Suspension, Timing Belt, Axle, Shifter...

While the original owner did a fantastic job of keeping up with the repairs and maintenance in a timely manner for this iX, it still needed some attention in both departments.

First, the front suspension had grown a bit mushy.  The control arms and bushings were fine, but the struts were no longer doing their job, as BMW intended.   The rears were fine, but from what I've read and experience, the Bilstein HD with stock springs were the way to go.  Plus I was getting an intermittent clunking up front when hitting uneven pavement patches.

The shifter bushings were very worn.  It shifted fine, but the 'spring back' to center position action was gone.

Also, it has been 8 years since the timing belt was replaced, even though it had only been 30k miles. I noticed the thermostat wasn't letting the car warm up adequately, probably stuck open.

So I scheduled an appointment at Paddock for them to help me with these issues, because why break tradition with where this car has been serviced with over the last 20 years.

Once they unbuttoned the front end suspenders, they realize the strut HOUSINGS were rusted as were the front springs.  The housings are rare and I supposedly got the last two available in the country, at $700/each.  Ouch!  Springs were about $90 each. and the rears were fine.  Control arms good.  Sway bar bushings fine.  Strut top bushings not fine.  Rear shock mounts needed replacing.  Bilstein HDs all around.  Stock ride height retained, which is optimum for snow conditions.  Also the front left axle needed to be rebuilt.  A rebuilt unit was sourced.  $180. 

Shifter not only needed new bushings but the rod that engages the coupling at the manual transmission housing was wallowed out and both items needed replacing. The coupling is available, rod not.  So Paddock welded material to thin rod and then lathed it down to perfect fitment into coupling.  

Exhaust had to be removed to get to that rod

Timing belt, thermostat, water pump, all hoses, all belts, cap, rotor, all replaced.

While it was there I had all the best wheels of my nine switched to the all season tires and the crappy wheels switched to the snow tires.

While the bill was large, the results were too.  This car now drives about as solid as a mostly stock 25 year old E30 really can.  The suspension choice of going with Bilstein HD in this model really does work exceptionally well.  Enough that I slide right out of the stock BMW comfort seats in a turn!

All buttoned up!