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  • Randy Forbes sub strengthening kit

    Hi
    November last year I was cleaning the boot of my Coupe and deicided to take the carpets out. To my horror I found that 7 spot weldes had failed. This is especially upsetting as this car had a the rear sub frame floor replaced by BMW 13yrs ago.
    I've purchased the Randy Forbes subframe strengthening kit and the Coupe is currently at Redish Motorsport in Bristol having it fitted.
    Has anyone else used this kit here in the U.K.?
    Will be uploading photos/videos as they come from James @ Redish to keep you up to date.

    YouTube link

    https://youtu.be/aeIG9AxJyOA
    Attached Files
    Last edited by ROCKAPE; 12-01-2017, 10:05 PM. Reason: Add video

  • #2
    Hey ROCKAPE,

    Frustrating to see the repeat stress on the boot floor welds.

    I do find it odd how the UK market seems to suffer much less with this 'known issue' compared to the Coupes in the States. Given the perception of our poor roads and somewhat more corners we seem to be lucky.

    Recently a couple of us have fitted the RF strengthening kit. I for one was very appreciative of the Randy's workmanship. The bracing has increased my confidence in the under pinning and a 30% - 40% in rigidity.

    Out of curiosity is your kit the first Redish have fitted to the M Coupe?

    Link to a recent thread below.

    http://www.z3mcoupe.com/forum/showth...t=2332&page=41

    Keep us posted and I trust all goes smoothly.


    Russ


    My BSL. Breadvan Sport Lightweight.

    S54 - 18" BBS RS GT/KW V3/H&R/Rogue TM/AC Schnitzer Flippers/Brembo Calipers/CSL Discs/PFC Pads/20mm Spacers/Carbon Fibre Roof/Fibreglass Bonnet/Fibreglass Boot/Lexan Window/Custom Cages Roll Cage/Lithium Battery/Recaro Pole Positions/Schroth Harness/Randy Forbes Braced Floor/Airbags Delete/Lightweight Door Cards/UUC EVO3 Short Shift Kit/E34 M5 Clutch/UUC Single Mass Flywheel/Vibra Technics Competition Engine Mounts/3.46 Diff/Prospeed Exhaust/200 Cell Cats/Strong Strut Brace/ESS+ASA Supercharger Kit/Alpha N/497bhp - 1315KG

    Comment


    • #3
      Ouch!


      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by KnightsG View Post
        Hey ROCKAPE,

        Frustrating to see the repeat stress on the boot floor welds.

        I do find it odd how the UK market seems to suffer much less with this 'known issue' compared to the Coupes in the States. Given the perception of our poor roads and somewhat more corners we seem to be lucky.

        Recently a couple of us have fitted the RF strengthening kit. I for one was very appreciative of the Randy's workmanship. The bracing has increased my confidence in the under pinning and a 30% - 40% in rigidity.

        Out of curiosity is your kit the first Redish have fitted to the M Coupe?

        Link to a recent thread below.

        http://www.z3mcoupe.com/forum/showth...t=2332&page=41

        Keep us posted and I trust all goes smoothly.


        Russ
        I think it's perhaps a combination of more awareness/loads more Coupes and the American fascination with traffic light GP / 1/4mile

        I would guess though that there are many many cars in the UK driving round with a few cracked welds unnoticed.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by ROCKAPE View Post
          Hi
          November last year I was cleaning the boot of my Coupe and deicided to take the carpets out. To my horror I found that 7 spot weldes had failed. This is especially upsetting as this car had a the rear sub frame floor replaced by BMW 13yrs ago.
          I've purchased the Randy Forbes subframe strengthening kit and the Coupe is currently at Redish Motorsport in Bristol having it fitted.
          Has anyone else used this kit here in the U.K.?
          Will be uploading photos/videos as they come from James @ Redish to keep you up to date.

          YouTube link

          https://youtu.be/aeIG9AxJyOA
          Has the car had modified suspension, ARBs, stiffer dampers at all?
          S54 Titan Silver metallic. Black leather, most factory options including sunroof, Becker Cascade and Becker Silverstone changer.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by ROCKAPE View Post
            Hi
            November last year I was cleaning the boot of my Coupe and deicided to take the carpets out. To my horror I found that 7 spot weldes had failed. This is especially upsetting as this car had a the rear sub frame floor replaced by BMW 13yrs ago.
            I've purchased the Randy Forbes subframe strengthening kit and the Coupe is currently at Redish Motorsport in Bristol having it fitted.
            Has anyone else used this kit here in the U.K.?
            Will be uploading photos/videos as they come from James @ Redish to keep you up to date.

            YouTube link

            https://youtu.be/aeIG9AxJyOA
            Be interesting to see how Redish get on with this as I mentioned some time ago when some one was enquiring about getting boot floor/strengthening done to try Redish as they have a very good reputation from the work carried out on loads E46 M3 cars which had rear subframe problems. The work they do is to a very high standard, there is lots of reports on M3cutters site on the cars they have worked on.
            Pete C

            2000 Z3M Coupe - Cosmos Black Metallic/Black interior. 805 of 821 RHD built

            Previous BMWs

            2003 E46 M3 6 speed manual - Carbon Black/Black interior.
            2000 Z3M Coupe - Cosmos Black Metallic/Black interior. 692 of 821 RHD built
            1986 M635
            1985 E28 M5
            1983 E28 528i Alpina

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by ian View Post
              Has the car had modified suspension, ARBs, stiffer dampers at all?
              On my car I have run H&R roll bars, ACS springs and stiff rear dampers since about 2006, plus run various semi slicks on trackdays so you would say that it has dealt with a lot more force than a stock car on standard suspension and normal road tyres.

              But on my boot floor only about 3 or 4 spot welds had cracked, there was no separation of the boot floor from the chassis rail and no evidence at all underneath but I could hear a creaking when setting off/taking up clutch. It was like that for ages (probably a year) as I couldn't find the source of the noise until I scraped the sound deadening and saw the failed welds. I fixed all that and seam-welded the rails plus plated the top (and doubled the ear bracket underneath). There's a stock Z3M Roadster documented on ZRoadster that the whole lot came off twice on a completely stock low mileage car. So I personally don't think there is a particular correlation, sometimes I think better suspension control may help...but the stock spot welds and the design is weak and prone to fatigue just from torque load/unload from the diff.
              Last edited by c_w; 13-01-2017, 09:17 PM.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by petecossie View Post
                Be interesting to see how Redish get on with this as I mentioned some time ago when some one was enquiring about getting boot floor/strengthening done to try Redish as they have a very good reputation from the work carried out on loads E46 M3 cars which had rear subframe problems. The work they do is to a very high standard, there is lots of reports on M3cutters site on the cars they have worked on.
                I saw some pictures on cutters of their work on a E46 M3 and it looked very well done

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by petecossie View Post
                  Be interesting to see how Redish get on with this as I mentioned some time ago when some one was enquiring about getting boot floor/strengthening done to try Redish as they have a very good reputation from the work carried out on loads E46 M3 cars which had rear subframe problems. The work they do is to a very high standard, there is lots of reports on M3cutters site on the cars they have worked on.
                  I got in touch with them. Left details and they were going to look in to options... They never got back to me.

                  Still, the small squeak that was the cause of me getting in touch with them has disappeared anyway
                  Not actually in the least bit fat

                  2000 S50 Titanium Silver / Black
                  ACS Suspension, Exhaust & Type III Wheels
                  Simota carbon air intake | Strong Strut Front Brace

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Hi Guys,
                    Sorry for the long period of time since my last post. It's been a emotional rollercoaster of a ride which I won't bore you with but tomorrow I collect the Coupe form Redish Motorsport with all the work completed. There will be a full video from start to finish but is a week or so away awaiting editing.
                    Russ- This is the first Coupe they've done but don't let that put you off, from what I've seen so far any car that they take in is well looked after and leaves with amazing workmanship done to it.

                    Cheers for now

                    Jim

                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfbOPGjpjcM

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by ROCKAPE View Post
                      Hi Guys,
                      Sorry for the long period of time since my last post. It's been a emotional rollercoaster of a ride which I won't bore you with but tomorrow I collect the Coupe form Redish Motorsport with all the work completed. There will be a full video from start to finish but is a week or so away awaiting editing.
                      Russ- This is the first Coupe they've done but don't let that put you off, from what I've seen so far any car that they take in is well looked after and leaves with amazing workmanship done to it.

                      Cheers for now

                      Jim

                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfbOPGjpjcM
                      looks really good

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        You know what we're all going to ask Rockape... how much?
                        Not actually in the least bit fat

                        2000 S50 Titanium Silver / Black
                        ACS Suspension, Exhaust & Type III Wheels
                        Simota carbon air intake | Strong Strut Front Brace

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Fat Tony View Post
                          You know what we're all going to ask Rockape... how much?
                          Hi Tony

                          Just the installation has cost £3,000 + £550 for the kit. I've also had the brakes totally stripped, powder coated and rebuilt with new parts. Upgraded the disks and had braided hoses fitted. The wheels have had similar treatment and are now chrome shadow. This is extra and and another £1,500+
                          The problem I'm/Redish Motorsport are having now is that I wanted to keep as much as possible original and this included the OME exhaust. James Redish contracted a third party and did a detailed video to explain to Longlife Exhausts in Bristol what was required but they have totally balls it up. Follow the link below to see the extent of the mess they made. Longlife have washed their hands of us and we're now having to pick up the pieces. I've heard good things about Longlife but as far as I'm concerned they are a bunch of cowboys!
                          James is now in the process of fabricating another exhaust he bought himself to fit around the new e46 diff cover. I'm still waiting to see what's been done.

                          https://youtu.be/mNhK9wdb-c0

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Jesus that is laughable it is that bad. How did they think the temporary position the exhaust was held was the position you / Redish wanted it.

                            If the pipe angle into the rear muffler has to be altered that actually isn't that easy a job.

                            You will have three parts with one rotary weld that you need to seperate:

                            1) underfloor pipe
                            2) muffler inlet end plate
                            3) muffler inlet perforated pipe

                            This is quite difficult to do a nice job, because the rotary weld joins all three together. Cutting the weld and then lots of grinding with a 'whizzy wheel' to seperate the three components. Sad!

                            Then you need to have a pipe bender with a very tight radius to get a better insertion angle to get the clearance you want. Then you would have multiple butt welds (tig) to get the underfloor pipe matched up as you won't have the clamp length (straight)the tube bender needs to bend tight radius. The likes of these clowns are not good at doing nice tig welds. When the video said it had been done in three hours I laughed, awaiting the inevitable lash up. SORRY! I have to say it was worse than I was expecting though.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              That all assumes that the pipe position isn't fundamentally in the wrong place. And by wrong place I mean the diff ears being right in front of the muffler inlet. If that's the case it is new muffler time really.

                              This little modification might look easy to someone who doesn't work with exhausts, but it rarely is that straight forward! Although that being said, Jesus, they couldn't have done a worse job.

                              Comment

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