*Need Help- Quick response please!* RE: Blown Struts??

DocRoadster · 12-18-2009, 06:56 AM

My car has been in the BMW Dealership body shop for a week due to some debris I ran over. One of the results of the incident was a "clunking" noise from somewhere in the front of the car whenever I would drive in or out of a steep driveway or over speed
bumps. The first thing the shop did was, using a floor jack, raise the passenger side of the car and check the strut. The technician was able to lift the wheel about 3-4 inches with only his hands before the strut would "load up". This would seem to be a bad thing, yes? In all my automotive experience, I've yet to find a strut, especially on a BMW with a sport package, that was so loose. According to the shop, they later checked the drivers side in the same manner and it too had the same amount of play. As a result, they are saying that perhaps this is normal and not a result of running over the debris? Unfortunately they shop is not able to reproduce the sound I hear so I have to go there this morning and show them myself. In the mean time, do I insist they replace both front struts as well? Need some help from people who have had direct experience with the struts who would know. The car is an 06 with only 32k miles so it would seem the struts should not be shot. If they were, is this something that would be covered under the standard factory warranty in case I am unable to get them to include it in the insurance claim?

thekurgan · 12-18-2009, 07:11 AM

I don't think shocks and struts are covered by the standard warranty, especially at 32k. Wouldn't there be some oil leaking or evidence of the strut being ruptured from underneath? If you do insist on replacing them, yes, both should be replaced at the same time.

CalRick · 12-18-2009, 11:14 AM

I can't recall seeing such looseness in the struts when I've had mine off the ground servicing brakes, etc., but I haven't been looking for such play, either. Usually the springs prevent any obvious play in struts since they need to be compressed to remove/replace the shock cartridge inside. I would think that the classic "bounce the corner" with the car on the ground would give a gross indication of the condition of the respective shock's condition, tho the relative stiffness of the springs on our cars makes it a little harder to do than the average road car.

Beyond the condition of the shocks, a common condition that causes front end clunking in our cars is loose strut bars (those bars under the hood that tie the strut towers to the fire wall.) If that is the problem, the fix is cheap - torque 'em up (34 ft-lb, IIRC?)

12-18-2009, 06:56 AM	#1
DocRoadster New Member 0 Rep 7 Posts Drives: 2006 Z4 3.0si Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northern California iTrader: (0)	Need Help- Quick response please! RE: Blown Struts?? My car has been in the BMW Dealership body shop for a week due to some debris I ran over. One of the results of the incident was a "clunking" noise from somewhere in the front of the car whenever I would drive in or out of a steep driveway or over speed bumps. The first thing the shop did was, using a floor jack, raise the passenger side of the car and check the strut. The technician was able to lift the wheel about 3-4 inches with only his hands before the strut would "load up". This would seem to be a bad thing, yes? In all my automotive experience, I've yet to find a strut, especially on a BMW with a sport package, that was so loose. According to the shop, they later checked the drivers side in the same manner and it too had the same amount of play. As a result, they are saying that perhaps this is normal and not a result of running over the debris? Unfortunately they shop is not able to reproduce the sound I hear so I have to go there this morning and show them myself. In the mean time, do I insist they replace both front struts as well? Need some help from people who have had direct experience with the struts who would know. The car is an 06 with only 32k miles so it would seem the struts should not be shot. If they were, is this something that would be covered under the standard factory warranty in case I am unable to get them to include it in the insurance claim?
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12-18-2009, 07:11 AM	#2
thekurgan Bad Lieutenant 232 Rep 3,517 Posts Drives: E90M3 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sacramento iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW M3 [0.00]	I don't think shocks and struts are covered by the standard warranty, especially at 32k. Wouldn't there be some oil leaking or evidence of the strut being ruptured from underneath? If you do insist on replacing them, yes, both should be replaced at the same time. __________________ 02 E39M5 \| TiAg/Schwartz \| Tubi Rumore \| Ultimate Ti Pedals \| E60 SSK \| Jim Blanton 3.45 40/100% \| Coby Alcantara \| StrongStrut STB Last edited by thekurgan; 12-18-2009 at 07:21 AM.. Reason: bad speller
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12-18-2009, 11:14 AM	#3
CalRick Second Lieutenant 13 Rep 282 Posts Drives: '15 M235 & '95 M3 tracktoy ; Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles or Monterey iTrader: (1) Garage List 2016 X3 Xdrive28d [0.00] 2015 BMW M235i [0.00] 1995 BMW M3 [0.00]	I can't recall seeing such looseness in the struts when I've had mine off the ground servicing brakes, etc., but I haven't been looking for such play, either. Usually the springs prevent any obvious play in struts since they need to be compressed to remove/replace the shock cartridge inside. I would think that the classic "bounce the corner" with the car on the ground would give a gross indication of the condition of the respective shock's condition, tho the relative stiffness of the springs on our cars makes it a little harder to do than the average road car. Beyond the condition of the shocks, a common condition that causes front end clunking in our cars is loose strut bars (those bars under the hood that tie the strut towers to the fire wall.) If that is the problem, the fix is cheap - torque 'em up (34 ft-lb, IIRC?)
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