Suspension help…

[EThirtyinCT]

I have someone helping with the suspension swap out on my 88.

He is a bit stumped, not being an E30 guy, and I’m not much of a mechanical help…So I’m hoping to implore the smart minds here for some insight.

I had a cut/welded BC etc suspension from the PO

i chucked that for stock housings, H&R and Bilstein OEM set up

Now we’re at the steering rack…and things do not look like they’re lining up. I don’t have notes, but I assume this is a later , maybe e36 rack? He’s afraid with the current set up, not knowing if these are even correct control arms etc. too, that if it’s put back together it will put a lot of stress on the rotating parts.

can anyone piece together what we are working with exactly, and what would be a good game plan to get us righted back to OEM?

Sorry for confusion. I didn’t expect to be diving into this.

I know I sound like a noob. I don’t care lol. Thank you!
some photos of current road block

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-8NeVpMVZg4iSTcz1a1KeBL9NxUm2Fzx

[Austin]

looks like your new strut housing is installed on the wrong side.

[kronus]

E30 and E36 racks are interchangeable with minimal work. The tie rods fit exactly the same between the two.

Your struts have big L and R markings on them, make sure they are being installed on the correct side. The brake calipers should be toward the rear of the car.

If what you're saying is that the tie rod is not able to be bent down low enough to make it all the way to where it needs to be mounted on the strut, you need to make sure the strut is installed all the way in the housing, and the control arm is bolted up at its other two points. It looks like it's unbolted at the CAB in your photo, which allows the outer balljoint to swing backward and the strut to hang lower.

The sequence I would follow for installing these:
- bolt complete strut to strut tower (3 nuts up top)
- attach control arm to strut
- with CAB mounted to control arm, swing control arm back and attach CAB to frame rail. this will swing strut forward and up
- tie rod should be able to swing low enough to be attached to strut. make sure steering wheel is centered.

[EThirtyinCT]

looks like your new strut housing is installed on the wrong side.

Ok. Probably good to start there! Lol. Thank you

[EThirtyinCT]

E30 and E36 racks are interchangeable with minimal work. The tie rods fit exactly the same between the two.

Your struts have big L and R markings on them, make sure they are being installed on the correct side. The brake calipers should be toward the rear of the car.

If what you're saying is that the tie rod is not able to be bent down low enough to make it all the way to where it needs to be mounted on the strut, you need to make sure the strut is installed all the way in the housing, and the control arm is bolted up at its other two points. It looks like it's unbolted at the CAB in your photo, which allows the outer balljoint to swing backward and the strut to hang lower.

The sequence I would follow for installing these:
- bolt complete strut to strut tower (3 nuts up top)
- attach control arm to strut
- with CAB mounted to control arm, swing control arm back and attach CAB to frame rail. this will swing strut forward and up
- tie rod should be able to swing low enough to be attached to strut. make sure steering wheel is centered.

Very helpful. Thank you very much! Will report back

[JOEBMW]

hi,

its hard to tell from the pictures but i think the steering knuckles on the bottom of the struts are on reverse, they should face in not out.

[EThirtyinCT]

hi,

its hard to tell from the pictures but i think the steering knuckles on the bottom of the struts are on reverse, they should face in not out.

Thank you Joe, so, meaning like the above mentioned, they are installed on the wrong side (the entire housing), or do you mean the knuckles themselves should be attached differently (ie. 'reversed' as you say?)

Sry for the amateur hour questions...struggle bus

[HANDBLT]

Thank you Joe, so, meaning like the above mentioned, they are installed on the wrong side (the entire housing), or do you mean the knuckles themselves should be attached differently (ie. 'reversed' as you say?)

Sry for the amateur hour questions...struggle bus

The knuckles can't be reversed. They are slotted off to one side so only work one way.

T

[EThirtyinCT]

The knuckles can't be reversed. They are slotted off to one side so only work one way.

T

Got it. Many thanks

[Narayan3]

I would hesitate to risk my life driving a car with critical suspension work done by someone who can't figure L vs R. You should double check if everything is tightened down properly after you get the car...

[1990m3]

The knuckles can't be reversed. They are slotted off to one side so only work one way.

T

you can absolutely bolt them on incorrectly -- spoken from experience!

[jimmy p.]

BMW Driver's/left side parts usually end in odd #s, passenger's/right side are even #s. I believe the knuckles have the part numbers car in them.
Brake caliper brackets go towards the rear of the car.
Offset LCA bushings offset to to outboard of the car.
The E30 or E36 racks should not make a difference.

[HANDBLT]

you can absolutely bolt them on incorrectly -- spoken from experience!

How? The slot is not centered, it is offset to one side? Hmmmm

Maybe the wrong knuckle on the wrong strut, this would make the control arm and steering arm mounts, hit the rotor, if you could reverse it on the same strut? No?

Now I'm confused lol



T

[hardtailer]

Fit the left knuckle on the right strut. It would actually move the steering arm away from the disk

[Reelizmpro]

Yeah, I think the bottom knuckles are on the wrong side, not the entire struts. If you look on the bottom they are attached by 4 bolts. You need to pay attention to the orientation of the them as 2 of them are different sizes.