So I'm thinking of putting some new shocks on my car as it probably still has the original ones from 1987 and it's a bit like driving a boat. I'm no mechanic, but I'm also not an idiot. I'm a carpenter by trade so I'm pretty practically minded. (And I know how to use a hammer!) I've done a bit of work on my car before, nothing too hard; replacing bushes and gaskets etc so I have a few questions before I leap in and start:
1. Is changing the shocks something I can do at home? I have access to a spring compressor via my mates dad and I've got plenty of tools.
2. Is it worth just paying a garage to fit them for me? I've been quoted about £45 per shock.
3. Will it make much of a difference to the feel of the car?
4. Which ones to go for? The Bilstein B4's seems fairly reasonable.
As always thanks in advance for any help!
Upgraded shocks
Moderator: martauto
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Brianmoooore
- E30 Zone Team Member
- Posts: 49358
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Easy job, if you have a spring compressor and ball joint splitter. Will make a massive difference if the originals are still on the car, and B4s are an excellent choice.
Rears are dead easy - you don't even need to jack the car up or remove the wheels, although the exhaust gets in the way a little on the near side. Just undo the 19mm bolt at the bottom and the two 13mm nuts each side in the boot that hold the damper mounts in place, then change the mount over on the workbench.
If there's any sign of the steel bush in the centre of the mount parting company with the rubber, then need to be changed. Use E46 cabriolet ones which are identical in appearance and price, but much stronger. Use the dust covers with integral steel washer from your old dampers under the mounts, fit new paper gaskets, and only finally tighten the 19mm bolts when the car is at normal ride height.
For the fronts, change any ball joints or ball joint covers as needed, and check out the condition of the bump stop sleeves on the damper rod, fitting new if needed.
Check the front top mounts as well, although I've found failure of these to be very rare.
Rears are dead easy - you don't even need to jack the car up or remove the wheels, although the exhaust gets in the way a little on the near side. Just undo the 19mm bolt at the bottom and the two 13mm nuts each side in the boot that hold the damper mounts in place, then change the mount over on the workbench.
If there's any sign of the steel bush in the centre of the mount parting company with the rubber, then need to be changed. Use E46 cabriolet ones which are identical in appearance and price, but much stronger. Use the dust covers with integral steel washer from your old dampers under the mounts, fit new paper gaskets, and only finally tighten the 19mm bolts when the car is at normal ride height.
For the fronts, change any ball joints or ball joint covers as needed, and check out the condition of the bump stop sleeves on the damper rod, fitting new if needed.
Check the front top mounts as well, although I've found failure of these to be very rare.
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mattbarber660
- E30 Zone Newbie
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Sun May 26, 2013 11:00 pm
Great! Thanks for the advice. I'll see if I can get hold of a ball joint splitter.