Real OEM can't find the part

[Kibokojoe]

Been looking on RealOEM and cant seem to find a part. The best I can describe it is: Its the part that snaps onto the bowden cable (12) and attaches the bowden cable to the interior door opening handle. I found the bowden cable here

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD13&mospid=47408&btnr=41_0731&hg=41&fg=40

But can't find this little plastic/rubber washer/grommet. Does anyone know where I can find one of these jewels?

[shogun]

# 8 grommet?
Dealer item only.

[Kibokojoe]

Sounds like it time to fire up the lathe

[shogun]

That part is made of plastic, costs only a few Cents.
I replaced them some months ago, because the connecting rod always slipped out of that grommet.

[Kibokojoe]

Yes I can machine them out of acetal delrin. This is a plastic that is really great for machining. I have already made enough to replace in all of the doors. Took me about 20 minutes. Saved me a trip to the dealer who is on the other side of town. They wanted $10 bucks just for the window bushing I can only imagine what they want for a #8 grommet. Seems both of the BMW dealer here in town charge about twice what everybody else is paying. On a good note Found a window bushing on ebay got it for $3.00 including shipping. Installed the bushing on Friday and adjusted the window. It is working perfectly now. Thanks for your help

[shogun]

Congrats.
Nice to have the possibility to machine something out of delrin.
Do you think you can also machine parts for the LAD repair?
http://bmwe32.masscom.net/gavin/LAD_strut_rebuild.htm

I believe you could produce them in a small series as a set and sell them to E34 Touring owners and many E32 iL owners, all E32 iL have LAD.
You cust could offer them on Bimmerboard.com E32 forum or here on the 7 series forum.
Some more info
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/277482/
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/277608/
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/277482

Just get a damaged one and reproduce it. I would be your first customer or even would test it as guinea pig on one of my 750

[Kibokojoe]

What parts are you looking for? Most of my machining stays on the small end. 1 inch or less. Delrin can get expensive once you get abovethe 1 inch diameter range.

Right now I have a business making and selling starter and horn buttons for 1970 through 1985 Yamaha and Kawasaki motorcycles.

http://www.freewebs.com/kibokojoe/buttoninstallation.htm

Its not a lot of money but it takes the family out once a month for dinner and a movie.

[shogun]

Very nice made your homepage for the replacement horn buttons.

I have selected one rear LAD shock from my car built in 11/88, these shocks were in all E32 models with LAD, that means mainly iL = the longer version, which have been sold a lot in USA.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partxref.do?part=37121137025&showus=on&showeur=on
From the link to Johan's page you can see that the parts are not that big.

Then came this p/n 37121137671
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partxref.do?part=37121137671&showus=on&showeur=on

Also the E34 Touring has LAD, here the left one 37121138787
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partxref.do?part=37121138787&showus=on

I am not sure if all the innards are the same, that you would have to check.
Or try to get some as sample from a boneyard or from one of the members at Bimmerboard.com E32 and E34 forum and here also for the E34 Touring.

If you can produce these and they fit snug and do not leak, the people can save abt. 350-500 $ per shock (new price, depending on where they buy the shock.

Same is with the hydraulic brake booster unit for early E32 735 (later they got vaccum operated brake boosters), and all E32 750.
The brake booster start to leak and they are very expensive. Same situation is for the E31 8 series.
If you type in the search on the E32 board you get this
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/307081/
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/294676/
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/294805/
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/294697/
Here you can see all parts
http://bmwe32.masscom.net/maxf_website/h31_breakdown.htm
http://bmwe32.masscom.net/maxf_website/booster.htm
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/159412/


Someone in Germany has now made the inner part from metal (not absolutely necessary), and I am one of the 10 selected persons to get one set for modification for testing. Here are the parts
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/309073/
They are in the airmail to me and probably within this week I will get them.

So a lot of ideas for you to make business. Try to get samples and try to get them remanufactured.
How important that is and worldwide discussed on the boards you can see from this thread on the German board, almost 11.000 hits and 160 answers
http://www.7-forum.com/forum/showthread.html?t=32188&highlight=BKV
Even if you cannot read/understand German, go thru the posts and see for the pics.