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      08-02-2021, 03:18 PM   #220
argento
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Drives: 2013 X5M
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Houston

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Dinan Spring Install DIY

[UPDATED 11/28/2022]

Full DIY PDF:
DIY REV.2_E70X5M Dinan Spring Install_argento-xbimmers_21Feb2022.pdf

After replacing my rear air springs this month (Nov.2022) my ride heights have finally settled and are accurate and repeatable values. In the front I'm at a ride height of of 727mm (measured from the lower rim lip through center cap to the fender per ISTA+). I don't think I ever measured the pre-install ride height accurately, but suffice to say it's a minimum of 0.5" drop and maximum of 0.75" drop. The rear is a bit more complicated b/c I was trying to get it just right, but with rear air springs compromised (unbeknownst to me) it was a moving target. I caved and just took it in and had them adjust the rear to 718mm (measured from the lower rim lip to the fender per ISTA+). The 718mm was based on, again, math with bad air springs. With new air springs and now a steady ride height the rear ultimately sits 1/4" below the front. Honestly, it looks decent enough to leave as-is. Taking measurements per ISTA+ removes the parked surface from the equation...while my garage looks flat, it's not.


DISCLAIMER: This Checklist only lists highlights and is for REFERENCE ONLY. It serves only as backup to help ensure major steps have been addressed. See DIY for details and only use latest version. This procedure represents one method of installation on a specific vehicle and is shared/posted for **REFERENCE ONLY**. This procedure requires **CAUTION** as it involves heavy loads and stored potential energy that could cause serious personal injury and/or vehicle damage if mechanical disassembly and/or assembly is performed improperly. Use extreme caution and all applicable safety processes when working on your vehicle. This procedure is based on a collection of other DIYs as referenced in the Reference Section of the DIY, as well as ISTA.


CHECKLIST NOTES:
- 2013 E70 X5M
- Checklist based on a complete and consecutive Dinan Spring Install from front to rear axle.
- NORMAL POSITION TORQUE: As required and defined by ISTA, place vehicle in ‘normal position’. For those fastenings called out to be torqued in normal position, note that the rear fasteners in this DIY can be accessed with the wheels mounted and vehicle on the ground. For the front axle, this is not easily the case. There is a method recommended by a third party used and referenced in the full DIY that simulates ‘normal position’.

PRE-INSTALLATION (Prior to Jacking)
☐ (optional) Record ride height for reference
☐ (optional) Fold mirrors to decrease obstructions around vehicle
☐ Position vehicle with steering straight ahead
☐ Ensure emergency brake is OFF
☐ In trunk, disconnect negative battery cable. [10mm Socket; M6 Nut 5Nm]
☐ In trunk, for vehicles without third row seating, lift trunk lid and remove carpet trim to access rear strut top mounting bolts. [pry tool]
☐ In engine bay, remove left and right microfilter grated housing covers and right microfilter housing assembly. [13mm Socket]
☐ In engine bay, loosen left and right partition walls and rotate toward vehicle center for access to front strut housing. [pry tool; 5mm Hex Allen; 10mm Socket]
☐ Jack vehicle, place jack stands, and remove wheels. If jacking one axle at a time, use wheel chocks as necessary. [Hydraulic Jack; Jack Pads; Chocks; 17mm Socket; Wheel Hangar; M14 Nut 140Nm]
☐ Place removed wheels under vehicle side skirts as additional safety backup.


FRONT AXLE
☐ Rotate hub/disc rotor so that concave indentions point in vehicle forward direction or OEM marked surfaces point upwards.
☐ Mark rotor/hub orientation so that if the driveshaft uncouples from the final drive and the rotor/hub is unknowingly rotated, you know the approx. orientation of the hub to reinsert driveshaft.
☐ Remove hydraulic brake line clamp with pliers and uncouple grommet/line from strut brake line bracket. [Pliers]
☐ LEFT SIDE ONLY, uncouple (friction fit) brake pad wear sensor cable from strut brake line bracket.
☐ Decouple EDC connectors and cables to allow untethered strut removal from vehicle. Blue connector sits above black connector. Consider removing other cable/connectors in vicinity to help facilitate smoother strut assembly removal.
☐ Support lower control arm with hydraulic jack and wooden block(s) as needed.
☐ Remove stabilizer link from swivel bearing by removing M12 nut. Adjust hydraulic jack as needed to unload sway bar for link removal. Use socket and breaker bar to first loosen nut, then proceed with wrench and Torx socket. Note bolt insertion is in direction of forward travel. [18mm Box End Wrench; T35 Torx Socket]
☐ Disconnect swivel bearing from upper control arm by removing M10 bolt and nut. Adjust hydraulic jack as needed to facilitate bolt removal. Note bolt insertion is in direction of forward travel. Bearing surfaces to remain clean and oil free; [16mm Socket; 16mm Box End Wrench]
☐ Tether swivel bearing as it becomes unwieldly and naturally leans outward and can disconnect drive shaft from final drive. [Rope]
☐ Remove spring strut holder to strut assembly M12 bolt. Note bolt insertion is in direction of forward travel. Bearing surfaces to remain clean and oil free. [18mm Socket]
☐ At lower control arm disconnect spring strut holder by removing M14 Bolt and Nut. Adjust hydraulic jack as needed to facilitate bolt removal. Note bolt insertion is in direction of forward travel. [21mm Socket; 21mm Box/Open End Wrench]
☐ With Suspension in lowest position, separate spring strut holder from strut assembly and remove spring strut holder from area. Use steering knuckle expanding tool to unclamp strut from strut holder as needed. [Knuckle Expanding Tool]
☐ In engine bay strut tower, with strut assembly supported from beneath, remove three M8 nuts at strut tower. [13mm Socket]
☐ Remove strut assembly downwards and out of wheel arch. Record photos capturing relative position of OEM components for future assembly of stock configuration.
☐ Using Spring Compressor Tool per manufacturer instructions and slowly compress OEM coil sring and remove M12 Strut Nut. Then slowly decompress OEM Coil Spring for spring removal. [18mm Strut Nut Socket Tool; 6mm Allen Wrench]
☐ On bench, place Dinan auxiliary pads and new strut components onto strut assembly. Orient upper spring pads to ISTA key coding specifications.
☐ Using Spring Compressor Tool per manufacturer instructions, with strut assembly and Dinan coil spring properly oriented per ISTA, slowly compress Dinan coil spring until strut nut can be installed and torqued. After strut nut is installed, slowly decompress Dinan coil spring. [18mm Strut Nut Socket Tool; 6mm Allen Wrench; 21mm Box End Wrench or Crescent; M12 Nut 48Nm]
☐ Insert strut assembly with Dinan coil spring into strut tower and install three new M8 nuts but do not tighten yet. Only install to ensure strut assembly is supported.
☐ Insert spring strut holder onto strut assembly via strut alignment pin and position spring strut holder onto lower control arm.
☐ Install spring strut holder to lower control arm M14 bolt and nut. Tighten but do not torque yet as that will be done under ‘normal position’. [21mm socket; 21mm open end wrench]
☐ Install spring strut holder to strut assembly M12 bolt. Hand-tighten (snug) but do not fully torque yet as strut assembly will need to settle into spring strut holder at ‘normal position’. [18mm Socket; Knuckle Expanding Tool]
☐ Install M12 nut for stabilizer link to swivel bearing. If needed adjust hydraulic jack to unload sway bar for link installation. Tighten but do not torque yet. [18mm Box End Wrench; T35 Torx Socket]
☐ Install upper control arm to swivel bearing M10 nut and torque. [16mm Socket; 16mm Box End Wrench; M10 Nut 56Nm]
☐ Torque stabilizer link M12 nut. [18mm Socket; M12 Nut 100Nm]
☐ Tighten and torque strut tower M8 nuts. [13mm Socket; M8 Nuts 28Nm]
☐ Install EDC Connectors and route cables.
☐ Install brake line clamp and LEFT SIDE ONLY brake pad wear sensor cable.
☐ Place vehicle in ‘normal position’ per ISTA. This may need to be done after rear axle complete and rear wheels on the ground. Consider using hydraulic jack, position jack stands under lower control arm and load suspension to mimic ‘normal position’.
☐ First torque lower control arm to spring strut holder M14 bolt in ‘normal position’. [21mm Socket; 21mm Box End Wrench; M14 Bolt 165Nm in Normal Position]
☐ Then torque spring strut holder to strut assembly M12 nut in ‘normal position’. [16mm Socket; M12 Bolt 81Nm, Torque in Normal Position]
☐ If needed, for rear axle work, return vehicle to nominal lifted configuration using hydraulic jack and jack stands.
Front Axle Complete.

REAR AXLE
☐ Partially detach rear wheel fender linings (or remove rear bumper) and disconnect VDM cable routing and plugs at connector box to allow strut removal from vehicle.
☐ Remove hydraulic brake line clamp with pliers and uncouple grommet/line from strut brake line bracket.
☐ Remove M14 bolt connecting shock absorber to control arm. But first support wheel hub or control arm with hydraulic jack to unload bolt and then remove. (21mm Socket)
Supporting strut assembly from underneath to prevent it from falling out, remove three M10 nuts from strut tower in luggage compartment. A new sealing grommet is recommended at installation. (16mm Socket)
☐ On bench, disassemble strut assembly by removing M12 nut. (18mm Strut Nut Socket Tool; 6mm Allen Wrench)
☐ Replace OEM auxiliary pad with Dinan auxiliary pad, install new components, and reassembly strut assembly. Torque M12 Nut. (18mm Strut Nut Socket Tool; 6mm Allen Wrench; M12 Nut 34Nm)
☐ Insert strut assembly into strut tower and install three new M10 nuts and torque. (16mm Socket; M10 Nut 56Nm)
☐ Adjust hydraulic jack as needed to insert M14 bolt into lower control arm and strut assembly. Tighten in place, but do not torque yet as torquing requires vehicle to be in ‘normal position’.
☐ Reconnect EDC connectors and route cables. Re-install fender linings (or bumper).
☐ Install brake line clamp
☐ Remove OEM sensor rods. (10mm Socket; 8mm and 8.5mm Box End Wrench)
☐ Install Dinan Sensor Rods that have been each set to a length of 69.4mm/2.732” (M6 Nut 8Nm)
☐ Mount front and rear wheels and lower the vehicle in reverse order of raising (17mm Socket; M14 Nuts 140Nm)
☐ Torque lower control arm to strut assembly M14 bolt. (21mm Socket; M14 Bolt 165Nm in Normal Position)
Rear Axle Complete.

FINISHING THE INSTALL
☐ Confirm Torque of all Fastenings
☐ Install Engine Trim in reverse order of disassembly
☐ Install Trunk Trim in reverse order of disassembly
☐ Reconnect negative battery cable in reverse order of disassembly
☐ On vehicles with BMW Active Front Steering (AFS), set Steering Angle:
-Start Engine
-Turn steering wheel left to full lock.
-Turn steering wheel right to full lock.

Consider performing as needed (diagnostic system needed):
☐ Perform 4-wheel computerized alignment
☐ Headlight Adjustment
☐ Ride Height Calibration (not required with Dinan Sensor Rods)
☐ Vertical acceleration sensor adjustment
NOTE: If possible, allow Dinan coil springs to settle a few days prior to ride height adjustments.

CHECKLIST END.


==================>


The DIY is about 40 pages, including the checklist above. It includes a torque table, the required parts needing replacement (per ISTA), a tools list, and lots of figures and explanation. Most will not likely want or need all this info, but it will be available. I reviewed all the suspension DIY's I could find and referenced them and their links, coupled with procedures from ISTA. Once I'm finished I'll offer to post the PDF.

DIY Excerpt, Third Party Simulation of Normal Position (REF ONLY):


Name:  DIY Excerpt_Normal Position.JPG
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Last edited by argento; 11-28-2022 at 07:25 PM.. Reason: Clarified procedure.
Appreciate 2