gettin ready for shocks and springs

[marshtgrade]

so as the title said im preparing for my first time swapping shocks and springs into my 88 325i cabrio(with some help) i got some used H&r sports cabrio specific and some used billy sports picked up for a good price. the shocks are just the shocks themselves no hardware or anything included. looking online at the shocks new they come with some nuts, and other stuff and im wondering WHAT IS PHYSICALLY NEEDED FOR THIS SET UP? (other then the shock and spring itself.) WHAT IS WORTH REPLACING WHILE IM IN THERE? (OE OR AFTERMARKET)
iv searched high and low:yawn:

[e34john]

Might want to change your mounts.

[marshtgrade]

alright found a bunch of write ups on changing mounts. as i said in my first post, the billy sports i picked up used didnt come with any of the things listed in the description on the website. what do i need to complete this? new self-locking nuts? what about the "collar" thing? Do i need the flashy blue boots to cover front shocks? im confused on what "throw away hardware" im gunna need as well as what i can deal with re-using from the current set up

[jlevie]

If the car has OE (or equal) shocks on it now you will absolutely need the gland nuts for the front struts. You should also get new self locking nuts for both the front and rear shocks. I Believe you should be able to reuse the the washers. But do get new upper strut/shock mounts.

[marshtgrade]

If the car has OE (or equal) shocks on it now you will absolutely need the gland nuts for the front struts. You should also get new self locking nuts for both the front and rear shocks. I Believe you should be able to reuse the the washers. But do get new upper strut/shock mounts.

she is completely stock. like grandma stock, car phone included. so 4 self locking nuts and front and back strut/shock mounts? Worth spending more here on something aftermarket or should i look for a new oem part?

[bastianshaw]

do the control arms while your at it

[BergerNJ]

do the control arms while your at it

inspect your control arms first....check the bushings and the ball joints...if the ball joints are split or cracked then yes do the control arms....

if they are not cracked/worn, just refresh the bushings...

edit- find pictures of e30 control arms on parts websites and you will see right away what to look for.

buy a Bentley guide like I did...and start reading the sections of work you want to do...like for me I wanna do an entire suspension refresh, my pads are amazing but my rotors are worn so Im getting my self comfortable with that section as wells o when the time comes I am ready for it....I'm completely new to this, but I wanted this undertaking and I wanna learn, so I purchased the Bentley and its currently on my desk right in front of me with like 2 bookmarks in it

[marshtgrade]

the list goes on

this is my list for ghetto suspension upgrade for my vert

i have billy sports wit no hardware. for these i need
1.gland nuts
2. 4 self locking nuts


1.rsm
2.camber plates in front
3. gc coilover conversion kit

anything else u guys can think of that i should add to list to handle while im in there never done suspension before so i dont wanna get caught without the right parts half way done. btw the car is a 88 325ic and has all stock suspension probably never changed in the life of the car

appreciate any advice