[ShoCk_]

Some brief history ...

Had my E90 330d (55 plate so very old now) put on some cheap JOM coilovers after a coil spring collapsed and went through a tyre.

Took it to my nearest garage who I have been using for well over 10 years. I was a bit concerned, all the adult staff have moved on the owner has replaced all staff with college kids including his 23 year old son who is now the manager of the place. Anyway I trusted him. Big mistake.

First of all they scratched my wing while working on my car but they promised to have it resprayed by he bodyshop next door.

They put new coilovers (shocks/springs) and 4 new tyres (marked my freshly refurbed alloys whilst installed two of the tyres around the edges).

Car was an absolute mess ... very twitchy and all over the place. I thought it was the cheap coilovers so within 48 hours...

Took it for tracking at a proper tracking garage that only do tyres and tracking they took £50 and tracked it. It felt a little better but I still wasn't happy ... car felt worse than when I had my SE OEM set up before my coil spring gave way, I have no confidence planting my foot down anymore with my new suspension.

Then I also discovered that my car makes a clunking/knocking sound when I slowly turn left or right when parking the car or reversing off my driveway.

So I went to ANOTHER garage. Before he did anything he showed me that all four thrust/drive arms had the rubber joints burnt so they were completely exposed with all the grease leaked out as well as the drivers side ABS sensor wire burnt. He said somebody was using a blow torch to remove the bolts and damaged all that in the process and those arms are the culprit to why my car is driving so bad.

I quickly went on google / youtube that day did a bit of research and discovered he could be right ...

So I booked his services. He changed the ABS sensor and fitted four new arms and presented me with the old damaged parts.

Car runs beautiful now! very stable and not twitchy but that dreaded knocking sound is still there ...

What could it be ? I have spent £1450 in total on parts and labour. But I have a nasty knocking / clunk when turning left and right. Otherwise I am very happy with my new ride height and drive.

He is saying the knocking sound could be the coil spring or top mounts ...

Seems like I was well and truly shafted by the garage that I have trusted for over a decade. They did a botch job for the first time in 10 years and it's no surprise as he has inexperienced kids working there now. All the experienced, expensive staff have gone. Struggling business perhaps ?

He damaged the four thrust/drive arms, burnt my ABS sensor and scratched my drivers side wing (which they will be respraying and putting right).

[maxoutput]

It does sound they have managed to botch the top mount so the spring is turning in the cup rather than the spring cup/perch turning. Does it make a solid doing .. doing .. doing noise ?? . They make have left something out if they were under the impression that they had to remove anything they shouldn't have , have a look at the exploded parts here, not your model but basically the front shock assembly is the same on all models http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=31_0716

[ShoCk_]

Originally Posted by maxoutput

It does sound they have managed to botch the top mount so the spring is turning in the cup rather than the spring cup/perch turning. Does it make a solid doing .. doing .. doing noise ?? . They make have left something out if they were under the impression that they had to remove anything they shouldn't have , have a look at the exploded parts here, not your model but basically the front shock assembly is the same on all models http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=31_0716

That's probably as accurate as you could get trying to put the sound as words. And yes that is pretty much the sound.

They used the old worn out top mounts so must have missed something ...

What are the immediate issues that could happen if I didn't throw money at replacing them with new ones from BMW ?

[Chappers 71]

The top mounts are fairly inexpensive from ECP especially if you use one of their discount vouchers. Unfortunately you'd need to have the suspension legs dropped & most likely another geo. it's well worth doing though.
I had mine replaced a while ago, cured the noise & the steering felt a lot smoother.

[maxoutput]

The fact that the springs are turning in the cups rather than the cups turning on the top cap bearing means that there is something binding which maybe due to a spacer missing rather than the top hat bearing itself. I'd get it changed or at least inspected as you it wont do the spring much good and the power steering rack will be under a little more load than usual. I take it your not a DIY person as the the front shocks and top hats aren't that hard to remove if you are handy with a spanner

[ShoCk_]

Originally Posted by maxoutput

The fact that the springs are turning in the cups rather than the cups turning on the top cap bearing means that there is something binding which maybe due to a spacer missing rather than the top hat bearing itself. I'd get it changed or at least inspected as you it wont do the spring much good and the power steering rack will be under a little more load than usual. I take it your not a DIY person as the the front shocks and top hats aren't that hard to remove if you are handy with a spanner

Well I DIY fitted my Angel Eyes to my E90 and done oil filter changes and changed the rear springs ... on my previous car which was a vauxhall astra.

I don't feel brave enough to attempt anything related to the suspension on my E90 myself.

I will eventually have it changed.

[ChawenHalo]

Originally Posted by maxoutput

The fact that the springs are turning in the cups rather than the cups turning on the top cap bearing means that there is something binding which maybe due to a spacer missing rather than the top hat bearing itself. I'd get it changed or at least inspected as you it wont do the spring much good and the power steering rack will be under a little more load than usual. I take it your not a DIY person as the the front shocks and top hats aren't that hard to remove if you are handy with a spanner

+1 remember though that even top mounts have a specific torque setting...

[ShoCk_]

Well i've narrowed it down to one thing ... it appears the clunk only comes from the passenger side.

Need to make time to visit the garage again. But atleast it's just one side.

[mifesto]

Update?

[ShoCk_]

Originally Posted by mifesto

Update?

Still haven't taken it to the garage yet as i've been too busy. Will be taking it in on Monday.

What is the correct way to lower the car on coilovers ? I have a feeling my car hasn't been lowered the correct amounts on each side.

[maxoutput]

Flat tarmac and measure from the jack mounts to the floor , you should have a slight rake down at the front. Don't bother measuring from the arches to wheel centre as the front arches on e90 are slightly higher than the rears so you'll end up dropping the front too much to match the rear gap and adding my too much front rake. Some people weight the drivers seat when adjusting for the weight of the driver to get the suspension level when your in it but I don't bother .

[ShoCk_]

The springs on my front suspension have not been seated correctly thus creating knocking sounds when turning left and right.

The garage that initially installed the coilovers will be taking off the complete front shocks and assembling them again on Monday.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=31_0716

This is what it looks like today. Does it look right to you ?

Drivers side:




Passengers side:

[maxoutput]

Sounds like the top of the spring perch is binding against the cup and isnt riding the bearing correctly , rather than the bearing turning inside the top OEM cups the shock piston rod is turning inside the shock causing the spring to try and rotate against the perch causing a popping noise as i mentioned previously.

This could be due to the top assembly not being installed correctly, check the post below with reference to the OEM concave washer, is this wasnt installed this could be the cause of the binding. http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=840223

[ShoCk_]

Yes, I think they must have forgotten to put the washer on. Will find out on Monday.

Is there a possibility that the bearing has seized on the top mount ? The car has done 127k and I didn't change the top mounts with the coil over installation.

I've just ordered a pair from euro car parts which I will pick up tomorrow.

I will go in to BMW and buy the OEM washers just incase as well.

Sick of all this diagnosing. Why can't garages just get it right the first time round.

[maxoutput]

Personally I run ST coil overs by KW and have found them very good , I did fit them myself though so had hands on control over the assembly and fitting

[ShoCk_]

maxoutput you were right PROBLEM SOLVED

They missed out the curved washer on both sides and the top mount's bearings were knackered on the passengers side as well.

New washers, new top mounts. And problem has now been fixed. Car feels completely different and so smooth! plus no more ridiculous bangs.

This has been a good learning curve for me. Thank god for forums / youtube how to videos.

So I now have brand new drive arms, new tie rods, new coilovers, new top mounts. Just need to get the hunters geo done and then suspension wise the car should be sorted for a few years I hope !!!

[maxoutput]

Superb,glad it’s sorted, you nearly have a new car now lol