:help

Ok...here's the deal. I need new struts and to have them done at a stealer or shop is gonna rape my bank acct. If someone fairly close to me has the tools & knowledge, I'll pay you a fair price and certainly help ya too. I just don't have the necessary tools to compress the springs & get them back in. Plus, having never done this install before, I want to learn the process...

I live in Front Royal & work near rte 50 & 28.

Any takers??? :D

I dont live close..if I did, I'd assist.

An alternative for you is to take your old strut assemblies out of the car, which is fairly easy if you have a jack, jackstands, handtools (a cheap electric impact gun is REALLY helpful here...air tools even better)..and your new struts to a local garage/gas station, etc.

Have them swap out the old struts with the new ones. They most certainly have the proper spring compressors to do this. One local shop tried mine, but with their compressor "couldnt get the spring compressed far enough". WTF.

A local Shell got me for $80 labor to do the swap after that. Pricey, but worth it to me at the time. I then re-installed the assembly back into the car with minimal hassle.

Thanks for the info Iseguy. Unfortunately, I don't have the jackstands, impact gun, etc. yet. I finally got a house with a garage about a month ago, but haven't had the chance to "stock" my garage with goodies. :(

So...the search goes on....:shifty

I just did the struts on my M Roadster. I wonder if your car is similar.

Just front struts or rear shocks also?

I may be available this Sunday, have to discuss with the Wife. Would you be willing to contribute to my welder fund?

I am in Chantilly, on 50 just west of 28. I have all the tools needed.

Of course you may need an alignment after the struts are replaced.

Joe

ok...timeout....

e36s have shocks on the front and struts on the rear...

No. Struts up front and shocks in the rear on all E30, E36, E46 and E90/E91/E92

No. Struts up front and shocks in the rear on all E30, E36, E46 and E90/E91/E92

Right...found this on Bimmerparts

http://catalog.worldpac.com/zygmunt/wizard.jsp?partner=zygmunt&clientid=bimmerparts.com&baseurl=http://www.bimmerparts.com/&cookieid=24N0KAP1I24N0RXU27&year=1995&make=BM&model=318-IC-002&category=L&part=Strut+Assembly

I just did the struts on my M Roadster. I wonder if your car is similar.

Just front struts or rear shocks also?

I may be available this Sunday, have to discuss with the Wife. Would you be willing to contribute to my welder fund?

I am in Chantilly, on 50 just west of 28. I have all the tools needed.

Of course you may need an alignment after the struts are replaced.

Joe

Just front struts. I had been up in PA this past weekend & dropped in on my old mechanic buds. Dale took a look at it up on the hoist, told me what I need & mentioned "you won't need an alignment. It's fine". (too bad he didn't have the parts I need right there)

Sounds like you live right near where I moved from a month ago! PM me if you want & let me know if you can do this & what you want for the "welder fund" :stickoutt

Just to add to this (I'm too far away to actually help and after doing a Jetta 1.8T timing belt, a Nissan front end and a Boxster muffler install I am done working on cars for a while), I would not buy stock replacements. Buy Bilsteins (or Konis) and be done with it. The stock shocks wear out at a ridiculous rate.

Of course you could go to an upcoming DIY day and do it on a lift.

Ok...so where & when do they have these DIY events? I'm all for it! This is the first I've heard of them.

Ok...so where & when do they have these DIY events? I'm all for it! This is the first I've heard of them.

Join the bmwcca. http://www.nccbmwcca.org (http://www.nccbmwcca.com)

:stickoutt

hey, my shop is right at 50 and 28, if your take out the front struts, i would be happy to swap the springs for you for like 40 bucks. After that, the install is really easy.

hey, my shop is right at 50 and 28, if your take out the front struts, i would be happy to swap the springs for you for like 40 bucks. After that, the install is really easy.

Where is your shop and what do you do?

Maybe I will stop over n say HI.

I am always driving Rt50.

Joe

address is
2875-C Towerview Rd
Herndon, VA 20171
( its off at the McClaren exit near the old redskins park) We do all repairs/ maintenance, and performance upgrades.

feel free to come visit anytime.

address is
2875-C Towerview Rd
Herndon, VA 20171
( its off at the McClaren exit near the old redskins park) We do all repairs/ maintenance, and performance upgrades.

feel free to come visit anytime.

OMG....I work on EDS Drive! If I order the struts & get them in, can I come by there & we can do the swap? This is my only vehicle, so it's pretty much impossible to take them out & bring you the springs, ya know? :(

Hey Elements018...I didn't want that to sound like I'm a total cheap-ass. I'm not. It's just that my funds are sort of tight lately & I have also been looking for a good mechanic that can take care of my car on the things that I cannot do myself, but also show me how to do certain fixes that I don't know how to do yet.

Does that make sense?? :rolleyes

yeah, i totally get what you mean, swing by and i'd be happy to talk to you about your car and show you how to do things. And dont worry, i'm not one of those people that are all out to get your money, so its totally cool.

Wow...thanks! I'm glad you understand...not looking for a free ride, just some assistance & knowledge from someone who knows.

I was just talking with another member here who offered to help me out on Sunday. So at least now I have two options to get this done!

Bimmer people Rock! :D

So....who do I ask for??

at least its nice and easy to get the front struts on and off just the matter of gettin to the spring compressor and i have watched some people do some stupid stuff while compressing spring like doin it with hose clamps yeah i saw that and ran haha

Yeah...I've heard the horror stories about bad ideas for compressing springs. When I was talking with my old mechanic about doing this & asked if it was something I could do myself...knowing I didn't have the right tools, he, his partner at the shop & my brother all said NO all at the same time!! I got the hint.

Yeah...I've heard the horror stories about bad ideas for compressing springs. When I was talking with my old mechanic about doing this & asked if it was something I could do myself...knowing I didn't have the right tools, he, his partner at the shop & my brother all said NO all at the same time!! I got the hint.

My name is Vinh. Its pretty much all bolts and stuff, not hard at all in my opinion, if you know your way around a car, i think you could be up to it. If you've never touched a car before, atleast get someone who knows what there doing.

I do pretty well. I have more mechanical abilities than some guys I know. I've done my brakes a few times & switched our my heater core & done some work on my oil cooler (among other oil demon fixes) and, of course, changed my share of flat tires. This is just a new area for me & don't have the tools to compress the springs & such.

Also....would you go with the Koni's or Bilsteins? I checked them out & they are both in the 400 to 450 range for the set. I'm not really up on what the difference is between the 2. I just need something of quality as my round trip for work is 100 miles every day & I want them to last.

I personally like the bilsteins better. I have them on my car with eibach springs. I could give you a ride if you'd want in them to help your decision.

Ok...that sounds good. I'm usually done with work at 3, so I'll see you a little after that.

Thanks for the help & I'll see ya later today.

Mo

Bilsteins are a lot less work to install.

Bilsteins are a lot less work to install.

Thanks for the "heads up". As I like to say...Work SMART...not Hard! :D

I will be installing my own Bilsteins & H&R sports here soon.

I haven't ever done it on an BMW before, but on other cars.

I found this as a resource. Pretty in depth!

http://www.bmw-m.net/TechProc/H&R%20...TALL%202.0.pdf (http://www.bmw-m.net/TechProc/H&R%20COILOVER%20INSTALL%202.0.pdf)

The only 2 snags are a spring compressor, which can be had for 40.00. And you need to have a socket you can hold with vise grips or other means while you torque the hex head bolt on top of the struts.

Joe

The only 2 snags are a spring compressor, which can be had for 40.00. And you need to have a socket you can hold with vise grips or other means while you torque the hex head bolt on top of the struts.

Joe

Thanks!

I have a set of spring compressors. I should be able to figure out the rest, but have had an offer of help here as well!

Thanks all!

Bill

I personally like the bilsteins better. I have them on my car with eibach springs. I could give you a ride if you'd want in them to help your decision.

I have H & R lowered springs on my 318i and I'm replacing my Sachs with Bilstein sports all around now.

I've heard horror stories regarding the Koni's ride so I hope that when I'm finished I'll be pleased with the swap. My shocks & struts have 100k plus so it is time to replace them. They sound terrible now when I hit bumps and dips.

Heading out to borrow a spring compressor from Autozone or Advance Auto and try to make this swap this weekend.

Usually I go to the Ft. Belvoir auto/hobby shop. If you need assistance, mechanics are on standby, ready to help. Not sure if you have access to a military base but just throwin it out there. Also it is MUCH cheaper than anywhere else.

I have H & R lowered springs on my 318i and I'm replacing my Sachs with Bilstein sports all around now.

I've heard horror stories regarding the Koni's ride so I hope that when I'm finished I'll be pleased with the swap. My shocks & struts have 100k plus so it is time to replace them. They sound terrible now when I hit bumps and dips.

Heading out to borrow a spring compressor from Autozone or Advance Auto and try to make this swap this weekend.

Koni's are way better and more comfortable than Bilsteins and H&R's. Hopefully they work out for you.