Suspension bush replacement - attempt 2!

[cavx5]

great thread..thanks for all your hard work...

[X5girl]

Originally Posted by bongo

this is the thread i've been searching for.
thanks alot for taking the time to take us through it step by step,and with pics!
do the rear sub frame bushes have to be put in to face a certain way towards the front, etc?
i'm sure i read something along those lines.
thanks again

No, the rear subframe bushes have an upper and lower part but there is no front/rear/left/right inclination on the Powerflex bushes. I believe the standard ones may have so that they fall to bits quickly in just one direction.

Insane to fit more of the same rubbish!

X5Girl, xxx

[omodos]

Originally Posted by X5girl

Well, I have now had the poly bushes in a week and I am thrilled. I had a small concern early on in the week when I found a shake at 110-120mph which was not there before.

I checked my tyre pressures, wheel torques and hubcentric rings and all seemed ok. So then I had the wheel balance checked and voila!

front wheels 35g and 45g out.

rear wheel 175g out..............ye gods!!! Other rear 60g out.

Got all rebalanced properly and she is as smooth as silk again.

VERDICT: The new bushes were mounting the rear subframe far more securely allowing the severely unbalanced rear wheel to transmit shake through the car.

Overall, the car now steers and handles better and is much quieter. I am very pleased.

X5Girl, xxx

get no knocks or shaking but could my camber not being adjustable be caused by this?i adjust had the camber and the toe goes nuts, and vice versa..should adjusting one throw the other out?

[X5girl]

You have seperate adjustments for toe and camber. You must set the camber first and then the toe. Adjusting the camber will affect the toe but not visa-versa.

X5Girl, xxx

[admranger]

Originally Posted by X5girl

You have seperate adjustments for toe and camber. You must set the camber first and then the toe. Adjusting the camber will affect the toe but not visa-versa.

X5Girl, xxx

+1

[omodos]

ta for replies, ahhh yes i remember now, the guy adjusting both camber and toe had both bolts undone, he adjusted my camber to take out negative camber and the toe went out of range, i think with the toe adjusting bolt fully tightened he was not able to take out as much camber...have hijacked this post but this was the issue camber was adjusted to where i wanted it (i.e as near to 0 as poss) and toe went out...so he had to find a happy medium, anyway i must have some bent worn component as he said too, but could not be pinpointed by him.....

[SkidmarkX5]

Outstanding DIY Post X5girl!!
I am in the middle of this right now.
DOing the Powerstroke bushes in front (Both Arms)
I would love to acquire a set of those adjustible Link rods. Please do share where to find them!!
Thanks
SkidmarkX5

[loobie]

Any tricks on pushing in the powerflex thrust arm bushings? Ive hit a dead end...

[SkidmarkX5]

Well, I used a service press (shop press) that I purchased from Harbor Freight for around $100 deliverd to my front door by UPS. These are all Made in China knock-offs so you are getting what you pay for. In fact I needed to bend a few parts to this press while I was assembling it. But, at the end of the day, It does what it is designed to do.
I seem to recall greasing that bushing up pretty good & had to use a little finesse to punch it through. No other way to get this job done really. Or take it to a machine shop & pay to have them press the bushing in.

6 Ton Shop Press - Shop Presses - Garage & Shop

You will like the way that car handles with those bushings in there. A little stiffer ride but it was not soft to begin with anyway.

Best to ya,

SkidmarkX5

[X5girl]

You should be able to press the bush in with a large vice, then fit the central tube afterwards. DO NOT use grease as there needs to be grip between the arm and the bush, use some liquid soap instead that will dry out.

X5girl, xxx