M3 strut won't fit my 325i

[redhatpat]

I thought all e30 struts were interchangeable including the e30 M3 into a regular 90 325i. (except for the very early smaller struts)

I have a pair of Boge m3 strut inserts (I was told) but they didn't fit in the strut housing when I went to swap them in.I had Tokico HZ3091 struts in there (totally blown, as usual) from when I bought the car. The m3 strut's bodies are about 1/4" longer than the Tokicos and the top of the strut sits outside of the housing so I couldn't get the cap to thread back on. Width was fine.

The m3 strut measured exactly 17" and the only markings on it were:
1 0201 32 381A
BOGE
2 225 397 2

Can anyone identify this strut? Is it really an e30 M3 strut? And finally, if so, why the hell is it longer than the Tokico strut? Does it need an M3 specific strut cap?

[e9nine]

Strut gland nuts are specific to the struts not the cars. For e.g. I cannot use my Koni gland nut with my Bilsteins or stock blown boges. Have you tried swapping them?

G.luck

[redhatpat]

Do you mean I have to use the "gland nuts" from the m3 struts? Damn, I didn't get those - only the inserts. I'll have to contact the guy I got these from. Hope he still has them. Do you happen to know if they'll fit a 325i strut housing?

[e9nine]

Sadly I cannot tell as I don't even know what those blue tokico things are by model or looking at them. I will take a look at my old strut housings for you I think I might have the old gland nuts. No promises though. PM me if the guy can't get them for you.

I have never seen a case of gland nuts being interchangeable and typically you sell/buy used struts with gland nuts as part of the purchase for future reference. I have had to swap tokico, boge, bilstein and Konis and never seen them share the same gland nut. Along the same lines - I have NOT been through all the models of shocks/struts all these manufacturers make either.

[R3xTrash]

gnar

[AdamF 88iS]

The stock gland nut is the same on M3s and 325s and will work with Koni's for sure.

They will not work with Bilstiens, and I'm not sure on Tokico.

[e9nine]

I stand to be corrected as I thought it was the other way around. I have forgotten which has the bigger shaft koni vs. Bilsteins as it's been a while

[redhatpat]

That means the stock gland nuts won't work with Tokicos then, as their strut is shorter and sits down in the strut housing 1/8" where the stock one sticks out about 1/8".

[matt]

That means the stock gland nuts won't work with Tokicos then, as their strut is shorter and sits down in the strut housing 1/8" where the stock one sticks out about 1/8".

True. You just need the stock nuts.

[browntown]

You just need the stock nuts.

im sorry, I watched too much BEAVIS & BUTT-HEAD in my youth.