Front shocks

[t-tony]

That is very true but also a very short sighted approach. An impact wrench need not be air powered nor expensive but would also be extremely handy and have many uses. I bought a Ryobi "kit" comprising 18v 1/2" drive impact wrench, angle grinder and work light, 1 battery and charger.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cordless...=item3b23604d2e:g:0YUAAOSwWbRaqJFZ:rk:28:pf:0

This one 21v is on eBay for £65. With a 5 year warranty. Why would you struggle?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/21V-Cord...m=223357928269&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

Tony.

 

[Mazza]

The kit looks good .... did you get it while in the USA?

The second one says 21v and 340nm in title, but picture and description say 36v and 400nm.......makes me a bit suspicious of the ad.

 

[t-tony]

I did get the kit from the US Malc and to be honest it was a fair saving. Just trying to point out that they are affordable ones out there and they do make life easy. I serviced my mates Skoda today and only blew the compo up to check his tyre pressure. Im very impressed with the tools.

Tony.

ps. Hasn't read through the listings for the other one but an email to the seller would straighten out any concerns. And with a 5 year warranty must be worth a look.

 

[Jack Ratt]

I changed the offside strut this morning without too much bother and removed the nearside one. Had a problem with the top nut on the nearside strut as it was really tight and I don't have an impact wrench. The first strut was easy to undo.
Problem was sorted when our Tom came home. He's got muscles like Rambo and got it off in about 30 seconds. I'll get it back on the car tomorrow and hopefully take her out for a spin.
I'll do the "How to" tomorrow if I get the chance.

 

[2DunnsZ3]

Ive got a buddy that has every tool known to man. He will help me do it at his house if I detail his Massive Jeep. He loves it to look good, he just doesn't enjoy that sort of thing. Where I on the other hand, Love to detail and shine anything.

 

[t-tony]

Ive got a buddy that has every tool known to man. He will help me do it at his house if I detail his Massive Jeep. He loves it to look good, he just doesn't enjoy that sort of thing. Where I on the other hand, Love to detail and shine anything.

Each to their own mate, and if you both get what you want then that's a great system I think.

Tony.

 

[DrWong]

Looking at the prices of impact wrenches, cutting down a long reach socket is a lot cheaper.

I bought an electric impact wrench specifically for this job and it was an absolute godsend for taking off the old rusted suspension bolts. I shudder to think of the equivalent amount of human effort it would've taken. It also took the top nut off in seconds without needing to hold the shaft still with an Allen key. I didn't use it to tighten the top nut on the new shocks though, because it delivers 350Nm and the Bentley manual said to torque up to 110Nm or thereabouts.

Also, the original BMW top nut I took off was 21mm but the top nut on the replacement Monroe shocks I'd bought was 22mm. This meant the correct-sized impact socket was too thick to fit through the hole in the top mounts, hence having to get a normal thin-walled socket to cut the slot into and do the final tightening up. If the replacement shocks had come with a 21mm top nut it may have been viable to tighten up with an impact gun.

 

[Jack Ratt]

Jill likes cooking and I like eating

 

[t-tony]

You just need to turn down the power setting. On my Ryobi I run wheel bolts up using the lowest (No. 1) setting which leaves plenty of movement for the torque wrench to tighten properly.

Tony.

 

[Jack Ratt]

The struts I've taken off are Sachs and the top nut is 22mm. These have a short hex shank instead of an allen key on the end of the hydraulic ram. I think they are original as they still have the BMW stickers on them.
I'm fitting new Sachs struts, like for like.

 

[DrWong]

That looks just like the picture of the tool in Bentleys.......You need to part mark it with BMW 31 2 210.
Sorry for being Numpty the Novice.......but Not having done anything on the springs, struts, shocks, etc, (yet ! )
This tool is used at the top end of the shock, to undo ( and presumably do up) the top nut, once the complete strut assy has been removed from the car. ( and after the spring has been compressed)

 

[Jack Ratt]

I fitted the nearside strut this morning and went for a 30 mile top down run to settle the suspension. All went well so now I'm planning the next stage of refurbs. This job was done in a bit of a rush, and what started out as a job to replace a broken spring has ended up with me replacing both front struts.
A friend and his wife are visiting us next week and I've promised them a day out in the Zeds, they can take the silver Zed and we'll take the black one, hence the need to get the job done as I'm running out of "home" time, and I have loads of other stuff I need to do too.
I need to clean and paint the front hubs and brake callipers as they are in a bit of a state and both cars really need a good clean inside and out.
The painting will have to wait a few weeks though.
I might fit lowering springs at some stage but if and when I do I'm going to get another set of spring compressors as I struggled a bit just using one pair, and I'm going to invest in a cordless impact wrench.
I've just been looking at the photos I took of this little job and to be honest they are proper sh1te, Stevie Wonder would have taken better pics. I don't think I should have used the flash on my phone while I had my head torch on, as the resulting glare has spoiled the photos.
Seems I'm a worse photographer than I am a bodger, err I mean car mechanic

 

[DrWong]

I'm impressed with the speed you sorted all that mate, it took me about three weeks in total! If I had to do the job again I think I would seriously consider taking it to a garage to compress the springs. Hopefully be another 18 years before I have to think about it again

 

[Steve Medlock]

Bugger - I only came on here for a browse and now I'm buying adjustable camber plates and an impact gun......

 

[2DunnsZ3]

Hahaha! That's the way it goes. Ive been a member since May and my wife said Im going to have to get a second job to pay for my zroadster habit.

 

[Steve Medlock]

Or try a set of these, being able to get the camber right may make a difference, certainly did to mine, makes it more positive in turns, and no real loss of comfort considering the lump of rubber they get rid of. They've lasted a few years, too, I'd quite happily recommend them. Oops, seems I just did.https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FOR-BMW-E36-FRONT-ADJUSTABLE-CAMBER-PLATES-TOP-MOUNTS-1991-1998/272760675602?epid=3021291647&hash=item3f81cd9d12:rk:5f:0&checksum=272760675602314dbb8931e84b6d90ef8914f8c1d75a&enc=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

They all seem to say 'not for standard struts - only for coilovers' - can they be used on a standard setup?

 

[DrWong]

Here's a Bav Autosport vid where he talks installing adjustable mounts using what looks like shocks and springs, i.e. not coilovers, albeit not original BMW ones

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Eweb6YV-5s

 

[the Nefyn cat]

They all seem to say 'not for standard struts - only for coilovers' - can they be used on a standard setup?

Mine are almost standard, got a set of Spax dampers and springs on it, and the adjustable mounts fit a treat. There do seem to be different ones out there, I used a set that have a small built-in spacer under the rose joint, without this spacer bit there wouldn't be enough room for the joint to move above the damper.
Well, I've just spent a few minutes on ebay looking, and none of the camber plates on there seem to have the exact bit mine have, bit worrying. However, looking at https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/for-BMW-...=item19f6ff1976:g:Xc0AAOSwRH5XKZh-:rk:17:pf:0 shows a couple of spacers that may fill the same function, hard to tell without having one in my hand and a strut to try it on. It was only a matter of keeping the rose joint away from the plate at the top of the spring.

 

[Steve Medlock]

b***** - I only came on here for a browse and now I'm buying adjustable camber plates and an impact gun......

I ordered one of the cheap impact wrenches from Ebay. The seller came back and asked whether I wanted a yellow one or a green one!. Today they have come back again and said they have tested the whole batch and they are all faulty. Would I wait a few days until they can find some more?......

 

[t-tony]

Although a little more expensive I can recommend the Ryobi one.

Tony.