Thrust arm bushings.

[X5chemist]

Go ahead and replace the ball joints. $23 for Moog. Replacing both parts on mine stopped brake shudder. You'll need a T50 socket. Tap it in. Bolts are not very tight.

[andrewwynn]

T50 for aftermarket ball joints; OE will be E torx and if the pressed in type like my '01 a total bitch to remove. look and see if the bolts have T50 or E10. If T50 (replacement) they should be ready to remove.

The E10 (possibly E12) of my original the inside bolt head twisted off on both sides. I had to drill out the old bolt.

[X5chemist]

Bolt ball joints with bolts will come off easy. For leverage, use the thrust arm if not being reused. First remove the ball joint bolts. Next, loosen the big inner thrust bolt. Take the suspension weight off. Remove the wheel. Remove the inner bolt and use a pry bar to drop the inner thrust arm. With it down, if the ball joints does not come down freely, whack the arm. Use the arm for leverage. Both ball joints with bolts on mine dropped freely.

[Russianblue]

Originally Posted by Blowout

I have 2 thrust arms that have been sitting in the garage for years and now time to install them on a 2003 X5. What did you use to pop the thrust arm off the ball joint? I hear that's the toughest part of the job and why I haven't done it yet.

FWIW, here is a video I made myself 7 years ago. WITH the free autozone puller.

it barely fits, but it fits. you have to finagle it a bit to get it in place. Whenever someone says it won't work, i have to go back and look at my youtube video to make sure I'm not crazy, lol!

https://youtu.be/AcfmMqWxUPw

a number of times I've had an assload of tension on this puller....thinking the tool or my wrench is going to break and I've whacked it and whacked it with a BFH 20 times and worn myself out. then i take a 5 minute break, get some water, and then it comes out on the very first whack after that. really odd.

but that's how i do em now. i put mid to high tension on that tool. whack it really good about 2-3 times. then wait 5 minutes. whack it one more time.

lots of variables here though obviously. no rust and no salt on the roads here.

[X5chemist]

Peeps may not have the tools in my garage. If it's pressed in or stubborn, a long barrel air hammer does wonders. Especially on rivets. A long wide or round punch and 4 lb hammer work too.

[Blowout]

Originally Posted by Russianblue

FWIW, here is a video I made myself 7 years ago. WITH the free autozone puller.

it barely fits, but it fits. you have to finagle it a bit to get it in place. Whenever someone says it won't work, i have to go back and look at my youtube video to make sure I'm not crazy, lol!

https://youtu.be/AcfmMqWxUPw

a number of times I've had an assload of tension on this puller....thinking the tool or my wrench is going to break and I've whacked it and whacked it with a BFH 20 times and worn myself out. then i take a 5 minute break, get some water, and then it comes out on the very first whack after that. really odd.

but that's how i do em now. i put mid to high tension on that tool. whack it really good about 2-3 times. then wait 5 minutes. whack it one more time.

lots of variables here though obviously. no rust and no salt on the roads here.

Not sure how you were able to hold the camera that still while wrenching at the same it. You didn't even drop the bushing end first to get more access to the knuckle. I'm surprised that tool fit with all the posts I've read in the past. I would have done this a long time ago if I'd known....



The tool I picked up should have some advantage with leverage compared to the type you used. I need all the help I can get these days having torn both rotator cuffs. Hopefully there won't be much drama and can always get my son to provide more muscle if needed.

[Blowout]

Replaced the thrust arms without any difficulties using the Amazon tool. I did have to open up the forked end with a grinder to make it fit. Didn't take long to modify it.

It looks like these thrust arms may have been replaced before.There was a hole in a plastic piece that gets in the way when you try to remove the bolt holding the bushing in place. The hole allows a socket extension to be used and the bolt to be removed from the front bushing.














The rubber bushings on the old thrust arms were cracked and I could move the thrust arm around just using one hand. These were over do to be changed.

[andrewwynn]

I've got access holes cut on both sides to access those front bolts.

[Blowout]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

I've got access holes cut on both sides to access those front bolts.

Interesting... On the passenger side there was nothing in the way when extracting the bolt.



Driver side it looks like a squirrel chewed a hole in the plastic to get access to the bolt head. It sure didn't look like a factory job.



As a follow up, the wife says the steering is much more solid now. In the past she would comment on it being sloppy and I kept checking the steering pump fluid. I had changed the steering fluid lines and thought it might be associated with that, but glad to find out the problem is fixed by replacing the thrust arms and bushings.

[Attacking Mid]

I just replaced these today and have a couple notes to mention.

First, that duct that someone whacked a hole in to get access to the bolt on the driver's side is only held in place by two screws and a plastic rivet. No need to make a hole.

I was replacing the ball joints, so I just removed the torx screws and took the ball joints out attached to the arms. Once out, I just whacked on the end of the ball joint threaded part a few times and it fell out easily.

I saw where several people used hacksaws to slice through the outer wall of the bushing in order to remove it. I found it much easier to just push the old bushing down until flush, then push the inner rubber portion down maybe 0.5" just for clearance. Now you can use the new bushing to push out the old one. Plus, the new bushing is installed at the same time.





AM.