Spring Compressor Wanted - Kent

[brucemillar]

Hi

Is there anybody in Kent, who would be happy to lend me a spring compressor for a couple of days please? I need to fit new front struts to my BMW e39 tourer.

Many thanks

Bruce

 

[poormansporsche]

I've got a merc style one if that's any good ?

 

[a111r]

Got Klann-type for M.Bs and the Flintstones 'claw' type.

Time-wise, timed right, I'm not far from Kent. Blackwall tunnel / A12.

 

[brucemillar]

Gentlemen

Thank you. Here is the funny bit: I thought that I just needed a "Spring Compressor" so had not factored in different types/fitment?

A quick flick through ebay gives me this: Coil Spring Compressor - 2 Piece Car Tool Professional Heavy Duty CT0917 | eBay

Keen to avoid death or serious injury I need to get this right. Are you able to tell me:

1) If your kind offers will fit a BMW spring/shock. It looks like a straight forward strut assembly with three bolts on the turret and one on the lower shock.

2) Is the ebay tool dangerous to use? For the money it may be fine as I am unlikely to need it many times (if ever again). But (as above) I don' want to kill myself for a tenner.

 

[grober]

You should be able to remove the complete coil spring/strut/mount assemby as a one'r from the car without the use of a spring compressor. You will then need a spring compressor to separate the strut and spring--- unless you take the opportunity to buy a complete new spring+strut assembly ? Personally speaking working on old rusty possibly seized suspension is probably best left to the pro's with the right gear. If you do decide to try it you can still take the removed old strut assemblies down to the local garage and get them to change over the springs- they will have the kit and should not be expensive labour wise.

ps I have assumed this is a concentric spring strut suspension

 

[poormansporsche]

Is your spring coiled around the shock or is the spring separate ? That will let us know what you need. Iirc on my e46 the front spring is on the shock and the rear springs are separate to the shock.

I would avoid the real cheap spring compressor as they can bend alarmingly in a proper brown trouser way !

 

[brucemillar]

The spring is coiled around the shock and NOT separate from the shock.

I have thought about Grobers suggestion but the suspension is in good condition and I do not expect any drama's (famous last words)

 

[a111r]

I wouldn't use those 2 hook one in the link. The 4 hook type are better but still not great.

I'd go for taking the struts down to the chap you use, if any doubts exist.

 

[poormansporsche]

Yep usually quite easy to get the shock off in one. I normally take to my local Indy tyre shop. They usually have a expendable yts monkey who will swap over for the price of a packet of fags !

 

[Aero]

I used some Sealy AK3841 twin claw types from eBay on a spring replacement for a 2009 fiesta. I didn't fancy any with too little meat around the hook/web area. They worked a treat. I took myself round the side of the house thought away from anything/anyone important just in case but so long as you wind them up evenly and the claws have a good purchase around the coil there should be no problems. I appreciate your springs will be a tad more substantial than those on our fiesta

 

[syncropaddy]

A quick flick through ebay gives me this: Coil Spring Compressor - 2 Piece Car Tool Professional Heavy Duty CT0917 | eBay

Keen to avoid death or serious injury I need to get this right.

At £12.00 you'll probably break it taking it out of the box! I bought similar from Halfords years ago and have served me well without incident.

 

[brucemillar]

Job done. We had to use two sets (4) compressors to wind the spring in. One set were not long enough when fully unwound and the other set to short. So a bit of a faff but the job is done and all is well.

One question:

The bottom of the strut goes through a pinch hole in the hub carrier. So we measured the marks on the old struts to make sure we had the same position when pinching up the new ones. If I allowed the strut to drop further into the pinch hole. Would his lower the ride height? and would it change the camber?

 

[grober]

There is usually a lip on the strut to prevent the strut from being inserted too far? I assume the R and L marks were to enable the top mount bolts to line up with the holes in the strut tower or mounting some ancilliaries - not sure on the exact purpose??Afaik caster and camber is not adjustable on these cars just toe. To adjust camber you would need an adjustable camber top mount?

https://www.zeckhausen.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=6446_6566

quote :-
The factory shock absorbers are the same part number for left and right sides. Marks on the back of the strut ("L" and "R") are lined up during installation with a slot on the back of the steering knuckle. Rather than using those marks, it's easier to draw your own with a marker. Clean the dirt off and mark one or two vertical lines on the strut and the aluminum knuckle.

A closer view of the alignment marks. A horizontal line is not required since the strut has a shoulder that sits firmly in the knuckle. Also, the strut will have a sharp boundary between the clean and dirty sections, so it will be obvious when it is seated fully in the knuckle.

[YOUTUBE]psk5076OJts[/YOUTUBE]

 

[bolide]

Bruce


How much difference did the struts make to the ride?

Have you done your rear subframe bushes yet? I have the bushes but not the special tool to do them

I bought them in Germany - a lot cheaper than the UK

4x MEYLE HD TONNENLAGER BUCHSE HINTERACHSLAGER BMW 5er E39 TOURING VERSTÄRKT | eBay


Nick Froome

 

[grober]

E39 Touring Rear Subframe Bushing replacement
Think the tool is a FRANKLIN AFT47 the AFT45 is for the saloon. They were around £250 to buy but maybe you can hire one and there may be cheaper copies on ebay?

 

[brucemillar]

Bruce


How much difference did the struts make to the ride?

Have you done your rear subframe bushes yet? I have the bushes but not the special tool to do them

I bought them in Germany - a lot cheaper than the UK

4x MEYLE HD TONNENLAGER BUCHSE HINTERACHSLAGER BMW 5er E39 TOURING VERSTÄRKT | eBay


Nick Froome

Nick

Well the ride is very much improved especially in the wet!! The N/S strut was (I would guess) almost empty as you could pull it up or push it down with virtually no effort. The drivers side was as good as the new ones. I also replaced the front ARB bushes (they didn't look too bad) and the drop links (they were very loose & floppy).

I still have some "rumble" at all speeds. So I have ordered up a set of engine & gearbox mounts - cheap and easy to replace.

The rear sub-frame bushes, I would love to do. I suspect that they would make a big difference. As it's a nineteen year old car, it would not hurt. Maybe we can do deal on the tooling?

I must stop this habit of buying cheap cars to run about in. Then spending a kings ransom, getting them to run perfectly.

I do love the six pot 2.8 engine. The speed can catch you out. It feels remarkably slow, almost like you could just step out of it, then you look at the speedo and see 90mph. I like the steptronic over the auto, but wish it had a shorter throw on the lever (is there a fix for that?) I have reversed the shift pattern to be in the direction of travel, which is much better than the German upside down shift.

Oh, it could do with a new windscreen seal. That can wait till I need a new windscreen