Front strut bushings

[1996 328ti]

How the hell do you remove the nut from the top of the strut.
I was hoping to compress the spring and remove the bushing without removing the strut. I ended up removing the entire strut and I still can't get the nut off. I held the shaft with visegrips and the shaft still spins.

I'm buggering up the shaft.

I miss DIY sessions.

I missed a weekend at VIR over this.
Now I'm going to miss an autocross at the Performance Center.

[AG]

Unless you have one of those sockets with the sides cutout, I think your only other option is to grip the shaft (clamp down on the bump stop instead of directly on the shaft) and use an impact wrench on the top nut.

[1996 328ti]

Thanks. I think I'll end up ripping the bump stop.
I may need to give up DEs and take up brewmaking.
My car is getting too old and there are no good shops down here.

[mlytle]

make your own special socket. just grind down the sides of a socket that fits the nut so you can grab it with an ajustable wrench and hold the shaft with an allen key.

or impact the heck out of it until it gives....

hey steven! i am typing from greenville. quick visit to an aunt who lives in se greenville. actually tried to stop by the club office friday to pick up race stickers, but tricia was not in.

marshall

[1996 328ti]

hey steven! i am typing from greenville. quick visit to an aunt who lives in se greenville. actually tried to stop by the club office friday to pick up race stickers, but tricia was not in.

marshall

Damn, I was in.
I don't understand about this socket.
Maybe it's because I have Koni adjustables?

Edit: Is this what I need? http://www.samstagsales.com/bmwtools.htm

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

It may not work with Konis. For removal, just hit it with an impact. Nothing else is effective.

[AG]

FYI, you can get a much cheaper equivalent at http://www.matcotools.com/Catalog/to...&page=4&#60911

and here's how it's used. http://www.zdmak.com/wbstore/images/HAZ2593TT.jpg

Anyway with the Konis, you should be able to fit an 11mm? socket over the adjustment knob and use that to keep the shaft from spinning (in theory) while using the cutout socket.

[1996 328ti]

Thanks Nick and Anand.
I think I'll try it again next weekend.
I got to do my E30 also.

I asked the shop who installed my Konis if the bushings were OK because I saw the tear.
They said it was fine.

So far it has cost me
$310 for for my lost weekend at VIR. +$160 for the Sleep Inn , not to mention food, fuel and a day off.
$40 for an autocross.

EDIT: The nut securing the Koni to the bushing is 19mm not 22mm.
Looks like Audi and VW use this one.
http://www.toolwarehaus.com/wbstore/...-VW3077&CTMP=1

The Koni does use a 11mm will hold the shock in place.

Is there a chance I ruined my strut by letting it rotate a full rotation?
That is the shaft rotating in the housing.

[1996 328ti]

This gets worse and worse.
The 11mm socket fits on the left strut, but not on the right.
I can only figure that the butcher stripped the 11mm nut.

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

This gets worse and worse.
The 11mm socket fits on the left strut, but not on the right.
I can only figure that the butcher stripped the 11mm nut.

Hit it with an impact. Hit it with an impact. Hit it with an impact.

And no, rotating it in the strut won't kill it.

[1996 328ti]

Thanks. I'll give it another try this weekend.
Do I still try to hold the shaft by grabbing the bump stop?

[Car54]

Use the impact wrench......just take the 2.5 seconds to put it on the nut and pull the trigger. You'll be amazed how quickly it comes off.

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

Use the impact wrench......just take the 2.5 seconds to put it on the nut and pull the trigger. You'll be amazed how quickly it comes off.

If it doesn't come off instantly, burp the impact gun. Basically, if the shaft starts spinning, stop and start again. Don't bother holding the stop as you can't do anything useful with your hand.

[1996 328ti]

Thanks.
Cool. An impact wrench got them off, but now the mount doesn't look like it fits.


31336769585 is the correct part number.
The old mount has a bolt slightly bent.
The new mount doesn't line up.
One stud is off by almost 1/2 inch.

EDIT:
Realoem says 31 33 6769 585 which looks to have been replaced by 31 33 6779 613 judging by tischer's website.
The part I order was 31 33 1092 885 which from tischer's website said it was my correct part.
The original part was 31 33 1090 678.

Perhaps I just answered my own question and Tischer's website is incorrect?
I'm getting pretty fast at removing struts.

[mlytle]

sounds like tisher web site not correct. the 9585 part should be the correct one.