Strut replacement - sanity check please?

[erachner]

Hi all,

I have a '94 750il with LAD & EDC suspension, and the shocks are every kind of dead. The plan is to remove the shocks, send them for refurbishment, and put them back in.

The quesiton is, is it possible to install a temporary set of cheap, standard E32 shocks - NOT for driving on! - while the EDC shocks are off the car? Again, I do not intend to drive on the temporary shocks, I only need to be able to roll my car out of the garage and into a nearby parking space after I take the shocks off. (And then of course roll the car from its parking space back into the lift bay when it is time to put the refurbished shocks back on.)

Is this a sane / reasonable strategy? Or am I better off approaching the problem another way?

Much thanks for any advice.

Eric

[XAlt]

That's what the E38 guys do, except they drive their car.

[shogun]

Are you sure it works on E32?

[XAlt]

Are you sure it works on E32?

Some LAD rears off an iL and the guide support\mount that comes with it and he should be able to limp it out.

[85k100rt]

Actually, the only reason you'd need shocks installed is to keep the wheel from falling off when the car is in the air. Appropriately fashioned coat hanger wires should do the trick.

[CroughtonE32]

What would it take to remove the self leveling system you 750 guys have that are always leaking and giving problems, and just install a good set of Bilstein or Sachs shocks. Or is that impossible?

[Sansouci]

What would it take to remove the self leveling system you 750 guys have that are always leaking and giving problems, and just install a good set of Bilstein or Sachs shocks. Or is that impossible?

On the 740il (which should be the same suspension as a 750il) there is a replacement kit with instructions sold by BAVAUTO. I had mine done, but I regretted it as I really liked the self leveling ride.
--Ken

[XAlt]

What would it take to remove the self leveling system you 750 guys have that are always leaking and giving problems, and just install a good set of Bilstein or Sachs shocks. Or is that impossible?

Loop a line, take out the bombs, and hook up your favorite conventional struts + spring of choice. Mine had it replaced for B4 Tourings, love the ride.

All the E38 guys with SLS+EDC standard think it's the best thing ever, and that's how the rebuilders in Poland survive. If you're looking to slam your car, apparently re-using the LAD spring works well.

[shogun]

What would it take to remove the self leveling system you 750 guys have that are always leaking and giving problems, and just install a good set of Bilstein or Sachs shocks. Or is that impossible?

To replace the LAD is on my website in detail, but I would never do it, I like it. Once you have overhauled the LAD shocks replaced the bombs and hydraulic hoses, it will run again smooth for the next 20 years. Replacing front and rear EDC III shocks is a bit more work but doable, as besides the shocks, springs, some more parts from a standard E32 have to be mounted.
Just yesterday I got this email from an E32 owner:
"Just thought I'd let you know the end result of my recent rear suspension overhaul. It's all been worth it and successful. Rebuilding the SLS shock valve assemblies, the ride height valve regulator and replacing the accumulators has all resulted in a much smoother ride, no saggy-bum suspension drop leak-down and no puddles on the garage floor anymore. Very happy with getting the rear suspension back to where it should be. A lot of work for sure, but it has transformed the ride quality of the car. It's working as it should be! Thanks for all your time & effort in answering all my questions to get all that complicated hydraulic system sorted out. Without all that help, I'm pretty sure the car would have ended up being scrapped, because paying a normal workshop to fix all that (if I could've even found one willing to take on such a job without me driving the project through to completion) would've cost far more than the whole car is worth as a second hand proposition. Scrapping it would've been a real shame, because it's far too good for that and there's nothing in modern cars I like that would've done to replace it on a comfort/value for money basis."