Thank you for your video, I went to four different part stores looking for a spring compressor short enough to allow me to remove the rear springs. I finally gave up and searched for more videos until I ran to your video. I was able to do everything without purchasing the spring compressor. You saved me some money and I appreciate it.
doing mine this week! One thing though, Bentley manual says to take off halfshaft from diff and remove sway bar link. I believe that axel removal limits damage to rear hub bearing. New end links are 16 bucks so replace them to.
I've got a 2005 330xi and put in the yellow Koni adjustable sport strut. They are amazing. I can adjust front from under hood. But rear needs whole strut off. They are too soft. I want to crank it up to full stiff. Thanks for the guidance on removing so I can adjust them to the same as the fronts now.
Thank you so much for the video! Actually was doing the springs on my X3 (e83 rear suspension is identical) and was getting desperate on how to put the new ones in- and then came across this vid using the trunk jack. GENIUS! Thank you.
great video. put togeather well, lots of information. the strut and spring assembly was great i was able to follow along the night before and get everything ready.
Man I know this is e39 source but I am loving the vids of you working on the e46. Really starting to push me in that direction vs e39. But that's also partly because it's much easier in my area to find a manual e46 than an e39
Ryan, Why would you suggest it over an e46? And I agree with neil, would be nice to see a comparison vid since you have both. It's a little apples to oranges but it still would be great to see for guys who are in between.
ahastar1141 I will always suggest an E39 over an E46. It's a much more refined and quality built cars. Materials, construction, size, options, electronics, it's all an upgrade in the E39. I could do a 330xi vs 525i if Kennan would participate, but there's still a difference of 3.0 vs 2.5 engine and 60,000 miles.
***** Kennan's 525i is base, but it has retrofitted xenons now. My 330 is actually loaded except for tech package... but the idea would be the same. We'll try something out in the spring though!
Very helpful, thank you. I was going to do shocks and struts on my 2001 330i 5 speed, but unfortunately about 2 weeks ago the head gasket went bad, so it looks like I'll be doing that instead. I may still do the struts, because they are beyond wasted. Unfortunately the previous owner of my e46 was not very good to it.
Great vid, thanks. I would say just having the part numbers in the description instead of saying them all, haha. Doing this on my 02 325xi. Both rear springs are broken, and shocks bad. 150k.
great informational video man just wondering if I were to use a spring compressor instead of the "stock jack" method, would it be easier or not work at all? any help would be appreciated thanks
I tried twice this winter. But any time we had snow, it was between -35F and 15F. The two times I tried I was either so miserable from cold that I couldn't finish or the camera mounts kept freezing and falling off. :( I'll talk about it in an update though.
***** Great. I sure it performed well! Our family friend has an identical car with Nokian Hakkapeliitta's and the car was literally glued to the snowy country road.
I would cross-reference the part number to see if it becomes clear which side is which, or if it even matters. With BMW part numbers, evens are on the right (pass) side of the car.
Im driving a BMW 530i 2003 and I'm hearing a noise when I go over speed bumps and if I push down on the back end. My question is how do I know if its the struts or the shocks
Hey! I need to replace my left rear shock and was thinking about replacing them with a lowering kit. The kit i am looking at is "Tuninart" theese are coilovers. So my question is: will i put the spring over the shocks or the springs where the old one is and the shocks alone? or will the spring be over the shock? talking about the rear end.
+E39Source Aiight, Thanks for answering! Lowering the car has been my thoughts since i started looking for an e46 so i feel i need to do that. Atleast when i need to replace a shock anyways. Great vid btw, liked and subscribed!
Hey guys, is there anyone in the source that has the typical e39 broken headlight adjusters. Also what are some symptoms that you need new adjusters? can you guys make a diy video on how to replace the broken adjusters with the new ones?
Kennan recently solved his problem on his 2001 525i. All of us have suffered from broken adjusters, and we've all taken the same steps to resolve: buy new OEM Hella euro-spec lights from Umnitza. It's expensive, but yields a perfect headlight. With his old lights, Kennan may be doing a DIY on baking the lights open and replacing the adjusters though. Stay tuned!
If I had $2000 laying around I would definitely buy the oem hellas but I dont. And I honestly don't know if I should buy aluminum adjusters for $160+ or just buy plastic adjusters, and redo then when they need to get replaced again. So keenan should be coming out with a diy soon?
Karim nassef They're about $1100 new with shipping I believe. The stock plastic adjusters seem to last maybe 10 years, so I'd probably just go with those. Unless your roads are really bad there and they might break sooner. I asked him about the video, but I think he may have one this spring once it warms up a little more.
Hey, I just replaced the shocks and springs in the rear and I'm hearing a clunk every time I go over a bump in the road. Could having the shock mounts improperly installed or the bolts not being torqued enough lead to a clunk?
I would pull them out and re check the mount installation. It should go shim, washer, mount, upper washer, nut. Ensure that parts 5 and 6 are present from this diagram: www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=EV53-USA-09-2002-E46-BMW-330i&diagId=33_0841 Also, the torque specs are as follows: two outer bolts on shock mount: 10-15 ft lbs (snug) middle bolt on shock absorber itself: not sure of exact spec, but I made mine tight. bottom bolt, shock to wheel carrier: ~75 ft lbs If you did not replace the mounts when you did the shocks, I would highly recommend it.
***** I bought Rogue Engineering shock mounts and installed those as per their instructions here: www.rogueengineering.com/Rogue-Engineering-Rear-Shock-Mounts-RSM-E30E36E46-Pair_p_122.html Not sure if I am missing anything else outside of what they recommend
this same thing happened to me when i did the shocks on the E36. Once you drop the car down on the ground, check the two nuts on the shock mount for tightness. What happens is that once the car is on the ground, the shock compresses even more due to the weight of the car and creates additional play in the shock mount
With the whole strut assembly having to be removed, and the new springs likely changing the right height, I would advise that you do have the alignment checked and adjusted if necessary.
@@E39Source thanks, I ask because I have a 330xi and I have in the past orders coil springs for my car but they are most likely springs for a 330ci. I am pretty sure the 330 rwd and AWd have different coil springs, wouldn’t they? The AWD definitely sits higher.
@@btraf4575 The xi does sit higher. Xi cars equipped with the sport package did NOT receive the lowering springs that ci or I cars did. So they may be the same as non-sport RWD E46s.
Could i use the same shocks as in this video but instead using those springs you used i would use some diferent lowering springs. Would thatwork? Sorry for my bad english 😄
I couldnt get bottom and top mounted washer plate (33526762325,37575758999). Will be ok if I use an old washers? Anyway thanks so much for this video!!!!!! It`s gonna save me a lot of money.
Thank you for your video, I went to four different part stores looking for a spring compressor short enough to allow me to remove the rear springs. I finally gave up and searched for more videos until I ran to your video. I was able to do everything without purchasing the spring compressor. You saved me some money and I appreciate it.
Thanks for the help!! I did my wife's rear shocks and springs yesterday and this video really made it possible!! Using the jack is the trick!!
doing mine this week! One thing though, Bentley manual says to take off halfshaft from diff and remove sway bar link. I believe that axel removal limits damage to rear hub bearing. New end links are 16 bucks so replace them to.
Always support the lower arms with a jack when removing the shock. Let the tension off slowly. Be safe
thanks for the help - I changed my rear springs out today. The old ones were actually snapped!!!! cars so high now, feels like Im driving a 4x4
Very thorough video. Thank you!
I've got a 2005 330xi and put in the yellow Koni adjustable sport strut. They are amazing. I can adjust front from under hood. But rear needs whole strut off. They are too soft. I want to crank it up to full stiff. Thanks for the guidance on removing so I can adjust them to the same as the fronts now.
Thank you so much for the video! Actually was doing the springs on my X3 (e83 rear suspension is identical) and was getting desperate on how to put the new ones in- and then came across this vid using the trunk jack. GENIUS! Thank you.
My thing is literally rock solid at all times now after just the shocks
great video. put togeather well, lots of information. the strut and spring assembly was great i was able to follow along the night before and get everything ready.
Man I know this is e39 source but I am loving the vids of you working on the e46. Really starting to push me in that direction vs e39. But that's also partly because it's much easier in my area to find a manual e46 than an e39
I seriously recommend an E39 more than E46 for nearly all applications. You should test drive both and decide for yourself though!
Ryan, Why would you suggest it over an e46? And I agree with neil, would be nice to see a comparison vid since you have both. It's a little apples to oranges but it still would be great to see for guys who are in between.
ahastar1141 I will always suggest an E39 over an E46. It's a much more refined and quality built cars. Materials, construction, size, options, electronics, it's all an upgrade in the E39. I could do a 330xi vs 525i if Kennan would participate, but there's still a difference of 3.0 vs 2.5 engine and 60,000 miles.
***** Kennan's 525i is base, but it has retrofitted xenons now. My 330 is actually loaded except for tech package... but the idea would be the same. We'll try something out in the spring though!
Very helpful, thank you. I was going to do shocks and struts on my 2001 330i 5 speed, but unfortunately about 2 weeks ago the head gasket went bad, so it looks like I'll be doing that instead. I may still do the struts, because they are beyond wasted. Unfortunately the previous owner of my e46 was not very good to it.
Excellent video & instructor.
The snow sucks, luckily in MD it's not too bad now
Nice video!! Would check the dust boots on them brake pistons...just to make sure.
BMW doesn't suggest to lift the car off the rear axle. For the front axle it has an own spot.
Great DIY. Very clear and concise. Thank you!
AWESOME instruction and very welll explained.Thank u..
Thanks for the video, going to tackle this very soon!
You missed a small washer under the big hat shape one
thanks will do, thanks for the fast response great video
How long did this whole task take?
Excellent video. I did it in my e36. Same way.
Great vid, thanks. I would say just having the part numbers in the description instead of saying them all, haha. Doing this on my 02 325xi. Both rear springs are broken, and shocks bad. 150k.
Very detailed!! Nice job!!
Great DIY video! Thanks!!
Very helpful video! But wtf is this website. No shopping center, all e39 blog shit. Where do i buy the parts
Thank you! I am not a parts vendor, I offer BMW service and support out of Southern California.
great informational video man just wondering if I were to use a spring compressor instead of the "stock jack" method, would it be easier or not work at all? any help would be appreciated thanks
+derek cook There is no need for a spring compressor on the E46. It's much easier just to pull down the rear suspension and pull the spring out!
Thanks for an excellent video.
Enjoy your videos. As always good job. I don't recall if you did a video on how the XI performs in the snow?
I tried twice this winter. But any time we had snow, it was between -35F and 15F. The two times I tried I was either so miserable from cold that I couldn't finish or the camera mounts kept freezing and falling off. :( I'll talk about it in an update though.
***** Great. I sure it performed well! Our family friend has an identical car with Nokian Hakkapeliitta's and the car was literally glued to the snowy country road.
denvernn It's unreal how good it is. I have the Continental Extreme Winter Contacts and I couldn't be more impressed.
Excellent video!. Appreciate it man!!
thank you so much! It was exactly as you said!!
very detailed installation nice
sooo how can you tell which side goes near the wheel if the shock doesnt have marked on the bottom how to put it in???
I would cross-reference the part number to see if it becomes clear which side is which, or if it even matters. With BMW part numbers, evens are on the right (pass) side of the car.
Enjoyed this video - great job! Did you think about replacing the rear trailing arm bushings (RTABs) while you were at it?
Should probably be done. How much work is that hough? Never looked into it.
***** If your RTABs are original, they will probably be crumbly enough to get out easily. Look at these: tiny.cc/dwwavx
garytanaka I gave it a visual, nothing is crumbling. I'll probably save it for the next owner. Thanks for the info though!
***** Is it possible to make a video on a front license plate delete?
George Patton Check out my intro on the car, I included that. Check Real OEM for your specific part number.
I have 325i 2003 4 door sedan. where did you order the whole set of the rear suspension?
I recommend getting parts from ECS Tuning: bit.ly/2MPZSB3
Love the plate!!
What is the torque for the shock bolt that holds it to the wheel? Also, the torque for the bolts on top, in the trunk? Thanks Ant
2003 330xi
I didn't check the specific torque specs, I don't believe. Tighten until tight!
Im driving a BMW 530i 2003 and I'm hearing a noise when I go over speed bumps and if I push down on the back end. My question is how do I know if its the struts or the shocks
+marquis hargraves Have somebody with experience look under the car and see what's going on. Could be any one of the many suspension components.
Great video. Thanks :D
thank you for sharing the video
Hey! I need to replace my left rear shock and was thinking about replacing them with a lowering kit. The kit i am looking at is "Tuninart" theese are coilovers. So my question is: will i put the spring over the shocks or the springs where the old one is and the shocks alone? or will the spring be over the shock? talking about the rear end.
+Hansi “FIX” W Every kit is different. I don't recommend lowering. The car will drive like a covered wagon, and you'll rip off bumpers on road debris.
+E39Source Aiight, Thanks for answering! Lowering the car has been my thoughts since i started looking for an e46 so i feel i need to do that. Atleast when i need to replace a shock anyways. Great vid btw, liked and subscribed!
Hey guys, is there anyone in the source that has the typical e39 broken headlight adjusters. Also what are some symptoms that you need new adjusters? can you guys make a diy video on how to replace the broken adjusters with the new ones?
Kennan recently solved his problem on his 2001 525i. All of us have suffered from broken adjusters, and we've all taken the same steps to resolve: buy new OEM Hella euro-spec lights from Umnitza. It's expensive, but yields a perfect headlight. With his old lights, Kennan may be doing a DIY on baking the lights open and replacing the adjusters though. Stay tuned!
If I had $2000 laying around I would definitely buy the oem hellas but I dont. And I honestly don't know if I should buy aluminum adjusters for $160+ or just buy plastic adjusters, and redo then when they need to get replaced again. So keenan should be coming out with a diy soon?
Karim nassef They're about $1100 new with shipping I believe. The stock plastic adjusters seem to last maybe 10 years, so I'd probably just go with those. Unless your roads are really bad there and they might break sooner. I asked him about the video, but I think he may have one this spring once it warms up a little more.
Ok, I guess I'll just wait for his video.
Hey, I just replaced the shocks and springs in the rear and I'm hearing a clunk every time I go over a bump in the road. Could having the shock mounts improperly installed or the bolts not being torqued enough lead to a clunk?
I would pull them out and re check the mount installation. It should go shim, washer, mount, upper washer, nut. Ensure that parts 5 and 6 are present from this diagram: www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=EV53-USA-09-2002-E46-BMW-330i&diagId=33_0841
Also, the torque specs are as follows:
two outer bolts on shock mount: 10-15 ft lbs (snug)
middle bolt on shock absorber itself: not sure of exact spec, but I made mine tight.
bottom bolt, shock to wheel carrier: ~75 ft lbs
If you did not replace the mounts when you did the shocks, I would highly recommend it.
***** I bought Rogue Engineering shock mounts and installed those as per their instructions here:
www.rogueengineering.com/Rogue-Engineering-Rear-Shock-Mounts-RSM-E30E36E46-Pair_p_122.html
Not sure if I am missing anything else outside of what they recommend
this same thing happened to me when i did the shocks on the E36. Once you drop the car down on the ground, check the two nuts on the shock mount for tightness. What happens is that once the car is on the ground, the shock compresses even more due to the weight of the car and creates additional play in the shock mount
Is an alignment necessary after replacing the springs only?
With the whole strut assembly having to be removed, and the new springs likely changing the right height, I would advise that you do have the alignment checked and adjusted if necessary.
Can you tell me what was the part number of the coil springs?
Parts are listed in the video description.
@@E39Source thanks, I ask because I have a 330xi and I have in the past orders coil springs for my car but they are most likely springs for a 330ci. I am pretty sure the 330 rwd and AWd have different coil springs, wouldn’t they? The AWD definitely sits higher.
@@btraf4575 The xi does sit higher. Xi cars equipped with the sport package did NOT receive the lowering springs that ci or I cars did. So they may be the same as non-sport RWD E46s.
@@E39Source thanks, will look into it. Many websites selling these coil springs claim 330ci and 330xi can use the same springs.
Hello, I have a 325xi 2005 sedan and I was wondering, would this would work on my back suspension?
darkoSTBEA The process should be very similar.
Bobby O'Hearn What about the parts, the same as well?
Most likely.
Thank you!
Can I use a 2002 bmw m3 suspension on my 2002 bmw 325i 4door ??
That is a good question... and I do not know the answer. But I bet somebody on E46Fanatics would!
Is this the same for a 05 325i?
I would expect so, yes
Wow ! The rust !
Could i use the same shocks as in this video but instead using those springs you used i would use some diferent lowering springs. Would thatwork? Sorry for my bad english 😄
+Simas/Mc To a small extent, yes. You can't lower the car a ton on these struts though, they're designed to be used at the stock ride height.
+E39Source ok. thanks ☺
Would these parts fit my 318i se?
I don't know if the 318i se used the same rear suspension components. Check RealOEM.com to confirm part numbers.
I couldnt get bottom and top mounted washer plate (33526762325,37575758999). Will be ok if I use an old washers? Anyway thanks so much for this video!!!!!! It`s gonna save me a lot of money.
You should be fine as long as those old washers aren't warped/cracked or anything weird.
Hehehehe he said nipple