Reply to Thread

Bingo, your right. One small piece of aluminum (m)

It boxes in the back side of the front diff mounting bracket. Dinan says 11.2 hours for install. According to Dinan the diff has to be removed as well as the subframe from the car. There must be an easier/better way to do this. I would think it could be done with just the diff removed and some shielding to keep heat away from the fuel tank.

Installation Directions

Greek gypsy installation with JB weld! lol

Andreas
Queens NY
BMWCCA# 186796
86 325es (wrecked by careless driver)
87 325 (project for life)
00 540is 6spd (daily driver)

You never cease to amaze me Jim

Great pic. I wonder if its a gusset on one side or if it boxes the 2 existing gussets to strengthen them. I'll bet it's a piece of stamped aluminum for $59 bucks!
Vin
98 540 Sport with everything & extra hots
BMW CCA, Boston Chapter
"The 540 is the head-case supermodel girlfriend..." Eric S.
"The worst thing you could do with your money is save it." ~ Jackie Gleason
If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough. Mario Andretti
The United States is a nation of laws: poorly written and randomly enforced. - Frank Zappa

It's on another board members M5 now (m)

Here's all I have of it, just the pic. I wonder if it's just some gusset plates welded to the front mounting bracket to keep it from twisting?
I'll call Dinan and see if they will tell me anything.
It can't be that much of a bracket for Dinan to be selling it for $59, hell I'm surprised they even answer the phone for that.

Here's the info Jim

Dinan developed it for their Supercharged M5's. It reinforces the front pinion mount of the diff to the subframe. Apparently they were seeing distortion there on the M5's. That's one of the reasons they wanted to do all the S3 M5's at their shop in California.

I've never seen the bracket. I guess it's simple, but it requires TIG welding to the subframe. I wish you still had that spare subframe so we could do a mock-up.

Here's the Dinan description but still no picture of it:
http://www.dinancars.com/shop/D170-0...it.aspx#page=4
Vin
98 540 Sport with everything & extra hots
BMW CCA, Boston Chapter
"The 540 is the head-case supermodel girlfriend..." Eric S.
"The worst thing you could do with your money is save it." ~ Jackie Gleason
If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough. Mario Andretti
The United States is a nation of laws: poorly written and randomly enforced. - Frank Zappa

Vin, 4got ask U about the diff stiffener bracket (

Got any info on it? What prompted this, some problems with the diff mounts being distorted and the diff moving? If Dan isn't going to charge 2 arms and 2 legs for one I might be interested.

I can even powder coat them

"Drive It Like You Stole It, A Sickness for Quickness"
The Bottle Rocket "King of Spray" 2 Stage Nitrous Oxide
Dare to be different and stand out among the crowd of me-to-cars!
No guts, no glory! Tire smoke, not traction control!
Zionsville all aluminum radiator to replace the 3 leak prone Nissens Radiators!

NOS Progressive 2 Stage Controller with port injection
Snow's Performance Methanol/Water Injection
Dinan downloads, VAC Under Drive Pulleys
Dinan Carbon Fiber CAI
Dinan Front Strut Bar
Electric Cooling Fan w/PWM controller
NGK Iridium Plugs
DDE Enhanced Angel Eyes, Smoked Lenses
Koni FSD's/H&R Springs, BAV Brass Caliper Bushings
Eisenmann Race Exhaust (from H8-Rain's car)
///M5 3.15 LSD
///M5 Sway Bars, Front & Rear
Energy Suspension Polyurethane Sway Bar Bushings
///M5 Gauge Cluster Rings ///M5 Lip Spoiler
///M5 Mirrors and Switches
Leather Z weighted shift knob (thanks H8-Rain)
Rogue “Octane” Short Shift kit w/WSR
Rogue Tranny Mounts
StopTech Brake Lines Front & Rear
Axxis Deluxe Plus pads Front & Rear
Staggered M Parallel 66, Xenons
Modified CDV, UGDO
Euro Storage Tray (thanks Zombywolf)
Redline in Diff and Tranny
Passport 8500 X50, Escort ZR3 Laser Jammer
G-Tech/Competition Pro Data Logger
Auto Enginuity OBD-II Scan Tool
25% Tint, X-Pel, LoJack
PIAA Driving Lights
BMW CCA Member Boston Chapter

I was thinking about this recently. Lets do it.

We should make up a bunch of brackets. I'm interested too and I'm sure Dan in NH would give us a hand fitting them on his lift. He's working on a diff stiffener bracket as well (for the 450+hp E39's).

I still have that diagram Steve drew out for us. He said that the deflection was enough to ruin the feel even with the camber plates and specific alignment. That's what led him to work on it.
Vin
98 540 Sport with everything & extra hots
BMW CCA, Boston Chapter
"The 540 is the head-case supermodel girlfriend..." Eric S.
"The worst thing you could do with your money is save it." ~ Jackie Gleason
If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough. Mario Andretti
The United States is a nation of laws: poorly written and randomly enforced. - Frank Zappa

Making the bracket should be easy, the hard part(m

will be attaching it to the top part of the frame. The frame will need to be drilled and then probably tapped. BMW540san can get a peak at the space available to do the work in much easier than the rest of us floor jack guys to determine how much of a problem it's going to be to do the drilling and tapping.

Re: A 540 with the feel of rack and pinion steering (m

Interesting. Next time I have the 540 on the lift, I'll look and try to see what he's talking about.



1998 BMW 540i 6 speed
Arctic silver, M sport suspension (euro delivery), prod. date 05/98, non VANOS
Staggered 18" style 32 OEM wheels
3.15 open differential
Remus exhaust
AFE CAI with improved heat shield
Z3 shifter
VDO oil pressure and temperature gauges in place of headlight/fog switches
Powder coated valve covers-satin black
CDV delete
Debadged
AEA DRL module (aftermarket daytime running lights)

1997 BMW 528iA
Alpine white, premium package, prod. date 04/97, single VANOS
Staggered 17" style 32 OEM wheels
Debadged
AEA DRL module
Custom made sun blinds for rear seating area

2000 Nissan Frontier Desert Runner, AKA "The Work Horse"

Garage aids:
Direct Lift Pro Park 8
Campbell Hausfeld 28 gallon oil lubricated air compressor
Newair ACP-1400H portable air conditioner and heater
Auto Enginuity scan tool with BMW enhanced option
Actron 9135 scan tool-for quick readouts

Make me one too!!! :)

seriously though if its easy enough to fabricate more than one, put me down for one.


Andreas
Queens NY
BMWCCA# 186796
86 325es (wrecked by careless driver)
87 325 (project for life)
00 540is 6spd (daily driver)

Re: Rack and pinion is superior, the best way to

When I switch between a 540 and 528 I find the 540 "dead" and "numb" by comparison, not that the 540 is twitchy or wanders. Of course RB steering boxes can wear on center so that can happen too - I thought I read about a nut/bolt which can be tightened to take up some slack. Perhaps that was on E34s? Don't forget the influence of center link, pitman arm, idler arm bushing/ball joint wear to on-center stability too.

I find the R&P system more reactive and far more communicative to the driver about what's going on down at the wheels. I'm glad that they've included R&P across the entire 5er platform after the E39. It's too bad they couldn't have managed it in time for the E39.

A 540 with the feel of rack and pinion steering (m

Last time Steve Dinan was here 540sport and I talked to him about our cars. He mentioned he had a fix for the 540 steering that made it feel just like R&P steering. He proposed it to BMW NA, it was rejected because of the labor involved to do it.
The steering box is mounted to the frame with bolts on the lower side of the box. According to Steve the box can twist slightly to the pass side, which will effect steering. His fix is to make a bracket, secure it to the top of the box and the frame, which will keep the box stable and steering precise.
I'm thinking about doing it this winter and will let you know the outcome.

Re: Rack and pinion is superior, the best way to

I agree. Our other car is a 2002 530i 5/spd M Sport. I much prefer the steering feel and turn-in with the rack and would also agree that my 540iT is a little more "twitchy and sensitive" on center. Now if we had a 540 with the rack and opinion .........

Oh man...I got my 540 out this weekend turned

off the traction control and had a blast!! I did forget that the hankooks need a little warming up when very cold and got a great drift out of them. But just apply more power and enjoy the slide!!

My son is always ragging me about the way I drive the 540. I just tell him the care is well taken care of and I insist on driving it the way it was designed to be driven.

On another note from our wonderful local BMW Dealer.

My son just got an 06 E90 330i sport pkg car with 6 speed and his mother got an 06 525 premiun pkg. Both CPO cars.

2 days off the lot (not the dealer lot), check engine light came on, airbag light came on. They kept the car 4 days and said they ordered the wrong part for the seatbelt and that the emission problem would not be handled under warranty because it was an evap hose and not the evap moduel and told her the repair would be 450.00 for the emissions problem and the airbag light would be repaired under cpo. We asked bryan how much for the evap line and bought it for 28.00. Bottom line is that we repaired the car in less than an hr and the cost of the part was 28.00.

So see how much can be saved on one small item for all those out there afraid to tackle it themselves.

And shame on BMW of Chattanooga So even if the retail price of 83.00 was charged by the dealer and 1 hr of labor at 120.00 should have made the bill 203.00 not 450.00!!

Drive em like you stole em and your hair is on fire!!

Michael
00 540 sport 6 speed 153,000 miles

Rack and pinion is superior, the best way to

describe recirculating ball compared to it is that it almost feels twitcy and nervous. It just doesn't have that direct feeling, IMO.



1998 BMW 540i 6 speed
Arctic silver, M sport suspension (euro delivery), prod. date 05/98, non VANOS
Staggered 18" style 32 OEM wheels
3.15 open differential
Remus exhaust
AFE CAI with improved heat shield
Z3 shifter
VDO oil pressure and temperature gauges in place of headlight/fog switches
Powder coated valve covers-satin black
CDV delete
Debadged
AEA DRL module (aftermarket daytime running lights)

1997 BMW 528iA
Alpine white, premium package, prod. date 04/97, single VANOS
Staggered 17" style 32 OEM wheels
Debadged
AEA DRL module
Custom made sun blinds for rear seating area

2000 Nissan Frontier Desert Runner, AKA "The Work Horse"

Garage aids:
Direct Lift Pro Park 8
Campbell Hausfeld 28 gallon oil lubricated air compressor
Newair ACP-1400H portable air conditioner and heater
Auto Enginuity scan tool with BMW enhanced option
Actron 9135 scan tool-for quick readouts

Thanks for the clarification. BTW, what is your..

What is your impression of the difference between the steering of your 529 (Rack and Pinion) and your 540 (Recirculating Ball.) Do you prefer one over the other?

Steve, I agree with you on that. I don't drive 3-5

k rpm all the time. Since I drive it on weekends mostly, I do more of spirited driving. 3.15 diff, non vanos M62 and 6 speed are match made in heaven. M62 non vanos loves 3-5k rpms, period.

Yours M62TU has more torque at lower rpms and has a smoother torque band. I'm talking about people who do a lot of short runs and never get to operating temp and they simply don't realize of importance of running higher rpms every now a then.



1998 BMW 540i 6 speed
Arctic silver, M sport suspension (euro delivery), prod. date 05/98, non VANOS
Staggered 18" style 32 OEM wheels
3.15 open differential
Remus exhaust
AFE CAI with improved heat shield
Z3 shifter
VDO oil pressure and temperature gauges in place of headlight/fog switches
Powder coated valve covers-satin black
CDV delete
Debadged
AEA DRL module (aftermarket daytime running lights)

1997 BMW 528iA
Alpine white, premium package, prod. date 04/97, single VANOS
Staggered 17" style 32 OEM wheels
Debadged
AEA DRL module
Custom made sun blinds for rear seating area

2000 Nissan Frontier Desert Runner, AKA "The Work Horse"

Garage aids:
Direct Lift Pro Park 8
Campbell Hausfeld 28 gallon oil lubricated air compressor
Newair ACP-1400H portable air conditioner and heater
Auto Enginuity scan tool with BMW enhanced option
Actron 9135 scan tool-for quick readouts

Ah ... so that's what you guys look like ;-)

Seriously though ... my car sees 4-5k all the time right before shifts, but I don't "cruise around" town at 50-60mph in 3rd gear, do you?

I usually find a top gear that keeps the rpm's around 2-2.5 while cruising (meaning while maintaining a constant speed in traffic). The PO always went to 6th gear during out first test drive no matter what, even in that 40-50mph range. I thought it dogged the car too much

I rarely shift into 6th gear around town ... 4th or 5th gear tops

What rpm range do you all use to "cruise" your manually equipped cars around town?


Michael in MD
CCA #442539

2003 540i 6-speed M-Sport
Sterling Gray / Black
Cold weather package
Window shades

35% 3M Tint

ASA 17" AR1's Black w/ Machined lip
Pirelli 210 Zero winter wheel & tire package

CDV Deleted
All fluids replaced @ 37k

[Grinning from ear to ear]

Re: About the M62/M62TU problems

I may be wrong, but it is easier to drive in the RPM range you mention with your 6-speed manual than with a steptronic auto. With my 540iA, the transmission shifts so right most of the time and the torque is so good that I am not inclined to put it in sport mode and wind it up. With about 250k on two 540iA's, I have had zero engine-related problems while keeping the RPMs in the 2500 to 3000 range most of the time. So, your correlation between revving it up and lower maintenance issues has not been my experience.

I don't think you need to wind up a 540 to get the enjoyment out of its refinement, power/torque, handling, braking, and overall road feel. It is more fun to drive at any speed or driving style than a Camry or other family sized econobox.

When I had a 528 with a 5 speed manual, I drove it like you are describing. With an automatic, my driving habits have changed. That said, I would love to have a manual transmission again. My next car will have a clutch or I will keep my 540 and get a "weekend" car.