Firstfives.org

Thanks everyone for your help, appreciate it.

Will go get myself some pipe wrenches,

Mike, sounds like you have obviously done this many times, I was actually wondering if I have something missing, always a possibility if someone else has had a go at it before, when I removed the big top nut, I removed the top mount, and the plate that is the top spring cup, that was it, does that sound right, no washers etc ??

Still convinced its a bad shock, going to get a price on another one,

Thanks

I'm not Mike but I have done his many times before as well. Here is the order.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=31&fg=10

Realoem.com is your best friend.

Mark,,if you get one shock it wouldn't be good. To me it's like fixing one side of the brakes
& not the other; the car wouldn't be balanced. Front to rear is different.
I don't want to dip into your pocket though. Just a tip.

Thanks Jody,

Thats kind of scary, I do have # 1, 5 and 10 from the major components, but there was no sign of 2, 3, 9, 12, 13, and 14. I guess im carrying less weight around

Im noticing that 2 and 3 will put a gap between the top of the top spring support and the underside of the strut top (5) that I dont have, im wondering if the rubber top mount is 'bottoming out' around its outer metal edge against the top spring mount plate, if that makes sense. In fact the more I think about that the more it makes sense, the top mount maybe doesnt have as much 'available travel' as it should. Think I might strip the other side down to see what I have on the other strutt that seems to be ok. Or I could be sneaky and measure distance between top of nut 10 and end of strut piston (under cap 11), if they measure same in situ then in theory I have same parts missing on my other side as well.

I havent been able to determine if my shocks are standard either, 1.570" outside diameter on the actual piston of the shock
Maybe non standard shocks=different parts list.

Hi GripGreg, its a really good point, I do hate doing anything like that just on one side, will consider that when I get to the root cause of the problem, safety first right.

Thanks

Hi all, stripped both struts off the car last weekend, cleaned and re lubed the top mounts, turned out the 2 that were on were fine, I put some big washers (correct ID) between top spring plate and underside of top mount bearind (these were missing, part #2 from realoem web site link), now all is good, no knocking, for the first time since ive had the car, the front end now feels correct (to me), thanks for everyones help, finally fixed I think. I did take out one of the inserts, look like new still, bilstein. Thanks

There might be an alternative top mount, or top strut bearing, to PN 31331101663 which currently lists for $198.30.

PN 31331106060 appears to be an identical mount except for the length of the mounting studs and it's only $73.65 as of now. Both the 060 and 663 mounts show in the parts diagram for the E3 and E9 cars. You can go to Penskeparts and see. Some sleuthing around the orange books reveals the length of stud, or US height spacer, seems to be the only difference.

Take a look at this thread with the explanation and pictures. It's post #13 here:
http://www.e9coupe.com/forum/showthread ... #post76182

Hope it helps.

That's good to know if I need a new top mount, would just chop the extra off the threads, thanks. $74 is bearable for sure.javascript:emoticon(':D')

I need to remove the spacers on my '75, but it looks like to do it, I need to remove the strut, as pushing the strut down, doesn't give enough clearance to remove the spacer.

My front struts were recently replaced with new top mounts. I was going to swap the studs from another set of strut mounts, but I stopped before I got far enough.

The wheelhousing design is quite a bit different between E12 and E3/E9.