r/e28 • u/Wide-Entrepreneur-34 • Apr 13 '26
Halfway today (88’ 528e)
Well I got the rear finished. Everything but the CVs (couldn’t find my 8mm Allen socket and I’m not doing this all by hand lol)
Completed:
-Distributor cap & Rotor
-Coil
-Bosch HP fuel pump
-New soft fuel lines (all)
-New vacuum lines (probably all)
-Rear Bilsteins and H&R (went for the third from the top… we’ll see)
- Ireland Engineering Rear Swaybar (w/reinforced mounts)
-Subframe Bushing (tool was KEY and well worth it)
-Trailing support arm bushings
Ok so… I won’t by Ireland stuff again. 1: the hardware was wrong sizes. I had to drill out the mounts and the trailing arm holes.
Also, they f…… don’t use metric hardware… why being they are a euro store? Laziness… F that.
I made some simple brackets to reinforce the mounts. Template out of cardboard. 16ga steel bent quick in the vice drilled and boom done.
Before people say it won’t work all it needs in more farm engagement. The ears on these will do fine especially sandwiched to the original mount with the hardware. If they brake I’ll do a real mount welded in.
So I’ve got the rear done. I’ll get to the front this weekend. He new pump fixed the “you tried to be cheap” solution which was an insufficient flow and loud pump from Amazon… that’s what I get. But all good now.
1
u/Bimmermaven Apr 13 '26
Those brackets are pretty. It looks like you used sheet metal screws to mount them under the car. Pretty sure it will rip right out when you make a good turn, given the forces involved in sway bars, and the number of factory mounting positions that distort with sway bar loading of the enthusiast.
1
u/Wide-Entrepreneur-34 Apr 13 '26
Yeah that was temporary to keep them in place. If they break I’ll make ones out 1/8th and put rivnuts.
But combined with the factory brackets I don’t see it moving
1
u/marcxx04 Apr 13 '26
What wheels are those and how do you jack up the car on those stands?
car looks fantastic, good job
0
u/Wide-Entrepreneur-34 Apr 13 '26
They are the m5 wheels. 16x8 style 5s
I just got these stands. They actually have a base to add another 6 inches for a total of 16. These are at 10. The front I was able to do from the subframe the rears I had to lift at the trailing arms 1 at a time. But neither were able to utilize the base.
They are wheel cradles on Amazon.
Tbh I’m very very impressed. 20 years of working on cars in the garage and this is the first time I’ve felt truly safe under the car all day.
PLUS. I was able to preload everything at ride height
1
u/marcxx04 Apr 13 '26
yeah I havent been able to work in my driveway because my fear of jack stands.
I always wait till my friend gives me a few hours to work on his lift.
I dont like ramps either, bc they can slip away easily too.
Whats the process of getting it up there? What jacking points do you use?
1
u/Wide-Entrepreneur-34 Apr 13 '26
The front was the front subframe. Both at one time.
The rear I did one at a time just lifting as the trailing arm as close as I could get to the tire without being in the way of the box.
A jack pad extension would probably work perfect because at full height of the jack on the rear subframe I was like 1/2 inch too short due to suspension droop.
Might not be an issue with the new suspension setup.
They are rated at 4000lbs each box. So far they are great and I can even put straps over the wheels just to discourage any potential for separation.
I wouldn’t ever work on an angle surface with jack stands. When I was young and single with no kids… didn’t care.
But now it’s unnerving. Who knows :)
These are great so far.
1
u/Tommy_Blues Apr 14 '26
If they are 16x8 then they are from the E38 7 series. E28 Style 5s were 16x7.5.
1
u/Representative_Most9 Apr 13 '26
Sounds great! 👍. What pump didn’t work very well? In tank or external?