MP HAS Install- Some DIY Tips

[knightarmor]

It finally stopped raining and the sun came out so I washed the car and slapped the 19's on. I'm very happy with the ride height, has settled a little more as now the rear arms from my lift no longer clear the lift points whereas before for a couple of weeks they did. I need to take measurements tomorrow and see how much everything has settled overall.

Now I need some spacers up front.

[karbonM3]

any advice on what size spacers are recommended for zcp? I will also be running the MP HAS. Also not sure if coding/alignment is needed afterwords.

[espressoo]

Does anyone have torque specs for re-installation of the suspension components? Nuts and bolts and etc.

[knightarmor]

From the Salt City Euro's DIY link

Specs and Bolt Information:
Front Suspension:
Plastic Shroud Bolts - 10mm - ¼ Turn
Carbon Brace Bolts - 13mm - 12 ft.lbs.
Carbon Brace to Coolant Tank Bolt - 10mm - Snug
(A) Aluminum Brace E-Torx Bolts - 9mm - 25 ft.lbs.
(B) Aluminum Brace E-Torx Bolts - 10mm - 30 ft.lbs.
(C) Aluminum Brace Cowl Bolts - 16mm - 35 ft.lbs
Strut Hat Bolts - 13mm - 25 ft.lbs.
Strut Spindle Nut - 18mm-12pt - 25 ft.lbs.
Strut Pinch Bolts - 16mm - 60 ft.lbs.
Sway Bar End Links - 16mm/T30 - 44 ft.lbs.
Headlight Leveling Sensor - 10mm - Snug

Rear:
Lower Strut Bolt - 18mm - 74 ft.lbs.
Eccentric Bolt - 21mm/18mm - 74 ft.lbs.
Headlight Leveling Sensor - 10mm - Snug

[knightarmor]

Originally Posted by karbonM3

any advice on what size spacers are recommended for zcp? I will also be running the MP HAS. Also not sure if coding/alignment is needed afterwords.

Per the BMW instructions the I-step firmware should be updated prior to the installation. Alignment is required after installation.

[dereksM3]

Have any close ups of the wheel gap (or lack thereof)? Also, where did you go for an alignment, I see you are in WA?

[knightarmor]

Originally Posted by dereksM3

Have any close ups of the wheel gap (or lack thereof)? Also, where did you go for an alignment, I see you are in WA?

The rear has no gap (the way I like it ). The front has about a finger's worth. I'll get some pics in the next few days.

I got my alignment at Omni in Kirkland. Have been using them for over ten years on all my cars. Never had a problem.

[dereksM3]

Originally Posted by knightarmor

The rear has no gap (the way I like it ). The front has about a finger's worth. I'll get some pics in the next few days.

I got my alignment at Omni in Kirkland. Have been using them for over ten years on all my cars. Never had a problem.

Thats good to know! Is Omni still owned by the guy that races Porsches? I was referred to them years back when I had an Evo MR. I had been using Group2Motorsports and recently Prova since I worked next to them. Now I will be working in Redmond so Kirkland is nearby.

[knightarmor]

Originally Posted by dereksM3

Thats good to know! Is Omni still owned by the guy that races Porsches? I was referred to them years back when I had an Evo MR. I had been using Group2Motorsports and recently Prova since I worked next to them. Now I will be working in Redmond so Kirkland is nearby.

Not sure, Pat has been the front desk man since forever but we've never really talked to much about cars surprisingly lol. I know that one of the guys who used to actually perform the alignments was a Porsche Racer but I never met him directly.

[knightarmor]

Close ups of the fender/tire at front and rear. Realized as I was resampling the photos that this is with ~40 miles of fuel left in the tank!

I'll snap some photos tomorrow morning after I fill up!

[whoop_ass]

Sweet DIY thanks for info
I should have done this my self Instead of letting dealer do it.

[maniz]

Originally Posted by knightarmor

The fronts were pretty easy overall except for the part of installing the M Performance coilover sleeve onto the OE strut. Because I don't have a hydraulic press I used the BFH approach. Amazingly everything turned out perfect. I did used a special tool I have to pound onto the OE spring seat that I used as the tool to hammer the coilover sleeve onto the strut.

First off, THANK YOU for posting these tips; a great add-on to MasterC's thread. I have been scouring the web looking for all the info I can find on this install. The BMW installation doc is a rudimentary summary at best; with references to other docs for the full DIY.

Questions:

- Which tool do you refer to above (red text)? Care to point me to it or post a pic? Or is it something homemade? I rebuilt the shocks on my motorcycle a couple of years ago and a seal driver was imperative to get the seals seated around the cylinders. I am assuming this might be similar. It is the only step of this MP HAS install that is giving me pause and I want to get it established in my head before starting to remove parts.

- Did you use a spring compressor for the fronts?

- Any idea if the KW HAS video is posted elsewhere? The YT version has disappeared, as has the Salt Lake Euro vid (latter might be up again soon enough).

[knightarmor]

Originally Posted by maniz

First off, THANK YOU for posting these tips; a great add-on to MasterC's thread. I have been scouring the web looking for all the info I can find on this install. The BMW installation doc is a rudimentary summary at best; with references to other docs for the full DIY.

Questions:

- Which tool do you refer to above (red text)? Care to point me to it or post a pic? Or is it something homemade? I rebuilt the shocks on my motorcycle a couple of years ago and a seal driver was imperative to get the seals seated around the cylinders. I am assuming this might be similar. It is the only step of this MP HAS install that is giving me pause and I want to get it established in my head before starting to remove parts.

- Did you use a spring compressor for the fronts?

- Any idea if the KW HAS video is posted elsewhere? The YT version has disappeared, as has the Salt Lake Euro vid (latter might be up again soon enough).

It's not too special of a tool but not too many people would have one of these. It's one of the transport handles for an Olympus MX61 microscope (each microscope comes with 2) to aid in picking it up and moving it. This handle is made of some crazy strong stainless steel, and it's what I used to carefully pound off the OEM spring seat.

No spring compressor required. Watch the Emmanualle Designs spring install video.

The KW HAS pictures are accessible if you go directly to the link for each image.

Still very happy with my setup, running 12mm spacers up front and 7.5mm rear.

[maniz]

Good to know, thanks. A steel pipe of the right diameter should work too. I might use that.

[knightarmor]

Good luck!
If you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask!

[jww///95]

knightarmor Thanks for the writeup and pics!

maniz Go on McMaster or similar site and buy a foot of 1" brass rod stock. Good energy transfer and non-marring. It's my go-to persuasion tool for these types of situations.

[maniz]

Originally Posted by jww///95

knightarmor]
@[maniz Go on McMaster or similar site and buy a foot of 1" brass rod stock. Good energy transfer and non-marring. It's my go-to persuasion tool for these types of situations.

I think I will get a pre-cut piece from Lowe's locally to speed up the process.

@[knightarmor] you confirm whether 1" internal diameter will be enough?

[knightarmor]

Originally Posted by maniz

I think I will get a pre-cut piece from Lowe's locally to speed up the process.

@[knightarmor] you confirm whether 1" internal diameter will be enough?

Are you trying to slip this over the strut shaft or just tap around the spring seat?

I tapped around the spring seat little by little and eventually had to hold the strut in the air and finish banging off the oe seat only because I ran out of room on the MPHAS provided tool.

The tool I used is a little over 1/2" OD.

[maniz]

Originally Posted by knightarmor

Are you trying to slip this over the strut shaft or just tap around the spring seat?

I tapped around the spring seat little by little and eventually had to hold the strut in the air and finish banging off the oe seat only because I ran out of room on the MPHAS provided tool.

The tool I used is a little over 1/2" OD.

Would prefer to slip it over, so the pressure would apply evenly to the sleeve. Thinking about it some more, I will need something a lot larger in diameter than 1"!

[jww///95]

Originally Posted by maniz

I think I will get a pre-cut piece from Lowe's locally to speed up the process.

@[knightarmor] you confirm whether 1" internal diameter will be enough?

You won't find brass rod stock at lowes. From my reply note rod vs. pipe.

[jww///95]

Originally Posted by maniz

Would prefer to slip it over, so the pressure would apply evenly to the sleeve. Thinking about it some more, I will need something a lot larger in diameter than 1"!

If you're looking to slip a piece of material over top you might get away with some schedule 40 pvc, a block of wood and a hammer.

But at some point you might just want to put the collar in the over to warm it up to about 200* and see if the expansion is enough to just slip over the strut tube. Think ring gear install on a differential case. A little heat goes a long way.

[knightarmor]

Originally Posted by maniz

Would prefer to slip it over, so the pressure would apply evenly to the sleeve. Thinking about it some more, I will need something a lot larger in diameter than 1"!

Unfortunately it's not quite that simple. Keep in mind the OE spring seat is not flat where you need to press to get it off. See my picture below, you can see where I went around and around banging the part off. Not sure PVC is up to the task for that, at least I wouldn't use plastic.

Using the MPHAS tool, I placed a single layer of painters tape around the strut shaft so it wouldn't get marred when I was banging the OE spring seat off, checking it every once in a while to ensure I didn't damage the tape.

Now for installing the MPHAS aluminum sleeve a properly sized piece of steel tube would be ideal. You might be able to get away with some thick gauge stainless exhaust tubing.