Touring Strut Housing Size

[roguetoaster]

Before Sept 89 production 318i models have the 45mm strut housing, which is annoying. Technically, it is a late model, but BMW decided to put the smaller struts (which only came on M10 E30s in the US) on M40 powered tourings. All other tourings got the 51mm struts.

[cory58]

I believe it's 4 cyl vs. 6 cyl, not touring vs. other E30. Check RealOEM. I think you will see that tourings with M20 engines have the same (larger) strut housings as USA cars. The 4 cyl tourings have smaller struts.

Cory

[markpopaj]

Just picked up my 1989 318i touring last week and started to change the struts on it for some Konis. I read on the forums that the late model E30s were equipped with the larger strut housing, but when the 51mm strut was definitely not sliding into the strut housing once I had it off the car. Ended up just putting the springs up front, and now I'm trying to exchange the struts.

Can anybody else confirm that the tourings have a smaller strut housing?