Check your rear springs!

[CirrusSR22]

About a year and a half ago (@ 145,000 miles) I had a little "pig tail" section break off my rear spring. I never would have noticed it if I wasn't inspecting the rear suspension while swapping on winter tires. So I got a little lazy and never got around to replacing it. Hey the car drove and sat just fine :biggrin:

Here's what it looked like.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f23/vasa58/spring.jpg

Now just yesterday a bigger section snapped off at 168,000 miles. It certainly does NOT drive or sit normally now!

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f23/vasa58/spring2-1.jpg

What I'm getting at is, check your rear springs for little broken pieces! Like I mentioned, the little piece that broke off was completely unnoticeable, but may have lead to more severe spring failure.

[thesk8nmidget]

good idea!

hopefully you can find a set for cheap.

[CirrusSR22]

I ended up just buying a pair from the dealer! I normally wouldn't, but I needed them absolutely ASAP.

[thekid.]

should have said something!
I just bought josh's sport springs so
now i just have an extra stock set laying around!

[jgrimm]

+1 to checking your springs. Apparently, this is a very common wear problem for E36 springs.

[CirrusSR22]

Got my springs from the dealer and upon installation found the broken spring took out the CV boot :(

If anyone is curious, the part number on the rear spring set is: 33 53 9 066 887 and they have dabs of silver paint on them.

3/96 build, automatic transmission, sports suspension.

[elfhearse]

I found the same problem with mine last year >

http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=16697&highlight=broken+spring

[aceyx]

That first pic looks like something else . . .

My rears went too, something like a year and a half ago.

[jgrimm]

^^^ Haha, nice.

[JDwyer2821]

Mine did that in the rear. I swear My rear looks higher now that I replaced the rear spring with lowering springs