Wow. DIY's are an extremely great way to spend an weekend day. Where do I start? The events leading up to the day were, for me and a few other Z3 guys, centered around a project that it seems every Z3 owner should be doing or has done. That is replacing their subframe bushings. This is unfortunately not as simple as removing the old and replacing with a new.
There are several challenges that present themselves before you swap these things out. You will have quite a bit of dismantling under the rear section to do, which is why having a lift and tools available is so important. That's where the DIY came in. What a better way to do this job with the backing of other owners who have experience, a great shop to work in, and tools you might need along the way, oh and let's not forget; the lift.
Once you get the whole tail end disassembled and dropped, now you must remove the old bushings. Some guys will tell you that you can torch them out, but it usually means completely removing the subframe to not toast your car. The other option is to use a specialized tool that removes the bushing in a matter of minutes with no sweat and no fire. Procuring the tool was something that was a significant investment for any one individual. I approached the NCC to see if they could support the cost and have the DIY attendees, who were changing their subframe bushings, rent the tool for their session. After a few conversations with a few different NCC DIY folks, the agreement was made that the tool could be provided. Special thaanks to Alan and Tony for their persistence and follow-thru to get the tool in for DIY #2. Without the tool, the project would likely be a painful, dangerous, and need quite a bit of additional labor.
During the event Joe Brannon attended so that he could walk some of us through the bushing replacement. Without his help, there was little chance we could have pulled it off timely. Thanks Joe for giving up your Saturday, as it was highly appreciated. Jonathan and Ethan, both Z3M coupe owners, also stopped by to throw some wrenches as more than likely their future plans will be to install these replacement bushings.
We were able to get done with time to spare and able to take test drives to check our upgrade. Personally, I think the car takes on a different attitude of road communication and rigidity. All in all, the day was a success for the bushing changers and will likely be the start of many future Z3 bushing replacements.
Again, thanks to all who participated in this event and helped us with getting this tool.
Craig Brickner
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