Removing rear shocks made easy

[Bruno]

Thanks to a fellow E34 owner (Marc L.), he gave me a great trick to pop the rear shock out of the axle.
You need a massive round piece of solid bar stock. You place it against the lip of the shock (I will take pics later) on the caliper side of the shock.
Then with a 5lb hammer, you hammer it a couple of times and scream with joy as the rear shock comes out...
http://www.unitedsurplusbuyers.com/images/precious%20metals/bar%20stock.jpg


This was the easiest way of doing it. It usually takes me 20 min to pull it out, this time it took less than 3...

[e34.535i.sport]

A three-legged gear puller does the business too...

[Barney Paull-Edwards]

And of course Bruno,everybody has 6` of 2" bar stock in the shed! Gorilla factor will remove anything on an E34...........

[Tiger]

I really don't get it... It seems like for all you guys... the rear strut is rusted into the axle... When I changed mine, I just slip it out with my hand.... no hammer, no swearing, nothing... just 1 second and it pops out. Both side of rear strut is simple 1 second.

[Bruno]

I really don't get it... It seems like for all you guys... the rear strut is rusted into the axle... When I changed mine, I just slip it out with my hand.... no hammer, no swearing, nothing... just 1 second and it pops out. Both side of rear strut is simple 1 second.

Snow + salt = rust... lot's of it...

[BMWCCA1]

I really don't get it... It seems like for all you guys... the rear strut is rusted into the axle... When I changed mine, I just slip it out with my hand.... no hammer, no swearing, nothing... just 1 second and it pops out. Both side of rear strut is simple 1 second.I'm with you, Tiger. Just did my rear shock mounts with no difficulty. Glad I didn't read this first!

[Dave M]

Old post regarding puller method (http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showthread.php?p=63478#post63478)

Dave

[shogun]

this link apparently does not work any more from whit
http://www.statch.com/users/wlowel/e34suspension.pdf

[attack eagle]

ditto, mine came out by hand as well.