April 18, 2010 11:44AM
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Admin
Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 584 : Vermont, USA |
Here's the latest snag in this weekend's project. I'm taking apart the front suspension of my iX to replace the front CV boots and front springs all at the same time. I've got most of it apart, but to pull the strut out of the car I still need to disconnect the tie rod from the strut and the sway bar from the end link. The problem is that when I try to loosen the nut from the stud, the whole stud spins instead, on both the tie rod and the sway bar. Of course on the other end, there's nothing to grab onto, just a hemispherical plastic bump. They're thoroughly soaked in PB Blaster, but they just sit there and spin. The tie rod stud actually came loose about 1 or 2 mm, so you can see a gap now, but it's not coming out any farther.
I'm kind of at a loss as to how to get these off. Any ideas? __________ Dave '91 325iX |
April 18, 2010 12:38PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 1,869 : Amagansett, New York |
Hmm, been there. The only two options Dave is pressing them more ON and trying to get the nut to spin or use a fork to get the stud to stop turning by the pressure between the tie rod and the strut housing, sometimes you can get the nut to spin as you tap the fork in tighter and tighter. Do you have that handy little puller the tie-rods? Rick |
April 18, 2010 01:39PM
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Admin
Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 584 : Vermont, USA |
Hmm. Both good ideas. I'll try #1 and if that doesn't work I guess I'll go out and get myself a pickle fork. It's about time I had one anyway. No. What handy little puller is that? I have a generic puller, but I'm guessing that's not what you're talking about. __________ Dave '91 325iX |
April 18, 2010 04:16PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 1,869 : Amagansett, New York |
It's a little U shaped puller especially for tie rod end removal. One version [www.shopwiki.com] Mine is a lot cuter |
April 18, 2010 04:29PM
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Admin
Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 584 : Vermont, USA |
Cool, another tool I can't live without. __________ Dave '91 325iX |
April 22, 2010 06:39PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 1,869 : Amagansett, New York |
I love buying tools I need- So Dave, how are things going? |
April 22, 2010 09:27PM
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Admin
Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 600 : Portland, OR |
Tell Earendil to send you the one I let him borrow a couple years ago! It can be the official BENN tie-rod puller. |
April 23, 2010 05:32AM
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Admin
Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 584 : Vermont, USA |
April 23, 2010 08:14AM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 636 |
That was only 18 months ago I'd be happy to send it, however it wasn't quite the right size for the job I didn't think, I "made" it work, and did a little damage to the puller in the process. Daniel, I did buy you a new one, didn't I? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1989 - E30 - M20 - Manual. Approximately 270,000 miles 2000 - E46 - M52TUB28 - Manual. Approximately 110,000 miles |
April 24, 2010 08:33AM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 255 : Heber City, Utah |
April 24, 2010 11:40AM
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Admin
Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 600 : Portland, OR |
April 26, 2010 03:56PM
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Admin
Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 584 : Vermont, USA |
Success! Earlier I had tried the jack-under-the-ball-joint thing, but my mistake was using a jack that wasn't raising it high enough, and it kept spinning. Today I used the big jack, raised it as high as it would go, and gave it lots of heat with the torch. (It had also been soaking with PB Blaster for several days). Popped on the impact wrench, and that nut spun right off like it meant to do that all along. Trouble? What trouble? The sway bar ball joint was a little trickier since it's mounted sideways, so you can't get a jack under it. Channellock pliers were useless in holding it. Finally I pulled back the pointy end of the rubber boot, and the lip of the boot popped off a raised flange on the bolt. There was enough room to get a pair of needle-nose vise grips in there, and get a good enough grip to hold the bolt while pulling off the nut, all with no damage to the bolt or the boot. Finally! The strut is out, and now I can replace the broken spring and the wobbly wheel bearing. (Replacement of the front axle CV boots is happening in a parallel process down in the cellar workshop.) __________ Dave '91 325iX Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/01/2010 07:10AM by Dave_G. |
April 26, 2010 07:23PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 1,869 : Amagansett, New York |
That sounds more like it |
April 27, 2010 11:34AM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 1,869 : Amagansett, New York |
Wait a minute, replace a broken spring?, you mean the big one Elizabeth? |
April 27, 2010 01:09PM
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Admin
Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 584 : Vermont, USA |
Yeah, ever since I've had my iX, the bottom coil of the front left spring has been broken. It's been fine for most driving, but there have been a few big bumps over the years where the effectively lower spring rate on that corner has caused the car to bottom out, causing me to make funny faces and swear that THIS time I'm finally going to replace that spring. Since I needed to pull the axle out anyway to replace the torn CV boot, I figured I might as well pull the strut out while I was at it and kill two birds with one stone. (And since I decided the front left wheel bearing was worn too, I'm actually killing three birds with one stone.) I found a pair of used iX springs from a guy on e30tech.com (my favorite E30 site that isn't here), so this whole thing is ending up costing me very little for parts, just many hours in the garage, which I don't charge myself much for. And I've learned a boatload about the iX front suspension in the process. __________ Dave '91 325iX |
April 27, 2010 08:21PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 1,869 : Amagansett, New York |
That's interesting, I've never heard of springs breaking on these cars but the other day I was talking to Scott at Bav and he said there are many Bmw's that break springs; his car was in the shop as we spoke to change out one. Interesting.... I can think of a few times I would've understood one breaking on the 2002's.... but never did though B)- Good luck Dave, love it when you can sit down and sort stuff out |
April 28, 2010 04:53AM
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Admin
Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 584 : Vermont, USA |
Yesterday when I pulled out the strut on the passenger side I discovered that the spring on that side was broken, too, in the exact same way. The break was just turned so that it wasn't obvious with the strut in the car. Guess that would explain why my car never rode lopsided. Good thing I'm replacing the springs as a pair anyway.
Since I'm already this far along, I've decided to kill a fourth bird and replace the shocks with Bilstein HDs while I'm at it. They don't really need it yet, but I don't know how old the current cheapo shocks are (why don't previous owners ever keep records like I do?:X), and they will probably need replacing as soon as I get it all back together. At least this way I'll know I won't need to pull this all apart again for a while. __________ Dave '91 325iX |
April 28, 2010 08:50AM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 1,869 : Amagansett, New York |
I'd be tempted to replace the top bearing assy's for those bone shaker shocks- While you're in there |
April 28, 2010 10:04AM
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Admin
Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 584 : Vermont, USA |
That's because you don't have an iX. The front upper strut mounts for the iX are $115 (vs. $31 for a regular E30). At that price, I'm much more tempted to just call them good and keep using them. While I'm at it, what are people's thoughts about stuffing some grease in the top of the bearing there before putting the dust cap on? Good idea? Bad idea? Part of me wants to see bearings lubricated, but another part of me says that a blob of grease there could trap more dirt. "Bone shaker" shocks? Are you referring to the Bilsteins? I've never used them on an E30 before (though I have them in my Miata) -- are you saying that if I do that I can look forward to a harsh and jarring ride, as opposed to the desired tight and responsive one? __________ Dave '91 325iX |
April 28, 2010 06:19PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 1,538 |
Pack those bearings with lots of grease. Don't worry about dirt, it will be there even if the darn things are left dry Only if you get race bred springs will you have to worry about 'bone jarring'. The Bilsteins should give you what you are looking for without the tail bone smacking that race shocks would |
April 29, 2010 05:07PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 1,869 : Amagansett, New York |
Yeah, I shouldn't be so quick to judge all Billstiens, but the ones I had in my 323 were just too hard. Pack those top bearings with light grease, the shim under the bearing will keep the dirt out if you grease that too, if you have the top cover (the IX has one I think) rubber it should all stay tight and clean. I'd clean them first though, but you already knew that B) |
April 29, 2010 07:01PM
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Admin
Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 584 : Vermont, USA |
Indeed. They are apart on the workbench now waiting for cleaning. The new wheel bearing is going in tomorrow, and with luck the new shocks will arrive tomorrow too. In the mean time, I'm still struggling trying to get the right side CV joints off. Stupid circlips. They're proving to be more stubborn than the left side was. The boots on the right side don't really need replacing yet, but they're showing age cracks, so it's just a matter of time, so I might as well do them now. __________ Dave '91 325iX |
May 01, 2010 07:09AM
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Admin
Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 584 : Vermont, USA |
Follow-up for future reference: it turns out that this wasn't the best way to do it. Not surprisingly, BMW engineered a better way to hold the bolt. People told me that there were supposed to be two flat sides that you can hold with a 17mm open-end wrench. Unfortunately, my iX does not have those flat sides. Instead, the end of the bolt is designed to be held with a T-30 Torx bit. But with the way this was positioned in the car, I couldn't see that until it was out. So, next time anyone wants to disconnect their iX sway bar and is having trouble with the bolt spinning, stick a T-30 Torx bit in the end. [attachment 104 img_4025.jpg] __________ Dave '91 325iX Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/01/2010 07:10AM by Dave_G. |
May 02, 2010 06:44PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 1,869 : Amagansett, New York |
Thanks Dave, things I never knew till now |