Did research no conclusion, please help.

new2bmw · 11-16-2012, 01:52 PM

I have an 84 318i that i put bilstein sports and H&R springs on. They have less then 1000km on them. Just bought 91 318i and want to see if i can use the springs and shocks from the 84 on the 91, if anybody can clear this up please let me know, and if no, why.

BMe30 · 11-16-2012, 01:59 PM

As far as i know you can.

You can do a cross reference part # search on realoem.com and see if the same part# are used on both years.

TSI · 11-16-2012, 02:05 PM

Yes, as far as I know the chassis remained unchanged.

cormier · 11-16-2012, 05:53 PM

Check thinner diameter of your front strut housings. Some early models have smaller diameter housings, and therefore struts, compared with late models.

You can either buy 84-85 specific struts or just get from spindles from a late model.

I believe the only way to know is to measure, I believe the diameters are 48mm and 51mm?

TSI · 11-16-2012, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cormier

Check thinner diameter of your front strut housings. Some early models have smaller diameter housings, and therefore struts, compared with late models.

You can either buy 84-85 specific struts or just get from spindles from a late model.

I believe the only way to know is to measure, I believe the diameters are 48mm and 51mm?

Well, I just learned something.

craz azn · 11-16-2012, 10:08 PM

Your ABS will no longer function correctly with the '84 struts. Best bet is to swap your shocks and springs into your '91. You will need the correct gland nuts though to use the smaller inserts in the bigger diameter strut housings.

new2bmw · 11-17-2012, 05:35 PM

that is my plan, to swap the springs and struts over to the 91 318i from the 84 318i. i know the rear struts are the same, springs are not and the front are totally different. all i can say is i need this to work as i cant afford to buy new struts and springs again.

craz azn · 11-18-2012, 01:35 PM

Well... since you don't believe that your parts will fit your '91, you should buy the springs and shocks I have for sale

They are actually coming out of a '91 chassis, so they will definitely fit! lol

new2bmw · 11-18-2012, 07:05 PM

was thinking i might grab the rear springs and shocks and pop them on, them if compatible use the springs for the front, sell he front struts i have now and buy 2 new ones that are for the 91. wow what a clusterf#@%

craz azn · 11-18-2012, 07:47 PM

Reread my first post in this thread. I gave you your solution already to reuse all of your existing parts.

new2bmw · 11-18-2012, 08:32 PM

Well it turns out the $%#^nobs that i let work on the 84 when i got it did even more shit then i imagined. I measured and they installed 1 51mm and 1 46 mm or whatever the other is. Even more wonderful is that they managed to install one of the identical struts on the inside and one on the outside of the strut tube, WOW never ending stupidity. so now everything over to the 91 minus the fronts i guess.

craz azn · 11-18-2012, 08:56 PM

I hope I am getting trolled hard, because that did not compute at all. Carry on then sir!

new2bmw · 11-18-2012, 09:20 PM

i went into way too much detail, i have 2 different sized strut towers on the 84 the right front is smaller then the left front, i had no clue till now and the guys who originally tried to fix the car for me installed my bilstein sports in them without worrying about the size difference. they installed them both differently

cormier · 11-19-2012, 01:42 AM

... The housings are different size?

new2bmw · 11-19-2012, 08:26 AM

yep the idiots installed ordered and installed one and did not check the size, so now i have two different sized front housings, with the same sized struts, go figure.