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  #1  
Old 08-04-2023, 10:37 AM
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Subframe Bushing Tool -

A few questions for the brain trust -



If I don't want to buy a cheap chinese version of this tool off Ebay or Amazon, would you expect a tool that would work to be available at my local NAPA for rent?



Secondly, does anyone have one they're willing to rent me or sell me?


Thirdly, should I replace the three differential bushings while I'm doing this, or are they not really accessible without dropping the subframe?



Planning on doing both giubos, front driveshaft preventative maintenance, and subframe bushings all at once. Any advice is appreciated.
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  #2  
Old 08-04-2023, 10:46 AM
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I've got a brand new Kommen subframe bushing toolkit. I *plan* on only using it a few times, myself...would entertain renting it out, for sure. Not sure what's fare...maybe $50 + shipping both ways <$100, total? Tool set was $300. Let me know what you think. It's a bit heavy, but still in shipping box.


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  #3  
Old 08-04-2023, 02:05 PM
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Not to get in the middle of anyone's rental business, but I got an amazon one for $58 and it's fantastic. I've used it for the subframe bushings and I've also used pieces from it to press out wheel bearings. Still going strong and definitely a worthwhile purchase. Just pointing it out!

Both my subframe and rear diff bushings seemed pretty solid, but since the subframe bushings were a relatively easy job, I went ahead and did those. I skipped the diff bushings and the rear end feels very solid on my car. I have 105k miles now.
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  #4  
Old 08-04-2023, 02:15 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LA02MAX View Post
Not to get in the middle of anyone's rental business, but I got an amazon one for $58 and it's fantastic. I've used it for the subframe bushings and I've also used pieces from it to press out wheel bearings. Still going strong and definitely a worthwhile purchase. Just pointing it out!

Both my subframe and rear diff bushings seemed pretty solid, but since the subframe bushings were a relatively easy job, I went ahead and did those. I skipped the diff bushings and the rear end feels very solid on my car. I have 105k miles now.

Ha! My rental business is like 4 hours old, so don't feel too badly! I have not used this tool yet, nor performed this job yet, but when I researched prior to purchase...it sounded like the least cumbersome as far as removing bushings whiteout dropping subframe at all. I have no experience with the lesser expensive tools, but at least my perceived value of this one and since I would be performing two subframe bushing jobs (130k and 185k) I wanted confidence in a quality tool. This one is often out of stock and after a year of stalking it from Kommen, Baum, and a few other e-commerce pages - I finally pulled the trigger! I just hope Powerflex isn't going to be a mistake!


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Old 08-04-2023, 04:16 PM
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X2 for the a cheap tool off of Amazon for this job, assuming you don’t go the rental route. I used a cheap one and had no tool-related problems doing my subframe bushings. I traded it away for something or another from another BMW guy as I’ll likely never need it again, or I’d lend it to you
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Old 08-04-2023, 10:47 PM
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Old 08-05-2023, 12:33 PM
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I bought one of these on Amazon, I think, a couple of years ago. Worked GREAT.

So I don't think you need to get a $$$ one. The main thing about this tool is that it's the right size, etc., and a cheap one specific to the E53 should be able to do that.

But it is a very specific thing, and I don't think there is any way a general purpose tool rentable at your local store would work.

I'm in SF Bay Area, California. If you want to come by you can use it for free, even in my driveway, and I'll even help!!!

I have a posting on here somewhere about the process for when I did it. Found it:

https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/...ml#post1206909

But it weighs so much, that it would be cost prohibitive to try to ship it anywhere. I don't know how those Amazon and eBay sellers or anyone else can afford shipping, but I sure can't ship anything for a reasonable price.
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Old 08-07-2023, 09:36 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ajacks8 View Post
I've got a brand new Kommen subframe bushing toolkit. I *plan* on only using it a few times, myself...would entertain renting it out, for sure. Not sure what's fare...maybe $50 + shipping both ways <$100, total? Tool set was $300. Let me know what you think. It's a bit heavy, but still in shipping box.
Thanks for the offer -- I may take you up on it. But let me plan out the project first and find a weekend when I can get it done. I don't want to rent it from you and then sit on it for two months while I wait for time to do the project, that wouldn't be very nice of me.

It would be nice to have my own set, but I don't think this tool set is useful for a whole lot of other things, and I'd rather not send any money to Winnie the Pooh and the chinese communist party if I can avoid it. I'm definitely in the boat that I'd spend a little extra to not buy Chinese or even Amazon anymore, which seems to be the distribution arm for the cheap chinese knock-off industry.



Quote:
Originally Posted by oldskewel View Post
But it is a very specific thing, and I don't think there is any way a general purpose tool rentable at your local store would work.

I'm in SF Bay Area, California. If you want to come by you can use it for free, even in my driveway, and I'll even help!!!

But it weighs so much, that it would be cost prohibitive to try to ship it anywhere. I don't know how those Amazon and eBay sellers or anyone else can afford shipping, but I sure can't ship anything for a reasonable price.

Thanks Oldskewel -- I won't bother trying to call around to see if any stores have the tool then. I am on the left coast, but not anywhere near SF unfortunately, otherwise I'd take you up on it!

On the subject of shipping, from what I understand, Amazon and other E-commerce retailers have gotten the USPS to subsidize their businesses such that shipping is much less expensive for them than consumers. I've noticed, being an occasional ebay seller, that getting the USPS shipping label through ebay is easily half the price or less of going to the USPS kiosk. A lego set my kids didn't want that I tried to return was going to cost $38 to ship back to Indiana. It was a $100 set with free shipping, so do I really believe Lego paid $38 to ship it to me? Not a chance. It wasn't like that 10 or 15 years ago. Neither here nor there, but it's something I've noticed in recent years that really ticks me off.
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  #9  
Old 08-07-2023, 09:53 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bdc101 View Post
Thanks for the offer -- I may take you up on it. But let me plan out the project first and find a weekend when I can get it done. I don't want to rent it from you and then sit on it for two months while I wait for time to do the project, that wouldn't be very nice of me.

It would be nice to have my own set, but I don't think this tool set is useful for a whole lot of other things, and I'd rather not send any money to Winnie the Pooh and the chinese communist party if I can avoid it. I'm definitely in the boat that I'd spend a little extra to not buy Chinese or even Amazon anymore, which seems to be the distribution arm for the cheap chinese knock-off industry.






Thanks Oldskewel -- I won't bother trying to call around to see if any stores have the tool then. I am on the left coast, but not anywhere near SF unfortunately, otherwise I'd take you up on it!

On the subject of shipping, from what I understand, Amazon and other E-commerce retailers have gotten the USPS to subsidize their businesses such that shipping is much less expensive for them than consumers. I've noticed, being an occasional ebay seller, that getting the USPS shipping label through ebay is easily half the price or less of going to the USPS kiosk. A lego set my kids didn't want that I tried to return was going to cost $38 to ship back to Indiana. It was a $100 set with free shipping, so do I really believe Lego paid $38 to ship it to me? Not a chance. It wasn't like that 10 or 15 years ago. Neither here nor there, but it's something I've noticed in recent years that really ticks me off.

Sounds good. I plan on having the tool forever, but am HOPING to have it used once in the next few months if I can make the time. Feel free to reach out and we’ll coordinate rental option if interested at any point. I’ve been shopping a lot on Pirate Ship. I paid $230 to ship 4 doorcards to Omaha from Atlanta last month using Pirate Ship. Lowest retail price I could find was like $410. Pirate ship just leverages bulk buying power, then skims a little to profit, but still offer significant savings through UPS and USPS! Thanks for responding to rental offer and for keeping it in mind!
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