Springs & engine mounts service item?
Discussion
All
What is the usual time or milage for replacement of these items or it is a case of only change when they fail?
In addition if the car is mainly used by the driver and hardly ever carries passengers do you change the driver spring & shock more often to counter the additional wear?
I guess also bushes on the front drivers side will wear slightly quicker too.
What is the usual time or milage for replacement of these items or it is a case of only change when they fail?
In addition if the car is mainly used by the driver and hardly ever carries passengers do you change the driver spring & shock more often to counter the additional wear?
I guess also bushes on the front drivers side will wear slightly quicker too.
Generally I've found the following:
30k miles - can't won't feel quite as fresh, but it's subtle.
50-60k miles - car will be noticeable less precise and more bouncy over the bumps (a ride and handling geek like me will start to have thoughts about replacing springs and dampers)
90-100k miles - ride and handling noticeably reduced compared with new. This is when most keen drivers will replace their springs and dampers.
140-160k miles - a garage will tell you that springs and dampers need replacing. This is when most people will replace the springs and dampers.
30k miles - can't won't feel quite as fresh, but it's subtle.
50-60k miles - car will be noticeable less precise and more bouncy over the bumps (a ride and handling geek like me will start to have thoughts about replacing springs and dampers)
90-100k miles - ride and handling noticeably reduced compared with new. This is when most keen drivers will replace their springs and dampers.
140-160k miles - a garage will tell you that springs and dampers need replacing. This is when most people will replace the springs and dampers.
TVR - Engine mounts usually every 2 years or 12k miles. Suspension, wss tired at 40k but then it was 5 years old.
Omega - 160k miles and 11 years old , original engine mounts still seem to be fine. Rear shocks replaced at 130k as leaking. Fronts still original and seem to be still working ok. Its a wallowy barge so dampers being a bit soft isnt really noticeable.
Omega - 160k miles and 11 years old , original engine mounts still seem to be fine. Rear shocks replaced at 130k as leaking. Fronts still original and seem to be still working ok. Its a wallowy barge so dampers being a bit soft isnt really noticeable.
RobM77 said:
Generally I've found the following:
30k miles - can't won't feel quite as fresh, but it's subtle.
50-60k miles - car will be noticeable less precise and more bouncy over the bumps (a ride and handling geek like me will start to have thoughts about replacing springs and dampers)
90-100k miles - ride and handling noticeably reduced compared with new. This is when most keen drivers will replace their springs and dampers.
140-160k miles - a garage will tell you that springs and dampers need replacing. This is when most people will replace the springs and dampers.
OK Im sat on 76k now & 4.5years old E90 330d M Sport Auto.30k miles - can't won't feel quite as fresh, but it's subtle.
50-60k miles - car will be noticeable less precise and more bouncy over the bumps (a ride and handling geek like me will start to have thoughts about replacing springs and dampers)
90-100k miles - ride and handling noticeably reduced compared with new. This is when most keen drivers will replace their springs and dampers.
140-160k miles - a garage will tell you that springs and dampers need replacing. This is when most people will replace the springs and dampers.
What is the fitted cost of Springs & Dampers all round?
Welshbeef said:
OK Im sat on 76k now & 4.5years old E90 330d M Sport Auto.
What is the fitted cost of Springs & Dampers all round?
My E36 328i was £1645 fitted for all four corners (I just checked my ownership diary on my profile). That was official BMW parts and fitted by a cheap but excellent local garage. I think that included bushes (note that on the E36 at least, they're different bushes for the Sport suspension to achieve a different geo change on susp. deflection to standard. Not sure about the E90. Nevertheless, make sure you give BMW your VIN or whatever they need before ordering any parts).What is the fitted cost of Springs & Dampers all round?
My E36 325i was around £500 for aftermarket Bilsteins at all four corners. They were close to manufacturer's standard spec.
To be quite honest, if you've got a garage and are reasonably handy, suspension isn't difficult to fit yourself.
Those costs are a typical different between BMW and aftermarket suspension cost. You could tell the difference to be honest; the BMW parts were clearly honed by engineers with access to all the geo data over a period of months, whereas I doubt Bilstein take as much care on each car. That said, the Bilsteins weren't at all bad and represented very good value for money.
A friend of my dad's - who used to be a mechanical engineer before progressing to mgt grades, whenever he bought 2nd hand cars he always changed the shocks & springs all round as soon as he bought the cars - not sue if he had the bushes done too but if your going that far then I guess you may as well get them changed while its all off.
McSam said:
You might find yourself convinced on looking at the parts when they're off - I picked up one of the rear dampers from the A4, compressed the piston right into it with my hand and it still hasn't been pushed back out again 
Well it wouldn't, would it?They work in both directions, so that would be normal, unless I am missing something?
Thanks Bracken.
One thing that is worth stressing again - most garages won't tell you that your suspension needs replacing until it really is on its last legs. My 325i got to the point at 90k where the wheels were scraping the arches when cornering, and by 100k if you dared to back off mid corner in the wet, then wild oversteer would ensure (most road cars will just tuck the nose in if you try that). The garage said it was fine though - they even tested it on fancy computerised equipment and gave me a graph to say that it was worn, but ok. The average mechanic will drive your car and confidently say "that's fine mate" (as they all do..). However, I went ahead and changed springs and dampers all round and it handled really beautifully after that.
One thing that is worth stressing again - most garages won't tell you that your suspension needs replacing until it really is on its last legs. My 325i got to the point at 90k where the wheels were scraping the arches when cornering, and by 100k if you dared to back off mid corner in the wet, then wild oversteer would ensure (most road cars will just tuck the nose in if you try that). The garage said it was fine though - they even tested it on fancy computerised equipment and gave me a graph to say that it was worn, but ok. The average mechanic will drive your car and confidently say "that's fine mate" (as they all do..). However, I went ahead and changed springs and dampers all round and it handled really beautifully after that.
Welshbeef said:
OK Im sat on 76k now & 4.5years old E90 330d M Sport Auto.
Sorry to add to your woes, but check the condition of the wishbones.I don't know about E90's, as Mrs Digga's is only at around 40k miles so far, but on her E46 it needed near rear wishbones at 60k miles. This is due to the (M-Sport) ridiculously low-pro tyres, stiff ride set up and the UK's 'astounding' roads.
HTH
Isnt the shock simply a piston with holes in it and the viscosity of the oil or number & size of holes determines the resistance.
Some have springs within the housing of the shock hence why your thinking why hasnt it pushed back out - other dont and when you store a shock off a car you totally compress it so that the shaft doesnt corrode. The Spring or torsion bar opens the damper/shock absorber back to its fully open position ready for the next impact.
Correct me if Im wrong.
Also some of the latest shocks have magnetised oil which can alter the effective viscosity of the oil and others adjustable shocks open or close more "holes" again making it more soft or harder rise.
Springs strength purely changes the rebound rather than the "softness" ofthe ride - again please correct me here if Im wrong, my old man took me through this when Id just started secondary school nearly 25 years ago.
Some have springs within the housing of the shock hence why your thinking why hasnt it pushed back out - other dont and when you store a shock off a car you totally compress it so that the shaft doesnt corrode. The Spring or torsion bar opens the damper/shock absorber back to its fully open position ready for the next impact.
Correct me if Im wrong.
Also some of the latest shocks have magnetised oil which can alter the effective viscosity of the oil and others adjustable shocks open or close more "holes" again making it more soft or harder rise.
Springs strength purely changes the rebound rather than the "softness" ofthe ride - again please correct me here if Im wrong, my old man took me through this when Id just started secondary school nearly 25 years ago.
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