Fitting new springs! Labour cost?

J

jock156

Veteran
 NORWICH
So I have bought some second hand Eibach springs and my question is..........................................

Ballpark what labour/ time is involved in replacing all 4?

TIA
 
When I've done the fronts myself, about 40 mins a side. The rears were 20 mins a side.

A professional garage should be less. I'd imagine no more than 2 hours?
 
Rears are easy, an hour to do both, not usually any problems.
Fronts are ok provided the pinch bolt comes out ok, they can shear off if not done carefully and slowly working them out with some lube, use new bolts when refitting the shock absorber.
The ones I have done before with seized bolts have taken 1.5 to 2 hours a side.
 
mr nurburgring said:
Rears are easy, an hour to do both, not usually any problems.
Fronts are ok provided the pinch bolt comes out ok, they can shear off if not done carefully and slowly working them out with some lube, use new bolts when refitting the shock absorber.
The ones I have done before with seized bolts have taken 1.5 to 2 hours a side.
Click to expand...

I set out to change my rear springs this morning and noticed that the lower rear shock absorber bolts wouldn't budge. Admittedly there isn't a great deal of clearance for a breaker bar (the car is on axle stands), and the penetrating lube & an impact wrench hasn't seemed to ease the issue.

Any suggestions for things to try? I'm assuming heat is out of the question given the rubber grommets next to the bolt. Or should I just be more patient and keep applying penetrating lube and re-trying?

Thanks.
David
 
davidmudley12 said:
mr nurburgring said:
Rears are easy, an hour to do both, not usually any problems.
Fronts are ok provided the pinch bolt comes out ok, they can shear off if not done carefully and slowly working them out with some lube, use new bolts when refitting the shock absorber.
The ones I have done before with seized bolts have taken 1.5 to 2 hours a side.
Click to expand...

I set out to change my rear springs this morning and noticed that the lower rear shock absorber bolts wouldn't budge. Admittedly there isn't a great deal of clearance for a breaker bar (the car is on axle stands), and the penetrating lube & an impact wrench hasn't seemed to ease the issue.

Any suggestions for things to try? I'm assuming heat is out of the question given the rubber grommets next to the bolt. Or should I just be more patient and keep applying penetrating lube and re-trying?

Thanks.
David
Click to expand...

More penetrating fluid and a very long bar works best :thumbsup:

First time can be a nightmare! Plus i was annoyed i had to go and buy 18MM sockets!
 

More penetrating fluid and a very long bar works best :thumbsup:

First time can be a nightmare! Plus i was annoyed i had to go and buy 18MM sockets!
[/quote]

Thanks. Funnily enough I just noticed my socket set has 10-17, then skips 18 and continues from 19mm! Looks like I’ll be going out and buying one too. At least the impact wrench has an 18mm.
 
CryptoWhale said:
I've been quoted 2 hours for the fronts from a few Indies. around £100 - £120 to get them fitted.
Click to expand...
If you’re lower damper bolts are anything like mine I’d bite the mechanics hand off and get him to do it.

It’s an easy job but if like me you stumble across a couple of stubborn nuts then it can turn into a pig of a job. Very satisfying though when you get through it.
 
An impact wrench makes jobs like this so much easier. Worth every penny, i highly recommend one to any keen driveway mechanic.
My Ryobi rattle gun has gotten me through many tough repairs with ease :thumbsup:
 
Sadly even the impact wrench wasn’t making an ‘impact’. It finally took a 24” breaker bar (and lots of penetrating lube) to get enough force on it.
 
Get a soft hammer and hit the spanner to shock the bolt loose, once it’s cracked tighten it up again and repeat slowly adding lube until you get a full turn, do this until it’s out. Don’t use a long bar as you will probably shear it off.
 
davidmudley12 said:
CryptoWhale said:
I've been quoted 2 hours for the fronts from a few Indies. around £100 - £120 to get them fitted.
Click to expand...
If you’re lower damper bolts are anything like mine I’d bite the mechanics hand off and get him to do it.

It’s an easy job but if like me you stumble across a couple of stubborn nuts then it can turn into a pig of a job. Very satisfying though when you get through it.
Click to expand...

I changed the rears myself which was very easy. Attempted the fronts but got stuck at the first hurdle with the socket and nut on the drop links. Normal spanners too thick, ordered a 16mm cone spanner only to find it was too small and BMW had in fact changed the size of the nut to 18mm in recent years. For the amount of messing about going back and forth having to order new tools, jacking the car up on the driveway, contending the weather and possibly having to deal with seized nuts, I'm more than happy paying £100 to have them done :rofl:
 
mr nurburgring said:
stuck at the first hurdle with the socket and nut on the drop links.
Click to expand...

For the cost of a pair of drop links, I find the best method of removal (if they don't come easily with the spanners) is an angle grinder! :wink:
 
Friend mechanic reckons he fitted all four replacement shocks in well under three hours. Just springs should be way less. Brake pads and disks all round in approx. two hours.
 
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