Just replaced sway bars - with photos - Page 4

butundo · #31 03-10-2009, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tony77ca

This might be a dumb question but the sway bar links are located at the front, am I right? Thanks.

These are in the front, but there are links in the rear also. I haven't heard of anyone having issues with the rear links, plus they are very expensive compared to the front links.

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X5girl · #32 03-10-2009, 04:10 PM

You will never, ever have a problem with the sway bars. They are simply metal bars. Nothing to wear here. The sway bar drop links are the only item that fails and this is because the balljoit in each end wears and then gives enough play to rattle. Once this happens, regreasing will not recover it and a new pair should be fitted. Changing these has absolutely no effect on wheel alignment so there should be no concern about an alignment being done, even removing and installing a replacement sway bar will not affect alignment.

Uprating the roll bars greatly improves handling but this is a performance replacement rather than a necessary service item. There are sway bars both front and rear, and hence drop-links front and rear. Sport models already have an uprated rear bar, a good mod for a non-sport model.

The only other wear item is the rubber sway bar mounting bushes which deteriorate with age and can be replaced with better polyurethane bushes. These are normally good for at least 80000m but are cheap enough to replace and enjoy the more accurate location offered by the poly items.

X5girl · #33 03-10-2009, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cowboynj

I've replaced the LF control arm and brakes and still it shakes like a crack addict in withdrawal. It happens at 50mph or so.

It's not the track control arms that need changing, it's the thrust arm bushes!

X5Girl, xxx

XCinq · #34 04-14-2009, 06:32 AM

Excellent. Just replaced mine yesterday and what a difference it makes. I would never have guessed it was that that was making all that noise.
Great information helped by the pictures. Thanks.

By the way I could not get hold of a thin 18mm spanner so I bought a cheap standard 18mm one and ground it down to make a thin one !

tonycajjo · #35 04-14-2009, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XCinq

Excellent. Just replaced mine yesterday and what a difference it makes. I would never have guessed it was that that was making all that noise.
Great information helped by the pictures. Thanks.

By the way I could not get hold of a thin 18mm spanner so I bought a cheap standard 18mm one and ground it down to make a thin one !

nice. i made one from duplicate 15mm flat wrench that i had from the days of working on bicycles. i opened it up to fit. alot of bicycle tools are flat and i have used them on this X

X5Bill · #36 10-03-2009, 11:38 PM

Hi guys, On the topic of sway bar links, I just bought a set from Max at OEMBimmerparts.com...I have not put them on, because while inspecting them and reading the forum, I discovered that all my other ball joints were dried out, or the rubber boots...anyway I took my trusty grease needle poked a hole in each one and shot some fair amounts of grease in them, now I have no more clunks, can't get it to clunk...before I could not hit the brake or a bump without the right side sounding like it was going to fall off...now I am not saying that the problem won't come back, but so far it is nice and quiet and I did not do the sway bar ball joints, since I have new ones to install..Stay tuned!

X5girl · #37 10-04-2009, 06:58 AM

Thats good news that re-greasing has temporarily cured the noise. I fully support you in doing this BUT the grease has just packed out the area that is worn, muffling the sound. You will still need to replace the offending joint at some stage soon. The ones that are fine will certainly appreciate the grease you have put in them.

BTW, there are now polyurethane bushes available for the inner lower track control arms now. Have not tried them yet but if I do get one fail, I will replace both with these. I am very happy with the poly thrust arm and subframe bushes, they have transformed the car.

X5Girl, xxx

BMWX54.4 · #38 10-04-2009, 10:07 AM

mine broke. like completely came apart and i was driving like that for bout 3 weeks. ill take a picture of my old one tonight

Seabass · #39 10-05-2009, 12:42 PM

Is there any diagnostic check that can prove that my sway bar end links are toast?

My X definitely doesn't drive as smooth as it used to. I suspect the end-links but can I prove it before I buy replacements? I squeezed the rubber boots and they feel empty. If they contain any amount of grease, I'd expect that you could feel the grease inside. Can anyone confirm if new ones feel different than old ones?

butundo · #40 10-05-2009, 01:15 PM

No diagnostic check, except driving and listening for the clunks when hitting bumps. At $40 for a set, it is worth replacing them even if you are not sure that is the problem. If they are the originals, and the car is a few years old, it will be worth the chance. And yes, there should be grease inside the boot. Are the boots dry rotted or cracked?

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