Olaf 3248 Report post Posted December 18, 2015 hi folks I thought this was easy. it should be. I've the e46 elevated, evenly. both sides supported by jack stands. Wheels off. removing front struts. I've removed the sway bar end links. I've removed the 18mm pinchbolts at the bottom. I've removed the three 13mm nuts at the top. ISSUE: I can't seem to drop the control arm down low enough to get the strut out. What am I missing? thanks in advance for your expertise. Olaf Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3248 Report post Posted December 18, 2015 (edited) ahhhh. just consulted that on-line Bentley manual - as mine is on the shelf at home, 25kms away! Looks like I need to: Remove tie rod outer end nut. Use BMW special tool 32 3 090 or equivalent to press tie rod end off steering arm. - Remove lower ball joint nut. Use BMW special tool 32 3 090 or equivalent to separate steering arm from control arm. Edited December 18, 2015 by Olaf Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3248 Report post Posted December 19, 2015 hmmm. got ball-joints separated with pickle fork. Thankfully a new pair of steering arms with tie rod ends (Lemforder) on the shelf at my place. Been back to retreive balljoint separator, returning with manual, steering arms, separator... hopefully we'll get this sorted! Can't help thinking there's a trick we're missing here. Olaf Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3248 Report post Posted December 19, 2015 we got it out with a lever on the lower control arm, pulling it down low enough. strut assemblies done with new spring seats, bump stops, dust boots, dust washer, top bearing. now we start the tie rod end replacements, and get the whole front buttoned back up. It's taken a great deal longer than expected; both of us have done plenty of suspension jobs before. Just got caught out I guess. #; ) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjm 3194 Report post Posted December 19, 2015 Everything takes longer than expected! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Docile 64 Report post Posted December 19, 2015 just did mine on the wagon... both wheels up everything unbolted already apart from the nuts on the top hat which was just hand tightened. the lower control arm would not go low enough as it was still clinging to the strut. so i kicked it down. it went off the struts in 2 kicks and the strut was free Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herbmiester 909 Report post Posted December 19, 2015 Mine came free pretty easily no need to remove the tie rods. My is not an MS and the struts were longer than the ones they replaced, fitting the new ones was a piece of cake, I even added strut tower reinforcement plates while I was at it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nick496 268 Report post Posted December 19, 2015 I've been struggling with these all evening. I have issue. Figured I'd do some reading online and tackle it tomorrow. Cheers for the hints. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Docile 64 Report post Posted December 19, 2015 oh yeah tierod doesnt need to be removed. only the swaybar link. to remove swaybar link and put it back on you need the bolt to line up straight enough to remove the nut and the bolt from the strut hole. to do this, what i did was get a scissor jack and put it on the brake disk hub and lifted the whole arm until the bolt is straight enough. then magic!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3248 Report post Posted December 19, 2015 Everything takes longer than expected! you got that right! we finished at 9.50pm. The wagon trim takes ages to put back together. Mine came free pretty easily no need to remove the tie rods. My is not an MS and the struts were longer than the ones they replaced, fitting the new ones was a piece of cake, I even added strut tower reinforcement plates while I was at it. mine's stock as a stock thing, too. non-motorsport. I too used the strut tower reinforcements as a precaution, in the front - inside the shock tower, from underneath. rears - on top of the shock tower. Used Meyle HD rear bushes. I've been struggling with these all evening. I have issue. Figured I'd do some reading online and tackle it tomorrow. Cheers for the hints. #8 ) oh yeah tierod doesnt need to be removed. only the swaybar link. to remove swaybar link and put it back on you need the bolt to line up straight enough to remove the nut and the bolt from the strut hole. to do this, what i did was get a scissor jack and put it on the brake disk hub and lifted the whole arm until the bolt is straight enough. then magic!! yep. The Sachs OEM shocks provide a beaut ride, though I have some 'clonks'. Will need to check it over tomorrow. Surely my rear LCA bushes and endlinks aren't gone again, and are now shown up? Could be back to my independent on Monday; though I've never had to have a business fix issues from my spannering before. Could this spell retirement for my tools? tune in next time... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3248 Report post Posted December 19, 2015 oh, here's the best writeup I found: http://www.crookedriverwriter.com/downloads/E46Springs_Struts.pdf 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nick496 268 Report post Posted December 20, 2015 Ended up loosening the centre ball joint of the lower control arm. That, and I was a bit more forceful this morning. Swapped them over no worries. Off to the shop tomorrow for an alignment. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3248 Report post Posted December 22, 2015 very happy outcomes. the lads at Page European kindly fitted me in to their pre-xmas rush, found we'd not been tough enough with the upper strut mount bolts. they rattle them down. we used faccy spec on the torque wrench. Took opportunity to have the new steering inner rods installed, it's now aligned, clunk-free, and like a magic carpet... that handles the bends too! here's a few images: Parts Haul - pre-install. Dad Rock Alert: like the U2 song. Elevation? the finished product. "good enough for a couple-a kiwis". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herbmiester 909 Report post Posted December 24, 2015 (edited) This is what came out and went in. the Ohlins struts were a lot shorter but the ride height only dropped 30mm. Stiffer spring rates I guess. Anyhow I just unbolted strut tower bolts, the big pinch bolt in the hub and the sway bar link and have the hub a smack with a soft faced mallet and it came free. My car had 180,000 km on what I suspect were original dampers. I think my ball joints are pretty sloppy (inner and outer) so that may have made it easier to get the control arms to move down to get the struts out. My changeover took around 60-90 minutes per side. Edited December 24, 2015 by Herbmiester 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjm 3194 Report post Posted December 24, 2015 Lookin' good, John. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
