The Shock/Strut Thread

[fw_fw]

Well, looks like I won't be installing rear B6 shocks this weekend after all, here is what I discovered after I opened up my box from TireRack:





I've already called TireRack customer service and sent pics.....

[AWF87M2]

Originally Posted by fw_fw

Well, looks like I won't be installing rear B6 shocks this weekend after all, here is what I discovered after I opened up my box from TireRack:





I've already called TireRack customer service and sent pics.....

wow, that is absolutely unacceptable. I ordered my H&R from them and my box was opened up for inspection but not cracked open. Hope all goes well.

[PrematureApex]

Originally Posted by fw_fw

Well, looks like I won't be installing rear B6 shocks this weekend after all, here is what I discovered after I opened up my box from TireRack:





I've already called TireRack customer service and sent pics.....

I'd inspect them before sending them back. Not likely they're damaged in any meaningful way.

[fw_fw]

Originally Posted by PrematureApex

I'd inspect them before sending them back. Not likely they're damaged in any meaningful way.

I did take them out of their boxes, they seem to look ok. If they had only busted thru the inner box and not the outer shipping box I'd have no problem with them. However having also gone thru the outer box there is no way of knowing if those shafts didn't get caught up on something during the shipping process, bending them or putting some kind of stress on it.

Kinda inexcusable that Bilstein doesn't put some kind of inner plastic cap on the ends of the shaft to keep this from happening IMO.

Expecting a call back from TireRack customer service today, I'm going to insist on getting them exchanged. Rather be safe than sorry.....

[kychungkevin]

I would be worry too if the shocks busted thru outer box like yours. When I got mine I was surprise how bad Bilstein boxed them with thin cardbox without any protection.

[kychungkevin]

Originally Posted by PrematureApex

Not necessarily relevant to the thread...but I pulled the trigger on subframe bushings for the X1 after deciding that it would get the M3 rear bar. I'll install them in a week or so when they get here.

Need to make sure I have propane for my torch!

Cool! Are you go to diy? Could you take picture for step by step and let me know how hard or easy to install them?

[PrematureApex]

Originally Posted by kychungkevin

Cool! Are you go to diy? Could you take picture for step by step and let me know how hard or easy to install them?

Yup, I've done a few sets (my 135 and a couple friends' cars). You need a small propane torch ($10 at a hardware store) and 1 or 2 jacks.

I'll find a better DIY (there's a bunch out there for E90/E82 cars, which are the same as ours), but look at post #38 and you'll see the idea.

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...=802595&page=2



No need to remove the exhaust or anything. You can access the rear bushings without removing anything else. For the front two, you'll see that you have to remove a bit of added bracing that covers the bushing, it's apparent what you have to unbolt.

Basically, you...

Remove the torx head subframe bolts, supporting the subframe on a jack.

Lower the subframe down a couple inches (some people detach the rear brake lines at the unibody junction for extra travel, some do it leaving them attached and being mindful to not put them under too much tension).

Once lowered, put a socket between the bushing and the unibody. Jack the subframe back up such that the weight of the car is pressing the socket into the bushing.

Using the torch, heat the subframe around the bushing (or light the bushing itself on fire a bit)...

After a couple minutes, and perhaps a couple pushes on the jack to put more pressure on the socket, the heated/slightly melted OE rubber bushing will begin to fall out of the subframe under the weight of the car (as shown in the above pic).

Install the new two-part bushing by hand.

Repeat for the others.

It's easy.

Essentially, you're using the weight of the car as your press, and using heat to soften the bushing to get it sliding.

[PrematureApex]

Originally Posted by fw_fw

I did take them out of their boxes, they seem to look ok. If they had only busted thru the inner box and not the outer shipping box I'd have no problem with them. However having also gone thru the outer box there is no way of knowing if those shafts didn't get caught up on something during the shipping process, bending them or putting some kind of stress on it.

Kinda inexcusable that Bilstein doesn't put some kind of inner plastic cap on the ends of the shaft to keep this from happening IMO.

Expecting a call back from TireRack customer service today, I'm going to insist on getting them exchanged. Rather be safe than sorry.....

I understand the concern. Just that if you don't feel like waiting, they're warrantied for life.

But more to the point, they're harden steel shafts, and the units as a whole are built like brick shit houses.

If the polished shafts are unmarked, and the threads are clean, I wouldn't worry about it. You can put a straight edge to them to ensure they're still straight, but they'd be nearly impossible to bend in any situation they'd encounter during shipping (or any other situation, like dropping a building on them).

Just from those pics, while I"d be pissed, they're 100% fine and you should put it out of your mind. Get installing!

[PrematureApex]

I put the M3 (E93) rear bar and Whilteline subframe bushings on the X1 today. I was able to get the bar in without completely dropping the subframe, which saved a lot of time. Suspension wise, it currently has Bilstein B6s and H&R springs. It's turning into a pretty fun little car. Much more lively in the rear now with the bar, you can rotate it with a very deliberate throttle lift.

Stock end links fit fine.

It still needs more spring rate all around, but coilovers are probably out of the question. I guess all that's left is a front bar and I'll call it quits.

It's embarrassing that our M3 and 135 get less love than the X1...

Shout out to kychungkevin for selling me his bushings (which are backordered everywhere). I owe you one!

[paradoxical3]

The stock endlinks on my car technically fit in fine (we got the bar in) but they would clunk from hitting something repeatedly. Wear marks were showing that they were definitely the issue. Keep me updated if this happens on your car, hopefully it doesn't because of the labor involved.

I'm at Mid Ohio right now, the new front control arm bushings transform the car, they are so cheap I highly recommend you do it. I am running 2 seconds faster than last time now that my car can turn.

Also, I figured out numerous coding things in the DSC module that completely transform the car on track during braking.

Hydaulic brake assist, maximum brake support, brake fade compensation, and brake disc pre-tensioning are all turned on by default and are just awful and when I turned them off the data shows that I gained over a second just in better braking. I didn't realize how inconsistent the pedal was (this is the only car I ever tracked) until I turned them off and the brakes felt like a different car.

[PrematureApex]

Originally Posted by paradoxical3

The stock endlinks on my car technically fit in fine (we got the bar in) but they would clunk from hitting something repeatedly. Wear marks were showing that they were definitely the issue. Keep me updated if this happens on your car, hopefully it doesn't because of the labor involved.

I'm at Mid Ohio right now, the new front control arm bushings transform the car, they are so cheap I highly recommend you do it. I am running 2 seconds faster than last time now that my car can turn.

I will thanks! Hopefully, being lowered less than you they don't interfere. Luckily though, I'm an ex Suby guy, so I have a few pairs of endlinks laying around I can try.

I'm sure as I add miles, I'll poke around the front. The state of the OE bushings in this car (and all non-M E90s for that matter) is such joke. I'd love to fix the front end too. Just a bit harder being that it's AWD...less options all around.

[paradoxical3]

Originally Posted by PrematureApex

I will thanks! Hopefully, being lowered less than you they don't interfere. Luckily though, I'm an ex Suby guy, so I have a few pairs of endlinks laying around I can try.

I'm sure as I add miles, I'll poke around the front. The state of the OE bushings in this car (and all non-M E90s for that matter) is such joke. I'd love to fix the front end too. Just a bit harder being that it's AWD...less options all around.

I ordered strong flex bushings, they are about $50. They just took two weeks to ship.....

I think they are my favorite upgrade, equal in daily enjoyability to the JRZ suspension. I would rather have them than the rear subframe bushings to be honest. But my perspective may be off because I was driving with blown ones for so long.

Turn In Concepts (you may be familiar with them from the Subaru world) is making their own xdrive bushing; I showed them mine and told them about the 2 week wait and they thought they could improve it a bit. Not sure what the ETA is but might be worth asking, I think they have the cast done this week.

[PrematureApex]

Originally Posted by paradoxical3

I ordered strong flex bushings, they are about $50. They just took two weeks to ship.....

I think they are my favorite upgrade, equal in daily enjoyability to the JRZ suspension. I would rather have them than the rear subframe bushings to be honest. But my perspective may be off because I was driving with blown ones for so long.

Turn In Concepts (you may be familiar with them from the Subaru world) is making their own xdrive bushing; I showed them mine and told them about the 2 week wait and they thought they could improve it a bit. Not sure what the ETA is but might be worth asking, I think they have the cast done this week.

Know them well, I'll reach out.

Here's the DIY on the bushings...

[PrematureApex]

Front Bilsteins are in from Germany. Took, well I forget, 4 or 5 weeks, rather than the 10-12 I was quoted? So don't worry about ordering them if they give you a far-out ETA.

Inverted monotubes are sexy btw. I'm not ashamed to say it.

Rear of the car is so, so much better with the B6 rears, M3 bar (the biggest E93), subframe bushings and springs. No bottoming out after a little bumpstop trim plus the shocks, and the swaybar really, really helps rotate the car once you push past the bit of roll left in it.

I'd install the struts Friday or Saturday...but the Philly pope visit has the car pinned down in the city. I'll have to wait another week or so.

But anyway, overall, I'm pleased with the car now. Could use the front bushings sorted, and the N55/JB4 combo definitely isn't as...ummm...capable of dealing with E85 vs. our N54. But it still sorted things out well enough to delver smiles.

Neat little car. Everyone who drives it asks to buy it from me. Never get that with the M3 or 135.

[AWF87M2]

Premature, Did you get B6 for the front as well?

[kychungkevin]

Originally Posted by PrematureApex

Inverted monotubes are sexy btw. I'm not ashamed to say it.

Rear of the car is so, so much better with the B6 rears, M3 bar (the biggest E93), subframe bushings and springs. No bottoming out after a little bumpstop trim plus the shocks, and the swaybar really, really helps rotate the car once you push past the bit of roll left in it.

I'd install the struts Friday or Saturday...but the Philly pope visit has the car pinned down in the city. I'll have to wait another week or so.

But anyway, overall, I'm pleased with the car now. Could use the front bushings sorted, and the N55/JB4 combo definitely isn't as...ummm...capable of dealing with E85 vs. our N54. But it still sorted things out well enough to delver smiles.

Neat little car. Everyone who drives it asks to buy it from me. Never get that with the M3 or 135.

Agree PrematureApex the car feels so much better with the B6-Springs-Bar combo. Worth every dime! And X1 is become the best car I had ever own since 1994 (also the most expensive from me. My last best ride was my 03 SVT Focus, worst ever was 01 MB C230K coupe)

My next project would be the brakes. I really dislike them.

[PrematureApex]

Originally Posted by tw4life

Premature, Did you get B6 for the front as well?

Yup, the rear shocks came in a month or so ago and I installed them right away.

The front struts just got here (special order from Germany) this week. They'll go on soon.

[fw_fw]

Alright, the rear Bilstein B6 Shocks and BMW OEM E85 Bumpstops have been installed on the rear to go with my H&R Sport Springs. For those of y'all who try this with the car on jack stands I recommend googling "Zip Tie shock install" as it makes it a whole lot easier to install them. These Bilsteins are hard to compress, and they have to be fully compressed in order to be installed. Can't wait for the fronts to come in, but those I'll have professionally installed and aligned.

Any who, here are a couple of pics.

Pics of original M-Sport with factory bumpstop versus the B6 shock with E85 bumpstop. You can see the difference in height.



Here is a closeup of it installed, with the gap for the bumpstop just about equal to the height difference seen in the previous pic.



The gap from mount to bumpstop is approximately 1/2"-3/4", equal to most other BMW factory applications that I've researched on the web, especially those on E9x platforms. As for the ride, there definitely is less bounce now on bumps. I like it! The acid test will be Monday when I go to work, as there is a killer dip in the road that gave the H&R Sport Springs/Stock Shock combo fits......

[fw_fw]

For reference purposes I thought it would be a great idea if everyone who has modified their X1's suspension to list out the part numbers of the parts used in the modifications. It will make it easier for future readers to figure out what exactly was used, making it easier to order parts.

I'll start:

BMW X1 xDrive35i M-Sport

Springs

H&R Sport Springs - Part Number 28959-1 (Will list as xDrive28i Only, but work on xDrive35i vehicles as well)

Shocks

Bilstein B6 Front Left Strut - Part Number 35-171294
Bilstein B6 Front Right Strut - Part Number 35-171300
Bilstein B6 Rear Shock - Part Number 24-171311 (x2)

Bumpstops

Rear Bumpstop (OEM E84 Z4) - BMW Part Number 33536770350 (x2)

[kychungkevin]

Originally Posted by fw_fw

BMW X1 xDrive35i M-Sport

Springs

H&R Sport Springs - Part Number 28959-1 (Will list as xDrive28i Only, but work on xDrive35i vehicles as well)

Shocks

Bilstein B6 Front Left Strut - Part Number 35-171294
Bilstein B6 Front Right Strut - Part Number 35-171300
Bilstein B6 Rear Shock - Part Number 24-171311 (x2)

Bumpstops

Front Bumpstop (OEM E36 M3) - BMW Part Number 31332225377 (x2)
Rear Bumpstop (OEM E84 Z4) - BMW Part Number 33536770350 (x2)

Mine:
BMW X1 xDrive28i Sportline

Lowering Kit:
Bilstein B12 kit (Eibach springs + B6 shocks) - 46-191465

Sway Bar:
E90 M3 rear sway bar - 33552283655
Rear Sway Bar Bushing Bracket (x2) - 33552283714
Top Sway Bar Bushing (x2) - 33552283710
Bottom Sway Bar Bushing (x2) - 33552283709
Kartboy Rear Sway Bar End Links, '08-'15 WRX/STi - KB-017-08

[AWF87M2]

Bmw X1 sDrive28i ///M-Sport

Springs
H&R sport springs Manufacturer Part #: 28959-2

Shocks
Blistein B6 (still contemplating)

[PrematureApex]

Originally Posted by fw_fw

Bumpstops

Front Bumpstop (OEM E36 M3) - BMW Part Number 31332225377 (x2)
Rear Bumpstop (OEM E84 Z4) - BMW Part Number 33536770350 (x2)

There are no front external bumpstops when you move to the Bilsteins. There are internal stops inside the strut housings.

It's pretty easy to open it up and trim it down if you want to be sure you won't bottom out.

But you can't fit an OEM bumpstop over an inverted strut, the "shaft" is like 3x as thick. Nor would you want to with the internal stops.

Regarding the rear shock install, I just pulled the control arm bolt so avoid having to compress the shock any significant amount. But the zip-tie method is probably easier/quicker.


My part numbers would be the same as yours, but I trimmed the factory rear stops, and added an M3 vert rear bar.

Rear Bar is 33552283962
Bottom bushings halves 33552283709
Top Bushings halves bushing 33552283710
Brackets 33552283714