This past week I replaced the front shocks. Miles on the original shocks, 104K.
I was shocked(pun intended) to see how easy this task was... shock tower nut on top, bolt and nut on the bottom. The easiest shock replacement I ever experienced. :thumbsup:
The vehicle now drives like new, eliminating the slight nose dive under braking, slight tire bounce at highway speeds, and eliminating 1/2 the bounce going in and out of the driveways and parking lots of Florida.
After I researched the BW Forum, I decided on Bilstein B 04 "OEM" for the "original" feel in the suspension. They also have a B 06 "performance" version which is actually cheaper(!?). Others have mentioned the performance shocks were a bit harsh. I ordered them online from a major supplier, and they came with new lock nuts, washers, and bolts. :thumbsup:
You will need a floor jack to lift the front end, and a bottle jack to "hold" the suspension in place. The upper connection at the shock tower requires a 19mm open end and a Allen wrench to secure that connection. The lower connection is also 19mm, and I used a long torque wrench and open end 19mm wrench to both remove and secure the connection.
I used an air ratchet gun to remove to wheel lugs and upper nut on the shock tower, but the gun wouldn't properly fit the lower connection. The torque wrench with a short extension and short 19mm socket did the trick.
I was impressed that everything fit properly, and was easily disassembled and reassembled. Total time under 3 hours, start to finish. I can see someone doing this in under an hour. There are some covers on the upper strut portion, and of course the wheels are heavy and centering the lugs can be tricky for an amateur mechanic.
I highly recommend this shock replacement if you want to regain that "as new" feel to your ride. I must admit I installed new Michelin Premier A/S tires last November, so that certainly enhances that feel. :eclipsee_steering:
It looks like the rear shocks are easy too, so maybe I'll tackle that later this summer.
It's also in the manual. A very clever little rod for sure.
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