08-10-2019, 03:02 PM | #1 |
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How to fix body creaks
Even with the 19" all-season RFTs, the M40i is stiffly sprung (and that's why we love it). Add the lousy pavement we in Boston call "roads" and every trip is sure to flex the doors and hatch against the body seals. If those seals are dry you get nasty creaking over even small bumps, like raised manhole covers.
I'd been living with this until today. I used some magic that I learned when I had a 2002 Honda S2000. Buried deep in the owner's manual was the tip to lightly lube the convertible top mechanism with Shin-Etsu grease. I bought a tube in 2002 which I used to silence the top in the very stiff S2000. I thought it might work in the M40i -- and it was a success. Clearly, it's all in my mind but without the body creaking accompanying every flex the M40i feels more taut and less crash-y. Noise is one cue the car sends -- in this case a sensation that the car is too stiff (which is really isn't). Eliminate the creaking and it feels like a different car. My tube of Shin-Estu grease is the one I bought in 2002. IOW, you don't need much. For the four doors and hatch, I used no more than two toothbrush-sized squeezes. Just use your pointer and thumb and run the very least amount of Shin-Etsu you can get onto your finger along the door seals. Be sure to keep the grease off the door panels and the door seal seams. If you do it right, there's no tell-tale white grease streaks anywhere. The door seals "absorb" the grease. Believe it or not, you can still get the original Honda part on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Honda.../dp/B00GD49GTS. Best under $20 tip I can think of.
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MY18 X3 30i:
Produced: 2018-03-15; Delivered: 2018-03-29 MY19 X3 M40i: Produced: 2018-08-15; Delivered 2018-08-22 |
08-10-2019, 06:23 PM | #2 | |
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08-19-2019, 04:55 PM | #3 |
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BMW dealership recommends a product called "door ease" for lubricating weather seals. Gummi Pflege is also another rebranded BMW product used for lubricating.
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08-21-2019, 04:49 PM | #4 |
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Part numbers?
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MY18 X3 30i:
Produced: 2018-03-15; Delivered: 2018-03-29 MY19 X3 M40i: Produced: 2018-08-15; Delivered 2018-08-22 |
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08-21-2019, 06:29 PM | #5 |
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08-24-2019, 07:24 AM | #6 | |
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I know, a bunch of questions. Just want to make sure I do it right and get the same results you got. Thanks! |
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08-24-2019, 07:55 AM | #7 | ||
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I can't emphasize enough how little grease I use — no more thank a drop or two on the tip of my index finger per door. It's less than a drop of toothpaste you'd put on a small child's toothbrush. A little goes a long way and keeps the doors from accumulating greasy spots. I don't treat the felt seals. Good luck.
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MY18 X3 30i:
Produced: 2018-03-15; Delivered: 2018-03-29 MY19 X3 M40i: Produced: 2018-08-15; Delivered 2018-08-22 |
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08-24-2019, 09:08 AM | #8 |
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Thanks to this thread, I bought some of the Shin-Etsy grease and used it on my E89 Z4. The convertible hardtop was always creaking and moaning and made top up driving somewhat annoying. Put the grease on all the seals and joints and no more noises! This stuff is magic.
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