Rear Sway Bar Mount Reinforcement

[vinceg101]

Well I got to enjoy my M5 sway bars for one spirited weekend drive. Turns out I popped the passenger side rear mount right off the frame (cleanly luckily, just those four lousy little spot welds gave way). So I have two questions/requests:

1. I have read and will implement ShawnD's reinforcement upgrade as illustrated here:
http://home.mindspring.com/~scrappycrow ... acket.html
But I need to find someone competent with welding that can fabricate these. I've already contacted Shawn and he can't. Anyone either know someone here in LA (or anywhere for that matter) that can do this or if they themselves are a good welder? I'll supply all the materials necessary. Then I just have to find a welder to install them (again another request I guess).

2. Related to the first question: If I keep my driving tame and civilized, how bad is it to remove the rear sway bar altogether until I get these mounts installed? I know there will be quite a bit of understeer, but with mild driving it should be manageable, correct? Reason being that the bar is kind of banging around under there and I don't want to break off the other mount just yet.

Thanks in advance.

[Shawn D.]

2. Related to the first question: If I keep my driving tame and civilized, how bad is it to remove the rear sway bar altogether until I get these mounts installed? I know there will be quite a bit of understeer, but with mild driving it should be manageable, correct? Reason being that the bar is kind of banging around under there and I don't want to break off the other mount just yet.

Definitely remove the bar and the links. I ran that way for a few months on the street before I could get around to doing the reinforcement.

What sucked was the time I broke the mount on the front strut during the autocross at the first 5er Fest. I removed both bars and ran with no sway bars for about half a year until I could get to fixing the fronts.