Desertman123's OEM+ College-Spec 128i build thread

[6mt.128i]

This by far is my favorite 128i thread and probably favorite 128i! Keep it up!

[desertman123]

Originally Posted by evanhuynhh

This by far is my favorite 128i thread and probably favorite 128i! Keep it up!

Thank you it means a lot!!

So after a few "attempts" I finally got the car sorted! Bilstein B12 Pro kit + Michelin Pilot Super Sports installed!! Same sizes as the Pirellis.

For the front struts I had to remove and reassmeble them because I forgot a washer for the bearing. I originally thought it was just a cap from the old unsealed bearing, but a closer look RealOEM showed me it was actually part of the assembly "stack" of little bits and pieces. Think they distribute the load across the bearing race and not the bearing/casing itself.

Probably already mentioned it but my impact stripped the forward front lower control arm bolt so I had my guy install a new nut and bolt.

Then for the rear I accidentally installed 1 spring upside down. I don't know if it actually matters but I flipped it rightside-up. Also the drivers side sits slightly lower than the passenger, so I checked the passenger spring was sitting in the rubber mount/perch correctly and it was. The height difference is within spec but it's still a little annoying lol. This was after my alginment so I had to go back in. I'm friends with the guys who did the tires and alignment so I just tossed em a few extra bucks and they fixed it.

Also one of the tires got misplaced during shipping so I had to wait for that to show up in between alignments. It was a little hectic, but we're good now!

[rowsdower]

Originally Posted by desertman123

For the front struts I had to remove and reassmeble them because I forgot a washer for the bearing. I originally thought it was just a cap from the old unsealed bearing, but a closer look RealOEM showed me it was actually part of the assembly "stack" of little bits and pieces. Think they distribute the load across the bearing race and not the bearing/casing itself.

Are you talking about #6 or #7:
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=31_0695

#6 I installed with the lip facing up, and #7 I installed with the tapered end facing up (meaning the side with the black stripe is up). Fair warning I have no idea what I am doing so I'm not saying this is the correct orientation, I am just halfway done installing Konis right now so would like to know if I did it wrong too...

[gjm120]

Originally Posted by rowsdower

Are you talking about #6 or #7:
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=31_0695

#6 I installed with the lip facing up, and #7 I installed with the tapered end facing up (meaning the side with the black stripe is up). Fair warning I have no idea what I am doing so I'm not saying this is the correct orientation, I am just halfway done installing Konis right now so would like to know if I did it wrong too...

That's correct - at least I sure as hell hope so

[rowsdower]

Originally Posted by gjm120

That's correct - at least I sure as hell hope so

Lol... we are all in it together I suppose.

I have my stock struts sitting in a pool of shock oil on the garage floor, will take one apart next weekend to verify how the washers were oriented.

[desertman123]

Originally Posted by rowsdower

Are you talking about #6 or #7:
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=31_0695

#6 I installed with the lip facing up, and #7 I installed with the tapered end facing up (meaning the side with the black stripe is up). Fair warning I have no idea what I am doing so I'm not saying this is the correct orientation, I am just halfway done installing Konis right now so would like to know if I did it wrong too...

#6 I thought was just a cap or something

edit: now that I think about it #7 is definitely with the black stripe up, but I think I have #6 with the lip up so it's sitting concave-up

[rowsdower]

Originally Posted by desertman123

#6 I thought was just a cap or something

edit: now that I think about it #7 is definitely with the black stripe up, but I think I have #6 with the lip up so it's sitting concave-up

Ah, sorry you edited before I responded. I think we have it the same way, mine is stripe up and concave up otherwise the washer would smash the lip of the dust cover piece. My top mount spins smoothly but I haven't driven the car yet.

[desertman123]

Originally Posted by rowsdower

Ah, sorry you edited before I responded. I think we have it the same way, mine is stripe up and concave up otherwise the washer would smash the lip of the dust cover piece. My top mount spins smoothly but I haven't driven the car yet.

Mine spins real well too, honestly like a skateboard wheel. Might be a thing between the years for which washers have stripes - pretty sure both of mine did.


13:40 there's how I have it. I've put a couple hundred miles on the car so far and no clicks or pops or anything weird feeling.

[gjm120]

For certain the cupped washer is rim up. It's purpose is to keep debris out of the bearings on the strut mounts. I sort of test fitted the washer with the stripe both ways and stripe up made sense. Like Desertman said, it all spun nicely

[gjm120]

A little story that's an argument for doing stuff yourself. I had a shop assemble my struts for the first suspension changeout I did. When I did the recent refresh, one of the cupped washers was a little buggered up. I didn't look when disassembling everything but my guess is it was put in upside down. I used it anyway as I had everything all apart and didn't want to wait and find a new washer. Hopefully it won't cause any problems.

[desertman123]

Originally Posted by gjm120

A little story that's an argument for doing stuff yourself. I had a shop assemble my struts for the first suspension changeout I did. When I did the recent refresh, one of the cupped washers was a little buggered up. I didn't look when disassembling everything but my guess is it was put in upside down. I used it anyway as I had everything all apart and didn't want to wait and find a new washer. Hopefully it won't cause any problems.

Makes me think no one really knows how to set these up

Also I found a good deal on this today locally

[gjm120]

Originally Posted by desertman123

Makes me think no one really knows how to set these up

Also I found a good deal on this today locally

Damn! Is that Verm Red?

I will certainly opt to replace my rear bumper before the front.

[519.E82]

Im so jealous. Thats the last cosmetic thing i need for my car! A new rear bumper with diffuser but it will cost me like $2k (Cad) for new parts and aftermarket diffuser

[crowtrobot]

Nice! Jealous here too. Looking for one in Jet Black, but just did the M-sport front bumper new and haven't been able to find a rear used yet.

[desertman123]

Originally Posted by gjm120

Damn! Is that Verm Red?

I will certainly opt to replace my rear bumper before the front.

Think so! I believe it's off an '09 135i that was in a front end wreck. Wonder if the side skirts are any good..

Originally Posted by 519.E82

Im so jealous. Thats the last cosmetic thing i need for my car! A new rear bumper with diffuser but it will cost me like $2k (Cad) for new parts and aftermarket diffuser

Originally Posted by crowtrobot

Nice! Jealous here too. Looking for one in Jet Black, but just did the M-sport front bumper new and haven't been able to find a rear used yet.

I gave up trying to actually color match it. I found a sparkling graphite 135i right down the road from my house, but the guy refused to sell it since he said it was his friends car (along with a bunch of other scrap BMWs). I showed up a bunch of times to be a pain in his ass, waved cash in his face and he still refused to even ask his friend if he wants to sell it to me. It was even listed on car-part.com. Guess he wanted the junkyard down the road to get the sale.

I've just had awful experiences with junkyatds, arrogant lazy owners who refuse to help scrawny white boys (me) driving something that isn't a 30 year old Ford. Maybe thats just my area, but it's been consistent. Got this one junkyard who told me it might take 4 hours to remove a 3 stage intake off a motor which was already out of the car. I grabbed lunch and came back like 2 hrs later and no progress or ETA, my buddy told the guys we were BMW techs and had to leave, and suddenly the manifold was in my hands. /Rant

But for this case I found the bumper on eBay, saw it was in Orlando and I looked it up and lo and behold it was right down the road from my house! Got it for $275.

[rowsdower]

Originally Posted by rowsdower

Lol... we are all in it together I suppose.

I have my stock struts sitting in a pool of shock oil on the garage floor, will take one apart next weekend to verify how the washers were oriented.

Just following up here... tapered end with black stripe was up and lip was up on my stock struts.

[519.E82]

Originally Posted by desertman123

Think so! I believe it's off an '09 135i that was in a front end wreck. Wonder if the side skirts are any good..

I gave up trying to actually color match it. I found a sparkling graphite 135i right down the road from my house, but the guy refused to sell it since he said it was his friends car (along with a bunch of other scrap BMWs). I showed up a bunch of times to be a pain in his ass, waved cash in his face and he still refused to even ask his friend if he wants to sell it to me. It was even listed on car-part.com. Guess he wanted the junkyard down the road to get the sale.

I've just had awful experiences with junkyatds, arrogant lazy owners who refuse to help scrawny white boys (me) driving something that isn't a 30 year old Ford. Maybe thats just my area, but it's been consistent. Got this one junkyard who told me it might take 4 hours to remove a 3 stage intake off a motor which was already out of the car. I grabbed lunch and came back like 2 hrs later and no progress or ETA, my buddy told the guys we were BMW techs and had to leave, and suddenly the manifold was in my hands. /Rant

But for this case I found the bumper on eBay, saw it was in Orlando and I looked it up and lo and behold it was right down the road from my house! Got it for $275.

I never have luck with scrap yards either. No bmw's unless its like older than 2002 and a 3 series. Even now i bought a big winter SUV a 97 Infiniti QX4 (a luxury Nissan pathfinder basically) but even for it i have only found 1 scrapped car near-ish.

[desertman123]

Even with me learning on this trans, taking it to the drag strip, having a few other friends learn and driving like an asshole, it still holding up.

[desertman123]

Got my M-Sport bumper painted and installed!!! Check OP

[Matticus91]

Looks great! Big upgrade from non m-sport. Now you can mess with the diffuser too

[crowtrobot]

Originally Posted by desertman123

Got my M-Sport bumper painted and installed!!! Check OP

Very nice! God, this serves no functional purpose, but really does make the car look better. Will have to be patient and wait for one to come up FS in the area...

[desertman123]

MILVS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Probably gonna take a while before I install though - need to save my shekels for a tune to actually make them do anything.