DIY Lowering Springs

[F06msportmia]

Hello Fellas!

I have searched every where online and cannot locate a DIY with step by step on how to do a spring job on my X5.

Any help and direction is appreciated.

Thanks,

[jandref321]

Originally Posted by e70msportmia

Hello Fellas!

I have searched every where online and cannot locate a DIY with step by step on how to do a spring job on my X5.

Any help and direction is appreciated.

Thanks,

From your previous posts I see that you have the self leveling, which is good. The rears are just installing the new level sensor arms, becareful not to overtorque them. The fronts are a pain, but not terrible. I did a DIY on replacing the strut mounts, which is the same steps for installing springs in the front except you just throw on the new springs and keep the old mount. Make sure you go the extra mile and loosen all of the control arm/tension arm bolts and retorque with the new springs after putting the vehicle back on the ground or loading the suspension. If you skip this step then your bushings will fail very quickly. Here is the link and the excerpt:

http://www.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1345269
STRUT MOUNTS

This I actually waited on (Which was a bad Idea). I returned the mounts and ordered some coilovers. The mounts failed a few weeks later and the coilovers still aren’t here a month after. I had to overnight a strut mount and do the install at home. I recommend doing this with two people. A second person is necessary to stand on or pull down the hub.

1) Remove all engine bay plastics around the strut mount bolts.
2) Properly lift vehicle and remove wheel.
3) Disconnect all brake wires on the strut.
4) Unbolt the lower strut mount from the lower control arm.
4b) Unbolt the upper control arm ball joint from the hub carrier
5) Unbolt the lower strut mount from the strut and start to slide down.
6) Unbolt the upper strut mount.
7) Pull down/stand on the hub and remove the strut assembly.
8) Place spring compressors at 180 degrees from each other at the farthest coils top and bottom
9) Compress the spring.
10) Unbolt the mount from the strut.
11) Install new mount and torque down.
12) Release the spring compressors.
13) Set assembly back into position.
14) Pull down on hub and insert lower portion of strut into lower strut mount.
15) Align the upper mount bolts into the chassis and tighten down upper strut mount.
16) Reconnect the lower strut mount with the lower control arm. Do not torque yet.
17) Replace and tighten the bolt holding the strut into the lower strut mount.
17b) Jack up the hub carrier and insert upper control arm ball joint into carrier then insert the bolt and torque
18) Load the suspension and torque the lower control arm bolt.
19) Reconnect all wires.
20) Reinstall the Engine plastics.
21) Reinstall wheel and lower then torque wheel bolts.

[F06msportmia]

Originally Posted by jandref321

From your previous posts I see that you have the self leveling, which is good. The rears are just installing the new level sensor arms, becareful not to overtorque them. The fronts are a pain, but not terrible. I did a DIY on replacing the strut mounts, which is the same steps for installing springs in the front except you just throw on the new springs and keep the old mount. Make sure you go the extra mile and loosen all of the control arm/tension arm bolts and retorque with the new springs after putting the vehicle back on the ground or loading the suspension. If you skip this step then your bushings will fail very quickly. Here is the link and the excerpt:

http://www.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1345269
STRUT MOUNTS

This I actually waited on (Which was a bad Idea). I returned the mounts and ordered some coilovers. The mounts failed a few weeks later and the coilovers still aren’t here a month after. I had to overnight a strut mount and do the install at home. I recommend doing this with two people. A second person is necessary to stand on or pull down the hub.

1) Remove all engine bay plastics around the strut mount bolts.
2) Properly lift vehicle and remove wheel.
3) Disconnect all brake wires on the strut.
4) Unbolt the lower strut mount from the lower control arm.
4b) Unbolt the upper control arm ball joint from the hub carrier
5) Unbolt the lower strut mount from the strut and start to slide down.
6) Unbolt the upper strut mount.
7) Pull down/stand on the hub and remove the strut assembly.
8) Place spring compressors at 180 degrees from each other at the farthest coils top and bottom
9) Compress the spring.
10) Unbolt the mount from the strut.
11) Install new mount and torque down.
12) Release the spring compressors.
13) Set assembly back into position.
14) Pull down on hub and insert lower portion of strut into lower strut mount.
15) Align the upper mount bolts into the chassis and tighten down upper strut mount.
16) Reconnect the lower strut mount with the lower control arm. Do not torque yet.
17) Replace and tighten the bolt holding the strut into the lower strut mount.
17b) Jack up the hub carrier and insert upper control arm ball joint into carrier then insert the bolt and torque
18) Load the suspension and torque the lower control arm bolt.
19) Reconnect all wires.
20) Reinstall the Engine plastics.
21) Reinstall wheel and lower then torque wheel bolts.

Thanks for taking the time and listing the steps.

We have a place called GarageYouself in Miami where they rent you a car lift and all the tools you can think of so you can do your own mechanic jobs. I might be stopping in this weekend to tackle this job.

Thanks again!

[jandref321]

Yep! Glad to help. I've done springs before and compressing the old ones is always a pain. Most of those types of shops have mechanics working to help you out just in case and some have the large hydraulic spring compressors table mounted. That will save you some time if you learn to use it. Otherwise it takes patience since you have to sit there and wrench on the compressors for what seems like a lifetime. Wear some mechanics gloves if using a wrench since the repetition will hurt your palms eventually...I'd use a ratchet if it will fit around the upper coil/mount, and a pipe on the end for leverage/comfort. The new shorter springs don't usually have to be compressed when installing, just throw them on and tighten the mount over top.

Have fun!