Help with rear shock installation
I need some serious help with reinstalling the rear shocks in my 94 525I. I got the old shocks and springs off o.k. but there doesn't seem to be enough room to use the coil spring compressors that I'm trying to use to install the new ones. Is there a special coil spring compressor that I need to use? Thanks for any advice you can give.
I know exactly what you mean.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gwilt
I need some serious help with reinstalling the rear shocks in my 94 525I. I got the old shocks and springs off o.k. but there doesn't seem to be enough room to use the coil spring compressors that I'm trying to use to install the new ones. Is there a special coil spring compressor that I need to use? Thanks for any advice you can give.
When I installed new springs, the strut assembly lower bolt and the trailing arm hole were not quite lined up because the strut was too stretched out from the stretch of the spring. If you take the pitman arm off your trailing arm can drop down more, IIRC. You can also push down on the trailing arm if you support the car at the subframe instead of at the hub.
A few things I've done to make this work:
1) grit your teeth and lift up on the bastard with all your strength. Girly men: do not attempt this. :) It can work if you've got lowering springs.
2) get a jack or a 2x4 pry board and lift up on the bottom of the strut till the holes line up.
3) get a nylon strap and use that as a spring compressor. Bolt your strut to the top of the car as normal (the 3, 13mm nuts from the inside) and wrap a strap from the top coil to the bottom coil, and cinch it up. It may give you just what you need in the tight space.
4) curse, spit, throw things. This doesn't help get the job done, but it releases tension.
- Robin