Question on assembly of front struts

[135nRXP]

I will be doing the installation of my suspension this weekend, but I have one question and hope someone with a tech manual may be able to help.

I ordered Bilsteins and BMW Performance springs as well as all the hardware necessary to assemble them outside of the car so I will not have to disassemble the factory pieces. I ordered all OEM parts from getbmwparts.com from this link...
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...95&hg=31&fg=10

My question is, on parts 6 and 7, which way do they face?

[Ihave1]

If you are looking at the same orientation as the picture part 7 will have the bump up. Part 6 will cup up to hold the grease inside the upper mount. Make sure the top strut nut is tight but not too tight. Somewhere between 40 and 50 ft lbs.

[Weasel410]

^ IHave1 is correct, I just did my suspension this past weekend and took pics too.

[135nRXP]

Originally Posted by Ihave1

If you are looking at the same orientation as the picture part 7 will have the bump up. Part 6 will cup up to hold the grease inside the upper mount. Make sure the top strut nut is tight but not too tight. Somewhere between 40 and 50 ft lbs.

Awesome! Thanks Ihave1. So part number 6 would look like this: |___| in your picture? I saw how it acts a "dust" cover for the strut bearing, but it didn't seem like it actually fit/pressed in there.

[Ihave1]

Yeah it doesn't actually fit into the groove. The lip of part 6 kind of rubs on the outer bearing race.

[135nRXP]

Originally Posted by Ihave1

Yeah it doesn't actually fit into the groove. The lip of part 6 kind of rubs on the outer bearing race.

Okay that makes sense. I just loosely assembled it and the next question I have is that damn top nut... The threads on the shaft don't extend past the bearing assembly. Seems like the strut shaft will turn if I can't get an allen key in there to hold it... I snapped a few pics..







Any ideas?

[Ihave1]

You have a few options. Use an impact wrench while gripping the shock shaft with vice grips and a rag (so you don't damage it). Use an oxygen sensor socket so you can stick an allen wrench in there and use a socket wrench just like normal. Or use a regular socket (may need a thin walled version) and use a pair of vice grips instead of a socket wrench so that the hole is still open and stick an allen wrench down into the key on shock shaft.


O2 Sensor socket


MacGyver

[135nRXP]

Wow that is some straight MacGyver'ness right there lol. So that extension is going thru the O2 Sensor socket and connecting to the allen socket and then the vise grips are used to turn the socket?

[Focusedintntions]

I just used an impact gun on low and hit it a few times to snug it down...

[Ihave1]

With the O2 sensor socket you can just use a regular allen wrench and come in from the hole in the side of the socket. If you use a regular socket you use the vice grips to turn the sockets and a allen key down the center hole where the socket wrench usually connects (like in the second picture). You can probably just use a regular "L" shaped allen wrench instead of the socket adapter like is shown in the image.

[135nRXP]

Awesome! Thanks for all the help guys. I'll be making a quick stop to Sears this evening to grab some tools. Plan on doing the install this weekend... can't wait to feel the new suspension!