Just got to my car after work and the wheel is all the way up into the wheel well. Managed some pictures from underneath and I can see the spring has fallen out of it's seat or has broken. The first two photos are the driver's side with the spring dislocated, the third photo is the passenger side for reference.
My question is has anybody seen this before? Or do you know what can cause this to happen (ie what broke)? How difficult of a fix is this if you have done it in the past? Any advice or help is appreciated. Thanks.
A bit hard to tell, but I would not try to fix that snapped spring - it'll greatly effect it's structural integrity. A new set may be needed. I've attached a DIY tech article from our site and although it's for the rear spring, the process is very similar to that in the front. If you have any more questions or need specifics, feel free to post a Comment just below the article and we'll do our best to give you a more detailed answer. Best of luck!
http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tech...eplacement.htm
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So, does it appear to you in the photos that that spring has, in fact, broken?
Hard to tell. If there's no chunk of spring lying there on the ground broken (or embedded in your car), then the whole spring may have somehow popped off its seat, or the seat may have broken. Must have made a hell of a noise whenever it happened.
Needless to say, don't drive your car until that's repaired.
That definitely looks like a broken spring. In the second photo, the end of the spring seems to have an angled, pointed, slightly jagged edge.
All springs should have a machine cut, flat finish, on the end. Google: coil spring, then select images, you'll see what I mean.
Judging by the condition of the struts, and the broken spring, your vehicles performance, and driving pleasure, would greatly improve with a suspension refresh of the springs, shocks/struts, along with any other worn suspension components.
Last edited by MIKYZZ4; 03-20-2017 at 04:44 PM.
It was definitely a broken spring, very obvious when I removed the wheel.
Lessons learned: the front spring is a different process from the back. Removing the strut is straight forward; 3 bolts on the top easily accessed under the hood, 3 bolts at the bottom connected to the back of the rotor. DO NOT try to replace the front spring unless you have access to a spring tensioner.
IMG_20170321_130434.jpg
Last edited by kevlarblue; 03-22-2017 at 07:20 PM.
Nice.
If you're replacing springs, I'd advise replacing more than just the one. At least both the fronts and probably all four. Might as well refresh the shocks too if they're really old and worn out, since you'll be in there. If you've been hankering to get an aftermarket suspension kit, now would also be the time to do that. When you're all done with whatever you do, alignment time.
Looks like your spring fell off the strut spring perch, which should never happen. Perhaps your strut perch broke?
A new spring, shock/strut combo is what you should go for, along with adjoining bits, to have you performance ready.
Eibach/Koni or H&R/Bilstein
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