<E36> Tech Bulletin - Tralining Arm Failures

[Kennedy Simon <Kennedy.Simon@xxxxxxx>]

Folks-

I pulled this off the club racing page last night; it's been discussed
before, but I've never seen such a clear description of the proposed fix, so
I thought it was worth passing on.  I'll be getting my car welded soon.

Simon Kennedy
'95 M3
BMWCCA CLUB RACING TECH BULLETIN 01-98
E36 M3 Trailing Arm Mounting Pad Failures     Issue date: 5/98
ISSUED BY: MICHAEL YASKIN, NATIONAL CHIEF SCRUTINEER
PHONE: (610)277-6037
FAX: (610)277-6039
E-MAIL: BAVSPEC@domain.elided <mailto:BAVSPEC@domain.elided>

Upon inspection of several E36 M3 race cars we have found the trailing arm
mounting plate, also called the toe adjuster plate mounting pad, to have
FAILED. The plate is fastened to the body with three 18 mm head bolts, the
bolts thread into a threaded tube, the tube is tack welded in two or three
spots around the outer circumference to the body , these welds crack and
then PULL OUT OF THE BODY .

We recommend at minimum the following preventive measure be taken. A good,
solid, 360 degree weld on all six tube inserts should provide sufficient
reinforcement. This must be done by a skilled welder with mig or preferably
tig welding equipment. It should be noted this is much easier to repair as a
preventive measure than after the pad tears out of the body. 

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