You'll need to remove the wheel, brake caliper, split the ball joint, remove the top bolts (access via engine bay) Should be about 3 (prob about 10 - 13mm) obviously on drivers side (on turret). You should now be holding the whole unit in your hands. Get a spring compressor and compress the spring. Remove the main nut at the top of the damper. Slide the spring off. Slowly loosen the spring compressor. Compress the new spring. Slide it on. Tighten the nut again. Slowly release the spring compressor and do the rest in reverse order. Think thats about it. This is all based on a front wheel drive, set up should be the same (not done a bmw yet). I've left out the drive shaft part seeing as there wont be one there. Think that about covers it.

Anything i've missed?

Actually think i've missed the steering side of this... Whats the steering setup for removal???? Hmmm.... Dunno what it is on BMW. Dunno if its the same.. Should come naturally once your under there though.

 

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partgrp.do?model=BF72&mospid=47429&hg=31&fg=10

 

Unless the 323 is different to my 328 in some way, you don't need to split the ball joint. There's two big bolts at the bottom of the shock, one mid way up, and three nuts at the top (suspension turret). You might also have issues compressing a snapped spring, but I guess it depends where it's snapped. If it's somewhere in the middle, it may not even need compressing. But if there is any tension in the remainder of the spring, make sure you compress it somehow.

 

Thanks

Thanks for your help so far guys. Just wondered if anyone had any recommendations on what springs to get and where to get them from? Also is this a job i could realistically do myself without having any speacialist tools? I'm ok working with my hands and with tools etc but I've never done any work on car suspension before! I'd really like to try and sort it myself if i can as the car is sat on my path and i've got no way of getting it to a garage without a breakdown truck.

Thanks again everyone

Mulls

 

You will need a ball joint splitter and spring compressors, also a long bar to lever the suspension down on the rear

GSF or Euros stock standard springs for your car, you are supposed to do both fronts but you will be OK doing one

 

Sorry Ron, but why does he need a ball joint splitter to remove the front shock? Also is he doing any work on the rear?

 

Thanks for your help so far. Do you have any recommendations on which make of springs to get? Dont want anything special, just a good value replacement really. Also, is this a job that i could realistically do myself if i get a spring compressor? I'm fairly handy with tools but haven't done much work on cars before!

Thanks again

 

If you get one from Euros they do KME(£38) or Boge, Boge are good, no probs there, cost £45

GSF, part number B45403, £43 no make specified

 

This is the DIY guide I used:
http://www.bimmerhaus.com/tech/strutrpl.html

The only thing to point out (which might not be your case), but my front shocks were not connected to the sway bar as mentioned in point 3 of the guide. I had just 3 bolts connecting the shock to the hub and 3 nuts at the top of the turrett (top mounts to chassis).

If you're not changing the rear shocks, you can ignore the parts about removing your boot carpet and getting at the rear shock top mount nuts. You can simply remove the bolt from the bottom of the rear strut (to control arm), in order to proceed with removing the springs.

If you can do your brake discs/pads and DIY on that level, I'd expect you can do this. But be warned some nuts and bolts can be jammed up pretty good, and leverage is hard to get around the suspension, so some hefty effort is needed to get some things moving. Remember your torques, get/borrow a good safe spring compressor, and give yourself plenty of time. Also be careful removing a snapped spring. If you find the spring is all loose, you won't need to bother with the compression. But if that spring still has any compression in it, be sure to find a way to compress it safely before proceeding.