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      02-07-2014, 10:27 PM   #1
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Question H&R Sport Springs Installation Questions

I will receive my H&R Sport Springs tomorrow and haven't selected a shop to do the installation yet.

1. How much should I expect to pay or how many hours should they charge me?

2. I would need an alignment right? Should I do that directly after installation or after the springs settle in a few days & some miles?

3. I have DHP, is there anything installation-related that is unique to DHP that I need to give my mechanic heads-up?

Thanks
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      02-08-2014, 12:24 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M-SP0RT View Post
2. I would need an alignment right? Should I do that directly after installation or after the springs settle in a few days & some miles?
I'm not too sure about the other two questions, but you do need wait for the springs to settle before getting an alignment. I would wait at least a week or two.
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      02-08-2014, 08:42 AM   #3
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1) 2hrs tops at a reputable shop
3) nope
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      02-08-2014, 11:20 AM   #4
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1&3 tie together. To swap out my coil overs, it took the shop about 4 hours and that includes the adjustments needed to set the coil overs at the same height which you would not have with just a spring swap. 2-3 hours should be more than plenty on a standard suspension set-up. With DHP I heard it takes a little longer, so if the shop took 4 hours I wouldn't argue with them. Not sure if I would let a shop that hasn't lowered an F30 before touch it. I would seek out independent BMW shops or even BMW themselves. My dealer was only about 100 bucks more on the quote than the independent shop I went to. I chose against them because the shop supplied my coil overs at a good price and if there was an issue then they would warranty it. Since you seemed to have bought the springs online, I would just take it to a BMW dealer or at least give them a shot at quoting. I rather pay a little extra than to have someone that has little experience with the DHP or the F30 a training course using my car as a guinea pig.

2. You will hear both arguments. It's like politics...LOL... I have been driving and lowering vehicles since the late 80s and never once waited to do the alignment. The reason being is that the springs will settle, but the settling is only about a 1/4" give or take which will not throw alignment off. Most of the settling that people think is so great is when you first set the car on the ground which is actually just the shocks aren't compressed yet. Tell the shop to drive it around a couple of blocks and that would be good enough to do the alignment. So you might as well get it done in one shot. If it gives you peace of mind, then wait, but it is not necessary.
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      02-08-2014, 09:00 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by buco702 View Post
I'm not too sure about the other two questions, but you do need wait for the springs to settle before getting an alignment. I would wait at least a week or two.
Thanks for you input I think that's the conservative approach so I might go that route.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mikew2069;*****646
1) 2hrs tops at a reputable shop
3) nope
Thanks.. I was quoted 5-6 hours at local shops here, and when I argued back that someone else can do it for 2-3 hours they say go for it. Only one shop so far said he can do 3 hours.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dippydo View Post
1&3 tie together. To swap out my coil overs, it took the shop about 4 hours and that includes the adjustments needed to set the coil overs at the same height which you would not have with just a spring swap. 2-3 hours should be more than plenty on a standard suspension set-up. With DHP I heard it takes a little longer, so if the shop took 4 hours I wouldn't argue with them. Not sure if I would let a shop that hasn't lowered an F30 before touch it. I would seek out independent BMW shops or even BMW themselves. My dealer was only about 100 bucks more on the quote than the independent shop I went to. I chose against them because the shop supplied my coil overs at a good price and if there was an issue then they would warranty it. Since you seemed to have bought the springs online, I would just take it to a BMW dealer or at least give them a shot at quoting. I rather pay a little extra than to have someone that has little experience with the DHP or the F30 a training course using my car as a guinea pig.

2. You will hear both arguments. It's like politics...LOL... I have been driving and lowering vehicles since the late 80s and never once waited to do the alignment. The reason being is that the springs will settle, but the settling is only about a 1/4" give or take which will not throw alignment off. Most of the settling that people think is so great is when you first set the car on the ground which is actually just the shocks aren't compressed yet. Tell the shop to drive it around a couple of blocks and that would be good enough to do the alignment. So you might as well get it done in one shot. If it gives you peace of mind, then wait, but it is not necessary.
I think I prefer to drive the car for a few days before going back to do the alignment. I've installed springs once in the past on an E46 and did the alignment on the same day without issues, but I'd rather take the "better safe than sorry" approach with my F30.

On the other hand, do you know why DHP would be different when swapping springs? As I said ^ 1 shop quoted me 3 hours but the others were talking 5-6 hours. I did not mention DHP as I was worried this would scare them and therefore they'd add a couple of hours!
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      02-08-2014, 09:49 PM   #6
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I installed my H&R sport springs in my garage on jack stands in less than 4 hours with wrenches... If I had a lift and air tools, it would have been cake.
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      02-09-2014, 04:38 AM   #7
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Well, then the F30 must be easier than the E90 when doing suspension. In the E46/E85 you could swap suspension in about 2 hours max. The E90 required undoing several suspension comonents before giving enough leverage to pull struts and springs.
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      02-09-2014, 09:04 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tommy_hf View Post
Well, then the F30 must be easier than the E90 when doing suspension. In the E46/E85 you could swap suspension in about 2 hours max. The E90 required undoing several suspension comonents before giving enough leverage to pull struts and springs.
I replaced the whole front suspension in my wife's e92. Struts, springs, and both control arms. Took 3 hours and that was on my garage floor and having difficulties with the flimsy compressor. Most cars I have changes struts on require you to loosen the control arms to give you extra clearance to to prevent damage to the arm bushings.

None the less, it should take a shop no longer than 3 hours to do the whole car. If I had a lift and air tools I know I could have done it in half the time.

M-SPORT I sent you a message....
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      02-09-2014, 10:09 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mikew2069 View Post
I installed my H&R sport springs in my garage on jack stands in less than 4 hours with wrenches... If I had a lift and air tools, it would have been cake.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tommy_hf View Post
Well, then the F30 must be easier than the E90 when doing suspension. In the E46/E85 you could swap suspension in about 2 hours max. The E90 required undoing several suspension comonents before giving enough leverage to pull struts and springs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by f30luxline View Post
I replaced the whole front suspension in my wife's e92. Struts, springs, and both control arms. Took 3 hours and that was on my garage floor and having difficulties with the flimsy compressor. Most cars I have changes struts on require you to loosen the control arms to give you extra clearance to to prevent damage to the arm bushings.

None the less, it should take a shop no longer than 3 hours to do the whole car. If I had a lift and air tools I know I could have done it in half the time.

M-SPORT I sent you a message....
Thanks all for your input.. I wish I had the tools & experience to do DIY suspension work.. I'm not comfortable doing it without expert help.

f30luxline, I got your PM.. thanks for your help
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      02-09-2014, 11:37 AM   #10
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nice
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      02-11-2014, 08:32 AM   #11
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The only difference between doing springs on a DHP car is the extra wire that you need to unclip to gain clearance

I did mine on stands in my garage-having DHP on mine probably took me an extra minute... on the high side
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      02-11-2014, 09:55 AM   #12
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Do you have to compress the springs to get them off?
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      02-11-2014, 03:17 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by utenigma View Post
The only difference between doing springs on a DHP car is the extra wire that you need to unclip to gain clearance

I did mine on stands in my garage-having DHP on mine probably took me an extra minute... on the high side
Thanks for your input Can you answer the below question?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ghostchili View Post
Do you have to compress the springs to get them off?
I'm not sure but I was told you have to.
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      02-11-2014, 03:28 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ghostchili View Post
Do you have to compress the springs to get them off?
Quote:
Originally Posted by M-SP0RT View Post
I'm not sure but I was told you have to.
Yes, you'll need to compress the front springs to get them off

Basically the install goes like this (from memory, it's been a while - going to be doing it again this weekend if my camber plates get here)

Car on jack stands/lift - wheels off
Front
disconnect sway bar link - pull on it, it snaps off
unclip brake lines and EDC lines from their mounting points so you've got room to work - do not disconnect either, not necessary
One side had a ride height indicator - be careful of that
Compress front spring
Unbolt top-hat and stress bar from engine bay
put foot on wheel hub and push down until you can swing the top-hat out from the fender (careful here you don't jack up the fender - I put tape on it just in case)
unbolt strut from top hat
remove top hat
remove spring
reverse process with new spring

Rear
disconnect sway bar link
put jack under lower control arm that the spring is sitting toward the center of the car near the cam adjustment eccentric bolt
remove the eccentric bolt
use the jack to SLOWLY lower the arm down, releasing pressure from the spring until it's completely unloaded
remove the jack
pull on the arm harder to give more clearance
pull out spring
reverse using the jack to compress the spring by pushing on the arm

if you can work a box of legos and have some decent hand tools and a spring compressor you can do this in an afternoon

if you don't have a spring compressor, rent one from autozone - $50 deposit and they give you your money back when you bring the compressor back
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      02-11-2014, 03:30 PM   #15
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I've used spring compressors from autozone in the past and they are a PITA to use. On my previous car I resorted to placing the strut on the floor against a wall, an airgun on the top bolt, and a wheel on top of the air tool. Definitely not the safest way to do things, but it was the fastest.
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      02-11-2014, 03:30 PM   #16
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oh - other thing

the torque specs on the bolts that go in the top hat is like 18 ft/lbs - super light
be careful not to over-torque or use air tools on it, it's made from cast aluminum and will strip super easy
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      02-11-2014, 03:31 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by utenigma View Post
oh - other thing

the torque specs on the bolts that go in the top hat is like 18 ft/lbs - super light
be careful not to over-torque or use air tools on it, it's made from cast aluminum and will strip super easy
THIS ^ Always torque everything back to factory specs. Never use air tools to put everything back together.
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      02-11-2014, 03:32 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by buco702 View Post
I've used spring compressors from autozone in the past and they are a PITA to use. On my previous car I resorted to placing the strut on the floor against a wall, an airgun on the top bolt, and a wheel on top of the air tool. Definitely not the safest way to do things, but it was the fastest.
It's impossible to swing the strut out under the fender with the spring loaded

If you want to disassemble the lower part of the front suspension you could do it that way - I didn't
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      02-11-2014, 03:34 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by utenigma View Post
It's impossible to swing the strut out under the fender with the spring loaded

If you want to disassemble the lower part of the front suspension you could do it that way - I didn't
My fault. I haven't done a spring install on my Bimmer yet... I guess my shitty Scion was 10x easier to mod
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      02-11-2014, 04:28 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by utenigma View Post
...if you can work a box of legos and have some decent hand tools and a spring compressor you can do this in an afternoon...
LOL... OK, well when you put it like that, I should be an expert!! (My kids can't get enough legos)

UT, if I lived next door to you, I would more than likely give it a shot... but I'm feeling like I may not want to go for it on my own until I see it done in person at least once.
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      02-11-2014, 05:07 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by utenigma View Post
It's impossible to swing the strut out under the fender with the spring loaded

If you want to disassemble the lower part of the front suspension you could do it that way - I didn't

I can't speak from an F30 standpoint but my wife's e92 slipped right out.

My wife's car was our first BMW and I followed this procedure:

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      02-11-2014, 11:24 PM   #22
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Learning a lot from this thread too bad I need to pay someone to get this done!
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