we don't have a carnage thread on this board do we? we need to start one.

Oh god I'd be owning that thread if I had pics of my wheel bearing job/destruction

I know the story behing this haha..

Ive done something simular but only to this degree:
https://scontent-a-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/...50933458_n.jpg
Ha get it Degree? stuff bends is measured in degrees...lol i have no life

ROTFL!

you should start a new carnage thread with this pic! i don't have any carnage or i would do it myself.

How do you bend it like that. And why not just get a spring compressor, compress springs, and take it out the easy way.

Thread is up!

I replaced the front struts on my 2001 3.0i yesterday. Here's some info related to all the discussion in this thread:

- I had no problems before the replacement, at 180k miles. Most major components in the front suspension have been replaced, but the struts were original and I had a good deal on the parts.

- Very easy job to R+R here. If the rear suspension carrier ball joints are an 8 without the special tool, this job is a 3. The service manual is accurate - for example, it does not tell you to take off a bunch of extra stuff for no good reason as manuals sometimes do.

- I replaced only the struts (Bilstein B4 OE, 22119261 right and 22119278 left) and boots/bellows (Febi-Bilstein 31321125878). Perfect fit on those, as expected. Nothing else in there (strut mounts, bump stops, bolts, etc.) looked like they needed replacing, and were re-used. The struts came with new top nuts.

- Strut top nut size: The original (BMW / Delphi) was a 21mm nut, with a 6mm Allen key needed on the top of the strut rod. The replacement (Bilstein B4) was a 22mm nut with a 7mm Allen key. The mis-match here ended up not being a problem for me since I had all the tools, but it might be a bad surprise for others. Of course it is easy to check before-hand by popping the dust cover off in the engine compartment to see what your original ones are, and checking the new parts you've got in hand. And if you went and bought the BMW special cutout socket (photo in the service manual and earlier in this thread), it would only help for either one of the 21 or 22 mm sizes required.

- Special tools - I just used Craftsman 21mm and 22mm angled combination wrenches (using the closed end), with 6mm and 7mm Allen bit-sockets coming through the top. No problems. I did the 45 ft-lb torque by feel. Easy to inspect via the engine bay to see if anything becomes loose over time, so I feel safe doing this by hand. If the BMW special socket with a cutout is too "special" (I hate to have tools that truly have only one purpose), I think a Craftsman Max Axess socket would be a nice solution here. I have a set of those that I really like, but mine only goes up to 19mm, vs. the 21mm and 22mm needed here. But I would buy those sockets separately before buying the BMW cutout socket.