Subframe help please!!!!

Originally Posted by JohnBlaze

that build up of welded metal they did in those pictures is exponentially better than the Mason bar IMO. You can definitely rest easier knowing a shop like Piper did the job, they know their $hit...

Nice job!!!

Originally Posted by Eisenheim

They actually have their own design (which is much like the mason bar) in their track car. The main thing I didnt like about it was the lack of contact points on the thin sheet metal. That and the mason bar cuts off quite a bit of room in the already small trunk hah

They were extremely cool about my design. I showed them what I liked and why I liked it and asked for feedback on the design, and they liked it as well. They gave me some advice on how to make it just a bit strong. They incorporated they're own knowledge of this sort of thing while still sticking mostly to my design. Ill take some pics of it today since I have the call back.

So the rear floor is kind of like 2 skins in that area, a bottom skin which is where the rear subframe bolt receiving threads are and an upper skin. From what I can tell in the pictures, it looks like mainly the upper skin/trunk skin is being reinforced. But yeah, based on the types of failures you had, I agree that the structure you had built is better than the Mason bar.

Originally Posted by Eisenheim

man, they took a video of the trunk floor and how much it flexed when it was under load before they started working on it. the cracks on the frame rails flexed so much down that you could literally almost put two fists through it. I asked them to upload it to youtube, so I'll see if they do and try to find it.

I'm interested in seeing it!

How does the car feel now?

Originally Posted by dreamdrivedrift

So the rear floor is kind of like 2 skins in that area, a bottom skin which is where the rear subframe bolt receiving threads are and an upper skin. From what I can tell in the pictures, it looks like mainly the upper skin/trunk skin is being reinforced. But yeah, based on the types of failures you had, I agree that the structure you had built is better than the Mason bar.



I'm interested in seeing it!

How does the car feel now?

Car feels new. Much better. just a very faint tap when shifting hard, nothing close to what it use to be.

As for the brace, if you look at the one that isnt complete (with only half of the brace complete) you can see two studs. Those are directly mounted to the mounting points of the subframe....so they're in direct contact with it.

Here's the end product. still have to make some slight modifications the carpeting panels on the side, and the trunk floor matte

I see. Thanks for the update. Here's a thread I came across discussing various reinforcement options other than just plates, 02PRUV offers a similar solution as yours and has detailed pics: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=909256

wow you're a good man for having faith in this car. I would have freaked out and ditched her i've always been nervous abt this issue...thank god i haven't had to worry abt this as much for my vert, but still had this thoroughly inspected at a BMW dealer by the foreman before buying and again when getting the I2 done a year later.

How could you not feel/hear something terribly wrong when test driving; didn't you test drive other similar used cars before picking this one?

Originally Posted by fayraree

wow you're a good man for having faith in this car. I would have freaked out and ditched her i've always been nervous abt this issue...thank god i haven't had to worry abt this as much for my vert, but still had this thoroughly inspected at a BMW dealer by the foreman before buying and again when getting the I2 done a year later.

How could you not feel/hear something terribly wrong when test driving; didn't you test drive other similar used cars before picking this one?

I couldn't really tell because my buddies M3 did the same thing. So I figured it was bad bushing....that was the mistake lol. Oh yes, the bushings were bad, aswell as the entire rear of the car.

Hey man, i believe i spotted u on the base by the youth center.. That was me who waved in the blacked out ///M.. Ur car looks great!

Originally Posted by yanksfan e46

Hey man, i believe i spotted u on the base by the youth center.. That was me who waved in the blacked out ///M.. Ur car looks great!

haha I was wondering if you'd find me on here. Yea that was me. I have some work to do to mine, the bumper is misaligned from the PO, and some small interior details. Yours looked pretty slick all blacked out!

Originally Posted by Eisenheim

haha I was wondering if you'd find me on here. Yea that was me. I have some work to do to mine, the bumper is misaligned from the PO, and some small interior details. Yours looked pretty slick all blacked out!

Thanks man. If u need help with anything, let me know..

Yea u should come up with me to cars and coffee in great falls, va sometime.. Some amazing cars..

Originally Posted by yanksfan e46

Thanks man. If u need help with anything, let me know..

Yea u should come up with me to cars and coffee in great falls, va sometime.. Some amazing cars..

Well, if you have ever carbon wrapped anything you might be of some help in the near future lol. I'm thinkin about doing that to all the pillars in the car since the cloth is pretty much shot on them. Next time you go up to Cars and Coffee let me know. I've been hearing cool things and really wanna see some exotics

I'd be up for a group drive to cars and coffee too. I'm not taking her out of the garage until it warms up a lot more though.

Originally Posted by fayraree

wow you're a good man for having faith in this car. I would have freaked out and ditched her i've always been nervous abt this issue...thank god i haven't had to worry abt this as much for my vert, but still had this thoroughly inspected at a BMW dealer by the foreman before buying and again when getting the I2 done a year later.

How could you not feel/hear something terribly wrong when test driving; didn't you test drive other similar used cars before picking this one?

I read these types of threads at night and it scares the $#!% out of me. You are saying the rear subrame is not as much of an issue for verts though? Is this due to the added stiffening to accommodate the lack of a roof?

If yes, could one fix for sedan/coupe guys be using the brace from a vert?

Originally Posted by FooFighter94

I read these types of threads at night and it scares the $#!% out of me. You are saying the rear subrame is not as much of an issue for verts though? Is this due to the added stiffening to accommodate the lack of a roof?

If yes, could one fix for sedan/coupe guys be using the brace from a vert?

What I was under the imression of was that, the early models until 2002.5-2003 were notorious for the weak subframe. Granted the subframe is weak no matter what year, the early models were the worst. If I were you, I would do the TMS kit (or similar) and have a brace made in the trunk. it'll be a little pricey, but its way more cheap than paying over 4k to REPAIR and REINFORCE, than reinforce alone. Or just drive like a grandma, but for me, I bought an M3 to drive it like an M3, not just to look good.

Hey man! PY in MD besides me? You deserve a high five. How much did you pay to have the subframe done? And where? If you don't mind me asking.

Second Eisenheim, I had excessive damage to my E46 subframe (see picture). It cost a little extra to fix mine due to so much damage but in the end it was under $2500 I believe to get it all fixed up and reinforced with the TMS kit. ($149 for kit I think). Stealership wanted over $5k

Originally Posted by ChrisRedmon

Hey man! PY in MD besides me? You deserve a high five. How much did you pay to have the subframe done? And where? If you don't mind me asking.

haha yea, I'm in MD. Well...it's a little difficult to answer the question of the reinforcement, since I had WAY more done than just the kit. But, Piper Motorsports quoted me $1640 (for the kit to be done, and minor cracks to be welded up), that's including all the materials, and alignment. They charge $95 an hour (amazing for this area, atleast that Ive found) and $100 if you supply the parts. But, since mine was more of a "bringing the car back to life" type of surgery, it ran me about 42 hours of labour lol.

Originally Posted by Eisenheim

haha yea, I'm in MD. Well...it's a little difficult to answer the question of the reinforcement, since I had WAY more done than just the kit. But, Piper Motorsports quoted me $1640 (for the kit to be done, and minor cracks to be welded up), that's including all the materials, and alignment. They charge $95 an hour (amazing for this area, atleast that Ive found) and $100 if you supply the parts. But, since mine was more of a "bringing the car back to life" type of surgery, it ran me about 42 hours of labour lol.

Yikes, i have two hairline cracks. Which im sure will turn out to be much worse when i actually rip it all apart considering i cant see every nook and cranny. Where in MD are you man? I hope to see you on the road sometime!

Originally Posted by ChrisRedmon

Yikes, i have two hairline cracks. Which im sure will turn out to be much worse when i actually rip it all apart considering i cant see every nook and cranny. Where in MD are you man? I hope to see you on the road sometime!

Do you know where Andrews AFB is? about 15 minutes east of Alexandria off of exit 9.

You should definately get it checked out if you can. Just a word of advice so you wont have to be in my shoes. I would have gladly paid the $16**- $22** to just reinforce, than have to repair it all too and pay double that lol.

It was expensive, but RRT in Dulles, VA did great work (as always)

Originally Posted by Eisenheim

Do you know where Andrews AFB is? about 15 minutes east of Alexandria off of exit 9.

You should definately get it checked out if you can. Just a word of advice so you wont have to be in my shoes. I would have gladly paid the $16**- $22** to just reinforce, than have to repair it all too and pay double that lol.

Yea i know where that is. Im right in Annapolis. Did you replace all of the associated bushings? I.E subframe, diff (front and back with the cover) ect ect.