E36 Rear Suspension problem. Help Please.

[briancol 3]

A couple of months ago my car developed a noise in the left side rear suspension.

I had the rear bushes checked out and they seemed ok so I took the car to the Grey Lynn Shock Shop and had both rear shock absorbers replaced.

While he had the shocks out, he found that the left hand upper shock mount was bent, and strangely it was bent downwards as if the wheel had been pulled on, not pushed upwards. He straightened out the mount and put it back in again.

Well the noises have started again.

I intend buying a brand new mount and getting it replaced, but before I do that, I have to find out what is causing the mount to bend downwards.

Has anyone had this problem before or can tell me the reason this is happening and how to rectify the problem.

[thorburn 121]

The rear shock towers in e36's are a comman weak point.

Usually people get z3 reinforcement plates to prevent this. Because its already been damaged i'd say youd want to add a little more then just this.

A chap from the uk posted in here a little while about welding in a new shock tower.

[thorburn 121]

Is this where it has been damaged? Please excuse the tiny pic

If you rip right through it will be a pricey problem

I'd be getting some of these:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/...Sedans%20%20%20

[briancol 3]

The part that is bending is the mount with the bolts that mount to the tower, not the tower itself, but thanks for the heads up.

[thorburn 121]

That is much easier. Just get some new shock mounts

E46 mounts are said to be an upgrade and are a direct fit

[*Glenn* 855]

I've seen that done to alot of E30's, E36's & E46's. It's not a mount failure at all, however the mounts will need replacing now.

[pureboiracer 0]

the only reason i can think off the top of my head for the mounts to be bending downwards is if the shock is too short and the shock doesnt let the wheel extend downwards far enough.

[*Glenn* 855]

the only reason i can think off the top of my head for the mounts to be bending downwards is if the shock is too short and the shock doesnt let the wheel extend downwards far enough.

It can only be distorted in that direction by a person working on the car. If it was too low with standard shocks it would do damage to the shock tower... it would not distort the mount in the opposite direction. The shock mount is capable of restricting the downward travel of the suspension without problems. I've seen this done quite a few times by people who don't think when they do things. I'd realy need to look at it to give an accurate opinion.

Edited September 14, 2010 by *Glenn*

[zenetti 0]

All sorted now It wasn't what any of you were thinking either

[thorburn 121]

Care to share so we all may learn?

[zenetti 0]

Care to share so we all may learn?

The toe adjusting bolts on the suspension arm had worked loose.

[*Glenn* 855]

The toe adjusting bolts on the suspension arm had worked loose.

That would account for the noise Brian had, but not the damaged (bent down) shock mounts

Shock mounts damaged in this way can be caused by people rolling the guards without supporting the suspension and going crazy with the tool and cranking it up to much, trying to do more at a time instead of easing the guard out slowly or doing rear wheel bearing work without the right tools.

Edited September 16, 2010 by *Glenn*

[zenetti 0]

I am pretty sure the shock shop was telling porkies about the shock mount - they didn't even pick up on the loose bolts and they replaced the shocks!

Edited September 17, 2010 by zenetti

[*Glenn* 855]

I am pretty sure the shock shop was telling porkies about the shock mount - they didn't even pick up on the loose bolts and they replaced the shocks!

That's what I was thinking when you said about the loose bolts

[briancol 3]

As you can see from the above, the problem has been rectified.

Cost me a new set of rear shocks that didn't have to be replaced, however the car's done 121,000kms so new shocks ain't a bad thing.

The next problem though, on my way to the Bimmersport meet, the car felt really sluggish and the transmission light came on. I thought I had it in 'snow' mode (wishful thinking) but no! the Jatco has sh*t itself.

Surprising thing is after I left the meet, the Trans light switched itself off and things were back to normal complete with the 'jerk'.

So I'm busy organising the manual conversion complete with short shifter.

I just hope that the trans lasts another week as I can't get the conversion done till then.

BTW a big word of thanks from the boys at Mag & Tyre for their help in finding the problem and saving me a heap of money.

Edited September 18, 2010 by C0SM0S

[*Glenn* 855]

When you get the manual conversion done, make sure you get them to remove the engine as well and do all the oil leaks at the same time. Clutches don't like oil in the bell housing. Do the RC gasket with new bolt seals, oil filter remote housing, F & R crank seals and sump gasket.