37 11 032 Replacing front left or right spring strut shock absorber

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WARNING:

Prior to each use of special tool 31 3 340 , it is essential to read the associated Owner's Handbook fully!

All the safety information and instructions contained in the Owner's Handbook must be strictly observed!

Failure to observe these safety precautions and instructions increases the risk of serious physical injury, damage to your health and damage to property and equipment!

IMPORTANT:

Use the special tools approved by BMW only!
Prior to each use, check the special tools for defects, modifications and operational reliability.
Damaged/modified special tools must not be used!
No changes or modifications may be made to the special tools!
These special tools are intended solely for the purpose of tightening and relieving cylindrical and tapered suspension springs.
Keep special tools dry, clean and (down to the spindle) free from grease.
Impact screwdrivers are prohibited! (Risk of damage inside the shock absorber!)
Do not compress coil spring to full extent.

Necessary preliminary work:

Remove FRONT SPRING STRUT

Clamp special tool 31 3 341 in vice.

Fit special tools 31 3 351 from above on special tool 31 3 341 until retaining bolts (1) can be felt and heard to snap into place.

Fig 1: Identifying Retaining Bolts With Special Tools (31 3 341 And 31 3 351)

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Insert spring strut into spring tensioner in such a way that anti-roll bar link fixture (1) is horizontally positioned to left or right.

Fig 2: Identifying Anti-Roll Bar Link Fixture

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WARNING: Coils of coil spring must be located completely in recesses of special tools 31 3 351!

Compress coil spring until stress on piston rod is relieved.

Fig 3: Compress Coil Spring Using Special Tool (31 3 351)

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Release nut with special tool 33 0 040 Socket.

Check support bearing and spring pad for damage and replace if necessary.

Remove shock absorber, auxiliary damper, protective tube and spring pad from tensioned coil spring, examine and replace if necessary.

Fig 4: Releasing Nut Using Special Tool (33 0 040)

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IMPORTANT: When mounting, spring strut and support bearing must aligned using special tool 83 30 2 210 778!

The following procedure must be followed.

Fig 5: Aligning Spring Strut And Support Bearing Using Special Tool (83 30 2 210 778)

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Insert shock absorber in tensioned coil spring.

Slide auxiliary damper, protective tube and spring pad onto piston rod.

IMPORTANT: Lower end of coil spring must rest against spring pad (1).

Fig 6: Identifying Spring Pad

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IMPORTANT: Fit support bearing and align with end of coil spring.

Fig 7: Identifying Support Bearing And Coil Spring Alignment Area

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Use special tool 33 0 040 Socket. to attach support bearing.

Replace nut!

Tightening torque 31 31 2AZ .

Fig 8: Attaching Support Bearing Using Special Tool (33 0 040)

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WARNING:

Danger of injury!

Adjusting device emits laser beam!

Do not look into the beam!

Laser class 2

To EN60825-1 : 1994

P ≤ 1 mW

Align laser (1) with prism mirror (2)!

Mount laser (1) in damper eyelet
Mount prism mirror (2) vertically onto spring strut!
The prism mirror must be mounted on a clean, smooth surface. Do not mount prism mirror on label or weld beads!

Laser beam must face mirror!
Adjust the laser with adjusting screw (3) in such a way that the laser beam is projected onto mark (4) via the mirror.
Remove prism mirror ->After this, the laser adjustment must not be changed at the adjusting screw (3)!

Fig 9: Aligning Laser With Prism Mirror
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Align spring strut and support bearing with each other

Mount gauge 83 30 2 210 780 onto support bearing!.

Right spring strut:

Vehicles built before 04/2010: Position mark (1) "RIGHT A" on arrow (2) on support bearing.

On vehicles from 04/2010: Position mark (1) "RIGHT B" on arrow (2) on support bearing.

Left spring strut:

Position mark (1) "LEFT" on arrow (2) on support bearing.

Fig 10: Identifying Marking Position On Support Bearing

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Align spring strut with support bearing or with corresponding mark on gauge (1) using laser beam and relieve tension.

IMPORTANT: After the spring tension is relieved, the laser beam must point to the specified mark of gauge (1).
Failure to observe this requirement will result in substantial impairment of handling characteristics.

Vehicles built before 04/2010: Position laser beam on mark "3" of gauge.

On vehicles from 04/2010: Position laser beam on mark "2" of gauge.

Fig 11: Aligning Spring Strut With Support Bearing Or With Mark On Gauge Using Laser Beam

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Relieve spring tension.

After installation:

- Code spring strut with ISID diagnosis system and check software version