We haven't discussed this issue in a while, but this message never gets old. Be safe out there, fellas. I haven't been under my car for any significant work in a while, but I am now about to undertake some serious work to my 1989 325ix: the automatic transmission failed (275K) on Thanksgiving Day. I have been debating my options, and the bottom line is that the auto tranny or the transfer case (which is good), at the very least, has to come out, regardless.
Since I don't have a lift, I will be doing this work under the car. Anyone who doesn't recognize that this is dangerous work is just ignorant, or not paying attention. You may recall a series of posts here last year after the tragic death of a local young man, Christian Klorczyk.
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/03/time-out-public-service-safety-message.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/03/time-out-public-service-safety-message_23.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/03/jackstand-safety.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/03/jackstand-safety-ii.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/04/another-avoidable-tragedy.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/04/video-falling-jack-stands.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/04/surprise-are-ratchetting-jack-stands.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/04/jack-stand-safety-iv.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/04/safety-first-safety-last-safety-always.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/04/texas-man-killed-under-car-lift.html
So, you know where I stand: safety first, safety last, safety always. I have taken a cue from bimmerforums member 'potenza' in preparing for this tranny work. I am in his debt for the pics of the homemade wooden stands he built for his car. Here are some pics of the set up I have built in preparation for working under the car to remove the tranny/transfer case on my 1989 325ix. I built the wood stands yesterday, and lifted the car onto them this afternoon. I apologize for the poor pic quality... I took these pics late in the day with my iphone. The rear wheels are supported on six (6) 2"x10"x24" slabs, nailed and screwed together, with a 2x12x24 base, and 2x8 or 10 chocks screwed to the base. The rear wheels cannot move. The rear wheels are therefore about 10 1/2" off the ground.
The front wheels are supported on steel ramps of approximately equal height to the rear supports. The front wheels cannot move forward, but they can move backward.... although the rear wheels cannot move at all. I may yet build a second set of stands with built-in wheel chocks for the front wheels, similar to what is now suppporting the rear wheels. Again, I apologize for the lousy pic quality.
Since I am not working on any wheels, this set up seems to work fairly well for my purposes. It is solid, and it would take a lot of torque (more than I am capable of, I am sure) to move the car off its perch. I will probably still add some redundant support with jack stands, etc., just in case.
Since I don't have a lift, I will be doing this work under the car. Anyone who doesn't recognize that this is dangerous work is just ignorant, or not paying attention. You may recall a series of posts here last year after the tragic death of a local young man, Christian Klorczyk.
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/03/time-out-public-service-safety-message.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/03/time-out-public-service-safety-message_23.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/03/jackstand-safety.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/03/jackstand-safety-ii.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/04/another-avoidable-tragedy.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/04/video-falling-jack-stands.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/04/surprise-are-ratchetting-jack-stands.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/04/jack-stand-safety-iv.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/04/safety-first-safety-last-safety-always.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/04/texas-man-killed-under-car-lift.html
So, you know where I stand: safety first, safety last, safety always. I have taken a cue from bimmerforums member 'potenza' in preparing for this tranny work. I am in his debt for the pics of the homemade wooden stands he built for his car. Here are some pics of the set up I have built in preparation for working under the car to remove the tranny/transfer case on my 1989 325ix. I built the wood stands yesterday, and lifted the car onto them this afternoon. I apologize for the poor pic quality... I took these pics late in the day with my iphone. The rear wheels are supported on six (6) 2"x10"x24" slabs, nailed and screwed together, with a 2x12x24 base, and 2x8 or 10 chocks screwed to the base. The rear wheels cannot move. The rear wheels are therefore about 10 1/2" off the ground.
The front wheels are supported on steel ramps of approximately equal height to the rear supports. The front wheels cannot move forward, but they can move backward.... although the rear wheels cannot move at all. I may yet build a second set of stands with built-in wheel chocks for the front wheels, similar to what is now suppporting the rear wheels. Again, I apologize for the lousy pic quality.
Since I am not working on any wheels, this set up seems to work fairly well for my purposes. It is solid, and it would take a lot of torque (more than I am capable of, I am sure) to move the car off its perch. I will probably still add some redundant support with jack stands, etc., just in case.
I offer this in memory of Christian Klorczyk.
I am also indebted to his father, Frederick, for his committment to safety for all of us, and to 'potenza' for his pics of the homemade wooden stands which I used to make mine. Be safe out there, fellas. It can happen to you. Trust me on this. Read the links above if you don't think so.
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