Suspension Installation Difficulty?

[Mtnman]

I have an H and R cup kit coming in friday. Ive never done suspension before, and was wondering the difficulty level of this from some of you that have. This is my Daily Driver, so if I start this project, I have to finish it this weekend. Besides that, I have to drive to VA next friday and meet all you fools! Any advice is welcome. Oh, Cup kit consists of springs, shocks, and struts btw.

[danewilson77]

I got you. I would say 5/10.

2/10.....cuz I'm in your hip pocket.

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[spencers]

After completing a dampener swap this weekend, I will say that it's easy as hell (for you) since you don't have to remove the springs from the front struts!

Hardest part with the rear shocks is moving the carpeting out of the way.
Hardest part with the front struts is getting the damn strut assemblies out of the knuckle. Tip: Turn the steering wheel to full lock to the direction of the side you're working on.

[Mtnman]

Yeah, but i still gotta put new springs on new struts, I believe....

[kpro]

...call me if you need anything at all :)

I've looked on google and there are many different approaches to doing this job, was trying to find you a link. Which ever way you do this, please dont take your calipers off like some of these write ups tell you too. Just get a bucket or milk crate and set the rotor assembly on it if you don't want to hold it up or hang down. I can walk you through it.

[Mtnman]

Have picked up spring compression kit from Advanced Auto. Price to loan: 49.95. When it gets returned, I get back.........49.95. I think i like this deal. Looks like we are a go.

[bcleaver]

What's the most difficult thing you've DIY'd and I'll tell you how hard this is --it's all relative. However, I would rate this about 2 notches harder than changing your oil. Taking your time and doing it right will probably take you 5-6 hours the first time being very methodical. I used these instructions from member Murph and they worked great:

Front:
- jack up front, get it on jackstands
- yank the wheels
- disconnect the endlinks on the strut end
- place a jack under the steering knuckle
- unbolt the big lower bolt (18mm)
- lower the jack, hopefully the knuckle just drops, if it doesn't, pry apart the two pieces of the knuckle that were held with the bolt and bang on the knuckle with a hammer. =]
- raise the jack back up, maybe not quite all the way
- unscrew the top nuts (13mm)
- hopefully at this point you can lower the jack and hopefully get the strut out from underneath the front fender. If this is difficult, try turning the steering wheel opposite of the side you're working on.
- put the new strut in, there should be a lot more room to get the new one under the fender
- jack up the jack on the knuckle and guide the top nuts through the holes, I like to work with a friend or work the jack handle with my leg for this.
- screw in the top nuts (don't need to be ridiculously tight)
- screw in the lower bolt (does need to be pretty darn tight)
- adjust/connect the swaybar endlinks
- put the wheels back on



Rear:
- jack up the rear, get it on jackstands
- make sure the e-brake is not pulled!
- yank the wheels
- unbolt the lower shock bolt (18mm)
- push down on the wheel hub to uncompress the spring
- yank, pry, swear, do what you need to do, the spring will come out
- pull back the trunk carpet (I cut holes in it to allow easy access to the adjuster)
- unbolt the top shock nuts, have a friend catch them or try to do it yourself
- bolt the new shocks in on top
- insert the spring & rear height adjuster
- jack on the knuckle where the lower shock bolt bolts up until it lines up to re-thread that lower bolt
- make sure the spring/perch stay aligned with the nub in the body as you jack it up
- put the wheels back on, you're done!

If your newer suspension is lower than the old one you won't need a spring compressor to get the top mount back on the strut. Good luck!

[danewilson77]

What's the most difficult thing you've DIY'd and I'll tell you how hard this is --it's all relative. However, I would rate this about 2 notches harder than changing your oil. Taking your time and doing it right will probably take you 5-6 hours the first time being very methodical. I used these instructions from member Murph and they worked great:

Front:
- jack up front, get it on jackstands
- yank the wheels
- disconnect the endlinks on the strut end

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/IMG_20101105_205054.jpg

- place a jack under the steering knuckle
- unbolt the big lower bolt (18mm)
- lower the jack, hopefully the knuckle just drops, if it doesn't, pry apart the two pieces of the knuckle that were held with the bolt and bang on the knuckle with a hammer. =]
- raise the jack back up, maybe not quite all the way
- unscrew the top nuts (13mm)
- hopefully at this point you can lower the jack and hopefully get the strut out from underneath the front fender. If this is difficult, try turning the steering wheel opposite of the side you're working on.
- put the new strut in, there should be a lot more room to get the new one under the fender
- jack up the jack on the knuckle and guide the top nuts through the holes, I like to work with a friend or work the jack handle with my leg for this.
- screw in the top nuts (don't need to be ridiculously tight)
- screw in the lower bolt (does need to be pretty darn tight)
- adjust/connect the swaybar endlinks
- put the wheels back on



Rear:
- jack up the rear, get it on jackstands
- make sure the e-brake is not pulled!
- yank the wheels
- unbolt the lower shock bolt (18mm)

***Here, I like to put a jack under the control arm, and slowly lower the CA down. Otherwise...spring tension "shoots" it down.

- push down on the wheel hub to uncompress the spring
- yank, pry, swear, do what you need to do, the spring will come out

***Here...i actually like to use the oem jack. Place it forward of the hub, between the CA and the body...and start jacking. It will slowly spread and push the CA down....enough for you to get spring out. The best use I have found for this jack.

- pull back the trunk carpet (I cut holes in it to allow easy access to the adjuster)
- unbolt the top shock nuts, have a friend catch them or try to do it yourself. Telescoping magnet is a good safety here.

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/IMG_20101013_162714.jpg

- bolt the new shocks in on top
- insert the spring & rear height adjuster
- jack on the knuckle where the lower shock bolt bolts up until it lines up to re-thread that lower bolt
- make sure the spring/perch stay aligned with the nub in the body as you jack it up
- put the wheels back on, you're done!

If your newer suspension is lower than the old one you won't need a spring compressor to get the top mount back on the strut. Good luck!

My $0.02 in BOLD

[danewilson77]

This diy may help as well...

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?35-Coilover-Diy

[static667]

I did shocks and struts in my e36. I thought the job was pretty straight forward and easy. Only took about 6 hours. Could have been quicker but my friend and I were in no real hurry.

[MrMaico]

Might be too late but, here is a great diy with good pics.....

http://www.badenscarpages.ca/e46-shock-strut-replacement/

[Mtnman]

Follow up. I did it, but could never get the new springs on the new struts and had to take them to firestone to a real spring compressor. The rest of the job would have taken about 6 hours being careful with set-up, stands, etc...and being thorough so nothing got left out.

Now, I do have a question for you guys and gals who have done springs yourself. I think that i hear all sorts of noises and "uncommon" sterring wheel feel over bumps, especially when i hit speedbumps. Im wondering if this is me being paranoid, and if you guys had the same thing for a few days. I know i need new LCABs, and im wondering if my new, better suspension is letting me feel that more. I even took the front wheels back off and tried to retighten the main bolt that holds the lower end of the strut to the wheel. It didnt move....

And thanks everyone for the advise. If it wasnt for the 6hrs i spent failing on the spring compressions, i would have been all set with this.

[danewilson77]

Could be...but I would bet they didn't do something correctly.

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[Mtnman]

Haha...well, they is me! i even watched the guy do the spring compression and he made me verify exaclty where i wanted everything before he released it....so he would have any liability. Damn.

[danewilson77]

I mean..it could be lcabs......but you didn't feel it before...so I dunno.

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[Mtnman]

You were right dane. I snuck down there while dinner was cooking, took out one of the struts, and found this:


http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i398/booneflyfisher/2011-06-05_18-49-42_960-1.jpg

Damnit. That is the lower side of the top hat to the strut. Basically, the top hat did not get on there tight enough. I cannot tighten it, because the shock piston just spins. Off to my indi mechanic tomorrow to see if he can pull them and fix it in the morning....hopefully for only an hour labor.

Oh well, the trials and tribulations of DIY. Sometimes Success, sometimes fail.

[bcleaver]

You were right dane. I snuck down there while dinner was cooking, took out one of the struts, and found this:


http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i398/booneflyfisher/2011-06-05_18-49-42_960-1.jpg

Damnit. That is the lower side of the top hat to the strut. Basically, the top hat did not get on there tight enough. I cannot tighten it, because the shock piston just spins. Off to my indi mechanic tomorrow to see if he can pull them and fix it in the morning....hopefully for only an hour labor.

Oh well, the trials and tribulations of DIY. Sometimes Success, sometimes fail.

If you have an impact gun just throw it on the top nut and give it a quick blast. Most likely that's all your indie will do, so even if you can't do it he shouldn't charge you much.

[danewilson77]

They shouldn't charge him sheeet. They are responsible for the less than perfect install.

How do you forget to tighten the top nut on the strut....ftl!?



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[kpro]

Mine did that too Dave. I bought new nuts to throw on there and just hit them with the impact and they were fine, no more rattling over bumps. PICS are in order :)

[Mtnman]

Ok,
So when firestone did the original compression for me sunday morning, he was making me tell him what was right, and what I wanted....to remove their liability. So having the top hat not down on the shock was really my fault. I took it into my real indie mechanic this am. Me and one of his techs took a impact gun to the shock towers. I bounced the car up and down, he hit the nuts.....presto. Done and tight. They charged me $26 for shop time, which is fine with me. It pays for the tools that I dont own myself.....and they made no profit off my shocks or the labor putting them in. They just fixed my F-up. New shocks ride well, and I learned some good lessons. Thank goodness they were easy to learn, and cost me only a total of $66....
Thanks to Dane for making me question my mounts. If not for that, I could have really screwed them up.

D

[Marcus-SanDiego]

David, congrats on getting it completed.

[danewilson77]

Well done brutha. Ask me how I know....

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[MrMaico]

Good job David! I'm still debating whether I want to do my shocks/struts and control arms myself or have someone else do them for me. What was the issue with the strut springs? Was the compresser like this one?....

http://mrmaico.smugmug.com/Cars/BMW-ZHP-misc/i-Q2FcvrJ/0/L/bilstein24-L.jpg

That's the type that O'Reilly has for rent here and I'm just wondering if I would end up having the same struggle with the springs that you had. I remember years ago I put struts in my 2002 and had a cheap JC Whitney compresser and it kept wanting to walk around the springs as I tightened it so I had to use 4 visegrips clamped onto the springs to keep it in place.

Barry

[Mtnman]

Yup, Thats the guy. It just wouldnt cut it. Hell, i had four onthere and that didnt do it either. If I was you, I would ask my indie shop what they would charge you to Set the new springs on the struts. You can use the too above to remove the original spring, then take the new spring, new strut, along with the old top hat and spring mount to the indie and have them do the compression. Bet it costs you $50 or less. Should only take them 1/2 max. Thats my 2 cents!

[MrMaico]

Yup, Thats the guy. It just wouldnt cut it. Hell, i had four onthere and that didnt do it either. If I was you, I would ask my indie shop what they would charge you to Set the new springs on the struts. You can use the too above to remove the original spring, then take the new spring, new strut, along with the old top hat and spring mount to the indie and have them do the compression. Bet it costs you $50 or less. Should only take them 1/2 max. Thats my 2 cents!

Thanks David, actually I would be using my old springs again so I should be ok with that one then? I just don't know if I want to deal with it since there is a good suspension/alignment guy right across the street from where I work and his rates are reasonable.

I'll probably take it to him first and check things out to see if the balljoints etc. are due. I'm at 87,000 but everything still feels tight and I am not sure if the PO may have already replaced the control arms. I doubt it though. Maybe just do the shocks/struts and wait on the control arms and CABs.

Barry

[Mtnman]

Well, might as well knock out the cabs while ur in there, should just be another $80 or so DIY. I should have done it. And if you do them together, you get one alignment, and your done.

[MrMaico]

Well, might as well knock out the cabs while ur in there, should just be another $80 or so DIY. I should have done it. And if you do them together, you get one alignment, and your done.

Good point about the alignment. I might as well just replace it all at once.....control arms and bushings and shocks/struts. I have everything on hand already and if these lasted almost 90,000 the next set should last me for many years.

[Ryans323i]

I was out David's way today and got to check out the new suspension. It...is...sweet! Looks really good.
He might have to do something else, but I'll let him explain it.

Anyways, I snapped pictures!

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm142/aprilsmom04/davids1.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm142/aprilsmom04/davids2.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm142/aprilsmom04/davids3.jpg

Should've snapped one from the front, but again, it looks soooo good. Good job David!

[kpro]

It look realllly good :) Ryan, thanks for posting pics :) I've been buggin' him!

[spencers]

Looks baller

[Mtnman]

Thanks spencers....and kpro and ryan.
So what ryan was alluding to is that after all this work, we noticed today while we were talking around the car that my rears are rubbing! Just ever so slightly. Unfortunately, i had to put in 5mm spacers to fit new rear brakes due to the po getting the wrong offset rear rims. I think i am close to being able to remove the spacers. Very close. If notk its either rolling or changing to 3 mm spacers. Dunno. Anyone got 3mm spacers they dont want anymore?

[danewilson77]

Looks great brutha....

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