[bspeedracerb]

So I am replacing struts/springs on my E90 with OEM parts I got on the cheap. Rearend is done. I have the old fronts out & am ready to assemble the new ones but the spring compressor I rented from Advance won't compress the springs enough to allow me to get the bolt to thread onto the shock tube. So after that fail I took them to a local garage. The guy called me a few minutes later & said that his spring compressor could not do the job either. So then I called my local BMW dealer SUN MOTORS of Carlisle & the service tech told me they would not assemble the struts for me b/c they are not on the car & they refused to do any work on parts that are removed from the vehicle.

So now what the hell am I supposed to do?

I am located in Central PA if anyone can help please let me know.

Thanks,

Dave

717-609-68zero5

[David1]

It is the struts that are the problem. The piston has set to it's neutral position.

[bspeedracerb]

after enough research I found that the struts are the problem & that my only solution would be buying a compressor like the one BavAuto uses or taking it to a shop that has one like PepBoys. I have tried to pull the strut from it's neutral position but could not get it out enough to catch any threads. I'm pretty annoyed that the BMW dealer refused to help.

[mlifxs]

renting a second set of spring compressors might work....happened to me. still even with 2 it requires a lot effort, might be better off taking them somewhere if strut is off the car

[bspeedracerb]

yea I have them disassembled & boxed up so taking them somewhere or buying a new set of aftermarket struts are about my only 2 options left. I'll try the local PepBoys even though I despise giving them my money.

[bspeedracerb]

so my local PepBoys doesn't have the spring compressor necessary to do the struts...anyone?

[BKV122]

I ran into the same problem last week. Pepboys did the job for me. Maybe another chain mechanic shop like Goodyear or something.

[Volasko]

Only trick I found to work was to remove the who strut assembly from the knuckle and clamp the body safely. With the help of another person I screwed on the top screw to give me something to grab off of and pull the shaft as far out as possible. Then I got the other person some vice grips with some thick rubber pads to clamp the shaft at the seal, while I was pulling as hard as I could. I think I had to have the spring on too as it would have been impossible with the vice grips in the way. The whole experience was a total PITA, and vowed never to try and DIY the front suspension ever again.

[mlifxs]

Originally Posted by Volasko

Only trick I found to work was to remove the who strut assembly from the knuckle and clamp the body safely. With the help of another person I screwed on the top screw to give me something to grab off of and pull the shaft as far out as possible. Then I got the other person some vice grips with some thick rubber pads to clamp the shaft at the seal, while I was pulling as hard as I could. I think I had to have the spring on too as it would have been impossible with the vice grips in the way. The whole experience was a total PITA, and vowed never to try and DIY the front suspension ever again.

definitely a PITA. Fortunately, not all dampers do this. My BMW Perf dampers did not. Seems like stock has this problem and I've read Eibach Pro System dampers do as well.

[freon480]

I use two sets of spring compressors for every bmw strut I install.

[vasillalov]

Hmm weird. My Sport suspension did not need any of this. Just a few turns on the spring compressor and the entire strut assembly came out without any issues.

[Stupenal]

Originally Posted by mlifxs

definitely a PITA. Fortunately, not all dampers do this. My BMW Perf dampers did not. Seems like stock has this problem and I've read Eibach Pro System dampers do as well.

I will confirm the eibach pro system has this same issue of shrinking strut rods that make it impossible for reticular spring compressors to work. The amount of tension loaded into the springs when they're compressed that much is outright dangerous.

I went to a professional Indy shop and the took care of it for $20 per strut. They have the walk mounted compressors that are much safer and faster. Try checking around with local shops, it's standard equipment usually and should be real quick.

Or check the 1 series board under the suspension sub forum and there's a homemade method to extend the struts, but requires some engineering and custom made pieces.

[sutter2k]

Reason for coilovers. I didn't even need a spring compressor....

[_shim]

The problem is the oem xi spring length.

I ran into this issue a few times.
Ended up using 3 spring compressors in a y-pattern.

[_shim]

Or find a shop that has a wall-mounted spring compressor and have them put it back together for you.

[bspeedracerb]

took it to 3 euro shops 1 had floor mount, 2 had wall mount, not 1 was able to compress the spring enough to even come close to touching a thread. we tried the 2 spring compressor method to no avail. we tried the pull the tube out of the body & keep it out with rubber vice grips. still a good inch off. i gave up & now have a WTB/WTT in the suspension classifieds

[Stupenal]

Try the method listed by fe1rx in this thread

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...=939230&page=2

Basically build a contraption to extend the strut and hold it there until u can get the top hat onto the threads and a but to secure it.

[raceyBMW]

Two sets of spring compressors didn't even do it for me, because they just get in the way and I wasn't able to reassemble correctly. The center strut tube retracts halfway when you release the top nut, that's the main issue.

You either have to pull up the center strut tube using some method to keep it held up while you try and push down on the spring (with a set of spring compressors on) to get the hat on and get the nut on a few threads.....or get one of these style spring compressors, which compresses from the top hat instead of the springs, and give you enough compression to get the nut on the strut tube.

http://www.amazon.com/QuestCraft-Mac...ing+compressor

I took mine to Firestone (know a guy that works there) and we had to compress using their floor stand mounted huge compressor with it grabbing onto the top hat to compress while one of us used a set of vice grips to pull up the strut tube enough to put on the top nut....grabbing on the springs by themselves doesn't work.

[bleicht]

This was a pain but it is possible and required two spring compressors.

I bought the "Schwaben" copy that's on Amazon. It's quite heavy and cost $100; it seems like it has potential but it's a cheaply made Chinese tool which affected how well it works. I have no idea if the Schwaben is any different but it looks exactly the same.

My car is an E90 with Sport Suspension and is completely stock. I used the two silver plates on the Schwaben initially and the spring flew off in my garage a couple times. I then had to add the "OEM" Autozone rental spring compressor to get the spring off the old strut.

The key to getting the spring back on the new strut is to make sure the top plate is on the top spring cup and to put one of the Autozone compressor's hooks underneat the strut's bottom spring seat. This will pull the strut body up and allow the threaded part of the shaft to come up through the strut mount far enough to get a thread on. I then used a 21mm strut socket (reused the stock nuts because the new Bilsten struts were a smaller/different size) to tighten it all up.

The first strut took a long time and a trip to Autozone to get a second tool to finish. Once I had this figured out, the second strut only took ~10 min.

I hope this helps someone...be careful!

[langsbr]

Have to agree that the stock springs are a BITCH to compress enough to get assembled. That pic looks like a death trap. If I were going to be doing springs more often, I would get one of these - can't beat it for the price from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/BWM-Co-Strut-...189753&sr=8-44

[bleicht]

lol, yea, that's pretty cheap but who wants to store that for 5 years before you do your next strut job.

It looks horrible but it isn't a death trap as the "OEM" Autozone compressors are hooked around the coils and have a pin preventing them coming off. Even if the POS Schwaben copy compressor slips off, the Autozone one will keep the spring compressed.

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

Originally Posted by bleicht

This was a pain but it is possible and required two spring compressors.

I bought the "Schwaben" copy that's on Amazon. It's quite heavy and cost $100; it seems like it has potential but it's a cheaply made Chinese tool which affected how well it works. I have no idea if the Schwaben is any different but it looks exactly the same.

My car is an E90 with Sport Suspension and is completely stock. I used the two silver plates on the Schwaben initially and the spring flew off in my garage a couple times. I then had to add the "OEM" Autozone rental spring compressor to get the spring off the old strut.

The key to getting the spring back on the new strut is to make sure the top plate is on the top spring cup and to put one of the Autozone compressor's hooks underneat the strut's bottom spring seat. This will pull the strut body up and allow the threaded part of the shaft to come up through the strut mount far enough to get a thread on. I then used a 21mm strut socket (reused the stock nuts because the new Bilsten struts were a smaller/different size) to tighten it all up.

The first strut took a long time and a trip to Autozone to get a second tool to finish. Once I had this figured out, the second strut only took ~10 min.

I hope this helps someone...be careful!

I also have that same tool from Amazon and sport springs. You do not need to use a second pair of compressors. The tool will compress the springs to lift them off the perch on its own. If you follow the Bav Auto strut compression video then it will work as it should. Mine did not slip on four different struts: one pair of sports, one pair of non-sports.

It is advisable to pick up some Grade 10 hold-down bolts, as the ones that come with the tool are very soft. Both of your spring seats are at high angles. That might be the issue for you if you're using the bolts it came with.

If you're still experiencing issues with it then I'd just send it back for a refund or a new one.