Cool, the gear knob in my Z4 is finished in leather all-round so I will be keeping for a while
#ZedShed Project Sasha - 2007 BMW 3.0si Sport Carbon Black
- Thread starter GazHyde
- Start date
These gear knobs look awesome, but my current one has a bit of metal on it and it's freezing in a morning, so couldn't imagine this first thing in a morning!If you are going to blow £100 on a gear knob, make sure it's a Storm Motorwerks V1...
This time in Titanium finish with the correct number of gears engraved. The pictures make it look much lighter than it is, but it blends in much nicer. Once the alloy centre console is covered it will look even better...
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The initial cold is something you get used to, but you don't really notice it when you get going. Occasionally I'll use the sleeve of my fleece if it's a really cold morning. On a really hot day I leave my baseball cap on the centre console covering it and then it doesn't get hot.
It's one of those things that really are worth putting up with for the gains you get from it.
It's one of those things that really are worth putting up with for the gains you get from it.
Anyone who drives a Z4 will instantly notice the crashy ride, which is in part down to the run flats but also down to the OE springs. With this in mind £150 was dispatched to Germany a few weeks back and a set of Eibach Pro springs arrived shortly afterwards. The Eibachs will drop a non-Sport Z4 by 30mm, but on the Sport should be around 15mm or so. Nothing dramatic and I won't be joining Sump Scrapers as a result, which is just as well with the amount of speed humps near me!
Last Saturday we tried to find a local garage to switch the springs over on the shocks but drew a complete blank on that. As Lee posted up the other day we now have a proper spring compressor from Machine Mart.
Works a treat, but you can see how much compression is required on Z4 front springs to be able to remove the top nut
The mark of quality
The Z4 shocks are pretty straight forward to remove. Remove the nut from the drop link, remove the pinch bolt at the base of the shock and then 3 bolts on the top mount.
Drop link circled in red, and the "pinch" mechanism circled in blue. You can just make out two of the three top mount holes at the bottom of the pic too.
So, how does Sasha look now? As usual FILTHY!
Oh, you meant on the springs... Pics aren't the best, but hey ho...
So there you go then! Before anyone mentions spacers, don't. New wheels are on the horizon that will fill the arches properly and I won't need spacers. Don't ask about which wheels because that's on a need to know basis, restricted to authorised #ZedShed personnel (and one or two others). Suffice it to say Sasha is gonna be pretty unique
Also because Lee ended up with a spare air filter I nabbed it and switched mine over. According to the service interval display another 7k before this needs changing...
Last Saturday we tried to find a local garage to switch the springs over on the shocks but drew a complete blank on that. As Lee posted up the other day we now have a proper spring compressor from Machine Mart.
Works a treat, but you can see how much compression is required on Z4 front springs to be able to remove the top nut
The mark of quality
The Z4 shocks are pretty straight forward to remove. Remove the nut from the drop link, remove the pinch bolt at the base of the shock and then 3 bolts on the top mount.
Drop link circled in red, and the "pinch" mechanism circled in blue. You can just make out two of the three top mount holes at the bottom of the pic too.
So, how does Sasha look now? As usual FILTHY!
Oh, you meant on the springs...
Pics aren't the best, but hey ho...So there you go then! Before anyone mentions spacers, don't. New wheels are on the horizon that will fill the arches properly and I won't need spacers. Don't ask about which wheels because that's on a need to know basis, restricted to authorised #ZedShed personnel (and one or two others). Suffice it to say Sasha is gonna be pretty unique
Also because Lee ended up with a spare air filter I nabbed it and switched mine over. According to the service interval display another 7k before this needs changing...
Just that bit lower looks very nice Gaz, I think I need to earmark £150 for that job. A 15mm drop from Sport suspension will work for me. Thanks for the info.
Tony.
Tony.
Hi @GazHyde and @Lee the use of this strut clamp makes spring compressing very easy as most BMW struts have an internal spring which pulls the piston into the cylinder as soon as the spring is off and you then have to really compress the spring to put it back together. Clamp the piston first then it can't pull back, there isn't too much tension as you can pull it up by hand and the springs go on easily.
http://www.lasertools.co.uk/product/5791
http://www.lasertools.co.uk/product/5791
The maintenance guys at one of the sites I go to made me one from a nylon blocki in about 30 mins, so I am ure Lee could get one made.
Thanks for the tip brian, The way this spring compressor works we had no need to hold the strut shaft. It compresses the whole assembly effortlessly. We did actually see the shaft retract about 50mm soon as the nut was removed.
Lee
Looks very nice Gaz, just need a zedshed wash and go service now. Looking forward to the next update you tease.
What wheels are you going for Gaz ooh and while we're on the subject have you thought about spacers on the back? Fill those arches out a treat!Anyone who drives a Z4 will instantly notice the crashy ride, which is in part down to the run flats but also down to the OE springs. With this in mind £150 was dispatched to Germany a few weeks back and a set of Eibach Pro springs arrived shortly afterwards. The Eibachs will drop a non-Sport Z4 by 30mm, but on the Sport should be around 15mm or so. Nothing dramatic and I won't be joining Sump Scrapers as a result, which is just as well with the amount of speed humps near me!
Last Saturday we tried to find a local garage to switch the springs over on the shocks but drew a complete blank on that. As Lee posted up the other day we now have a proper spring compressor from Machine Mart.
View attachment 30673
Works a treat, but you can see how much compression is required on Z4 front springs to be able to remove the top nut
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The mark of quality
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The Z4 shocks are pretty straight forward to remove. Remove the nut from the drop link, remove the pinch bolt at the base of the shock and then 3 bolts on the top mount.
Drop link circled in red, and the "pinch" mechanism circled in blue. You can just make out two of the three top mount holes at the bottom of the pic too.
View attachment 30678
So, how does Sasha look now? As usual FILTHY!
Oh, you meant on the springs...
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So there you go then! Before anyone mentions spacers, don't. New wheels are on the horizon that will fill the arches properly and I won't need spacers. Don't ask about which wheels because that's on a need to know basis, restricted to authorised #ZedShed personnel (and one or two others). Suffice it to say Sasha is gonna be pretty unique
Also because Lee ended up with a spare air filter I nabbed it and switched mine over. According to the service interval display another 7k before this needs changing...
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Looking great with the new stance Gaz, can't wait to see the new wheels but how can you drive it round being that filthy!
Took plenty of practice, but I got there...
My problem is that I'm now using it as a commuter car c300 miles a week and just don't get the time. Saturday is usually spent in Lee's garage and Sunday is usually a meetup. It did get a £7 hand car wash on the way home though so it looked great until I drove 130 miles to Derbyshire today.
Similar here too Gaz, everyday use, work Saturday, usually someone needs help on Saturday afternoon and this time of year garden requires attention. Car is often a bit grotty!
Tony.
Tony.
EDIT 03/05/2016: Deflector removed and is being sent back. Explanation in a later post.
A small update tonight. Sasha was pretty well spec'd when purchased originally, but annoyingly the first owner skimped on basics like a wind deflector. Its a major annoyance as it gets as windy in the cabin as it does in the Z3 without any kind of deflector.
So I ordered one of these which arrived this afternoon. Quality wise it's as good as the batch we got laser cut earlier in the year. Can't be bothered with a test drive tonight, so will let you know tomorrow once I get to work!
Gives me somewhere to put one sticker at least
On the car...
A small update tonight. Sasha was pretty well spec'd when purchased originally, but annoyingly the first owner skimped on basics like a wind deflector. Its a major annoyance as it gets as windy in the cabin as it does in the Z3 without any kind of deflector.
So I ordered one of these which arrived this afternoon. Quality wise it's as good as the batch we got laser cut earlier in the year. Can't be bothered with a test drive tonight, so will let you know tomorrow once I get to work!
Gives me somewhere to put one sticker at least
On the car...
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Looks factory and very unobtrusive. Nice one
An even smaller update. The car was missing a jack pad, so I ordered one of those too. £9.50 delivered
We were using some rubber jack pucks on top of the axle stands to work on the car. Minor annoyance, but sorted now!
We were using some rubber jack pucks on top of the axle stands to work on the car. Minor annoyance, but sorted now!