they love to watch her strut

Almost have the M5 buttoned up. After having to cut a nut off the top of the passenger side strut to release the spring and needing my American-made lightweight cheater bars to release the seized collars holding the inserts in the strut housing, I have the suspension put back into the car. Both struts were leaking a large amount of oil so it was a good thing they got replaced. I need to reattach the swaybar and do a 10-min alignment check still tomorrow, but she should drive! I sure hope this fixed the steering issue.

Here you can see where the spring left the perch. It was installed upside down I think, and somehow worked itself loose. It was under zero pre-load when I took it off the car. Didn't even need a spring compressor to disassemble the strut. Scary.

no willpower

I see beautiful things and I must have them. Sometimes it's problematic. Today's it's splendid.

trouble at the helm

The M5 is acting up. I was pulling out of the garage one morning, and heard a creak from the right front suspension. Pulled over to take a peek, noticed a squeal from the powersteering at full left lock. Everything looked legit, so I continued. Now she pulls right, hard. Like insta-lane-change hard.

I've checked everything! The right front looked towed out, so I changed it. No difference, so I changed it more. Apparently too much, because even the slowest turns yielded screeching tires. Lots of judging looks on that shakedown run. Back to the drawing board. Adjusted tow angles on both sides, all suspension components are tight. Tires all at 36 psi, all lug nuts tight, no brakes dragging.

What gives? I know this is part of owning a 20 year old car, but this one is tricky. Time to put it on the lift.

I refuse to call a 'professional.' I'm too stubborn. But I want to run this car! I had to drive on some of my favorite deserted roads on my way to a friend's house yesterday. That little wagon runs out of steam at 115. Not acceptable. Need the continent-crushing speed of the M5.

Here's a distraction, my German radio I inherited from my engineer grandfather and total gadget-geek. Classy.