Neil_S Posted January 23, 2010 Report Share Posted January 23, 2010 After all this crummy weather we have been having I had the wheels off the car last week to give them a good clean, lucky I did as I found part of the spring loose in the suspension arm on the drivers side! No symptoms or knocking noises, just luck I found it quickly. So this week I ordered a set of Eibach Pro springs. I didn't want to drop the car at all, as I was happy with the msport stance, but I didn't want to pay BMW spring prices when I could get a better set of Eibach springs so the Eibach it was. Installation was pretty easy and the job was completed on the rear in 1 hour 30 minutes. 1. Chock the front wheels, release hand brake and put in gear 2. Loosen wheel bolts on both rear wheels 3. Jack up the rear of the car via the subframe mount just forward of the differential 4. Put both sides on axle stands 5. Remove both rear wheels 6. One side at a time, undo the lower shock bolt (18mm), I used plenty of penetrating fluid (Bilt Hamber Ferrosol). 7. The suspension drops down when the bolt is removed, gently push down on the arm and removal of the spring is a piece of cake 8. Attach suspension mounts to new spring and install 9. With the trolley jack, jack up the suspension to aid reinstallation of lower shock bolt 10. Do not fully tighten the lower shock bolt, this should be done when the wheels are back on the ground and the suspension is under tension 11. Repeat on the other side 12. Reattach wheels and tighten wheel bolts 13. Jack up the car once more and remove axle stands and drop the car to the ground 14. Torque wheel bolts 15. Torque lower shock mount bolts to 100 nm It looks like the intact spring wasn't far from corroding through too, this showing the bottom of the spring New spring installed.. Now a quick before and after, at the moment without the spring having fully settled the ride height on the rear is pretty much identicle... Before... After... Been on a test drive and no clunks or noises. I shall do the fronts with Keiths excellent guide in spring when it's a little warmer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted January 23, 2010 Report Share Posted January 23, 2010 Rears are unbelievably easy luckily, fronts not so much There are soooo many cases of broken springs, BMW must have payed a fiver per spring! Absolute crap. Glad you found it though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil_S Posted January 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2010 Heres hoping the front won't be too bad, I've got a professional coil spring compressor, just got to soak those bolts with penetrative fluid in advance and hope they don't sheer off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted January 23, 2010 Report Share Posted January 23, 2010 Heres hoping the front won't be too bad, I've got a professional coil spring compressor, just got to soak those bolts with penetrative fluid in advance and hope they don't sheer off! Yup anyone doing the fronts, i would def say wd40 them every day a week before! Way over the top probably, but as me and Keith know, it a fooking nightmare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neal Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 wow, can't beleive someone as prestige as bmw can have such a major component fail on so many cars! my 330 tourer has a rattle from the back end that goes away when the car has a lot of weight in it, think i better get under and have a look! got a spare set of mtech sport suspension in the shed i got off ebay, but might have to get some eibachs, little but lower than standard would be nice though, but not so low it scrapes the exhaust on everything like my old 205gti days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 But as me and Keith know, it a fooking nightmare Ohhhhhh yes. After shearing my first bolt, the second was treated to a day's worth of soaking, much beating with a hammer to 'shock' the threads loose, and then 5h1t-loads of heat from a gas torch before I could even get it to move. And even then, it felt on the edge of shearing! Not looking forward to doing the job again when the time comes on the Z. But I'm too tight to pay a garage to do it! My guide HERE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neal Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Ohhhhhh yes. After shearing my first bolt, the second was treated to a day's worth of soaking, much beating with a hammer to 'shock' the threads loose, and then 5h1t-loads of heat from a gas torch before I could even get it to move. And even then, it felt on the edge of shearing! Not looking forward to doing the job again when the time comes on the Z. But I'm too tight to pay a garage to do it! My guide HERE. Just out of curiosity, which bolt is it thats giving everyone grief? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Just out of curiosity, which bolt is it thats giving everyone grief? The kingpin collar bolt. The one that clamps the collar around the bottom of your shock. Its very tight AND threadlocked on. The collar off and bolt removed... You can see where it clamps it together; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richsaunders Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Cheers guys, really interesting topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e46318ise Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 I could do with your old rear spring with the 3 grey stripe... dammit i`m in the wrong country Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazal1999 Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 I have been doing the back springs i my beemer, remember to disconnect the anti roll bar drop link before levering the spring carrier down as you will snap quite easily, as i found out to my peril. £16 for a new one and a bit of a fiddle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheen Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 (edited) How is the ride compared with the OEM springs, firmer, softer, f1 style? Cant believe my spring has broken in the same manner… i've become BMW's bitch Edited March 28, 2011 by Sheen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmcb Posted August 19, 2011 Report Share Posted August 19, 2011 Good Guides. Thanks. How do the Eibach springs feel compared to stock ones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genbloke Posted August 20, 2011 Report Share Posted August 20, 2011 Good Guides. Thanks. How do the Eibach springs feel compared to stock ones? I changed all shocks and fitted pro springs and the car feel very, very slightly stiffer than before- it doesn't have that "modified" feel to it, very oem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pablo_uk Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 (edited) Ive just replaced mine and with the help of this tutorial found it ok. I did have to use the wheel jack to open enough gap to fit the springs though but it worked. Here is a pic of both springs after removal. Edited August 26, 2011 by Pablo_uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
