MyE28.com

Bentley's says that an alignment is necessary after changing shocks/springs. Could I put this off till after the vintage, or will the car drive funny/eat the tires?

If you only changed the shocks and springs you should be ok, but honestly, since the rear suspension is not adjustable, a toe alignment up front should not take long. I would do it before I went somewhere.

m535is wrote:If you only changed the shocks and springs you should be ok, but honestly, since the rear suspension is not adjustable, a toe alignment up front should not take long. I would do it before I went somewhere.

So would the shop use stock parameters for the springs/shocks I got, or something else? Does anyone have the stock parameters?

They will just use the stock toe setting. That is just the angle that the front of the wheels point inward. They set it to the same angle regardless of what suspension parts you have, but it needs to be corrected back to stock because lowering the car changes the static toe in.

Im still in process of installation of these shocks and springs. Right now my most major question is which strut bearing to use. In this picture, the one on the left is the original bearing and the one on the right I got from bavauto, it is part number 31331139452. Does anyone know what part number my original bearing is? The original bearing uses the 28.5 mm cover (31331124335) if that helps identify the original part. RealOEM also lists a part number 31331139484, which is a camber correction bearing. You can see from the picture that the 452 strut bearing is quite a bit taller than the original bearing. So I wonder why that is? Would the original bearing even work with the new bilsteins?



Also, here is a comparison of the original springs to the mtechs.

The new upper bearings look correct (452). The rubber sags over time and so they get shorter. I would use the 452s as that is what was originally installed unless you have a set of camber corrections sitting around. If you have a set of the camber corrections sitting around then I would put them in at negative camber. .5 a degree is not much but it is better than nothing.

M535is: thanks for all the help.


New question: do I remove the lower nut on the bilstein unit? Does this allow the piston to go to full extension?

Picture please

So I feel like i am having to compress the ever-living crap out of these springs and Im actually not even close to being there yet. So I am wondering if the shock piston is not at full extension?




So Im wondering if this nut at the bottom of the bilstein shock is holding the piston closed or something.

DO NOT LOOSEN THAT NUT!!! You purchased sport shocks. That means the piston is shorter because you have fewer spring coils than stock. The way this works is the following. It is really bad internally for a shock to bottom out, aka compress all the way. So you design the suspension so that the spring reaches what is called coil bind, aka when all the coils of the spring are touching making the top and bottom of the spring solid, the shock will still have some travel before it bottoms. In a stock setup you will find that there the coil bind length is more than that of a lowered setup. So if you were to use stock shocks you run the risk of bottoming them out when the shorter springs compress. This is why you should always use sport shocks with lowering springs. So the sport shocks have a shorter piston. This means 2 things, 1 is that you will prevent them from bottoming with the lowering springs and the second is that you will reduce the amount of overall travel of the suspension. This is why you are having to compress the springs more than you thought you would need to.

What is happening is you are having to compress the lowering springs about as much as you had to compress the stock springs, which is just fine. Keep compressing!

Hope this helps,

m535is wrote: Hope this helps,

immensely, i owe you a case of some fine brew...

When I am back in the US permanently maybe we can meet up and I can take you up on the brew...

Retro,

Are those the BMW Spec Bilsteins that match those springs or just regular Bilstein sport shocks? You got the Mtech reds, correct?

m535is wrote:When I am back in the US permanently maybe we can meet up and I can take you up on the brew...

Looking forward to it.

L_N_Love wrote:Retro,

Are those the BMW Spec Bilsteins that match those springs or just regular Bilstein sport shocks? You got the Mtech reds, correct?

They are the matched OEM shocks. They are not the red short ones, they are the less short Mtechs. The part numbers are listed earlier in the thread. The ones that I got are black. The ones in the front have an orange dot on each coil. The ones in the back have a blue dot on each coil and a red dot on two coils.

m535is wrote:As for the rear springs there is actually 1 M-tech rear part number

2225654

This means you have no options in terms of the point system.

The correct Shock for the 654 is

2225666

Sorry to resurrect this but maybe you or anyone else might be inclined to shed some facts please: Shock absorber, rear M TECHNIC 33522225666 is NLA.
Is there any other Shock replacement in terms of point system I can match for Coil Spring Short Red M Tech 33532225654? Thank you! BTW my car is a US Spec 535i

harrypalmer wrote:

m535is wrote:As for the rear springs there is actually 1 M-tech rear part number

2225654

This means you have no options in terms of the point system.

The correct Shock for the 654 is

2225666

Sorry to resurrect this but maybe you or anyone else might be inclined to shed some facts please: Shock absorber, rear M TECHNIC 33522225666 is NLA.
Is there any other Shock replacement in terms of point system I can match for Coil Spring Short Red M Tech 33532225654? Thank you! BTW my car is a US Spec 535i

I'm in the same boat as you. The rears are unfortunately no longer available. I've done extensive research to try to find an exact match from Bilstein for what they provided to BMW. My research has yielded Bilstein B46-0727 as the direct (or closest to direct) replacement for the rear M Technic shock absorber.

With that said, the rear and front shocks went NLA together around the same time yet the fronts were resupplied but the rears were not, prompting me to think that they will make more of them if and when they feel the demand necessitates the action. Have you ordered the rears from BMW and are waitlisted or have you merely checked their supplies and decided not to place an order since the availability shows zero? If enough of us place an order for the rear I feel BMW will restock them the same way they restocked the front shocks.

Eamon

Freude am Fahren wrote:

harrypalmer wrote:

m535is wrote:As for the rear springs there is actually 1 M-tech rear part number

2225654

This means you have no options in terms of the point system.

The correct Shock for the 654 is

2225666

Sorry to resurrect this but maybe you or anyone else might be inclined to shed some facts please: Shock absorber, rear M TECHNIC 33522225666 is NLA.
Is there any other Shock replacement in terms of point system I can match for Coil Spring Short Red M Tech 33532225654? Thank you! BTW my car is a US Spec 535i

I'm in the same boat as you. The rears are unfortunately no longer available. I've done extensive research to try to find an exact match from Bilstein for what they provided to BMW. My research has yielded Bilstein B46-0727 as the direct (or closest to direct) replacement for the rear M Technic shock absorber.

With that said, the rear and front shocks went NLA together around the same time yet the fronts were resupplied but the rears were not, prompting me to think that they will make more of them if and when they feel the demand necessitates the action. Have you ordered the rears from BMW and are waitlisted or have you merely checked their supplies and decided not to place an order since the availability shows zero? If enough of us place an order for the rear I feel BMW will restock them the same way they restocked the front shocks.

Eamon

Wishfully & hopefully I am waitlisted but you never know. Thank you for your input and if I may, what prompted you to the Bilstein B46-0727 and where did you find it? Is this an old part number? I am looking into http://www.bilstein.nl/downloads/catalo ... alogue.pdf and cannot see it. Still, I much rather get the rear 33522225666 but if this is a viable alternative then...
BTW Good luck to you!

Jack

Jack,

I originally stumbled upon B46-0727 shocks through this online catalog: http://www.bilstein.de/en-uk/products/s ... catalogue/
If you look in that catalog under E28, M535 you'll fine two shocks specified one specific to the M535 and one general to the E28s. B46-0727 is the one listed for M535 M technic Suspension specific application.

From there I searched and researched that shock extensively with other key words like E28, M technic, Euro etc. and came across this thread from our British brethrens:
http://forum.bmw5.co.uk/topic/40541-bil ... -than-hds/

Further research brought me across the beautiful work our brother Bart has done on his M535i:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/27912668@ ... 823668421/

I then picked up the phone and rang and rang Bilstein and BMW until they made them all mad with my exhaustive questions. The end result is B46-0727 being our my/our best bet besides the OEM which is NLA.

Lastly, your cheapest source for those shocks is ajusa.com

Hope this helps brother.

Eamon

Freude am Fahren wrote:Jack, Hope this helps brother.

Eamon

Well Eamon, It sure does and in a big way!

Thank you so much for sharing all this invaluable information.
I saw Bart's wonderful album and the whole reference number for the Bilstein shock is: F4-B46 0727 H2
So if these are available, I am very tempted to get them meanwhile.

All my best,

Jack

Maybe this isn't the right thread to post this under, but this (and related others) have been grabbing my attention lately. Bought a set of four Bilstein Sports, now thinking I may have made a mistake. I got the standard sports, 34-181546 front and 24-006071 rear. For some stupid reason I thought the sports would be fine in my stock suspension 535is. AARGH!

Anyway, just a heads up to harrypalmer and Freude am Fahren on those possible alternative rear Billy Sports mentioned by Freude am Fahren (since the 33522225666 seem to be NLA)...
B46-0727 (F4-B46-0727-H2) crosses to new number 24-007276, but I'm sure you know that.

Bavauto has them on sale now, $129.55 per. 10% off. Hey, every 10% helps.
Their description...
This shock has firmer valving than the 24-006071 shock for the same application.

From Bilstein US catalog
BMW
1982 BMW 528e Base L6 2.7L Rear
1983 BMW 528e Base L6 2.7L Rear
1983 BMW 533i Base L6 3.2L Rear
1984 BMW 528e Base L6 2.7L Rear
1984 BMW 533i Base L6 3.2L Rear
1985 BMW 524td Base L6 2.4L Rear
1985 BMW 528e Base L6 2.7L Rear
1985 BMW 535i Base L6 3.5L Rear
1986 BMW 524td Base L6 2.4L Rear
1986 BMW 528e Base L6 2.7L Rear
1986 BMW 535i Base L6 3.5L Rear
1987 BMW 528e Base L6 2.7L Rear
1987 BMW 535i Base L6 3.5L Rear
1988 BMW 528e Base L6 2.7L Rear
1988 BMW 535i Base L6 3.5L Rear
1988 BMW 535is Base L6 3.5L Rear

danc wrote:Anyway, just a heads up to harrypalmer and Freude am Fahren on those possible alternative rear Billy Sports mentioned by Freude am Fahren (since the 33522225666 seem to be NLA)... B46-0727 (F4-B46-0727-H2) crosses to new number 24-007276, but I'm sure you know that. Bavauto has them on sale now, $129.55 per. 10% off. Hey, every 10% helps.

Coincidentally, the front M Tech Shocks Bilstein finally arrived yesterday inside a BMW box! With a new or extended serial number, beyond the two sixes: 31.32.2225663.2 which somehow makes me feel at ease waiting for the rears to be manufactured some day soon perhaps. Regardless, thank you Danc for the heads up!

my front springs and shocks (same pn posted above) also just arrived last week. My parts guy said he was told by germany that the rear 666 part was NLA and he should cancel the order.

I understand, but as Freude am Fahrem was saying earlier in this thread -"The rear and front shocks went NLA together around the same time yet the fronts were resupplied but the rears were not, prompting me to think that they will make more of them if and when they feel the demand necessitates the action. Have you ordered the rears from BMW and are waitlisted or have you merely checked their supplies and decided not to place an order since the availability shows zero? If enough of us place an order for the rear I feel BMW will restock them the same way they restocked the front shocks".

I am of the same thinking above, of keeping the order alive and NOT cancelling, so maybe eventually the NLA rear will get resupplied. Maybe you should too. Best luck to you!

It's too bad the people who actually have these cars can't get these parts anymore.

wkohler wrote:It's too bad the people who actually have these cars can't get these parts anymore.

Just like you Chris, these days I am of the same sentiment for BMWA. Personally I find it unnerving this is happening with the HALT on Euro parts to all of us here in the US. Plus the ongoing scavenging of "NLA" new/used parts all over the world. If I knew before hand, most likely would never purchased my car. It's so frustrating.

I just ordered some US parts without any problems overhere in EU!

having gone thru this with NLA EDC shocks/struts on my e34's, i have my doubts that bmw will bring back NLA shocks for the e28.

harrypalmer wrote:I understand, but as Freude am Fahrem was saying earlier in this thread -"The rear and front shocks went NLA together around the same time yet the fronts were resupplied but the rears were not, prompting me to think that they will make more of them if and when they feel the demand necessitates the action. Have you ordered the rears from BMW and are waitlisted or have you merely checked their supplies and decided not to place an order since the availability shows zero? If enough of us place an order for the rear I feel BMW will restock them the same way they restocked the front shocks".

I am of the same thinking above, of keeping the order alive and NOT cancelling, so maybe eventually the NLA rear will get resupplied. Maybe you should too. Best luck to you!

harrypalmer wrote:

wkohler wrote:It's too bad the people who actually have these cars can't get these parts anymore.

Just like you Chris, these days I am of the same sentiment for BMWA. Personally I find it unnerving this is happening with the HALT on Euro parts to all of us here in the US. Plus the ongoing scavenging of "NLA" new/used parts all over the world. If I knew before hand, most likely would never purchased my car. It's so frustrating.

Now, I don't know if they do this any more, BUT, back in 2006 I sent a pair of rear Bilstein Sports to Bilstein in CA to get them refurbed & revalved, specifically to match my ST springs. At the time, the cost of custom valving them was about the same as buying a new pair - the upside being you could send in your old worn shocks.

They said they already had plenty of data on ST springs & therefore could valve the shocks appropriately - I wouldn't be surprised if they have the same data for the BMW springs, not to mention the OE Bilstein shocks (and could possibly revalve a pair to factory spec for that specific application).

The entire transaction went beautifully, right up until UPS lost the shocks on the way back. Bilstein were nice enough to refund the charge, however.

Granted this is 9 year old information, but it might be worth a followup for someone desperately waiting for rear shocks.

I was on the phone with them for over an hour and gave them all of the info from my shocks and they said they have no way to get a drawing for them so they won't rebuild them.

wkohler wrote:I was on the phone with them for over an hour and gave them all of the info from my shocks and they said they have no way to get a drawing for them so they won't rebuild them.

How do you mean get a drawing from them? Either way that's bloody disappointing. They used to be quite helpful. :\

As a side note, I was looking at shocks/springs for the M535i, and there doesn't seem to be any kind of "M Tech" part number associated with the car at all, and all the listed part numbers cross reference as (what appear to be) standard springs/shocks. Wth?