Subject: Which struts Author: bobbert : member since April, 2006 : 351 posts Posted on: 2008-09-02 13:57:05

Which struts are a grumpy subject for me. If you dont want to read a long story, skip this post.

First of all, please let me say that the part number for the front struts of a late (probably 1993-1995) 525i is different than the same year 530 or 540. I think it has something to do with the machining at the top of the strut rod. (The rear struts are the same part nbr for 525/530/540).

My 1994 525i is very high mileage. The cost of engine rebuild is very prohibitive, so I dunno what I am going to do when it gives up. So when it came to struts, I decided to go as inexpensively as I could. I originally bought 4 Monroe struts off ebay, for I think $230 delivered. They were delivered quickly, look great, but there was one little hangup; the front strut part nbr was the one for your car (530/540), not the one for the 525. I called monroe, talked with them, they insisted that I needed to use the 525 model part.

I wrote the people from ebay, they insisted the part they sent will work on a 525 even if monroe says it wont, and did not stock the 525 part number. (They were a 'closeout' place.) They were really great about offering a refund, and scared that I would get it all apart and then find I cant use them, I sent all four back. Instant refund, great ebay seller.

Next, I reordered the monroes from rockauto. I have bought many things from rockauto, (I maintain 7 cars, I gots 4 kids) never a problem. They came, right part nbr this time, but a new frustration. The front struts, while being the right part nbr, were made in different countries, and didnt look quite the same, and came with different mounting hardware. I decided they might 'spring' differently, and didnt want them. So I called rock auto, they were super about it. They also offered a AC (GM) supreme strut for only a few dollars more (note, they had a part nbr for a 525i, but did NOT have the same part for a 530/540, go figure). I ordered them. They paid shipping both ways, as well as shipping back of my previous parts. I have read in the past (I think) that Shayne also thought AC was a good quality part. Good enough for me.

Fine. Installation day came. They came off very easily, and that strut retainer nut (part nbr 3 in the following schematic)
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD63&mospid=47404&btnr=31_0144&hg=31&fg=10

came off very eaily with a large pair of pliers. I loosened that nut before I ever took the strut off the car so it was held captive, by sticking the pliers thru the coils of the spring, not hard at all. Just loosen it, DO NOT remove it until the spring is compressed.

Trouble is, once I got the old, terribly worn strut out, it was clear that the new AC part was 1/4 inch too narrow in diameter, and 1/8 inch too short.

Fooey. I was too embarressed to call rockauto again, plus I received em over 4 months ago. Also, by this time, the sachs/boge part came way down in price, from $160 to $118 each at autohausaz. (This is the 'super touring' model). So I bought another set of real boge from autohausaz, they arrived (and by the way, only the sachs/boge came with a brand new strut retainer nut, so even if you booger up the original one, you now have a new one).

They went in without a hitch. Note that the schematic in the Bently manual does not show one part that is there; a beveled washer that goes directly on the strut rod, below the strut bearing. (One of those came with the sachs/boge part too, again not present in the AC or Monroe box).

I also bought new strut bearings (part nbr 1 below)
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD63&mospid=47404&btnr=31_0236&hg=31&fg=10

because my old ones squeaked once in a while, and because I only wanted to take it apart once. I bought the meyle ones, with the 'new and improved' written all over the box. By the way, I think Meyle put way too little grease in ball bearing, so I cleaned out their grease and put twice as much back in.

I also bought the rubbers that go on the top and bottom of the spings, part nbrs 9 and 12 above. I did install them, but my old ones were just fine, probably because I live in southern calif, and dont have harsh winters. I had also bought the part nbrs 10 and 11 above, but again my old ones were fine.

When I got done and let the front end down, I was amazed to see the front end stay wayyyy up in the air, but a quick trip around the block, and it was down where it was suppose to be. I had the front end aligned, but the alignment shop said it was really close before they touched it.

I still have the AC front struts. I am thinking I will find out what they really do fit, then put them on ebay. By the way, the rockauto site no longer lists them for my car, but they did when I bought em.

I hope replacing the rear ones goes alot more normal. Were I ever to buy new struts for a bmw again, it will be sachs/boge.

Bob
1994 E34 525i 239,000 miles

• Changing struts from above - ajrogers111 2008-08-27 23:33:31 (237 views)
  • Re: Changing struts from above - Shayne 2008-08-28 16:22:41 (237 views)
    • Re: Changing struts from above - ajrogers111 2008-08-28 21:38:23 (194 views)
      • Re: Changing struts from above - bobbert 2008-08-29 11:48:09 (209 views)
        • Re: Changing struts from above - ajrogers111 2008-08-29 14:25:22 (167 views)
          • Which struts - bobbert 2008-09-02 13:57:05 (245 views)
            • Re: Which struts - ajrogers111 2008-09-02 22:33:52 (156 views)
              • Nice Pictorial - bobbert 2008-09-08 13:35:46 (188 views)
                • What did end up choosing? - bobbert 2008-09-19 16:56:00 (133 views)
                  • Re: What did end up choosing? - ajrogers111 2008-09-20 12:28:42 (143 views)
                    • Re: What did end up choosing? - ajrogers111 2008-09-26 23:55:01 (126 views)
  • Re: Changing struts from above - eastcoast5 2008-08-28 08:00:19 (175 views)