Bird-strike and a very close call

    Whizzing down the A3 this morning I saw a quick flash of a low-flying pigeon and a loud bonk. A later look at the car saw the lower spoiler had taken the hit and had popped off the metal brace that stopped it from sagging in the middle. When I bought the car I saw that the spoiler had a split underneath - so the garage fitted the brace - obviously not man enough for the job!

    So, I popped down the local builders merchants and found the perfect thing - a pressed-metal thing that is normally used for joining, er, joists. Jacked up the car on one side, axle stand under and used a few screws to stick it on:


    That's not coming off in a hurry!

    While the car was up on the axle-stand I though about lubricating the shift-cable, I needed the car a bit higher so I started pumping and then the whole car shifted on the jack and nearly slipped off it which would have taken out the side skirt at the very least. This photo shows what happened to the jacking pad above the jack - it had curled up and half fallen off:



    I couldn't work out what caused it, until I pulled the jack out. I had put the jack on a lump of wood to spread the load - and the front wheels of the jack had sunk into it and that stopped the jack moving with the car. I won't do that again!

    Yep - it's annoying that a trolley jack and the car move in diverging arcs when jacking.
    I use the car's own jack more often than not.
    As tyre change jacks go it's brilliant - locates very securely, operates smoothly and gives good lift - just have to remember to chock the wheels on the other side.
    For longer tasks I then put axle stands under the pads.

    There was a US company which sold specially made stainless-steel jacking 'rods' for the 8. These locate in the holes in the side sill and have a round pad to fit in the lifting cup of the jack.

    By the way, Tim, the front spoiler should have a rubbing strip that goes all the ay around the bottom edge.. Maybe then the plate is not required?

    When I had my '97's front-end re-built, it had the rubber strip fitted - it lasted one week before it was ripped off by a road-hump. Just look at the damage on the spoiler - there's no way the rubber strip would last:



    Our UK roads means that the rubber strip will stay in the garage, it wouldn't last long on the car! The metal plate stops the spoiler bending, it has a crack nearly all the way through right in the centre (it looks OK from the top fortunately).


    I remember seeing those metal rods, that sounds like a good plan.

    Zitat von arnie;92208

    There was a US company which sold specially made stainless-steel jacking 'rods' for the 8. These locate in the holes in the side sill and have a round pad to fit in the lifting cup of the jack.

    By the way, Tim, the front spoiler should have a rubbing strip that goes all the ay around the bottom edge.. Maybe then the plate is not required?



    The jack tool is from a company called Strong Strut. Paul runs the company, and is a big supporter of the e31 community here in the US. In addition to the jacking tool, he also has a Strong Strut specifically made for the e31, and it it superbly made. You don't want to use one of the jacking tools for other BMW models, as they are not really strong enough to hold the weight of the e31 - I have known of the e36 one sold elsewhere bending when holding the weight of an e31.


    Here is the link: http://www.strong-strut.com/jacktool.html

    BMW 850 CSi
    BMW 8er.org Clubs International (B8CI) Board Representative, USA and North America
    Editor, E31 NEWS International E31 Newsletter

    http://www.strong-strut.com/jacktool.html

    Yes, they are the ones. Bought 2 some years ago, and was looking at getting another couple. The round boss fits precisely into the lifing cup of 2-ton jacks commonly found the UK. Very secure.


    Timm, I see what you meem about spoiler damage. My car didn't have the rubbing strip, which had gone with its previous owner. I have bought a replacment, but, yes, road-humps and ramps are a major issue with this car.

    Yes, that's no problem for a drawing. No sure, though, exactly what grade of stainless they are made from. .... and although they are claimed to be stronger than others, mine did get very, very, slighly bent when lifting the 850. but perhaps they've settled now, as I've not seen and increase in the bending from further use.

    Like their advert says, carbon steel might be too soft, but I think the ultimate would be if they were cold-forged from chrome-vanadium steel.

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