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  #1  
Old 08-15-2012, 03:47 PM
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Argggg... Stooopid Air Struts!!!

From minute one this job wasn't going smooth. First started taking everything off and out and such.

Started with the top three mounting bolts for the struts, rusted, but not so bad. Then got the top wind support off. Errr, bottom one... Yeah, just spinning. 18mm thin wrench I ordered didn't come in yet. So I got it loose enough to just swing it out of the way. Then Pb blasted the two bolts holding the carrier onto the strut. With a 2' breaker bar and an extra 2' cheater, bastard still didn't come off. Ok, soak it in more PB Blaster and let sit. Went in, had some lunch came back out and finally got the bolts off. Only took 1 and a half HOURS!!!!. Fine... Set the jack under the carrier and supported the swivel bearing. Took the strut down from the tower and started unscrewing the air hose. Looked like 12mm would fit... Nope. Tried 13mm... too big. I painstakingly took my adjustable wrench and turned the bastard out little by little til I could do it with my fingers.

Took the strut down and got the new strut. (My Arnotts are still not in. Don't know what the hell is up with that. Bought a set of used 45K miles struts from someone on Xbimmers.com) Took the strut I needed out... what do you know. Only 2 studs sticking out of the top. Great... WTF!!! I start looking in the box, not there. Then I hear a rattle. I look, damn bolt is in between the metal plate and plastic cover. ARGGGG... So I looked at my old strut and tried to see how to take it apart. Can't find any diagrams that show removal of the plate. So I just start poking and such. So I took the bag off the old strut... Holy hell... O-rings and shims everywhere!!! It basically exploded rubber o-rings. Thank god I didn't do that to the new strut. So I look, still can't figure it out. Look back, now only 1 stud is sticking out. GREAT!!! Finally just got a pair of needle nose and started fishing. Got one in after 20 mins and secured the nut to it so it wouldn't fall in again. The other one was right next to the air connection. No room. I wrestled with that damn thing for an hour. Finally just pulled the air fitting out and unravled the hose from the inside. Got enough room to put the bolt back in. Put the hose back in. Then tried to get the studs back into their pressure fittings. Got 2 back in. Third one, not so much. I stripped the knurling and not is barely grabbing.

So not I connected the air hose to the strut and rested it on the sway bar. And that is where I am at now. 6 hours of work and not even half way there. You know what the kicker would be??? I do all the work and the Air bag is leaking somewhere again!!! lol.
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  #2  
Old 08-15-2012, 09:30 PM
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Ok so got the strut and everything assembled in 35 minutes. Big difference in time I know. Now just have to get that skinny 18mm wrench and tighten up the lower wing support.

I took pictures and such. I know LeMans is making a DIY so if that goes up soon then we have a proper DIY with pictures and if not, then I can put up this one.

So far so good, 3 hours passed and no air leaking. Sprayed with soap/water solution, no bubbles. So it is a good sign.
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Old 08-15-2012, 10:55 PM
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great job.love the air struts....lol.
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Old 08-15-2012, 11:23 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TwinTurboGTR View Post
Ok so got the strut and everything assembled in 35 minutes. Big difference in time I know. Now just have to get that skinny 18mm wrench and tighten up the lower wing support.

I took pictures and such. I know LeMans is making a DIY so if that goes up soon then we have a proper DIY with pictures and if not, then I can put up this one.

So far so good, 3 hours passed and no air leaking. Sprayed with soap/water solution, no bubbles. So it is a good sign.
OH snap...its about to come out.......bimmerfest!!!!
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Old 08-16-2012, 08:11 AM
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Chyeaaa mannnn!!!! I am excited to get in on the caravan. I got to be up early that day to take my friend to the airport in Newark for their cruise. He has to be there at 5:30. So I figure I'll take him there at 5 and then be at Exit 11 at 5:45. Enough time to watch the exit turn alive!
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Old 08-16-2012, 04:31 PM
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Dayamn. So how is it holding up so far.
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Old 08-16-2012, 07:51 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TwinTurboGTR View Post
Ok so got the strut and everything assembled in 35 minutes. Big difference in time I know. Now just have to get that skinny 18mm wrench and tighten up the lower wing support.

I took pictures and such. I know LeMans is making a DIY so if that goes up soon then we have a proper DIY with pictures and if not, then I can put up this one.

So far so good, 3 hours passed and no air leaking. Sprayed with soap/water solution, no bubbles. So it is a good sign.
I am almost done with DIY. May post tonight. I may need more pictures. Can add later.
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Old 08-16-2012, 07:55 PM
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Awesome. Which picture do you need? Maybe I have them. Actually I made a DIY too. Mine was the replacement of the entire strut. Your was just the bags right? You want to mash them up together or use mine as an amendment to strut replacement as well?

Let me know.

I just finished typing it out and inserting the pics now.
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Old 08-16-2012, 08:02 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SlickGT1 View Post
Dayamn. So how is it holding up so far.
Its good! I didn't know about the system initializing every 45 mins or so. So I assume loosing some air is normal, so long as it is not slammed. Drove the X today felt good, but I have a clunk and it is from the barely loose Sing support/end link. I ended up ordering the cone wrench from Amazon. Damn bike shop I went to are a bunch of morons. I ordered this thing Monday, they said it would be there today. I call some jerk picks up the phone and says, "No, will be here next Friday." Yeah forget that. Found it on Amazon for $6.00 and should be here tomorrow. So will tighten that up and then should be good to go.

When I read that you were under it and you heard "Psssss" my butthole puckered up.
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Old 08-16-2012, 08:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TwinTurboGTR View Post
Awesome. Which picture do you need? Maybe I have them. Actually I made a DIY too. Mine was the replacement of the entire strut. Your was just the bags right? You want to mash them up together or use mine as an amendment to strut replacement as well?

Let me know.

I just finished typing it out and inserting the pics now.
No I did entire strut, not the rubbers. So, my DIY is for whole strut. We can combine together if you want.
If someone can do the rubber replacement DIY and pics, that would be great.
You can also see once I am done if I need any more pics, which you have.
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