530i rear shock/strut assembly install?

[canada karl]

This is on the parts car so as to be able to move it around the yard. So I have the strut/shock assembly ready to go into position on the car. I can't seem to get the 3 threaded pins to line up with their holes in the body? I have the lower mounting down as far as it will go and I should be able get the lower mounting bolt in once I line up the top. I can't seem to line up the threaded pins to pop out of the holes. (It occurs to me that I did leave out the spacers at the top when I was assembling the strut because I could not find them.......that's probably the issue?) Any thoughts?

[canada karl]

I meant the 3" steel cylinder shaped spacers that go on the shaft under the nut.

[528i-1981]

Hey Karl, that is odd. My recollection is that the studs on the guide support are equally spaced around the circumference so orientation should not be an issue. The rubber dampers (if you have them) do have an orientation according to the blue book (tabs facing front and rear).

[canada karl]

Well I did manage to get a nut on one of the pins on the left side strut and on two pins on the right side strut. That's going to have to do as a temporary measure. I wouldn't want to drive it like that though.