I've 4x4'd my car.... ouch. *Graphic Pics*

[synthedup]

Hello,

The spring isn’t sitting right in this photo.

Could you have the springs the wrong way round? The end of the spring should but up agains the metal seat/tab in the shock,

Do you have the spring upside down? If you are near Rotherham I’ll happily take a look for you.

 

[mr nurburgring]

If it is the right spring and shock the bottom of the spring will have a triangular shape and you would have a really hard time putting it the wrong way round.

 

[synthedup]

If it is the right spring and shock the bottom of the spring will have a triangular shape and you would have a really hard time putting it the wrong way round.

That’s true, but having fitted a fair few sets on springs in z4’s, for myself and other members I’m 99.9% that spring is not fitted correctly.

 

[Jembo]

If it is the right spring and shock the bottom of the spring will have a triangular shape and you would have a really hard time putting it the wrong way round.

That’s true, but having fitted a fair few sets on springs in z4’s, for myself and other members I’m 99.9% that spring is not fitted correctly.

+1

I’m also not convinced the bottom of the spring’s seated in the right position on the rubber boot base ... as above, wrong way round or twisted

They all ride higher until settled - maybe a quick swap round this Sunday morning dismantling one side to check

Good hunting

 

[Thrustyjust]

Original shocks have a negative chamber in them, which means if you unbolt the top bolt, the piston rod will sink into the shock. To prevent this, I use 3 jubilee clips on the shaft at the end of the rod/ top of the shock body to stop it sinking. It makes fitting the springs easier, as you will have about 20mm extra shaft. As to if the Bilsteins do the same, I cant answer.
It is rare that a spring will sink in length over many years as they are 'spring steel' . But they will initial drop as they take the weight of the car. They can weaken and fracture over time , but they shouldnt sag unless they come out the sea and dissolved . Springs go rusty , but its mostly surface rust. If you look at pictures of broken springs, its the tension of cycles that has caused the failure not actual corrosion.
Its not what you would probably want , but I have a pair of front M suspension springs you can have if wish to collect. I changed mine to Eibachs and they seem fine condition wise and are sat in the loft. I am near Newbury.

 

[Jl-c]

I am no expert and this is just my opinion but looking at the photos the springs look as if you may have mounted them on the wrong side and upside down. The bottom tail of the spring is supposed to sit in the “step” on the lower perch, it appears to be coiling in the wrong direction which would be the case if you swapped left for right?

 

[Thrustyjust]

I am no expert and this is just my opinion but looking at the photos the springs look as if you may have mounted them on the wrong side and upside down. The bottom tail of the spring is supposed to sit in the “step” on the lower perch, it appears to be coiling in the wrong direction which would be the case if you swapped left for right?

You could be right with the first picture as the coil is going the wrong way and the top caps may have been swopped to fit at the top. But if he had Msport springs previously and now has normal ride height springs, it maybe a combination of 2 issues.........

 

[PieAndMash]

Thanks All for your help.

Morning. Top to bottom, drop link side 150mm

I’ll be changing my oil later I’ll take some more pics of my suspension later but the pics you have already uploaded seem to look right from memory......

Feel free to pm later or face time video while I’m under my car and I can show you my set up see if you can spot any difference.

I really appreciate your efforts with this mate, thanks. I'll measure up when I'm back home.

I am no expert and this is just my opinion but looking at the photos the springs look as if you may have mounted them on the wrong side and upside down. The bottom tail of the spring is supposed to sit in the “step” on the lower perch, it appears to be coiling in the wrong direction which would be the case if you swapped left for right?

Thanks for your help. The springs aren't sided though? And the coil can only go one way otherwise it won't go up against the notch in the top plate. On the videos I watched of people changing these the bottom spring didn't sit in that recess on the bottom plate.

You guys could well be right that the spring is not on right, there is clearly something wrong somewhere here, but I can't see how it could go on the other way? I took pics below of the old strut coming out and copied the seating when I put in the new ones. It wouldn't go on upside down?

Its not what you would probably want , but I have a pair of front M suspension springs you can have if wish to collect. I changed mine to Eibachs and they seem fine condition wise and are sat in the loft. I am near Newbury.

That is a very kind offer thank you. I have one of the old M springs still so could put that back on just to try. I didn't realise old springs don't sag, thanks for that. I wish I hadn't thrown the other one away! Also what you said about the piston explains why the B4 piston is longer out the box, and therefore the springs are easier to get on it.

If you are near Rotherham I’ll happily take a look for you.

Very kind offer, thank you. I'm in east London unfortunately.

From what I'm learning here I'm confident the struts are the right ones, which I'm happy about, and it's the springs or how I've fitted them.

 

[Thrustyjust]

First picture above shows the wrong spring on the wrong side.
Just a quick google shows 2 part numbers ( may not be your car !) for the springs to show they could be sided and I think they are
BMW 31336757781,
BMW 31336757780

 

[Ewazix]

For reference the factory ride heights for your 2.5 se are in the attached TIS links, I assume you are aiming to get back to your original Sport ride height, which isn't going to happen with the SE kit you have at the moment. That's your first issue, plus I'd echo others who suggest the spring tails do look wrong on the seats.
Front https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e85-z4-2.5i-roa/repair-manuals/31-front-axle-front-suspension/31-10-front-axle-suspension/6weS7l5
Rear https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e85-z4-2.5i-roa/repair-manuals/33-rear-axle-rear-wheel-drive-guide/33-00-rear-axle-rear-wheel-drive-guide/62SB1uh
How to measure https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e85-z4-2.5i-roa/repair-manuals/33-rear-axle-rear-wheel-drive-guide/33-53-springs-with-suspension/FaPCnH1

 

[PieAndMash]

First picture above shows the wrong spring on the wrong side.
Just a quick google shows 2 part numbers ( may not be your car !) for the springs to show they could be sided and I think they are
BMW 31336757781,
BMW 31336757780

Thanks fella. I'm not going to guess any more and just get BM ones. The ones that came off it both had the same BM part number label on, 31336760621, which Sopers said are M Sport and right for the car.

For reference the factory ride heights for your 2.5 se are in the attached TIS links, I assume you are aiming to get back to your original Sport ride height, which isn't going to happen with the SE kit you have at the moment. That's your first issue, plus I'd echo others who suggest the spring tails do look wrong on the seats.
Front https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e85-z4-2.5i-roa/repair-manuals/31-front-axle-front-suspension/31-10-front-axle-suspension/6weS7l5
Rear https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e85-z4-2.5i-roa/repair-manuals/33-rear-axle-rear-wheel-drive-guide/33-00-rear-axle-rear-wheel-drive-guide/62SB1uh
How to measure https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e85-z4-2.5i-roa/repair-manuals/33-rear-axle-rear-wheel-drive-guide/33-53-springs-with-suspension/FaPCnH1

Thanks for that fella. I was trying to get it to SE height. I didn't realise it was Sport suspension till I changed everything over and then checked the old part numbers that came off it. It's still sitting nearly 25mm higher than SE.

I'm really hopeful it's as you guys say and it's the spring that's sitting wrong, but just going by pics and videos like below, the coils coil that way and the bottom end of the spring stops an inch or two before the recess in the bottom plate?

 

[PieAndMash]

I understand what you guys mean, that the bottom of the spring should sit in the recess of the bottom plate, and if that's how yours are then you're probably right. I'm just going by the videos I watched, how the old ones were when they came off of it, and a coupe here in my car park. The bottom end of the spring sits on the plate just before the recess. I thought the top plates are the same direction on both sides, as in not sided, so the coils can only go one way.

 

[Ewazix]

No problem, spring heights are a common headache, not helped by the fact that half the on-line stores and even in-store counter staff don't realise that SE's could come with sport suspension. Dial in the fact there can't be an E85/6 on original springs, so spec might have altered by a previous owner and it's a cluster doodah waiting to unfold.

Let us know how it goes

 

[enuff_zed]

I'm afraid can't help from a technical point of view, but I would recommend that you check before every journey that you have no illegal immigrants hiding in your wheel arches.

 

[mr nurburgring]

The bottom of the spring is fitted right, this is my new one and it was exactly the same as the factory originals. It does look like it should fit into the slot but it’s impossible to do so because of the triangle shape at the bottom of the spring. You can’t fit them the wrong way round.

 

[mr nurburgring]

Here is a pic of factory shocks showing the spring doesn’t go all the way to the stop.

 

[PieAndMash]

I didn't get back till this morning and it hasn't miraculously fixed itself. :?

.... it's a cluster doodah waiting to unfold.

It's funny you say that because the really annoying bit for me is not possibly wasting the £75 if the springs are wrong, it's that I've had this same lesson on so many cars before where I've messed around with choosing blindly from unknown cheap springs, thinking I was being clever.

I'm afraid can't help from a technical point of view, but I would recommend that you check before every journey that you have no illegal immigrants hiding in your wheel arches.

:lol: That's made me think, I live in Whitechapel, I might put the spaces on Airbnb while I have them??? :idunno:

Here is a pic of factory shocks showing the spring doesn’t go all the way to the stop.

Thanks for digging those pics out and the reassurance. I hope your oil change went smoothly.

There's only one way to know for sure if it's the springs and that's to change them, I've still got one of the M springs that came off it, so I'll put that back on just to see how it sits, then I'll either buy a single or pair matching M spring or a pair of SE springs for the extra 15mm.

 

[PieAndMash]

I think I've sussed it. I trusted this ebay listing without checking it and fitted the shatting wrong top mounts.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FOR-BMW-3-SERIES-E46-Z4-FRONT-REAR-TOP-STRUT-MOUNTING-MOUNTS-HEAVY-DUTY-NEW/152900869610?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3D8d4c6e9c98654f24b070c11a6bbaac65%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26mehot%3Dnone%26sd%3D152900869610%26itm%3D152900869610%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057&_trksid=p2380057.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3Af022e0ab-62ed-11ea-af6b-74dbd18055e8%7Cparentrq%3Ac5523dfe1700aa669624ccabffe36dc9%7Ciid%3A1

The E46 mounts are much taller. I had chucked away the old ones before getting the new ones out the box so didn't compare them. Before I worked that out though, this morning I bought another M spring to replace the one I threw away, and thicker spring rubbers and reinforcement plates to lift them a bit. So I'm around £200 down because I didn't check the top mount part numbers.

 

[mr nurburgring]

Nice, at least you found the problem... happy days

 

[PieAndMash]

Nice, at least you found the problem... happy days

Yes, true, thanks. I also ordered a cruise control stalk to cheer myself up.