MCS spring swap questions

[MaX PL]

Swapping these springs was suggested to me months back by folks and I never did it, but the time has come and I want to have everything clear before I start the work.

I'm basically just swapping the front springs from 6" to 5", but have a few questions regarding positioning and unbolting of things along with torque values.

1. I need to remove CF strut brace and the other supporting brace in the engine bay, and unbolt the 5 bolts at the black gasket holding the camber plates on, correct? When reinstalling, does anyone know the torque for the 5 bolts?


2. After the camber plate is free, in the wheel well, do I only unbolt the sway bar end link from the damper, or is there more to unbolt there that I'm missing? Anyone know the torque for the end link?


3. If the first two steps are correct and the damper is loose, I assume I need to remove the top nut where the rebound adjuster is located? This will give me access to the spring I assume.

4. At this point, along with replacing the spring, it has been suggested I get rid of the helper spring altogether which I plan to do. If I do so, do I keep the white plastic washer along with the black spacer, or do I remove one or both of those?


5. I'm not sure if any of the parts between the camber plate and spring thread on or just slip on. I assume they slip on and are easy to remove/reinstall so hopefully I don't run into issues there.

6. With helper spring out and white and black washers/spacers in or out, I install the new 5" spring and simply thread the silver spring perches up? Or is there a method to compress everything and the spring perches should be at a certain position up the damper body?



Thanks for any help. I've never assembled suspension components and don't know enough about them, so I want to have everything clear before doing this.

[coolmody]

1. Correct. See this thread for torque specs (https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1532468)
2. Correct. Suspension should swing free of the fender to allow you to remove the GC top plate so you can swap the spring.
3. Yes. I use an impact to do this. This makes some people cringe.
4. The initial install looks wrong. The Delrin ring consists of a metal and plastic washer. They need to be together. The metal ring slides on the plastic ring acting like a bushing. I put it on top of the adjustment collars at the bottom because the GC camber plate already has bearings and allows the spring to rotate.
5. It just slips on. If you remove the helpers, it will be very loose inside at full droop.
6. With no load on the suspension it should be easy to turn the adjustment collars. Take some time to clean and lubricate the threads before you do so. Seized adjustment collars suck.

[5thscaleracer]

Simpler way with out needed to remove any of the strut brace goodies...

1. Remove the MCS adjustment knob using a 1.5mm
2. detach all sensor wires from their brackets (chassis side and wheel side)
3. Detach the sway bar link top side by the shock
4. support lower control arm with a jack
5. top of the camber plate remove the double jamb nuts on the top.
6. slowly lower the jack, the center shaft of the strut will slid out of the camber plate and you can swing the shock with springs out.
7. Swap the springs and put everything back in reverse order.

only items that should be torque to spec would be the sway bar link and the top jamb nuts.

should take you about 10min per side.

Also i don't suggest removing the helper spring, if you do this when the suspension fully unloads the spring has no tension and it can pop out of position. Especially if you are going from 6-5" length.

6 you can get away with because you can adjust the spring 1/4" up. But 5" it's too short so a helper is needed.

Keep the plastic washer it allows the spring to freely wind and unwind a little as the suspension compresses. It also helps reduce the load on the lower perch when making adjustments. Spring is free to rotate in place.

[MaX PL]

Thank you to you both. Very helpful info. I'll likely avoid removing the braces and do what 5thscaleracer suggested. It does seem quite simple.

Would either of you happen to have photos of your front setup showing positions of washers and spacers?
My fronts do have a white washer between the collar and spring along with one between the camber plate and helper spring, but I don't know about a metal washer being present.

edit:

End link torque is 30 lb/ft
https://www.splparts.com/content/SPL%20FE.pdf

[coolmody]

Look closely above the adjustment collars. I have the plastic Delrin ring then the metal one above it. Spring sits on top of that.

[5thscaleracer]

Originally Posted by MaX PL

Thank you to you both. Very helpful info. I'll likely avoid removing the braces and do what 5thscaleracer suggested. It does seem quite simple.

Would either of you happen to have photos of your front setup showing positions of washers and spacers?
My fronts do have a white washer between the collar and spring along with one between the camber plate and helper spring, but I don't know about a metal washer being present.

edit:

End link torque is 30 lb/ft
https://www.splparts.com/content/SPL%20FE.pdf

This is how i have mine setup.

GC Plate spring perch, Helper Spring, Spring locating collar, Main Spring, Stainless slider sheet washer,White Delrin washer, and lower spring perch.

The Stainless sheet is used to slide on the white plastic, this way when the spring moves due to coil binding (twisting) it will slide and not deform the plastic.

The plastic also assists when making height adjustments, the aluminum perch slides on the plastic.

hope this helps.

[adc]

Can the helper spring go to the top of the assembly? Goal would be to create more clearance on the shock body by moving the collars up a bit, room for more tire at the front.

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by adc

Can the helper spring go to the top of the assembly? Goal would be to create more clearance on the shock body by moving the collars up a bit, room for more tire at the front.

I don't think the order changes where the spring perch sits.
I've removed the helper springs and now wonder why I bothered to run them all these years!

[MaX PL]

Originally Posted by coolmody

1. Correct. See this thread for torque specs (https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1532468)
2. Correct. Suspension should swing free of the fender to allow you to remove the GC top plate so you can swap the spring.
3. Yes. I use an impact to do this. This makes some people cringe.
4. The initial install looks wrong. The Delrin ring consists of a metal and plastic washer. They need to be together. The metal ring slides on the plastic ring acting like a bushing. I put it on top of the adjustment collars at the bottom because the GC camber plate already has bearings and allows the spring to rotate.
5. It just slips on. If you remove the helpers, it will be very loose inside at full droop.
6. With no load on the suspension it should be easy to turn the adjustment collars. Take some time to clean and lubricate the threads before you do so. Seized adjustment collars suck.

Hey,

I just finally did this spring swap after a weeks delay as I couldn't remove the strut lock nuts last weekend.

Spent several days on the phone with various companies getting opinions on the proper method to remove and reinstall the top locking nuts. The opinions varied...
MCS and Vorshlag said to only use an impact while Bimmerworld and Ground Control said to only use a counterhold method/wrench.

Ended up purchasing a counterhold socket and new MCS strut lock nuts, but ultimately found that like you, the only method to remove the existing 22mm ground control nut was with an impact gun.

The counterhold socket isn't designed for the use of two nuts of the same size, so I was never able to get my counterhold wrench on there properly.
I think ground controls conical lock nut is actually a better nut for this application than the use of a pair of lock nuts from MCS. It sits tighter in the plate due to its conical shape, and perhaps this is why my installer reused this nut versus using what MCS supplied.

Anyway, removing the 22mm GC nut was a pain but the only way I was able to get it out was with a 6 point lug nut socket and impact. The counterhold socket was 12 point and never quite sat on the nut well due to its recessed position in the plate.

Also, had to remove the GC lower plate sitting against the helper spring to be able to swing the entire assembly away from fender otherwise the strut was not dropping low enough to clear the opening of that plate. Not sure if this was correct but the only way I could get clearance.