[bmw] Strut change

["David A. Leonard" <dleonar1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I just  came in from the garage..big storm here in Maine tonite.. 1:00 AM now..
I started to put the snow tires on at 9:00pm..I have a set of replacement 
warranty Bilsteins sitting in the garage..I was just going to change the 
tires..BUT...
Now the car is jacked and the wheels are off, and I have an impact gun in 
my hand..Hmm lookie here, only three bolts to drop the strut top, three for 
the bottom on my 88 735i..150 k miles on these struts...It will never be 
easier than right now to pull the struts.. yeah thats the ticket, Ill just 
pull em and deal with it tomorrow..well, I jammed the calipers back with a 
big screwdriver, and pulled the brakets with the slider assy. still intact, 
undid the swaybar link, the brake sensor wire, and the ABS senders...it was 
11:00 then, maybe I'll go find my strut compressor..be ready for 
tomorrow..Found it and my big sockets...Well I guess I'll just set up the 
compressor on a strut..hmm i'll run it with  the impact wrench..might as 
well pull the insert....might as well put the new one in and put it back on 
the car (untorqued)..Might as well do the other side..So I did..there she 
sits with the new struts in the housings, springs on, and reinstalled..All 
I need to do tomorrow is slam the calipers back on and tighten the bolts, 
and put the snowtires on..maybe I'll check if I can cut the brake rotor, as 
it seems to have some runout and its almost new..the old struts are packed 
and ready for the Bilstien warranty evaluation..  I think I'm down to about 
1-1.3 hrs. per side now..

Dave Leonard (Night shift Mechanic)
I love new suspensions...
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