How to change rear shock absorbers on a BMW E91

In this video you will see how to replace the rear shock absorbers by yourself, on a BMW 3 series E91 (Touring). It's not very difficult but getting the inside trims off can be tricky.
I tried to give you as much information as I could, that's why the video is fairly long.

[@ndisie912]

Thanks for this, there's very little videos out there for e91 owners, great job.

[@fab-b9818]

No worries, hope it can help a little ;¬). I did a lot of E90 videos on my french channel but I haven't had time to translate them...

[@capitalexotics]

Best thorough video on this replacement! Keep it up, I’ve ordered my 2 rear shocks and I’ll be using your video as a guide! Great work! Some hero’s don’t wear capes!

[@fab-b9818]

Thanks ! Glad you appreciate. Good luck with that job, notcomplicated but annoying for the trim part in the boot 😒.

[@capitalexotics]

@@fab-b9818 about that trim tool, sorry kind of just getting into the DIY on mine. Is it just called a trim tool, or does it have a particular measurement? Also, do you have a full list of tools you used for the job? Thanks for the help!

[@fab-b9818]

I think they're just called trim removers, but I'm not familiar with tool names in english, most of my videos are done in french on my other channel. You'll need a jack, jack stands, a torque wrench if possible, female E Torx sockets if I remember well, some flat wrenches... but I can't remember everything.

[@_physicist_]

Дякую велике. Сьогодні амортизатор вискочив верхньою частиною у салон. Навіть резинка злетіла. Ми з дружиною шукали що стукає… А потім я зрозумів. Дякую велике за детальний огляд проблеми. Віка Вам та здоров’я!!!❤

[@kingb7080]

Great video. Installing my new shocks today. I bought them with all the mounts pieces 😊.

[@mms16mms16]

Excellent diy! Extremely detailed and helpful- also very impressive production quality. Thank you.

[@fab-b9818]

Thanks ! I do my best to make it clear, but it's not always easy 😅. Cheers.

[@ericahrendt489]

I know this is an older video but thank you for taking the time to make it. I am starting this job and there is very little info on removing the trim on the wagon.

[@southyjd]

Could not for the life of me remember how to tighten the bottom nut as it was spinning till I saw this video. Thank you

[@brianbridox6685]

Thanks a lot! Today i replaced my rear shockabsorbers on my e91 by myself with your video.

[@sten-akemaatta880]

Thanks for a good discription. I tried for 2 hours and didn`t figure out how to do. Now it will go smooth.

[@fab-b9818]

My pleasure, hope you'll manage without too much trouble.

[@extremeillyricumaeroclub5871]

i was searching for this video since 1.5h , thank you very very very much, best regards from Albania

[@50sorrowC]

Thanks a lot for the detailed video! I am ordering all the parts and will be replacing the back shock absorbers with the help of a friend.

[@johngraham6506]

Thank you for doing this. You made it easy to follow, so easy, I can do it! I will be doing mine this weekend and thanks to you I just went ahead and ordered all new mounting hardware. It is worth the $100 to just use new stuff. My car has 125k miles and lived in Germany, I am sure I will encounter some rusty nuts and bolts. Leave it to BMW to make the hardest part - removing the interior trim bits. My only recommendation? Next time please use jack stands! Seeing that jack as the only thing holding up the car made me terribly nervous! 🙂

[@andyparsons9902]

Excellent video tutorial I have stripped out my interior which you say is tricky, I am awaiting the parts to replace my rear shocks and mounts. Thank you for taking the time to share the video.

[@fab-b9818]

Thanks ! My pleasure 😉

[@vincentagius2657]

Fantastic video. Helped me today change our dampers and mounts etc.

[@mylozgreat5401]

Usually I wouldn’t write any comment, but not this time. Very very nice video. You deserve a nice garage. I know few mechanics with all fancy tools and gadgets but much less knowledge and patience. In a few days I need to change all 4 on my e91, and I will need to strip it down so he can replace them without breaking any part of the interior. Anyways, enjoyed the video!!! Cheers!!!

[@adrianrandall2395]

This is a great video. The cover above the seat belt is easily removed by inserting a screwdriver under the plastic cover and carefully and sharply pushing upwards as you wriggle it. It’s and easy job and this guy has mailed it . Quite simplel

[@fab-b9818]

Thanks Adrian 😉 ! And thankyou for the precision on how to remove the cover. Cheers.

[@3Cmortgage]

This was a great video! Thank you so much!

[@roberttennyson6572]

Very informative. Thank you for saving me from the stealership!

[@victormalin2782]

Excellent video, told me everything i needed to know. Many thanks. 😃👍

[@vassy3533]

Very useful video, thank you.👍 I'd recommend to anyone changing these to order bump stops (including the cup washer) and top and bottom mounts as well.

[@stewarthunter8470]

Totally agree, I just changed my rear shocker yesterday but the bottom mount totally corroded so had to order the part. Now I've got to do the same in again in coupe of days just because I'd not ordered the mounts. It saves time and money in long run so replace all at same time.

[@jamescoupland131]

Can you guys tell me where I can buy the mounts from? Much appreciated 🙏

[@stewarthunter8470]

@@jamescoupland131 Hi, eBay. I did mine the other month (E92) and got top & bottom mounts as well as new bump stops as the others were shot. I have bottom mount left (ended up with 3) and the part no. on it is 33526768544. Just put that number in eBay and loads of parts come up (does in UK anyway)

[@jamescoupland131]

@@stewarthunter8470 thanks for that appreciated it!! 👍

[@markbaldwin4436]

Thank you, great instructions on removing those interior panels!

[@fab-b9818]

You're welcome, it maybe wasn't to clear but it's not abvious how to go on about it.

[@AH83594]

Thanks for the video. I took the side cushions of the rear seats to pop those covers easily out 👍😊

[@fab-b9818]

My pleasure, and thanks for the tip 😉.

[@AndersCandell]

Thanks! Cushions pop of relatively easy and you can reach the clips, even the one in the back although the idotic construction of that makes it hard anyway.

[@447za]

Very good DIY video with detailed info!

[@fab-b9818]

Thanks, happy to hear that 😉.

[@purplelove55]

This was so helpful, thank you so much.

[@fab-b9818]

Great. You're welcome !

[@gordonaddison435]

Thank you for your video, really excellent.

[@GTFour]

So useful, thank you!

[@Tio.Maicon.oficial]

Very good video, congratulations.

[@mohlomphimalatji6598]

Thanks for the diy tutorial

[@velvovorel9163]

Great video!

[@HUANES1]

Dzięki wielkie biorę się za robotę 😁👍

[@mortalwomble]

fantastic guide! Thanks for this.

[@fab-b9818]

Thanks ! My pleasure 😉.

[@Rob-hp1il]

This will helps me a lot. Well, the e91 is not the smartest engineered Car . Greets from Germany. Thanks so much!

[@fab-b9818]

Perfect 😉 ! Indeed, not the easiest car to work on but still, you can do a lot yourself. Hi from France 😁.

[@Sunwoodz]

GREAT JOB!!! I have to say. Thanks a lot bro...

[@fab-b9818]

Thanks ! My pleasure 😉👍

[@swright6784]

Great video, much appreciated!

[@fab-b9818]

Thanks ;¬).

[@xistolas7841]

Thanks mate... very helpfull

[@remcotenvelde8512]

tanx fore the video!good to know what the hard part is :) ill order my parts now

[@fab-b9818]

You're welcome. Wish you good strut replacement ;¬).

[@mikesalkeld4465]

Great explanation! Thanks. I have to do this job including springs...tomorrow 😐

[@fab-b9818]

Thank you 😉 ! Hope it went well !

[@mikesalkeld4465]

FAB-B I changed the springs at the same time. They were tricky to remove but the whole job went well. I should have got the new bushes for the top of the shocks though, as they had degraded quite badly. I saved £800 by avoiding my main BMW dealer 👍🏻🙂

[@fab-b9818]

You did well to change the springs, I changed only the shocks but the springs were new since one of them snapped while I was on holidays ! Great saving, better things to do with that money 😉.

[@munro12345]

Thanks for making the video for the E91 - really good detail. One thing that does bother me though that all car fixing videos seem to do is: When it comes to a difficult part such as removing the trim at the rear seatbelt at 9.40 the video shows the part in place then cuts and it has been taken off! I really wish you had kept the camera on to show exactly how you did it. I know you explained but I would rather watch it. Sorry for this slight moan about this small part - the rest was excellent :)

[@fab-b9818]

Hi, you're welcome for the video. I didn't show it because I didn't know how long I'd have to wiggle the trim before getting it off. It's not my style to make it look simple when it's not but in this case I really didn't have any precise advice to give so a part from being maybe comical to see me have a hard time, it wasn't a sequence to keep. Good luck if you have to do the same ;¬).

[@cmS_media]

Thank You very much. Great job, very smart guy ;D

[@fab-b9818]

My pleasure Christian, Thankyou 😉 !

[@brackwansha1]

great video thanks

[@DDM1200]

Very Very Good Video brother more please

[@fab-b9818]

Thanks ! Will do my best to do some more ;¬).

[@emusp]

I just changed my rear shock absorbers on my 2010 E91. I agree on the plastic covers are pain in the A.. but found that it's easier if you begin with the single plastic clips near the seat belt and then the big plastic clip. Otherwise it's a really easy job.

[@fab-b9818]

Good job. I'll try your way next time ;¬).

[@grozdandimitrov8735]

Great job thank you very very much bro

[@fab-b9818]

Thanks, my pleasure 😉.

[@Groot80]

Very nice job tnx

[@fab-b9818]

Thanks 😉.

[@claudep8890]

Merci 👍 très utile surtout pour enlever les caches plastiques à l’intérieur

[@FabB]

Avec plaisir 😉 ! (J'avais la même vidéo en français kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGLXgaSEn5eIg6c)

[@claudep8890]

Ton anglais est excellent!

[@mrmajestyk9949]

Your English is very good

[@fab-b9818]

Thanks :¬) !

[@gabighinea2336]

Excelent...bravoooo!!

[@fab-b9818]

Merci Gabi ! J'ai plus de vidéo sur ma chaîne française si besoin kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGLXgaSEn5eIg6c

[@killip4635]

Thank you!:-)

[@ammarsadeq3478]

Thank ya man ... the upper metal cups are not possible to buy them online, I got them from BMW 8€ per one. Thanks again

[@fab-b9818]

You're welcome ! In Europe I found a place where you can buy them online but otherwise you have to get the from BMW.

[@MrThomasMagnumPI]

Great video, changed rear absorbers 2 weeks ago by myself, this video was very helpful. Changed the fronts too, but mechanic did them for me. How were your front absorbers? I saw you unmounted originals. I presume the fronts were bad too. I didn't have any problems with the interior trims, but thanks to you. I did them by prying with the big flat-head screwdriver from sides and front. Thanks again.

[@fab-b9818]

Thanks ! Glad it helped. My front right one leaked so it was time to change them, and since a rear spring snapped, I prefered to change them all 😅.

[@agostinodipisa7693]

Bravo👍

[@youonlyliveonce5576]

Thanks for the video! Can I replace the springs just from underneath without removing interior panels? Cheers

[@fab-b9818]

My pleasure 😉 ! Yes you can 👍.

[@sukdick29]

11:55 if you were wondering when he was going to start

[@mcba]

Thanks for this video, it was huge help when I did my rear shocks yesterday after one of them failed completely (it basically burst, having corroded through!). If it helps anyone, my car is a 2006 E91 M-Sport (so different suspension to the standard model) and I fitted Bilstein B4 shocks, (PN 19-135052), BMW top mounts (PN 33522406280), and the BMW dust cover/bump stop kit (PN 33506773628). I didn't have too bad a time with that awkward piece of trim, although one of the double clips sheared off on one side which was annoying. The one mistake I made was that I hadn't bought new lower mounts, which turned out to be in bits. Had to make an emergency trip to a parts shop and ended up buying Topran parts.

[@fab-b9818]

You're welcome, glad I could help out. i also had a rear spring that snapped while driving when I was on holidays... Thanks for sharing your experience and even if you had to put a cheap lower mount, better that than the old ones !

[@jacobgreen3891]

hi can you tell me what size the thread is on the top of the b4 i have the same shocks on order and need to know the size to order top mounts but i cant find if they are 10mm 0r 12mm thanks jake

[@mcba]

I will try to deduce it but I can't easily measure it as everything is back together. I can tell you now that the BMW part I listed above has the right thread for the B4s.

[@jacobgreen3891]

mcba got a reply from a supplier its 10mm! Thanks for the reply man

[@Toni-do7cg]

Please help me , on BMW 320d E91 how to remove the long part interior ? Please I try everything

[@erkanuyar7096]

Perfeckt👍

[@okantarakci3674]

17 mm and E12 socket i need for bottom right ?

[@TheBenjiBiz]

Any idea if this process the same for the M-sport version? (minus the part numbers etc)

[@fab-b9818]

I think it will be very similar if not exaclty the same, apart from the parts.

[@frazzle657]

17:11 what is that circular thing at the back of the hub? There's one Infront as well it's longer but I don't know the name of it and mine have rusted through and need replacing but I don't even know what they are for or the name of it. Please help

[@fab-b9818]

It's a heat and dust shield to protect the parts behind 😉.

[@PritchyTurbo2000]

is that an E17 socket needed top and bottom?

[@fab-b9818]

Can't remember, don't I say it in the video ? I usually do.

[@aggebagge8119]

SELLING A BMW INDICATOR BEARLY USED! now when i got your attention: You need a 16mm spanner and a 6mm socket for the shockabsorber top. 17mm long socket for the bottom bolt. 15mm spanner to hold the bottom in place if it starts to spin. screwdriver for the clips tx40 for the hooks behind the seats for lashing items. tx small like 25 for 1 screw on the side fold down seats remove the boot lids, remove the clips remove the sides closes to the opening now you can "fold up the sides, put in a 2x4 wood to keep it up. remove that lid and voila you are in. a little tricky getting the sides in place after but its not hard. just get inside the boot.

[@mattedouard6759]

Je savais pas que tu était bilingue fab 😜

[@fab-b9818]

Haha, now you know 😁.

[@anka0123]

Good video but bad quality on the BMW. 12, 500 km only. Same thing happened on my 325i e91 -07 at the front after 15,000 km... My Volvo is now on 22,000 km and is still on it's original parts

[@pbonfiglio8932]

What springs did you end up going with?

[@fab-b9818]

Standard Monroe at the rear and Sachs at the front.

[@pbonfiglio8932]

FAB-B I ordered Sachs for the shocks. The coil springs in the rear I could only find Genuine BMW. Came across Lesforjos and a few other brands I hadn’t heard of

[@kaelanburke2097]

Ughhh I stripped that e bolt at the lower shock mount xC ffs

[@Toni-do7cg]

In the video it has already removed

[@brycesnell6071]

Is this car an xDrive?

[@fab-b9818]

No, just rear wheel drive.

[@brycesnell6071]

FAB-B alright. It wouldn't change for a xDrive would it?

[@fab-b9818]

I've never been under an Xdrive so I can't tell you for sure. But it's probably very similar if not the exactly the same.

[@deejarvisful]

More time removing the plastic trim than replacing the major suspension component?.... yep that's also my experience of BMW ownership. Lovely car, but hilariously over- engineered. Some of the engine clips and fittings are simply ludicrous, and totally unnecessary. I used to be able to take my Saab apart with a 10mm socket and my bare hands.

[@fab-b9818]

HAha, it's always good to j^know we're not the only ones having a hard time 😅. Good to know that Saab is easier, never got to work on one yet.

[@deejarvisful]

Rear shocks successfully replaced on my 330D. Thanks for the vid, it was a real help! :D

[@fab-b9818]

Great ! Glad I could help !

[@pdfico]

Not to be that guy but WD40nis not a penetrating fluid. Facts

[@fab-b9818]

You want to say it's a water dispersant right ? Yes it is, but it's also a good penetrating fluid. Even if I wanted to say the contrary it helped me out many times with seized things so I'll keep using it for that.

[@Damian-qi2kj]

Haha...

[@andriuspal]

Too much talking. Doesnt exactly showed how removed plastics