Anything over 120Nm and the stick twists part way along instead, which absorbs the extra force, rather than transferring it to the bolt
Suggestions for places to buy shocks/springs pls
- Thread starter DrWong
- Start date
Only managed to get few hours in this afternoon, but OH MY GOD I'm so glad I bought the impact wrench. All the bolts were basically brown and needed at least a few minutes of wire brushing just to seat a socket on them. But each one came off with about ten seconds of solid impact hits. Well impressed. It would've taken me ages otherwise and probably would've broken both me and some bolts.
Anyways, downed tools for now cos it's cold and dark. The top mounts are still attached to the chassis so loosening those off will be the first job tomorrow
Anyways, downed tools for now cos it's cold and dark. The top mounts are still attached to the chassis so loosening those off will be the first job tomorrow
Got the struts off the car today
Re: top mounts, one is silent and one makes a noise, with the noisy one spinning much more freely than the silent one. I'm guessing replace both?
The bump stops don't look cracked and dust collars look ok. They're the only bits that seem salvageable, although I've not taken the bump stops off yet.
Re: top mounts, one is silent and one makes a noise, with the noisy one spinning much more freely than the silent one. I'm guessing replace both?
The bump stops don't look cracked and dust collars look ok. They're the only bits that seem salvageable, although I've not taken the bump stops off yet.
As it looks like I need to order more parts, in the meantime I reckon I'll tackle some bits of surface rust around the top mount holes:
Am I right in thinking that paint shouldn't be applied on the mating surface for a nut or bolt? So in the case of the photo above, I should clean it up and then do final primer/paint when the new shocks/topmounts are reinstalled and I can paint around the nut?
@Sean d and @mrscalex - your inputs would be greatly appreciated here
@Sean d and @mrscalex - your inputs would be greatly appreciated here
Clean as much rust off as you can, use acid etch primer first as this will bind to the steel, prime and paint, let cure and rebuildAs it looks like I need to order more parts, in the meantime I reckon I'll tackle some bits of surface rust around the top mount holes:
View attachment 95337 Am I right in thinking that paint shouldn't be applied on the mating surface for a nut or bolt? So in the case of the photo above, I should clean it up and then do final primer/paint when the new shocks/topmounts are reinstalled and I can paint around the nut?
@Sean d and @mrscalex - your inputs would be greatly appreciated here
Cheers mate. So after I remove the rust, it's fine to paint over the whole area including the lighter ring? It looks like it's had paint in the past to be fair.
Just to update on this. Finally got the new shocks on and torqued up today and took it for a test drive. My god, it's like a different car 
More darty and planted, less body movement all round, and hugely improved braking. And all in the snowy conditions we've currently got in Newcastle. I imagine the difference in dry performance will be even tastier.
I pretty much replaced everything apart from the covers under the bump stops. I do like a picture of lots of genuine replacement parts in one place, something about the barcodes I think:
Compressing the springs was a nightmare. Like, a proper clusterf*ck. If I was doing it again I'd seriously consider taking it to a garage. But got it done and have the satisfaction of doing the whole job myself. Managed to scratch the springs and shocks in a few places so touched up using a Topaz blue pen. I had black epoxy primer left over from my sill job but couldn't be bothered mixing it up. Managed to sufficiently squeeze the springs using a combination of a friends' spring compressors, another set I bought myself, and some ratchet straps to help grab the last coil:
Tightening the top nut was also challenging. I don't have pass through sockets and didn't fancy dropping £50 on a set. I ended up buying a deep 22mm socket from Halfords for £7 and using my angle grinder to cut a slot in it for the Allen key:
This was enough to get the nut onto the strut, but after a certain point the top of the slot that I'd cut started fouling the Allen key which meant the top nut couldn't be turned any more. So out came the angle grinder again :
This was enough to get the job done and everything is back to normal now, apart from a brake warning light I have to knock out. I suspect this is because I started the car whilst the sensor was disconnected in order to turn the wheels and get a better angle for torqueing up the lower strut bolts.
More darty and planted, less body movement all round, and hugely improved braking. And all in the snowy conditions we've currently got in Newcastle. I imagine the difference in dry performance will be even tastier.I pretty much replaced everything apart from the covers under the bump stops. I do like a picture of lots of genuine replacement parts in one place, something about the barcodes I think
:Tightening the top nut was also challenging. I don't have pass through sockets and didn't fancy dropping £50 on a set. I ended up buying a deep 22mm socket from Halfords for £7 and using my angle grinder to cut a slot in it for the Allen key:
:
Well done! But honestly, if you’re ever going to do more than 1 set of front springs a proper floor mounted hydraulic spring compressor is a worthwhile investment and could literally be the difference between life and death.
I’ve spent a small fortune on tools since I started. But they are a lifetime investment and save me a bucket load of time not to mention money asking garages to do it.
I have a set of pass-through sockets. They are every conceivable size except 21mm which is what the Monroes come with. So you must have replaced these with genuine BMW 22mm nuts?
And yes, something very pleasing about those BMW packs/barcodes isn’t there?
I’ve spent a small fortune on tools since I started. But they are a lifetime investment and save me a bucket load of time not to mention money asking garages to do it.
I have a set of pass-through sockets. They are every conceivable size except 21mm which is what the Monroes come with. So you must have replaced these with genuine BMW 22mm nuts?
And yes, something very pleasing about those BMW packs/barcodes isn’t there?
Just to update on this. Finally got the new shocks on and torqued up today and took it for a test drive. My god, it's like a different car
I pretty much replaced everything apart from the covers under the bump stops. I do like a picture of lots of genuine replacement parts in one place, something about the barcodes I think
View attachment 95845 Compressing the springs was a nightmare. Like, a proper clusterf*ck. If I was doing it again I'd seriously consider taking it to a garage. But got it done and have the satisfaction of doing the whole job myself. Managed to scratch the springs and shocks in a few places so touched up using a Topaz blue pen. I had black epoxy primer left over from my sill job but couldn't be bothered mixing it up. Managed to sufficiently squeeze the springs using a combination of a friends' spring compressors, another set I bought myself, and some ratchet straps to help grab the last coil:
View attachment 95847
Tightening the top nut was also challenging. I don't have pass through sockets and didn't fancy dropping £50 on a set. I ended up buying a deep 22mm socket from Halfords for £7 and using my angle grinder to cut a slot in it for the Allen key:
View attachment 95846 This was enough to get the nut onto the strut, but after a certain point the top of the slot that I'd cut started fouling the Allen key which meant the top nut couldn't be turned any more. So out came the angle grinder again
View attachment 95848 This was enough to get the job done and everything is back to normal now, apart from a brake warning light I have to knock out. I suspect this is because I started the car whilst the sensor was disconnected in order to turn the wheels and get a better angle for torqueing up the lower strut bolts.[/QUOTE
If you find you need a pad wear wire I have 3 spare ones on the shelf. Sounds like you had a fair workout doing those front springs Doc. for the top nuts I use an impact wrench (electric). Hope the snow soon disappears for this winter then you'll get to see what an improvement you have got
Tony.
I don't plan on doing front shocks again for a long time! But I'd definitely see the value in a floor compressor if I was doing them more regularly, having feared for my life for an entire weekend messing around with my ridiculous ghetto solution.
My Monroes came with a 22mm nut and the nut I took off was 21mm! Also, the one I took off didn't have a washer under it and seeing as BMW don't supply that part any more, the new 22mm Monroe nut went on without a washer. I wondered if the shocks have been changed in the past but they were definitely Sachs that I took off, so a bit confusing as I was expecting to see the factory washer.
Many barcodes for the win!
My Monroes came with a 22mm nut and the nut I took off was 21mm! Also, the one I took off didn't have a washer under it and seeing as BMW don't supply that part any more, the new 22mm Monroe nut went on without a washer. I wondered if the shocks have been changed in the past but they were definitely Sachs that I took off, so a bit confusing as I was expecting to see the factory washer.
Many barcodes for the win!
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Thanks @t-tony ! Yes, it's been quite an emotional few weeks haha. I need to investigate the brake issue, I currently have the red circle with exclamation light on. I ended up breaking the retaining tabs of the black sensor but didn't think it would impact it working. Anyway, I'm going to knock it out using INPA and see if it goes away. I've already had the wheels off again to spray all three sensors with air and switch cleaner in case they'd gotten dirty during the job. I'll bear your kind offer in mind