[pjr710]

Hey all, i went to the stealership for a recall and they said my rear shocks should be replace. I will inspect them myself.

I just watched a video and it seems simple, i also looked at the price for shocks and it's way less than I expected!

I was just wondering if there are other elements I should consider replacing.

Do you need to replace springs? Or just shocks? I know there are bump stops and other elements to the shock that I may replace as well.

[PerfectAce]

New springs aren't necessary unless they're damaged. The dealer would've told you if they were. Just buy a Lemforder shock mount kit to replace all the worn out squishy bits when changing out the shocks. The hardest part of the job is removing the trunk liner.

[pjr710]

Originally Posted by PerfectAce

New springs aren't necessary unless they're damaged. The dealer would've told you if they were. Just buy a Lemforder shock mount kit to replace all the worn out squishy bits when changing out the shocks. The hardest part of the job is removing the trunk liner.

Lol! Thank God!

[pjr710]

is there anything else i should consider changing?

should i also do the front struts? control arms .. bushings?

[PerfectAce]

Considering the age and mileage of your car, if it were me, I would replace the struts (and strut mounts) as well. I would inspect the control arms for looseness, visible wear in the bushings or audible popping or clunking when turning or going over bumps; if any of the above symptoms are present, then replace. Same goes for tie rods and sway bar end links. You can save a few bucks and some labor time if you just replace the outer tie rod ends -- the inner ends rarely need replacement.

[pjr710]

Originally Posted by PerfectAce

Considering the age and mileage of your car, if it were me, I would replace the struts (and strut mounts) as well. I would inspect the control arms for looseness, visible wear in the bushings or audible popping or clunking when turning or going over bumps; if any of the above symptoms are present, then replace. Same goes for tie rods and sway bar end links. You can save a few bucks and some labor time if you just replace the outer tie rod ends -- the inner ends rarely need replacement.

ok ... i'm going to have to get under the car and do an inspection. honestly the car to me feels like it did when i bought it at 20k lol ... but who knows

i notice there are bilstein and sachs shocks .... i did some research ... probably will go with the sachs but overall shouldn't make a huge difference right?

[PerfectAce]

As far as a factory original level of replacement goes, there's not much of a difference. If you're looking to improve handling or performance, then that's a different story and Bilstein offers other, different lines of products to meet those needs at increasing price points.

[pjr710]

Originally Posted by PerfectAce

As far as a factory original level of replacement goes, there's not much of a difference. If you're looking to improve handling or performance, then that's a different story and Bilstein offers other, different lines of products to meet those needs at increasing price points.

I am totally fine with factory...

I am semi tempted to get this as well https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...rade-bmwmcakit

I'm going to start going down a rabbit whole now.

[PerfectAce]

A lot of folks go with that kit when replacing control arms. I wasn't turning my car into a track car, nor do I try do drive it like one, so I didn't really feel the need to spend extra dollars to switch to M3 arms when changing mine.

I bought a set of ÜRO upper and lower control arms through RockAuto for about $150. They're fine. It's your money though.

[pjr710]

Originally Posted by PerfectAce

A lot of folks go with that kit when replacing control arms. I wasn't turning my car into a track car, nor do I try do drive it like one, so I didn't really feel the need to spend extra dollars to switch to M3 arms when changing mine.

I bought a set of ÜRO upper and lower control arms through RockAuto for about $150. They're fine. It's your money though.

Well the M3 and the regular control arms are about the same price which is what seems appealing ...

Unless you went aftermarket like you did.

[Jklad]

Get the m3 front arms kit, you won't regret it.

Also get at least bilstein upgrades shocks, and do both front and rear - if your gonna do this job anyways make it worthwhile with a nice upgrade.

Replace all the miscellaneous small pieces you can up and down the shafts.

My rear shocks were leaking at 140k miles, went with Bmw performance suspension kit with yellow springs, and sway bar, new tie rods, front m3 arms, upgraded rear toe arms and couldn't be happier. Yes you are going down a rabbit hole but suspension upgrades bring the car to life and leads to fun times, totally worth it IMO

[pjr710]

Originally Posted by Jklad

Get the m3 front arms kit, you won't regret it.

Also get at least bilstein upgrades shocks, and do both front and rear - if your gonna do this job anyways make it worthwhile with a nice upgrade.

Replace all the miscellaneous small pieces you can up and down the shafts.

My rear shocks were leaking at 140k miles, went with Bmw performance suspension kit with yellow springs, and sway bar, new tie rods, front m3 arms, upgraded rear toe arms and couldn't be happier. Yes you are going down a rabbit hole but suspension upgrades bring the car to life and leads to fun times, totally worth it IMO

What bilsteins?

[Spitfire007]

Just something you should know:
Bilsteins are NOT comfortable at low, in-town, speeds.
They shine on the highway, above 60 mph.
In town, they are stiff and a little jarring.

I have had bilsteins on 4 diff cars from a 2000 TransAm to a 74 2002tii to a 98 740iL and now my e90.

The are superb shocks, but not great (too harsh) when running errands in town on rougher streets.

Highway and sweepers, they are amazing. Best above 80mph...

[pjr710]

Originally Posted by Spitfire007

Just something you should know:
Bilsteins are NOT comfortable at low, in-town, speeds.
They shine on the highway, above 60 mph.
In town, they are stiff and a little jarring.

I have had bilsteins on 4 diff cars from a 2000 TransAm to a 74 2002tii to a 98 740iL and now my e90.

The are superb shocks, but not great (too harsh) when running errands in town on rougher streets.

Highway and sweepers, they are amazing. Best above 80mph...

What bilsteins are you talking about though .. b/c when I look at OEM shocks on FCP they are either sachs or bilstein B4s ....

Honestly I like my car as is - stock suspension is fine w/ me.

I am on the highway most of the time

[Spitfire007]

Originally Posted by pjr710

What bilsteins are you talking about though .. b/c when I look at OEM shocks on FCP they are either sachs or bilstein B4s ....

Honestly I like my car as is - stock suspension is fine w/ me.

I am on the highway most of the time

I'm referring to Bilstein B6.
B4s are not much of an upgrade over stock Sport and I understood you were 'upgrading', sorry.

I will probably revert back to B4s myself soon.

[Efthreeoh]

I'm going to chime in. Apologies. So my opinion about suspension refurbishment is this: I've been on E90 Post for over 12 years. I've had my car for over 12 years. I think based on what I've read on E90 Post and based on my experience with my car, people on this Forum replace components far too early and unnecessarily. You don't state where you live in PA, meaning in Philly, Pittsburgh, or a smaller place with smoother roads, but the E90 suspension is far more robust than people think it is. I drive my car on primarily smooth roads, but I drive it very hard on back country roads on a daily basis, so the suspension gets a lot of heavy loading due to high speeds and sharp turns under braking. My lower control arms lasted well over 300,000 miles and were still in great shape (bushings and ball joints) when I replaced them at 336K. In the front, the thrust arms are susceptible to wear at the hydraulic bushings, and if anything, the thrust arms at your mileage may need replacement if the bushings have leaked out the hydraulic fluid. Vibration is a sign of bad thrust arm bushings. I've replaced the thrust arms twice. I did have a ball-joint go bad on the left side on my first replacement set (of M3 thrust arms). Get the M3 thrust arms only because the bushings are solid vs. hydraulic in the standard arms, so they give slightly better feel and last longer.

My rear suspension has all original arms and bushings. What was the reason the dealership recommended the rear shocks be replaced? Generally, if the shocks are leaking oil they need replacement. If you bounce test the rear suspension, does it settle within 1 or 2 bounces? if it does than the shocks are still damping the springs. How does the rear suspension feel to you. Does it feel under-damped and not well controlled. Dealers have known to BS owners into unnecessary repairs (says Capt. Obvious )

All I'm trying to say is, don't go into complete suspension rebuild mode just because the dealer said the rear shocks are bad and the knuckleheads here tell you because your car has 120,000 miles on it, it needs a complete rebuild. If you drive primarily highway, unless the reads are in bad shape, I can't see it needing much in the way of new suspension components.

My 2 cents.

[Spitfire007]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

I'm going to chime in. Apologies. So my opinion about suspension refurbishment is this: I've been on E90 Post for over 12 years. I've had my car for over 12 years. I think based on what I've read on E90 Post and based on my experience with my car, people on this Forum replace components far too early and unnecessarily. You don't state where you live in PA, meaning in Philly, Pittsburgh, or a smaller place with smoother roads, but the E90 suspension is far more robust than people think it is. I drive my car on primarily smooth roads, but I drive it very hard on back country roads on a daily basis, so the suspension gets a lot of heavy loading due to high speeds and sharp turns under braking. My lower control arms lasted well over 300,000 miles and were still in great shape (bushings and ball joints) when I replaced them at 336K. In the front, the thrust arms are susceptible to wear at the hydraulic bushings, and if anything, the thrust arms at your mileage may need replacement if the bushings have leaked out the hydraulic fluid. Vibration is a sign of bad thrust arm bushings. I've replaced the thrust arms twice. I did have a ball-joint go bad on the left side on my first replacement set (of M3 thrust arms). Get the M3 thrust arms only because the bushings are solid vs. hydraulic in the standard arms, so they give slightly better feel and last longer.

My rear suspension has all original arms and bushings. What was the reason the dealership recommended the rear shocks be replaced? Generally, if the shocks are leaking oil they need replacement. If you bounce test the rear suspension, does it settle within 1 or 2 bounces? if it does than the shocks are still damping the springs. How does the rear suspension feel to you. Does it feel under-damped and not well controlled. Dealers have known to BS owners into unnecessary repairs (says Capt. Obvious )

All I'm trying to say is, don't go into complete suspension rebuild mode just because the dealer said the rear shocks are bad and the knuckleheads here tell you because your car has 120,000 miles on it, it needs a complete rebuild. If you drive primarily highway, unless the reads are in bad shape, I can't see it needing much in the way of new suspension components.

My 2 cents.

I agree.
I got B6s for their longevity and durability for the NYC roads, and surrounding highways that are known to be terrible. That said, it does ride rough, to the point my wife really dislikes it.

I've had multiple shops take a look at the control arms and even with HARD driving in bad roads in the Northeast, everyone (from dealers to indy shops) say they're fine.

I may go to a more compliant shock for comfort, and in the meantime run through the associated hardware (shock mounts/strut bushings/ spring pads) to ensure they are properly mounted, and all arms seem fine after beating the living daylights out of my e90 on a regular basis.

[Emilime75]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

I'm going to chime in. Apologies. So my opinion about suspension refurbishment is this: I've been on E90 Post for over 12 years. I've had my car for over 12 years. I think based on what I've read on E90 Post and based on my experience with my car, people on this Forum replace components far too early and unnecessarily. You don't state where you live in PA, meaning in Philly, Pittsburgh, or a smaller place with smoother roads, but the E90 suspension is far more robust than people think it is. I drive my car on primarily smooth roads, but I drive it very hard on back country roads on a daily basis, so the suspension gets a lot of heavy loading due to high speeds and sharp turns under braking. My lower control arms lasted well over 300,000 miles and were still in great shape (bushings and ball joints) when I replaced them at 336K. In the front, the thrust arms are susceptible to wear at the hydraulic bushings, and if anything, the thrust arms at your mileage may need replacement if the bushings have leaked out the hydraulic fluid. Vibration is a sign of bad thrust arm bushings. I've replaced the thrust arms twice. I did have a ball-joint go bad on the left side on my first replacement set (of M3 thrust arms). Get the M3 thrust arms only because the bushings are solid vs. hydraulic in the standard arms, so they give slightly better feel and last longer.

My rear suspension has all original arms and bushings. What was the reason the dealership recommended the rear shocks be replaced? Generally, if the shocks are leaking oil they need replacement. If you bounce test the rear suspension, does it settle within 1 or 2 bounces? if it does than the shocks are still damping the springs. How does the rear suspension feel to you. Does it feel under-damped and not well controlled. Dealers have known to BS owners into unnecessary repairs (says Capt. Obvious )

All I'm trying to say is, don't go into complete suspension rebuild mode just because the dealer said the rear shocks are bad and the knuckleheads here tell you because your car has 120,000 miles on it, it needs a complete rebuild. If you drive primarily highway, unless the reads are in bad shape, I can't see it needing much in the way of new suspension components.

My 2 cents.

I'll also agree, but some people just prefer to do things differently. At 120k, things will be worn, maybe they haven't reached their end of life yet, but it's a pretty safe bet they aren't performing as they did when new. I've just made a similar comment in another thread, but there are basically 2 schools of thought when it comes to these things. Those who'll only replace what's broken at the moment, and those who prefer to replace things preemptively, especially when they're already in there doing something else.

Personally, I usually take the latter approach. I DIY, so it's easier because I'm only paying for parts, and not labor. For those who don't, this approach can be quite costly.

As an example, I took my car in for an alignment, and we found one of the tie rods to be seized, which is pretty common on our cars. One was fine and the other wasn't, but there's no way I can allow myself to replace just the seized one, so I ordered both. On top of that, it was only the outer that was seized, but I chose to get both inner/outers...why? Because it's a wear item, and I'm already going to be under the car, so it doesn't make sense to me, personally, not to do both and I'll also slather them with anti-sieze to keep them from, hopefully, seizing again.

So, while neither approach is inherently wrong, it just depends on the individual and what they want from their car. If certain suspension/steering components are broken/worn, chances are others will be soon and replacing them preemptively will save headaches down the line, potentially be cheaper in the long run because some of the labor won't have to be done twice, and the car will generally perform better.

Anyway, that's my $.02.

[DialedIn]

Originally Posted by Emilime75

As an example, I took my car in for an alignment, and we found one of the tie rods to be seized, which is pretty common on our cars.

An alignment shop ought to have a decent induction heater which will unseize any screws/nuts in no time without damaging the parts.

[Emilime75]

It isn't the bolt that's seized, but the outer tie rod on the inner tie rod.

[DialedIn]

Originally Posted by Emilime75

It isn't the bolt that's seized, but the outer tie rod on the inner tie rod.

The principle is the same, the end of the heater might differ.



Heating the outer sleeve incredibly fast will allow the inner rod to stay cool and the expansion will release whatever is seized.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Emilime75

I'll also agree, but some people just prefer to do things differently. At 120k, things will be worn, maybe they haven't reached their end of life yet, but it's a pretty safe bet they aren't performing as they did when new. I've just made a similar comment in another thread, but there are basically 2 schools of thought when it comes to these things. Those who'll only replace what's broken at the moment, and those who prefer to replace things preemptively, especially when they're already in there doing something else.

Personally, I usually take the latter approach. I DIY, so it's easier because I'm only paying for parts, and not labor. For those who don't, this approach can be quite costly.

As an example, I took my car in for an alignment, and we found one of the tie rods to be seized, which is pretty common on our cars. One was fine and the other wasn't, but there's no way I can allow myself to replace just the seized one, so I ordered both. On top of that, it was only the outer that was seized, but I chose to get both inner/outers...why? Because it's a wear item, and I'm already going to be under the car, so it doesn't make sense to me, personally, not to do both and I'll also slather them with anti-sieze to keep them from, hopefully, seizing again.

So, while neither approach is inherently wrong, it just depends on the individual and what they want from their car. If certain suspension/steering components are broken/worn, chances are others will be soon and replacing them preemptively will save headaches down the line, potentially be cheaper in the long run because some of the labor won't have to be done twice, and the car will generally perform better.

Anyway, that's my $.02.

Word of caution, the nut on the inner tie rod is 38MM or 40MM. You need a big-ass wrench for it. I went to change mine and found I didn't have a wrench big enough, which is 36MM in my tool set.