Tire Pressure Decal Location

[j2002tii]

Awesome, thanks.  Looks like they were removed on mine but not placed on top.  I have really long bolts protruding on mine which I can't stand!!  Guess I have another project.  Or maybe I should just find a set and put them on top for the moment.

['76mintgrün'02]

18 hours ago, j2002tii said:

  Or maybe I should just find a set and put them on top for the moment.

 

If you do go shopping for a pair, have the seller measure their thickness for you, because the ones on my car were thicker than half an inch.  A little over three quarters, iirc.

 

It would be frustrating to find that your long bolts are too short.

 

Strut bearings are available with either long or short bolts pressed into them.  I ordered a short set, when I replaced mine, since I was taking the spacers out at the same time.  Unfortunately, I was also installing a strut brace, which meant the short studs were not long enough.

 

I tried swapping the bolts from the old bearing flanges to the new, but the knurled sections were different sizes, so they did not fit the flanges.

 

I wound up buying flange head bolts at the hardware store, but found that the heads rubbed on the spring caps, causing binding and noise.  So, I cut the heads off those bolts, leaving just the flanges.

I have since removed the strut brace, in favor of an original air cleaner; so those custom bolts are a wee bit longer than they need to be.  I am just fine with that... for now.

 

John76 has the coolest spacers, because he actually countersunk the nuts down into the spacers.  It looks really clean that way.

 

As for decals, I wish my car still had the fuse identification sticker.  That seems like the most useful one of the bunch.  I don't have the tire pressure decal either.

 

Their pressure recommendations seem a little low.  Are they for bias ply tires?

I run 28-30 psi in my 185/70 tires.  Maybe the skinnier 165 tires required a little less pressure, for a similar ride...(?)

[OriginalOwner]

mint,

 

Are those high-strength bolts, you want high-strength bolts !!  Several years ago I replaced them and read somewhere (here on the FAQ ??) that "ordinary" bolts are insufficient.

 

As for the decals, a "fix" would be to take a picture, work some PhotoShop magic, print it, laminate it, affix it into position.  But that's just my inner redneck talkin' ........

 

Cheers,

 

Carl

[j2002tii]

Thank you Carl!  I have the sticker and followed your advice since yours was put on at the factory.  It does look like they put them wherever but I went with that.  I now need to find the front suspension spacers!  Thank you all so much!  You guys are great!

['76mintgrün'02]

1 hour ago, OriginalOwner said:

Are those high-strength bolts, you want high-strength bolts !! 

 

!!!!!!!!SUPER HIGH STRENGTH!!!!!!

[OriginalOwner]

whew ..... now I can sleep peacefully .....

 

Cheers,

 

Carl

 

[John_in_VA]

On 10/6/2017 at 4:15 PM, j2002tii said:

Looks like they were removed on mine but not placed on top.  I have really long bolts protruding on mine which I can't stand!! Or maybe I should just find a set and put them on top for the moment.

 

Cut or saw the extra length off & cap them with some nice acorn / cap nuts.  No sense in spending $$ for spacers unless you're using them as originally intended.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mike Self]

On 10/6/2017 at 4:09 PM, Glen Karr said:

The rings you see around the shock mount were originally on top of the struts.  In 1974 the US mandated a bumper height rule.  To meet it BMW added the spacers to the top of the struts.  Some people, like me removed them from the top of the struts to drop down the front end about 1/2". 

Actually those rings were added as early as 1969 (not sure about the '68s) for US spec cars, as my '69 came with 'em.  They were placed between the top of the strut housing and the car's body shell to meet the Federally mandated minumum bumper height requirements that first occurred (I think) as of 1 January 1969.  

 

What happened in 1974 was that in addition to height requirements, the Feds mandated a 5 mph bumper--resulting in the heavy, forged aluminum bumpers on US squarelights.  After removing 'em, a lot of folks simply place them atop the strut mount for extra reinforcement and so the now overly long studs don't look so funky.

 

mike 

 

 

[02Les]

8 hours ago, mike said:

Actually those rings were added as early as 1969 (not sure about the '68s) for US spec cars, as my '69 came with 'em.  They were placed between the top of the strut housing and the car's body shell to meet the Federally mandated minumum bumper height requirements that first occurred (I think) as of 1 January 1969.  

 

What happened in 1974 was that in addition to height requirements, the Feds mandated a 5 mph bumper--resulting in the heavy, forged aluminum bumpers on US squarelights.  After removing 'em, a lot of folks simply place them atop the strut mount for extra reinforcement and so the now overly long studs don't look so funky.

 

mike 

 

 

Actually, these washers/rings were not just on US cars, but also Euros (RHD & LHD), and, including E3 and E9 models.

Methinks they were installed for more than just bumper height.

[j2002tii]

Mike, I think you are correct.  They would add more structure and strength.  Much like a backing plate.  That is one of the reasons why I like them.  Not that the cars really need them because these cars have been running without them for decades.  Also, so many cars have the strut braces which would do the same thing.  So if anyone out there is looking to sell, I would be a buyer.  Not a bad discussion for something that began as a question on a tire pressure sticker.  I have been around these cars since 1970 and I love to learn all that I can.  I have had in excess of 25-30 of these cars (12 at one point when I was a kid.  My parents driveway looked like a used car lot!  My mother was not happy!) in my life but I always learn something about them.  Thank you so much!  

Edited October 8, 2017 by j2002tii

[halboyles]

Just to add some detail/confusion to the spacer issue, here is what the parts manual has to say on the subject.

[jgerock]

My 73tii has the same tire pressure and emissions decal placement as the Inka tii picture posted by Steve [Conserv].

 

I think someone must have removed the front strut spacers from my 69..none present when I took the car apart.

[Conserv]

22 minutes ago, halboyles said:

Just to add some detail/confusion to the spacer issue, here is what the parts manual has to say on the subject.

 

So this is saying that outside the U.S., the spacers are a “2002 sub-model” thing.  OK.  Someone here can explain why...

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[Conserv]

29 minutes ago, jgerock said:

My 73tii has the same tire pressure and emissions decal placement as the Inka tii picture posted by Steve [Conserv]....

 

So without any facts to back it up, I wonder if the similar placement on Glen’s ‘74 tii is simply a carryover from this earlier placement and, during the ‘74 model year, BMW said “This is ridiculous to be applying the tire pressure sticker virtually on top of the EPA-mandated tuning sticker.  Let’s find a new spot.  Hey that hood looks wide open for stickers!”

 

Prior to 1972 (1971?), the EPA tuning stickers were smaller and there was, consequently, a bit more space for the tire pressure and tuning sticker to co-exist.  Not so in 1972 through 1974.

 

Or....there was even less assembly line planning for these stickers than I’ve imagined here.... ?

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

[j2002tii]

The parts manual picture says it all!  Thanks!