Has anyone installed shocks and struts themselves here on your car?
- Thread starter mybabyM3
- Start date
I have done it
I did this about a year ago. I put on the bilstein touring also. I like the shocks alot. The rear shocks are easy to do. The fronts are more difficult. The front bolts have lock tite on them and can be difficult to remove. I had to heat them with a small torch and use a long handled wrench for leverage. Also compressing the strut springs can be dangerous. Here are some links to help. I would get a Bentley repair manual. I didn't need the special tool to remove the main strut bolt just an inpact wrench.
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3476&page=1&pp=25
http://www.unofficialbmw.com/all/suspension/all_strut_replacement.html
http://www.bmw-m.net/TechProc/H&R COILOVER INSTALL 2.0.pdf
http://www.logun.org/suspension.htm
http://www.dol.net/~stimpee/e36_rsm.htm
I did this about a year ago. I put on the bilstein touring also. I like the shocks alot. The rear shocks are easy to do. The fronts are more difficult. The front bolts have lock tite on them and can be difficult to remove. I had to heat them with a small torch and use a long handled wrench for leverage. Also compressing the strut springs can be dangerous. Here are some links to help. I would get a Bentley repair manual. I didn't need the special tool to remove the main strut bolt just an inpact wrench.
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3476&page=1&pp=25
http://www.unofficialbmw.com/all/suspension/all_strut_replacement.html
http://www.bmw-m.net/TechProc/H&R COILOVER INSTALL 2.0.pdf
http://www.logun.org/suspension.htm
http://www.dol.net/~stimpee/e36_rsm.htm
Thanks guys, with the links provided I think I can do this pretty easy. I got the strut mounts and the washers for the rear. Sounds like a good thing. Did any of you replace the front mounts or were the parts up front reusable? I think I'm going to replace them this weekend with the extra time off for the Holiday. I probably will leave the fronts for my mechanic I don't have an impact wrench or spring compressor. Dewshan do you have the original springs on your car? I am thinking of going with the H&R OE kit. 1/2" drop in the rear and 1" drop in the front. This should be basically the same as the sport suspension.
Springs
I reused the stock springs and front mounts. I probably should have replaced the springs while I was at it. The front mounts didn't look very bad. Besides that I think they can be a little pricey. I got the e46 style rear shock mounts and the z3 reinforcement plates for the rears. I had about 170,000 miles on the original shocks and rear mounts were toast. You should be fine with the H&R oe style springs. I think if you lower it too much it can effect the camber of the wheels. If you have an M3 I would be careful about changing the springs for lower ones. They are already pretty low from what I have seen.
When I changed the shocks I added urethane control arm bushings and the ride was very harsh. I don't know if I was just used to the bouncy shocks or what. Now a year later the ride is very good. I don't know if it took a while for the new set up to break in or me getting used to the new ride!
I reused the stock springs and front mounts. I probably should have replaced the springs while I was at it. The front mounts didn't look very bad. Besides that I think they can be a little pricey. I got the e46 style rear shock mounts and the z3 reinforcement plates for the rears. I had about 170,000 miles on the original shocks and rear mounts were toast. You should be fine with the H&R oe style springs. I think if you lower it too much it can effect the camber of the wheels. If you have an M3 I would be careful about changing the springs for lower ones. They are already pretty low from what I have seen.
When I changed the shocks I added urethane control arm bushings and the ride was very harsh. I don't know if I was just used to the bouncy shocks or what. Now a year later the ride is very good. I don't know if it took a while for the new set up to break in or me getting used to the new ride!