Front suspension arm replacement - questions

[krhodes1]

Getting ready to replace the front struts on my 75K mile 128i convertible. A few questions.

1. Some of the YouTube videos show much disassembly (remove brakes, remove tie rod end) to get the struts out, some show just push the whole strut down after loosening the suspension arm bolts, tilt it out from under the fender, and yank the thing out of the steering knuckle from there. My car has never, not once, ever seen salt so I doubt anything will put up much fight. The couple that show minimal disassembly are on on e9x's - same parts - but is the geometry such that it will work on an e88 too? Less work is always nice...

2. Should I just suck it up and replace the suspension arms while I have it apart and in the air? Soon to be 16 years of blazing TX/FL heat, but only 75K. If so, is Lemforder still the go-to for reasonably priced replacements? Seems to be lots of argument on the Interwebs as to what's best these days (consensus is NOT URO though). OEM BMW is a bit silly-priced for a car that lives on smooth roads and does <5K a year. Those BMW boxes must have a solid gold lining these days.

3. Assuming minimal disassembly - is an alignment really necessary? IIRC the only adjustment out of the box is toe, and the car tracks like a train with even tire wear. I'll be sure to put the strut bearing nuts back where they came from for the little bit they can move in their holes.

Many thanks - done this on lots of cars including e30/e28 BMWs, but first time on this platform.

[brake-fade]

If you plan on keeping the car, I'd spend the money on a car that old and replace the control arms, tierod ends and strut bearings then get it aligned. If you don't plan on keeping the car, I'd loosen the arms, spread the knuckles, support the hub so it doesn't flop out and stress the brake lines, and pull the assembly out. Careful not to hit the fender when pulling it out.

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by brake-fade

If you plan on keeping the car, I'd spend the money on a car that old and replace the control arms, tierod ends and strut bearings then get it aligned. If you don't plan on keeping the car, I'd loosen the arms, spread the knuckles, support the hub so it doesn't flop out and stress the brake lines, and pull the assembly out. Careful not to hit the fender when pulling it out.

I plan on keeping this car until the heat death of the universe.

Decided to take it apart, have a look, then decide. not my only car so no big if it sits in the air for a few days waiting for parts. Everything looked great. Zero play in the tie rod ends, the suspension bushings look fine too. No cracking, no sign of any fluid leaking (assuming these are hydraulic). So I am leaving them alone for now. Like I said, I barely put 5K a year on this car, and the roads here are baby-butt smooth. I'll probably do them all and get an alignment the next time I need tires in 2-3 years.

Got one side done. Can confirm that you can take the strut out of the fender and on my car it came out of the knuckle with zero effort - I literally just lifted it out - got to love cars that have no idea what salt it. I did have to remove the brake caliper, there was not quite enough slack in the brake hose. Figuring out the new spring compressor kind of sucked. And then I got to do it twice because I managed to put the dished washer back upside-down. If you do that, your strut bearing won't spin. So all-together between that and various tries figuring out the right place to put the compressor and the right adapters, took me a good 3hrs to swap that first strut after getting it out of the car. I expect it will take me about an hour and half total to do the other side tomorrow now that I know what I am doing. Ran out of daylight and ambition at about the same time today.

I was very glad that I bought a "strut nut wrench kit" when I was rehabbing a Volvo. I could not find my vise grips to hold the shaft, but remembered I had that. Makes it super easy to deal with that buried nut. Also bought one of the $7 strut spreader tools from Amazon which. He who dies with the most tools wins, right?

[jwolf]

When you do this job you need to go all in. I would add the M3 control arm kit and fixed negative camber plates. Top hats, get the gaskets. Tie rod ends. You need this tool to get you shocks in without tearing the paint on the shocks all to hell. https://www.rennline.com/schwaben-sp...EdgAt56OfxDhFR

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by jwolf

When you do this job you need to go all in. I would add the M3 control arm kit and fixed negative camber plates. Top hats, get the gaskets. Tie rod ends. You need this tool to get you shocks in without tearing the paint on the shocks all to hell. https://www.rennline.com/schwaben-sp...EdgAt56OfxDhFR

Dear God why would I want to do that? I am perfectly happy with the stock ride and handling of my 128i convertible. It's even on nice fat 16s. If I had wanted an M3, I would have just bought an M3 in the first place (but convertible M3s are pointless). I don't want an M3, I didn't even want a sport package 128i. There aren't even any twisty roads within 100 miles of where I live, so why ruin the ride? The magic of a BMW is the ride/handling balance - if I wanted a canyon carver I would have bought a Porsche Boxster or something.

I got new everything for the struts themselves. Isolators, the rubbers, etc. That spreader tool is $7 on Amazon, I have one. Probably didn't even really need it, the strut basically fell out of the knuckle on the side I did this afternoon after a squirt of PBlaster. Effortless - the joys of a car that has NEVER seen salt.

[JustAnotherSportsCar]

When I had my E88 135i apart, I did M3 front control arms, new Bilstein monotube struts and rear shocks, and new upper strut mount bearings. Night and day difference in how good it feels. I also have new Michelin PSAS4 tires.

The M3 front control arms were TRW brand and you could see where the BMW M logo was ground off, thus indicating they are an OE supplier. When I replaced my turbos with new stock Mitsubishi units, you could also see where the BMW logo was ground off. Funny how much the BMW logo costs!

[JustAnotherSportsCar]

Originally Posted by krhodes1

Dear God why would I want to do that? I am perfectly happy with the stock ride and handling of my 128i convertible. It's even on nice fat 16s. If I had wanted an M3, I would have just bought an M3 in the first place (but convertible M3s are pointless).

I’d argue the M3 front control arms and monotube struts/shocks are how this car should have come from the factory. Still very compliant with stock springs, but now extremely well damped with greatly enhanced steering feedback. There is no downside. For the convertible, I agree, leave the springs and stabilizer bars alone. I even decided not to install the M3 rear subframe bushings I had bought because I think the car feels perfect now.

[brake-fade]

Nope, not hydrolic, solid rubber bushing. You probably know this, but just in case...tighten the control arm bolts under load of the car.

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by brake-fade

Nope, not hydrolic, solid rubber bushing. You probably know this, but just in case...tighten the control arm bolts under load of the car.

Yes - this is not even remotely my first rodeo, just my first on this particular platform.

[krhodes1]

To close the loop on this. Mission accomplished, car is back together. Had one addition oops - I managed to break the stupid brake pad sensor. So had to get a new one of those. But good!

It's actually more of an improvement than I really expected it to be on the smooth roads around here (I have no doubt that up North it would have been non-stop suspension explosions). Quite a bit more "poise" for lack of a better word. The strut mounts were pretty crunchy when turned, they were collapsed a good 1/4IN, and given that the bump stops are now present I am sure that is making nearly as much difference as the new struts. Old ones had 75K on them, no leaks, couldn't move them by hand any more than the new ones so probably still mostly fine.

That "counter sprung" strut design is just weird though. Never seen that on any other car. Are the Bilstein, Koni, etc struts for these cars the same or are they the more "normal" gas strut where unloaded they are at full mast?

Also - kudos to Akebono. I put the front pads on when I bought the car 5 years and 30K ago. It had new BMW factory rotors and pads at the dealer, the horribly dusty ones, just before I bought it. I put the Akebonos on all around. After 30K, still have probably 80%+ of pad left, and no lip on the rotors. Rotor surfaces about mirror smooth. Minimal dust, great pedal feel, highly recommend.

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherSportsCar

I’d argue the M3 front control arms and monotube struts/shocks are how this car should have come from the factory. Still very compliant with stock springs, but now extremely well damped with greatly enhanced steering feedback. There is no downside. For the convertible, I agree, leave the springs and stabilizer bars alone. I even decided not to install the M3 rear subframe bushings I had bought because I think the car feels perfect now.

Sure there is a downside. They cost more, I like the way it is stock, and I don't like how M3s drive particularly. Too much muchness, as they say.