Do I have to remove the tie-rod ends when replac?ng the struts>

You can avoid removing the sway bar end links when removing the struts, use a floor jack to apply tension to the tie rod end or control arm either works effectively and gently raise the assembly until the spring begins to compress. Use the pickle fork to remove per the instructions. When reinstallation comes use the same jack at the base of the knuckle to nudge into position, also helpful for aligning the piece instead of having a helper.

@ Adam; I've dropped a couple of vehicles with 1" rates and the alignment adjustment is really pretty light. 1/2 a degree of camber is normal, 1 degree negative is usually the result. Tire lifespan is generally reduced but not by a large degree. Toe is the greatest enemy of your tire life. A negative camber on daily street driving will result in an OVERALL reduction of tire life, but any BMW or German car seems to carry that virtue for high speed stability. I wouldn't sweat it, but do plan on checking that alignment once a year. If you remove the struts via this method the adjusters are left alone so your toe will be the same as before with stock height, likely off by 0.5-1.25 degrees of toe with a drop in my experience, so if you've got the adjustment clearance make sure that's done soon after.



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This post was auto-generated based upon a question asked on our tech article page here: Pelican Technical Article: Replacing your E30 Front Shocks and Springs

[Nick at Pelican Parts]

Hey thanks for the detailed response and helping our readers out.

- Nick