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I'm planning to DIY replace the front struts and strut mounts, repair mushrooming towers, install Craven speed UTIs, and replace rear shocks. Not looking to lower or anything fancy. Then I'll take the Tardis to have a professional alignment.
Got Bilsteins from the guys at Pelican Parts and am just curious if my R53 brethren or sisteren have any advice. Thanks! and Happy New Year!
I'm more a fan of the Craven strut tower defenders as they are more robust, easier to install, and don't raise the front of the car.
As for tips, even though you're in GA I would recommend a penetrating oil on the front shock pinch bolts as well as having at least a MAP gas torch (oxy/acetylene preferably) to keep from breaking the bolts off in the steering knuckles. (Not a fun job at that point)
Aside from that, make sure the springs are clocked properly in the front, everything that comes off needs to go back on, torque to spec, and enjoy.
Thanks for your order. Glad we can help you and Tardis. We also have a great Front Shock and Spring Replacement and Rear Shock and Spring Replacement DIY tech article on our site that can help you with the replacements. Each article gives you a great step by step process with tips and tricks like this below:
One thing I discovered while assembling the new strut assembly is that the coil spring has a tendency to rotate independently of the strut when you use an impact wrench to tighten the top nut. This results in the spring unseating itself from the rubber pads on each end. What I ended up doing was making sure that the strut rod had enough threads penetrating into the nut at the top, then lightly backed off the spring compressors. This secured the spring in place against the rubber pads enough to hold it in place while I used the impact wrench to fully tighten the nut on top.
Let me know if you have any questions or need any help during your project.
Be aware when you install the under tower plates you will raise the car slightly and reduce the neg camber in the front which you want more of. We just use the top plates with new strut mounts.
When you get ready for your alignment take it to Gran Turismo East they do the best alignments in town.
Be aware when you install the under tower plates you will raise the car slightly and reduce the neg camber in the front which you want more of. We just use the top plates with new strut mounts.
When you get ready for your alignment take it to Gran Turismo East they do the best alignments in town.
Should I swap the under plates for the top plates? Is that enough of a fix for the mushroomed towers after a sufficient reshaping with the typical 2x4 & hammer method?
Should I swap the under plates for the top plates? Is that enough of a fix for the mushroomed towers after a sufficient reshaping with the typical 2x4 & hammer method?
The top plates are a great design that doesn't change the ride height, easy to install, and look appealing.
They are what we install on all of our customer cars, we don't stock the under tower systems as they are a more involved install, as well as the previously noted other tag alongs.
Some advice from our Strut Tower Reinforcement Plate Install DIY. Our R53 runs the Madness plates that go under the strut towers. Madness has some good information as well here. From our DIY:
The solution is to reinforce the area around the strut tower to better distribute the loads placed upon the sheet metal. Various companies offer solutions to this problem by offering reinforcement plates mounted on the top of the strut mount. The problem with this approach is that in order to fit across the top of the mount, a notch must be either cut or formed into the plate to clear the stiffening rib formed into the top of the strut tower. To do this reduces the effectiveness of the plate.
Mini Madness has come up with a different approach to this problem by mounting the reinforcement plate UNDER the strut tower, on top of the strut mount. The benefits of this approach include having a flat surface to transfer the compression load to. Also, the reinforcement plates are made out of thicker gauge steel than the strut tower sheet metal. This means that if your strut towers are already deformed, installation of the plate will pull the towers back into alignment when the mounting nuts are tightened.
Should I swap the under plates for the top plates? Is that enough of a fix for the mushroomed towers after a sufficient reshaping with the typical 2x4 & hammer method?
and Happy New Year!
Currently on Holiday sale. 
