Sponsored by The Tire Rack

[Afam28]

Originally Posted by thez99

If you’re keeping the car awhile I’d go new unless you can find a good furbished one from a reputable seller. Don’t go buy one off eBay or something.

Also you’re def going to get a better deal getting one from a distributor versus straight from bmw. OE bmw subframe will likely be about $1450

Sheesh...
Oh and the hits just keep on coming...
I have a bent front left wheel(slightly bent, but bent is bent to me, I don't know if that would cause vibration in the wheel)

I'm currently overlooking the entire suspension...

[thez99]

Um..hmm

Ok so you did say the vibs went away with the new tires yes?

I mean technically if your wheel is bent, you may or may not feel it in the steering wheel, but you said your old tires will fairly heavily worn so that's prob why you did and don't now. If it's a stock wheel, good thing is it can be replaced.

Again, do you have confirmation there is an actual issue with your subframe? Cracks, something popped.. I mean I'm not that well versed on wtf could happen to make a subframe actually fail..

A new wheel would def undersell the fuck out of a new subframe thou

[Afam28]

Originally Posted by thez99

Um..hmm

Ok so you did say the vibs went away with the new tires yes?

I mean technically if your wheel is bent, you may or may not feel it in the steering wheel, but you said your old tires will fairly heavily worn so that's prob why you did and don't now. If it's a stock wheel, good thing is it can be replaced.

Again, do you have confirmation there is an actual issue with your subframe? Cracks, something popped.. I mean I'm not that well versed on wtf could happen to make a subframe actually fail..

A new wheel would def undersell the fuck out of a new subframe thou

Confirmation

[Afam28]

Originally Posted by Afam28

Confirmation

Crack is on the passenger side...
Willing to bet it's been cracked since before I bought it...
I didn't get an alignment until after i got my coilivers and "M" parts put on...(wish i would have checked the underbody more thoroughly)
The alignment reports show my castor was off before and after my first alignment and I don't think arms and coilovers will throw castor off that much...

Thoughts?

[iminhell1]

Originally Posted by Afam28

Yeah...
I'm done with the old shop...
Just went to a reputable suspension Indy...
They work on modified cars predominantly...
The guy told me to look into a traction bar...
He also said that my subframe may have shifted somehow...

I'd like more on that part.

[Afam28]

Originally Posted by iminhell1

I'd like more on that part.

The reason he mentioned a traction bar is because he said that he has seen many bmw's come In with similar issues...
He said something as small as hitting a pothole can cause a shift in the subframe...
I guess the traction bar is supposed to keep the subframe from shift and if it is already shift. Get it back to be as straight as possible...
I dont know if it would help if the subframe was bent though...

[Afam28]

New subframe in...
Still alignment problems...

[iminhell1]

Originally Posted by Afam28

The reason he mentioned a traction bar is because he said that he has seen many bmw's come In with similar issues...
He said something as small as hitting a pothole can cause a shift in the subframe...
I guess the traction bar is supposed to keep the subframe from shift and if it is already shift. Get it back to be as straight as possible...
I dont know if it would help if the subframe was bent though...

You do what you want. I'd find a guy with a brain. I've found quite frequently that the mechanic/shop owner/anyone in general that is overzealous with numbers/claims is generally lying and really has no clue what they are talking about. So where does many fall in terms of numbers, more than a few, a bunch, a shitload? If he'd said 'Oh I've seen it happen once or twice'. I'd be more apt to believe his claim. The "traction bar", LOL.
And lets face it, the car has been at 2 alignment shops and both missed the subframe being broke. And the one wanting to sell you something that doesn't exist is the one who also told you 'oh ya I noticed that, forgot to tell you'.
I may be too harsh on them. But only to make you think a bit more.



But you're alignment (caster) is not half as bad as it was to begin with, and you did fix a serious problem.
Question that remains now is how the subframe cracked and if anything else too a hit as well (what else could be bent)?
It's really looking like the car seen some major impact with a crater or was hit on that side ... is a frame horn bent, or both horns bent slightly?

Have you run a carfax on the car? Or know any other history of it?
I'm kinda curious if there's something in it's past that could help give more direction at a cheap price vs throwing more parts at it; which really is the point you've now come to.



But important thing, how does it drive and has the drive improved?

[Afam28]

Originally Posted by iminhell1

You do what you want. I'd find a guy with a brain. I've found quite frequently that the mechanic/shop owner/anyone in general that is overzealous with numbers/claims is generally lying and really has no clue what they are talking about. So where does many fall in terms of numbers, more than a few, a bunch, a shitload? If he'd said 'Oh I've seen it happen once or twice'. I'd be more apt to believe his claim. The "traction bar", LOL.
And lets face it, the car has been at 2 alignment shops and both missed the subframe being broke. And the one wanting to sell you something that doesn't exist is the one who also told you 'oh ya I noticed that, forgot to tell you'.
I may be too harsh on them. But only to make you think a bit more.



But you're alignment (caster) is not half as bad as it was to begin with, and you did fix a serious problem.
Question that remains now is how the subframe cracked and if anything else too a hit as well (what else could be bent)?
It's really looking like the car seen some major impact with a crater or was hit on that side ... is a frame horn bent, or both horns bent slightly?

Have you run a carfax on the car? Or know any other history of it?
I'm kinda curious if there's something in it's past that could help give more direction at a cheap price vs throwing more parts at it; which really is the point you've now come to.



But important thing, how does it drive and has the drive improved?

The car drives superb now...
Tracks straight, no shake, smooth feel in the steering wheel
Much better than it did before...
Which is the reason I'm not complaining too much...

The shop that initially "forgot" to tell me about my subframe issues has since apologized...(this shop only does mechanical work for me when needed)
I had a deductible that I had to pay and they covered the deductible so i didn't pay anything out of pocket...
Given there history with me and servicing my vehicle, I can allow some human error...

Now the shop that did my alignment, no excuses, i went to them again this time... (btw, this shop only did alignment work when needed)
I needed a quick alignment because the car was in need of an alignment ASAP after the subframe install...
Am i happy with the results of my alignment done, yes and no, have already begun to find a shop(reputable) in Maryland that actually knows how to align cars with aftermarket suspension components...

As for the car fax, will check on it again...
Maybe I missed something...
Or maybe something wasn't reported...