How can I tell if my front strut is blown?

[///M Power]

Originally posted by Autotechnica+Apr 22 2004, 02:46 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Autotechnica @ Apr 22 2004, 02:46 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-dutchbmw@Apr 22 2004, 02:43 PM
When pushing on the front of your car, the car should spring back and becomes standing within 3 times. This obtains for standard struts. You're (more racy struts) might be stop undulate within 1 or 2 times. When it's more than twice, they have to be replaced.

I just said that the "bounce" test doesn't actually work for the front struts, only the rear. [/b][/quote]
are you sure about that? I never heard that it doesn't work.

[Autotechnica]

Originally posted by ///M Power+Apr 22 2004, 10:13 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (///M Power @ Apr 22 2004, 10:13 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

I just said that the "bounce" test doesn't actually work for the front struts, only the rear.

are you sure about that? I never heard that it doesn't work. [/b][/quote]
Have you heard that it does? :wink

Because I have blown my stock strut before, and the bounce test does not work.

If you blow your rear shock you will feel the rear bouncing up and down. If you blow your front strut, you won't feel the front bounce.

Bry

[thinair]

[quote]Originally posted by Autotechnica@Apr 22 2004, 10:17 PM
[quote=Autotechnica,Apr 22 2004, 02:46 PM]
Because I have blown my stock strut before, and the bounce test does not work.

If you blow your rear shock you will feel the rear bouncing up and down. If you blow your front strut, you won't feel the front bounce.
I beg to differ, my friends 92 325 has blown struts and it bounces pretty well from me pushing on the fender, maybe his was just way more worn then yours.

[Autotechnica]

Well we had a long discussion about this on Bimmerforums a while ago. Most people agreed that it's difficult to tell whether or not a strut was blown without either checking for leaks or taking it out completely to do the compression test.

When I blew my stock struts, they weren't completely dead. They still had some resistence when pushing down on them. However, they wouldn't come back up on their own. Even if they did, it took forever.

Bry

[///M Power]

Yeah but I thought u said you already checked for leaks, which would have been item #1. Seriously, how hard do you consistently drive? These are bilstens. I can understand stocks, BUT BILSTENS?? i bet it is something else.

[Autotechnica]

Originally posted by ///M Power@Apr 23 2004, 12:25 AM
Yeah but I thought u said you already checked for leaks, which would have been item #1. Seriously, how hard do you consistently drive? These are bilstens. I can understand stocks, BUT BILSTENS?? i bet it is something else.

I never said I blew my Bilsteins. I said I blew my stock struts. My Bilsteins are fine, I said it ended up being my M3 sway bar endlinks.

And just because they are Bilsteins doesn't mean they last forever, they do blow you know? I've blown 2 rear Bilstein shocks which is normal and the front struts commonly last longer. It's another misconception, but actually stiffer shocks DON'T last as long as the softer OEM shocks. A stiffer gas shock takes a lot more abuse and it doesn't last as long especially if you pair them up with lowering springs, which is the whole point of getting Bilsteins in the first place.

A set of stock dampers could last you the lifetime of the car, whereas a set of Bilsteins with lowering springs commonly last 4 years or more. A lot less if you auto-x or track your car.

I don't understand the point of people spending tones of money to upgrade their suspension, then worrying about breaking things so they drive their cars like pussies. Hmmm, you could have done that with the stock suspension

Bry

[Fox]

hrmm ive never heard of endlinks going bad or them making that sound. Thats a first for me.

[Autotechnica]

Originally posted by Fox@Apr 23 2004, 11:33 AM
hrmm ive never heard of endlinks going bad or them making that sound. Thats a first for me.

These are "M3" endlinks, not stock E36. There is a difference. The M3 ones are 3-4 times longer and they always break or wear out.