[Alloutofdonuts]

Thank you for the reply and happy Labor Day (weekend)!

...I’d make a joke about ‘a bad day in the garage/woikin on projects is better than a good day at work’ but I’m fortunate enough to say I love both so I can’t lol.

Ok so it sounds like I did what you’re describing maybe I’m just a whimp lol. I popped the axles from the diff, then removed the diff before removing the pan. I think I just got hung up with the extra length of the pass. side axle. It was late/I was tired/etc. I was on the passenger side working so it felt kind of counterintuitive to tilt the pan (opening) toward the drivers side, but when I did is when it released.

I believe/hope last thing left is to replace the axle seals & c-clips, and put everything back together!

Edit: for a sec I thought I was f’ed bcuz I had forgotten to get the tools to install the axle seals but coincidentally a 2.25 v-band weld flange is perfect! Thannkkkk youuuuuu

[mp-E46]

Thank you for a very detailed DIY. I did have to double check some of the torques couple times since they seem to be slightly off on other sites. I ended replacing all front suspension components including wheel bearings also water pump and thermostat. And in the process painted the subframe since it had a bit of rust on it. Having a lift definitely helps.

[e90yyc]

Yeah this is an incredible DIY. I plan to make good use of it when I replace my steering rack and front diff. After reading only about 25% of it, I'm realizing I'd probably be screwed without it.


PhaseP Is there any reason why one wouldn't just disconnect the swivel bearing and drop the struts out that way? Mine have alignment pins intact, so I'd think getting it back into place should be easy.

[PhaseP]

Originally Posted by e90yyc

PhaseP Is there any reason why one wouldn't just disconnect the swivel bearing and drop the struts out that way? Mine have alignment pins intact, so I'd think getting it back into place should be easy.

If I understood correctly what you are saying, disconnect the struts from the steering knuckles (swivel bearings), and remove the struts?

I disconnected the struts from the swivel bearing (steering knuckle I called in the DIY). But left struts hanging from top. There is no need to get the struts completely removed, they are not in the way.

If you are asking why not remove the CV axles from the steering knuckles. Then leave the steering knuckle in place and that way you don't need to undo the control arms and the strut. It can be done that way too.

I opted not to try this because removing and putting back the axles to the steering knuckle looked difficult to me, was the experience I had read by some others. BMW mentions using a special tool to press out and press in the axles, and the axle bolt torque spec is 300 ftlb or 300 NM torque, don't remember which one was it exactly. Didn't want to mess with those. Plus the BMW shop manual online I had found was saying the same way I did and described in this thread.

[e90yyc]

Originally Posted by PhaseP

If I understood correctly what you are saying, disconnect the struts from the steering knuckles (swivel bearings), and remove the struts?

I disconnected the struts from the swivel bearing (steering knuckle I called in the DIY). But left struts hanging from top. There is no need to get the struts completely removed, they are not in the way.

If you are asking why not remove the CV axles from the steering knuckles. Then leave the steering knuckle in place and that way you don't need to undo the control arms and the strut. It can be done that way too.

I opted not to try this because removing and putting back the axles to the steering knuckle looked difficult to me, was the experience I had read by some others. BMW mentions using a special tool to press out and press in the axles, and the axle bolt torque spec is 300 ftlb or 300 NM torque, don't remember which one was it exactly. Didn't want to mess with those. Plus the BMW shop manual online I had found was saying the same way I did and described in this thread.

Sorry—I screwed up. I meant to ask if there would be any major issues with just detaching the strut from the upper strut mount and removing it along with the steering knuckle?

I know it's not required for clearance, but the reason I want to do this is because I did a poor job of seating the spring on the lower rubber spring pad and would like to fix this. I also figure it would prevent me from having to pull the strut out of the knuckle which seems like more work, but I may be well wrong with that.

I like your process of leaving the axle inserted into the knuckle. Prevents having to replace the spindle nut, etc etc. I've taken the axles out before when replacing the struts actually, and while I don't remember it being overly challenging, you're right on the money about the torque spec (420 Nm). Come to think about it, I don't think I torqued them to spec at the time, I believe I just did the guttentight with the impact... Maybe I should re-do those. (At the time I was acting on the advice of a friend mechanic who seemed to think it was unnecessary to worry about specific torque on that nut...).

Again, can't thank you enough for the DIY. Now I'm just hoping I don't forget anything when I place my next FCP order...

Edit: One more question... The positioning pins on the struts: I know these go through the gap in the strut opening on the swivel bearing, but where are they to come to rest? It's not clear from what I've seen.

[PhaseP]

Originally Posted by e90yyc

Sorry—I screwed up. I meant to ask if there would be any major issues with just detaching the strut from the upper strut mount and removing it along with the steering knuckle?

The downside would be having to handle the whole weight of that assembly while moving it out and putting it back in. If you can do that, that should be fine.
You need to undo the sway bar link from the strut and if brake hose or other cable also if they are attached to strut assembly. I do like the BMW OEM sway bar links. They can be undone with a thin enough 17 mm wrench holding the ball part of the link from rotation. Other styles where the ball part is held from rotation with an allen wrench or similar are a pain to remove a few years later due to rust.

Nm). Come to think about it, I don't think I torqued them to spec at the time, I believe I just did the guttentight with the impact...
Maybe I should re-do those. (At the time I was acting on the advice of a friend mechanic who seemed to think it was unnecessary to worry about specific torque on that nut...).

Decent 1/2 inch impact should have tightened it gutt. Do you have a 300ftlb torque wrench? I don't, and not planning on buying one any time soon

Edit: One more question... The positioning pins on the struts: I know these go through the gap in the strut opening on the swivel bearing, but where are they to come to rest? It's not clear from what I've seen.

Pins don't come to rest with anything. If the pinch bolt is left there loosened and if you pull the strut out, the lower pin breaks off hitting the pinch bolt.... they are tiny dots.

What determines the how far the strut goes in then?

From what I remember since I did this a while back, this is another difference between XI and RWD versions. At XI models, the bottom side of the bore where the strut goes into inside the swivel bearing (steering knuckle or whatever it is exactly called) is concave. Its diameter gets reduced right at the bottom. This concave shape of the bottom of the bore matches the bottom of the strut. In other words the strut shouldn't be able to go through the bore all the way, it bottoms out. Before disassembly of the strut it is wise to mark its position axially and radially at the swivel bearing, so one can put it back the same way it was easily.

At RWD versions that bore is machined like a hole all the way through same diameter. There is a tab at the strut damper that sticks out and rests on the swivel bearing at the top, and that is what determines how far the strut goes into swivel bearing. There were some posts in this form years back about cutting that tab and letting the strut fall more into the swivel bearing as a way to lower the front of the car, which is only possible with RWD models.

[PhaseP]

Picture is worth a thousand words. The section of the strut where it gets reduced in diameter matches a reduced diameter inside the bore of the swivel bearing. This is only at XI models.

[e90yyc]

Originally Posted by PhaseP

The downside would be having to handle the whole weight of that assembly while moving it out and putting it back in. If you can do that, that should be fine.
You need to undo the sway bar link from the strut and if brake hose or other cable also if they are attached to strut assembly. I do like the BMW OEM sway bar links. They can be undone with a thin enough 17 mm wrench holding the ball part of the link from rotation. Other styles where the ball part is held from rotation with an allen wrench or similar are a pain to remove a few years later due to rust.

Ah yes, that makes sense. Might be tricky to find somewhere to hang the caliper. I'll see once I'm in there. Maybe I just leave it be.

Decent 1/2 inch impact should have tightened it gutt. Do you have a 300ftlb torque wrench? I don't, and not planning on buying one any time soon

Nope! Definitely don't own one and don't plan on buying one either :-)

Pins don't come to rest with anything. If the pinch bolt is left there loosened and if you pull the strut out, the lower pin breaks off hitting the pinch bolt.... they are tiny dots.

What determines the how far the strut goes in then?

From what I remember since I did this a while back, this is another difference between XI and RWD versions. At XI models, the bottom side of the bore where the strut goes into inside the swivel bearing (steering knuckle or whatever it is exactly called) is concave. Its diameter gets reduced right at the bottom. This concave shape of the bottom of the bore matches the bottom of the strut. In other words the strut shouldn't be able to go through the bore all the way, it bottoms out. Before disassembly of the strut it is wise to mark its position axially and radially at the swivel bearing, so one can put it back the same way it was easily.

Thank you for the good advice. Unfortunately when they were replaced, I'm not sure there was much thought given to how far they were inserted into the knuckle. I'll have to look this time around and see if everything makes sense. I was letting a mechanic friend of mine take the lead on it, but of course it's doubtful he works on BMW's on a regular basis.

At RWD versions that bore is machined like a hole all the way through same diameter. There is a tab at the strut damper that sticks out and rests on the swivel bearing at the top, and that is what determines how far the strut goes into swivel bearing. There were some posts in this form years back about cutting that tab and letting the strut fall more into the swivel bearing as a way to lower the front of the car, which is only possible with RWD models.

This is very interesting to hear. There have been some moments I've thought back on my strut replacement job and wondered if I had potentially messed up the ride height side-to-side, but assuaged my concerns by believing it would be the spring and not the strut that would dictate ride height. Now that I'm reading this, I may well go back in and make sure everything is correct. I know the xDrive suspension has less travel (or so I'm told?), but there are times where it sounds/feels like I'm hitting the bump stops.

Well, I guess now I just need to triple-check that I'm ordering everything I need. I'm going to try to make the tool you used to press the diff seals in too. Thanks for all that info!

[PhaseP]

I know the xDrive suspension has less travel (or so I'm told?), but there are times where it sounds/feels like I'm hitting the bump stops.

Yeah, that infamous E90 XI bone jarring pothole explosion. On my car it was much more frequent with OEM shocks. After I replaced with Bilstein B4's it became much less frequently happening.

I had done autopsy on the OEM shocks after replacement and had found inside an additional strong string that was working against compression of the shock. I had posted about it on this forum. Someone had theorized that this could be contributing to those unexpected bottoming out of the suspension.

Don't know if so, but I can tell with Bilstein B4's it became much less often.

[Jeffman]

Great DIY! I just completed this on my 08 335xi AT. Car was literally on 4 tall, heavy duty, jack stands (car level) for 7 weeks while I also did lots of maintenance and mods, so I completely removed (and cleaned and painted) the subframe. I had replaced the front right (long) axle last year and all of the front suspension bits so I was comfortable leaving the struts connected to the hub and removing the axles from the hub.
Note: if you’re AT you’ll need to disconnect the AT coolant lines from the AT housing to tighten several of the oil pan bolts. Lost ~350 cc ATF fluid which was added as last step. So recommend keeping the car level on four jack stands if you’re an AT (and remove the front drive shaft completely to access ATF fill plug).
So while the subframe was down and the pedestal was off it was easy peasy to remove/replace DPs, inlets, outlets, engine mounts, and the coolant pump and thermostat. It also needed an alignment.