Cheated with the topmounts...

[Ferret]

I changed them with the shocks in-situ.

This deffo works with GAS shocks, not so sure about oil shocks - the gas ones extend themselves which makes this possible.

You need a 13mm spanner, 17mm spanner and a pair of spring compressors also a 6mm open ended spanner or an adjustable spanner.
Also some guts, if a spring compressor lets go you'll lose a hand.

Lift both rear wheels off the ground using axel stands - if you only lift one wheel the other holds the lifted shock in compression through the anti-roll bar.

Slacken all four bolts up top, but dont remove yet. Get your spring compressors on the spring and compress it as much as is possible without taking risks in the small space.

You should now have a gap at the top of the spring between the spring and the top mount.

Remove all the bolts out of the top mount and use a long screwdriver or the like to push the shock shaft down and out of the top mount. You'll need to push it a long way down. Either get an assistant or a pair of molegrips with cloth in the jaws to grab the shock shaft, and drop the top mount out and to the side of the car.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/Ferret101/Car/DSC00102.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/Ferret101/Car/DSC00100.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/Ferret101/Car/DSC00106.jpg

Swap over the rubber top seat into the new top mount and replace the top mount, screwing in all three top mounting bolts tight. Make sure the rubber top seat is in the correct alignment or you'll pay for it later.

Release the shock and let it push itself back up and through the top mount, then release the spring compressors.

Saves arseing around with dropping the bottom bolt off.

I figured out why the old top mount punched through: the bump stop top was missing. It serves two purposes - to stop the bump stop and to spread the shock load over the whole top mount, not just the core of the top mount.

Without it, the rubber core just punches straight through after a while.

She handles so much better now!

[e34.535i.sport]

Nice one Andy! I was looking at doing that when I done mine but it's cramped getting the compressor up there so you did well! Those nuts on top are only supposed to be torqued in lightly IIRC you know?! otherwise when you come to undo them the stud will just spin with the nut!

[Ross]

Congrats on your success in the confined space. But I wonder why? There is only one more bolt to remove and you have it on a workbench.

[whiskychaser]

Also some guts, if a spring compressor lets go you'll lose a hand

Dont know if you have room to do it, but I'd choke-wire the spring compressors on with welding rod if I could. Nice work!

[Ross]

Also some guts, if a spring compressor lets go you'll lose a hand

Dont know if you have room to do it, but I'd choke-wire the spring compressors on with welding rod if I could. Nice work!
A friend swears he's seen it done using large zip ties to hold a spring compressed by lots of people sitting on the car. A military field repair.

[BMWCCA1]

Mine had all the correct pieces in place and the rubber still broke through. I think there are just a bunch of bad mounts out there. The ones I replaced weren't the originals (Meyle replacements) and I made sure to replace them with the Meyle Heavy-Duty version this time. Only time will tell if they're any better.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c378/BMWCCA1/DSC_0718.jpg http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c378/BMWCCA1/DSC_0716.jpg http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c378/BMWCCA1/DSC_0720.jpg



I agree; taking the strut all the way out was easy. I can't imagine why I'd want to do it your way but more power to you for your ingenuity! So, what mounts did you use to replace yours?

[Tiger]

I wondered if Ferret got "scared" because of people posting hell on removing the last bolt...

[Ferret]

I wondered if Ferret got "scared" because of people posting hell on removing the last bolt...

You cant get a rattle gun in onto the left lower bolt/access space for a breaker bar without dropping the exhaust. Sick of dropping the exhaust so cheated!

[Ferret]

I agree; taking the strut all the way out was easy. I can't imagine why I'd want to do it your way but more power to you for your ingenuity! So, what mounts did you use to replace yours?

They're the only ones I could find; they're made by Q-Drive, seem just as strong as the ones I took out mind!

[whiskychaser]

I wondered if Ferret got "scared" because of people posting hell on removing the last bolt...

I doubt he's scared. Bearing in mind that other thread- 60 is the new 40, Ferret's "new" age is about 13. At that age you probably still think you are Peter Pan. But jealous cos you cant get free coffee and biscuits at the Odeon on a Wednesday:D

[BMWCCA1]

You cant get a rattle gun in onto the left lower bolt/access space for a breaker bar without dropping the exhaust. Anyone else here have to drop the exhaust to remove the rear shock???


seem just as strong as the ones I took out mind!That's not saying much, is it? Sure wasn't in my case. The Meyle HDs are available just about anywhere, in case anyone wants to know. Let us know how the Q-drives work out . . . in a few years! So far, so good on the Meyle HDs, but then it took something like 40k for the last ones to fail.

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

You cant get a rattle gun in onto the left lower bolt/access space for a breaker bar without dropping the exhaust. Sick of dropping the exhaust so cheated!

I can get my rattle gun in there without droping the exhaust.

Been lucky too...never had a shock frozen to the arm either.

[Bruno]

I do not think that it is harder to take the bottom bolt off. Pulling the complete shock assembly seems faster. 3 bolts at the top, one at the bottom, a big hit and the shock assembly is gone.
Use the impact gun on the top bolt and everything is disassembled. No need for a spring compressor when it is on the floor as there is little tension on the spring. (I wouldn't do that for the front).

But glad it worked out fine for you.