M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS

FAQ / REFERENCE => How-To's => Topic started by: keflaman on February 16, 2012, 10:56:37 PM

Title: Recyle Your Old Rear Shock Mounts
Post by: keflaman on February 16, 2012, 10:56:37 PM

Looking at a set of rear shock tower reinforcement plates I was struck by how simple and easy they would probably be to cut a set out of a steel plate...except I'm very lazy.

An idea flashed through my head and I quickly scrounged through my waste metal bin for an old set of RSMs and went to work.

Tap out the mounting studs...
(http://m42club.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=195&pictureid=1155)

Press the rubber insert out from the RSM...
(http://m42club.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=195&pictureid=1151)

Use a 2-1/16" (52mm) hole saw and cut out the center...
(http://m42club.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=195&pictureid=1156)

Test fit on an OEM RSM...
(http://m42club.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=195&pictureid=1153)

Side by side comparison of a recycled RSM stiffner compared to aftermarket item...
(http://m42club.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=195&pictureid=1154)



Primed, painted and installed!
(http://m42club.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=195&pictureid=1152)

Title: Recyle Your Old Rear Shock Mounts
Post by: colin86325 on February 17, 2012, 07:47:45 AM

Nice trick!

Title: Recyle Your Old Rear Shock Mounts
Post by: DesktopDave on February 17, 2012, 08:00:32 AM

That's a clever trick...cheap and effective.  Great mod!

Title: Recyle Your Old Rear Shock Mounts
Post by: E36-italia on February 18, 2012, 07:01:01 AM

Plus that this trick is actually more stiffer then the aftermarket version that is shown.

Title: Recyle Your Old Rear Shock Mounts
Post by: d.hitchcock on February 18, 2012, 08:50:48 AM

Excellent!!! Thanks for posting.

I think I'll do this when I replace the RSMs on the 318is.

My e30 autoX car has a shock tower brace that serves the reinforcing function as well, but I don't want to put a brace in the 318is since it's a daily driver for me.

d.hitchcock

Title: Recyle Your Old Rear Shock Mounts
Post by: keflaman on February 18, 2012, 02:30:24 PM

Thanks for the comments, guys. I enjoy coming up with little things like this and sharing them. It's not worth buying a hole saw and drill press to do this, but if you already have the tools it's $20 bucks you don't have to spend buying the stiffeners.

Title: Recyle Your Old Rear Shock Mounts
Post by: ///m42 sport on February 23, 2012, 11:56:54 PM

maybe worth your time to sell these?

Title: Recyle Your Old Rear Shock Mounts
Post by: dude8383 on February 24, 2012, 02:50:19 PM

Brilliant!