| Mr Lucky |
Posted
Friday, Feb 11th 1:22am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 7
County Durham, England.
BMW 323i E21 |
I recently bought an e21 323i and as its front suspension was really tired I decided to replace the springs and shock absorbers.
I have put the new on and while I was at it I replaced both lower suspension arms (and bushes) and all of the anti roll bar bushes.
The shocks were Bilstein and the springs are standard length made by Lesjofors. The front of the car now sits quite high and I get a very annoying clunking noise when I am travelling over bumpy surfaces. There is no slack in the steering and it still steers straight with hands off the wheel.
Any ideas or comments would be appreciated.
Thankyou... |
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| Jason_323i |
Posted
Friday, Feb 11th 1:47am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 242
UK, Scotland
323i 2.7 tripple webber track car. Maserati Biturbo |
Hi
It sounds like you done all the right things. Did you tighten the suspension up wehn it was in the air or on the ground, you need to tighten it all up with the front wheels on the ground or ramps.
Jason |
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| Mr Lucky |
Posted
Friday, Feb 11th 1:48am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 10
County Durham, England.
BMW 323i E21 |
DAMN! In the air.
What should I do? Jack it and slack it? Or should I just retighten it when it is on the ground? What bits do I need to retighten? |
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| tony323 |
Posted
Friday, Feb 11th 3:08am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 48
Pa USA
1996 318ti, 1982 323i, 1982 320is, 1988 Alfa Verde, 1983 533i |
Mr Lucky
Just a long shot here but could the shocks that you installed possibly be for a 320i e21? The 320i uses a smaller diameter shock that would not fit properly at the top of the strut tube, allowing the shocks to move about in the tube when hitting bumps. Another thing to think about is the series of flat washers installed between the strut bearing and the spring hat at the top of the strut. If all the washers are not installed or they are in the wrong order, it can cause clunking when hitting bumps. The first item is just a theory, they second item I have seen before. The car was not making the noise before you replaced everything was it?
Tony
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| Mr Lucky |
Posted
Thursday, Feb 17th 12:17am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 32
County Durham, England.
BMW 323i E21 |
The damper carridges were exactly the same length and depth as the ones taken out. I even put a small amount of oil into the strut leg where the damper goes to help heat transferrence.
The washers I put on as follows. One washer between the large spring hat of the shocker and the large (new) rubber top mount, the other washer went into the top mount before I put the bolt on.
All tightened down.
Have I done it in the wrong order? The front of the car sits high. which bolts do I need to slacken off to get the car sitting right again? It looks bloody rediculous.
I supposes I should slacken and retighten as per Jason' sugestion with the car on the ground. I don't know which ones to slacken off.
Can anyone advise me on what the anti-roll basr should look like as it goes through the bottom mount. Mine seems to have a gap of about 5mm between the front washer and the lower suspension leg. Is this right? I can't get the nut on the anti-roll bar any tighter.
I can't remember this gap being there before I changed the shocks... |
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| aussie323i |
Posted
Thursday, Feb 17th 1:42am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 295
australia
1979 323i |
Hi there
The gap between the front of the control arm and the washer on the anti roll bar is normal- there would have been no gap before because the bush was gone, causing the bottom of the strut to shift too far forward.
Apparently some of the late e21's had a rubber washer that fitted into this gap- this is the infamous anti-shimmy kit that you see around. If you search the forum you'll see more discussion on the anti-shimmy kit.
Were the strut inserts you bought HD's or OEM type- I'm about to do my suspension and have purchased the OEM replacement Bilsteins- they are Black rather than the customary yellow of the HD's or Sports.
I'm interested if anyone has had any experience with the OEM replacements.
Cheers |
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| BruceH |
Posted
Thursday, Feb 17th 3:42am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 413
Atlanta, GA USA
81 323 Baur, 85 745 |
If you are using the Bils HD yellow shocks go to a set of lowering springs. You do not need to fill the strut tube with oil.
Bruce |
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| Mr Lucky |
Posted
Thursday, Feb 17th 1:02pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 33
County Durham, England.
BMW 323i E21 |
The bilstiens I got were black.
Black ones to go on the back too.
Bought from Eurocarparts... |
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| BruceH |
Posted
Thursday, Feb 17th 2:54pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 414
Atlanta, GA USA
81 323 Baur, 85 745 |
Black are the stock shocks. Big difference in handling with the HDs with nominal tradeoff in ride comfort. |
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| Mr Lucky |
Posted
Thursday, Feb 17th 9:25pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 34
County Durham, England.
BMW 323i E21 |
| BruceH wrote: | If you are using the Bils HD yellow shocks go to a set of lowering springs. You do not need to fill the strut tube with oil.
Bruce |
Don't worry Bruce. I didn't fill it. Just but a tiny bit in as per manual reccomendation.
Wish I could suss this clunking. I am driving to Norfolk at the wekend and it will drive me nuts. Especially as I have killed the radio... |
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| RDAvena |
Posted
Thursday, Feb 17th 11:08pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Staff
Post nr. 1057
SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue > 0
1981 323i, 1988 545is, 1997 528i |
with regards to the clunk. I would check that you tightened down the strut retaining nut to the proper torque. The torque value is often posted on the box the struts came in. Hand tight is not good enough as this nut will back its way out, causing space or in other owrds the strut is no longer held in place. The strut inside of the tube will hit the top and bottom as you go over bumps cracks in the road ect. |
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| Mr Lucky |
Posted
Friday, Feb 18th 1:55am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 35
County Durham, England.
BMW 323i E21 |
| RDAvena wrote: | | with regards to the clunk. I would check that you tightened down the strut retaining nut to the proper torque. The torque value is often posted on the box the struts came in. Hand tight is not good enough as this nut will back its way out, causing space or in other owrds the strut is no longer held in place. The strut inside of the tube will hit the top and bottom as you go over bumps cracks in the road ect. |
Will do RDAvena. I must say that the strut tubes had to be opened with the tops in a vice. They were closed the same way. Nice and tight (what is a torque wrench?)... |
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| g323 |
Posted
Monday, Dec 31st 10:17pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 219
California
323i 1982 |
would washers in the wrong order cause pull to either direction? |
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