be able to get over the subframe. As you're then driving off-centre you'll probably be best off holding that end still and do the undoing with the normal 11mm spanner.

Not sure if Halfords do them, but other tool shops should... A quick Google found this (no experience of them, so not recommending - have a shop around )

freynolds wrote: I'll be honest with you - I read your thread before I started and thought to myself that you were just slacking off with the job half done

Me?! Slack off?!... (I can't be bothered to think of an indignant retort!)

"If it ain't broke, don't break it!" (we thought).

Ive borrowed your pic toby, on this connection instead of trying to separate them just cut the hard line and pull it through rearwards, saves much time.



Buy all the pipe with unions on and spring clips/T piece from BMW and just replace the lot. Its a time consuming job but once its done it will be right for years

You mean pull the old pipes out from the back and pull new pipes through from the front at the same time, without taking the tank out?

Your not going to do it at the same time, the spring clip holds the flexi against the mounting tab, this is easily deformed/destroyed so the hard line will pull through. You will still have to spanner the new pipes together but its not bad on brand new unions

The only way is as Dan says, all E30's are pretty hideous in this area now and need sorting

I did things in the wrong order when putting my newly rebuilt rear subframe etc back into place, realised after bolting everything up and then going to fit up the new inner hoses that I'd forgotten about the hard pipes.

Although the working space ain't great, I didn't have too much of a bitch of a time getting some new copper pipe in there. I'll be eating these words this weekend when I actually get some brake fluid in the system and realise my pipe flaring skills are crap and it leaks at those joints

But as the fuel tank is coming out this weekend I may be an executive and get some BMW pipes

DanThe wrote:Your not going to do it at the same time, the spring clip holds the flexi against the mounting tab, this is easily deformed/destroyed so the hard line will pull through. You will still have to spanner the new pipes together but its not bad on brand new unions

Ah, I like your thinking. So the hard line union will pass through the mounting tab if the spring clip is destroyed?
Do the hard lines/T-piece forward of the subframe just pass over the top of the petrol tank? Is it easy to slide them out as an assembly? That would then allow me to slide in the new replacement assembly. As I said before, accessing the unions isn't impossible, just difficult to undo them if they're seized.

Hmm, there's hope for me yet

Finn

^ This is what I was trying to ask.