So my suspension is f'ed up

[Brew]

Had my car up on a lift this afternoon swapping out the blizzaks for the es100s. When I lowered the car the left-front suspension would not compress at all. I have ground control coil-overs and when the car was on the ground, the spring on that corner was still completely loose.

So, I guess my question is: Has anyone else run into this before? Anyone have any ideas on how to un-seize the strut? The thing does not budge at all, even when the corner is lowered onto a block of wood. I'm guessing that I'll just have to replace the struts. :(

[DanGillan]

did you try standing on the bumper and pushing up and down? or driving at all?

[Jarvis]

Dan - he drives it everyday, usually pretty hard to. Whatever is wrong isn't going to fix itself by just driving more.

[Brew]

Any tricks for removing the threaded collar that holds the shock into the strut tube?

[Jordan]

Any tricks for removing the threaded collar that holds the shock into the strut tube?

Use the BMW special tool.

but no one has one.

So use a pipe wrench.

[Brew]

Any tricks for removing the threaded collar that holds the shock into the strut tube?

Use the BMW special tool.

but no one has one.

So use a pipe wrench.

Yeah, I got one of them off with channel locks, but the left side wont budge at all. I guess I'll just soak the fuck out of it with some penetrating oil tomorrow and bust out the 2 foot pipe wrench.

[Skafrog]

Ford K-Body strut removal tool. You have to enlarge the holes, but it will fit in the holes. Use a breaker bar on that. Go get it at autozone.

[Brew]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'm going to give the pipe wrench a shot tomorrow and if that doesn't work I'll go to more drastic measures. :evil:

[Brew]

Thanks for all the help guys, the pipe wrench did the trick.