re replacement shocks issue

W

w1ndsurfnut

Member
 Cognac
I am replacing front shocks on my 2005 E85 Z4 with oem Sachs. Got them apart with my spring compressors( normal crappy hook type ones. Cannot get any where near getting them back together. Bought a new spring compressor set( the type with the various size horse shoe type cups ) but it is such a short spring Im still having trouble. Anyone got any tips to make this easier or am I missing something. thanks in advance. Paul.

SW France
ps trying not to injure myself doing this.
 
w1ndsurfnut said:
I am replacing front shocks on my 2005 E85 Z4 with oem Sachs. Got them apart with my spring compressors( normal crappy hook type ones. Cannot get any where near getting them back together. Bought a new spring compressor set( the type with the various size horse shoe type cups ) but it is such a short spring Im still having trouble. Anyone got any tips to make this easier or am I missing something. thanks in advance. Paul.

SW France
ps trying not to injure myself doing this.
Click to expand...
Try putting the compressors over the spring near the top, then hooking the bottoms under the lower mounting plate.
Make sure the bump stop and dust cover are in place.
Then compress until you can get the top mounting plate on and the nut on enough to hold it securely.
At this point you can relax a bit.
Then it is a case of removing the compressors and swapping them so they are over the edges of the top mounting plate and around the spring lower down, or even over the lower plate if they have room to miss the widest part of the spring.
Then compress a bit at a time, removing the nut to check until you can get the wide washer and the top mount on and the nut back on again.
Make sure you swap the grease cap from the old top mount to the new one and be careful not to misplace it while you are trial fitting.

AT ALL TIMES: keep the top of the assembly facing in a safe direction and work from the bottom end of the strut.
 
Hi, sorry to jump on this thread. I am replacing all the springs on mine after discovering 3 snapped springs! I’m not confident doing it myself so booking it into a garage. I bought some suplex springs from autodoc. It is worth changing the bits the springs seat onto and if so what are they called? Top mounts? And so they sit on a rubber washer at the bottom? Could anybody let me know which parts I should replace at the same time as the springs so I can have all the parts ready when I drop it in? Thanks
 
jackboy said:
Hi, sorry to jump on this thread. I am replacing all the springs on mine after discovering 3 snapped springs! I’m not confident doing it myself so booking it into a garage. I bought some suplex springs from autodoc. It is worth changing the bits the springs seat onto and if so what are they called? Top mounts? And so they sit on a rubber washer at the bottom? Could anybody let me know which parts I should replace at the same time as the springs so I can have all the parts ready when I drop it in? Thanks
Click to expand...
Most of the time those rubber seats can be re-used. But if you want to have everything new then look to Realoem (https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/select) to pick up the part numbers you need.
On the front end, while it is all apart, consider getting new bump stops as these fall apart over time.
You may also want to ask the garage to check the state of the front shocks unless you know they are fairly new. Just because they show now signs of oil leaks does not mean they are still sworking properly, as it is the pressurised gas that escapes from them. Need to check they are both fairly difficult to compress (once the spring is removed) and that they both extend without assistance, to their full travel, within a few seconds.
 
I say for £25 or so its false economy not to change the top mounts unless they are fairly new.
If the shocks and struts have done much more than 40-50k miles they will be knackered. The MOT only looks to see if they are leaking, they don't do the bump test any more.
 
Thanks for the replies. I could get sachs shocks for what looks about £600 or the blistein b8’s for about £800. I could probably get cheaper. What’s the recommended way forward? Thanks
 
jackboy said:
Thanks for the replies. I could get sachs shocks for what looks about £600 or the blistein b8’s for about £800. I could probably get cheaper. What’s the recommended way forward? Thanks
Click to expand...
If you go to Autodoc when they have a decent discount you should be able to get front and rear Sachs shocks, front and rear Lemforder top mounts, front and rear bump stops, all for around £450.
 
jackboy said:
Thanks for the replies. I could get sachs shocks for what looks about £600 or the blistein b8’s for about £800. I could probably get cheaper. What’s the recommended way forward? Thanks
Click to expand...
Depends on the spec of the Z4 you have. I have factory fitted Bilstein B8s all around on my 3.0si, and replaced the front ones last summer with same.
 
I've just done my shocks as one had decided that the oil should be on the outside a week before the MoT. Notes from this job and others:

* The rubber spring seats last forever (I bought a set and there's little in it at 18 years and 108k)

*Top mounts are nearly equally indestructible (replaced my E46 ones at 170k and, meh, hardly worth it.)

* Bump stops will be in pieces (it's the law)

* Gaiters may be fine or they may be split - but they never sit quite right at the best of times.

* I bought Monroe shocks (they're still going?!?) and they ride nicely with the suplex sports springs

* I've used hook compressors successfully for Smart cars, Ford Focus, an E53 X5 but when it comes to E46/E90/E85 sports springs which are blindingly stiff (and because I'm a sad engineer) I built:

file.jpg

which makes it a doddle (especially when I kept mis-sitting the spring base and having to redo it.)
 
smorris_12 said:
I've just done my shocks as one had decided that the oil should be on the outside a week before the MoT. Notes from this job and others:

* The rubber spring seats last forever (I bought a set and there's little in it at 18 years and 108k)

*Top mounts are nearly equally indestructible (replaced my E46 ones at 170k and, meh, hardly worth it.)

* Bump stops will be in pieces (it's the law)

* Gaiters may be fine or they may be split - but they never sit quite right at the best of times.

* I bought Monroe shocks (they're still going?!?) and they ride nicely with the suplex sports springs

* I've used hook compressors successfully for Smart cars, Ford Focus, an E53 X5 but when it comes to E46/E90/E85 sports springs which are blindingly stiff (and because I'm a sad engineer) I built:

file.jpg

which makes it a doddle (especially when I kept mis-sitting the spring base and having to redo it.)
Click to expand...
You’ve been very lucky with top mounts.
Every car I’ve revived has had big splits in the rubber!
 
enuff_zed said:
You’ve been very lucky with top mounts.
Every car I’ve revived has had big splits in the rubber!
Click to expand...

Y' know, now you say that, I'm wondering if I've forgotten something. Changed mine a year or so ago because i was doing springs and thought why not, but I've now got a vague memory of a split in one of them. Hmmmm....


Thanks for the info, need to do mine soon. The Monroe's okay then?
Click to expand...

I've not gone far but they're a huge improvement as one wheel was bouncing up and down like a drunk on a pogo stick. I'm certainly minded to throw a pair on the rear.
 
Thanks for the replies relating to my post. Ive got a configuration of compressors that does the job now. One side done. Now the other.
 
I soaked mine in PlusGas every day for a week before I tried to take them out. I put new ones in as well.
 
I had a pinch bolt snap once; took the hub and chassis leg out completely. Cut the bolt with the grinder to release the strut. Dug out the cobalt bits to drill out the threaded end and thumped the head out with a drift. Pain but fairly straight-forward.
 
smorris_12 said:
I had a pinch bolt snap once; took the hub and chassis leg out completely. Cut the bolt with the grinder to release the strut. Dug out the cobalt bits to drill out the threaded end and thumped the head out with a drift. Pain but fairly straight-forward.
Click to expand...
Yes mine broke the bolt head off. Then had to cut the bolt through the slot to get that part out. Drilled out the thread side but I did it on the car( mistake) and my drilling went a bit astray. So I sleeved the other side and re drilled from that side to straighten it up. Just waiting for a M12 x 1.5 tap to turn up so I can clean the thread up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom