E39 M5 restoration project Version 2.0

[lemusa 86]

Definitely keen to have a beer when you're passing through!

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

Sold the Eisenmann mufflers to help fund the suspension refresh. Back to stock which is quite pleasant cruising around the city... getting old.

Plan down the track is to fit headers and a tune. I think with stock mufflers it will have just the right amount of angry.

 

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

Let the fun begin!

 

[Sammo 2544]

Jesus, that looks like a lot of work ?

[hunter 408]

imagine how toight it'll feel after all those goodies go in. 

[adro 1083]

Santa came early! Wow, what a haul. 

[leichtbau 525]

Serious flex with the exchange rate as it is!

[Matth5 471]

That must have hurt the wallet, but I'm sure the M5 deserves it

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

The fun actually began today. Thought I could do the entire rear axle but only managed to sort out one rear corner before getting too tired and over it.

After 21years and 197k kms the larger control arm balljoint and the shock was F’d. The rest was actually ok but since I only ever want to do this sort of job once, may as well do it all. Hopefully get the other rear corner sorted tomorrow then on to the front, which I think is alot easier in terms of access to nuts and bolts.

[zero 1162]

What engine is going in the mk1?

[balancerider 758]

Those rear brakes look tiny for a 400hp sedan with a V8 in the front!

[KwS 2425]

1 hour ago, balancerider said:

Those rear brakes look tiny for a 400hp sedan with a V8 in the front!

Google seems to indicate they are 328mm rotors, so not that small!

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

Managed to conquer the rear axle today. Much like the lhs the shock and control arm balljoint were f’d. The lower swingarm balljoint was looser than the lhs one.

Made a start on the front too. So far the lhs shock and control arm are f’d. The thrust arm balljoint and bush (x5 item swapped out 3 years ago) are fine, along with the drag link and tie rod ends still feel ok so may leave those and replace when actually needed.

 

In the last pic I forgot to fit the strut mount bearing. Was a sign to finish up for the day. Hopefully wrapped up tomorrow.

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

On 12/18/2020 at 12:26 AM, zero said:

What engine is going in the mk1?

Not my project so don’t really want to spill...

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

And done! Didn’t do the steering linkages as they were ok but put a tear in one of the outer tierod balljoint boots 🤦‍♂️ 
Something to worry about next year. Hopefully get an alignment next week..

[NUSTAD 243]

Any initial observations on how it feels compared to before? Nice work BTW!

Edited December 19, 2020 by NUSTAD

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

2 hours ago, NUSTAD said:

Any initial observations on how it feels compared to before? Nice work BTW!

Feels waaaay better over dips and bumps. Definitely “tighter”

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

Over the past couple of days the front suspension developed a bit of a knocking noise over bumps at low speed. Turns out the front arms on the bushing ends weren’t quite torqued enough. Whew.
 

Had the pro’s at P&S autocentre correct this and do a wheel alignment. Suspension refresh is now wrapped up.

[zero 1162]

Your toe was way out. It must drive so much better now

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

Couldn’t really call it done without replacing all the steering linkages. New tyres all round tomorrow too. Current tyres seemed to have worn in a way that makes the car feel a bit nervous over ruts and bad patches of road, probably due to stuffed shocks.
 

 

[hunter 408]

1 hour ago, BreakMyWindow said:

Couldn’t really call it done without replacing all the steering linkages. New tyres all round tomorrow too. Current tyres seemed to have worn in a way that makes the car feel a bit nervous over ruts and bad patches of road, probably due to stuffed shocks.
 

 

You’re running  Michelin’s aye mate. The ps4 ? 
my car has them. Only a few months old and I find the quite tram line prone. 

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

1 hour ago, hunter said:

You’re running  Michelin’s aye mate. The ps4 ? 
my car has them. Only a few months old and I find the quite tram line prone. 

Yep, hmm ordered some more. 

[Eagle 1662]

10 hours ago, hunter said:

You’re running  Michelin’s aye mate. The ps4 ? 
my car has them. Only a few months old and I find the quite tram line prone. 

3 sets on my old E39 and never felt that to be the case. 

[str8_6 275]

Have the PS4’s on my M5 and love them. No issues with tram lining. 

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

New tyres on and much better with basically no tramlining. Unfortunately the tyre shop scratched the rear wheels fitting the tyres so that’s getting sorted some time next week. They also torqued every wheel up gorilla FT. F’ing muppets 🤦‍♂️ 

Over sharp bumps the front wheels would squeak which was annoying, but not anymore after cleaning up the brake pad “ears” and their contact points on the calliper, and calliper retaining bracket. Then I applied some anti squeal paste to those areas. Another niggly but annoying thing ticked off the list.