control arm bushings?

[Bentleyboy]

The job is easy to do laying on your back with a jack in the driveway, even using a pickle fork it only took me a couple of hours to replace both sides control arms, I bought the new arms with bushings installed 119.00 each and no mucking around pressing out old bushings unless you have nothing else to do. Also dont over look the obvious cause of steering wheel shimmy under braking - WARPED Brake Discs, but mine was caused from the arms, replaced both the upper and lower and it is like new now. Also just did the rear suspension upper link arms, 2 on each side, that was a bit harder but fixed my rear wheel camber problem.

[Riggodeaux]

Bentleyboy, that's my next major project [the fronts]. Did you need/use a ball joint removal tool? I'm rotating tires today and will inspect, but I know I need the full set of front arms/bushings/ball joints and am trying to assess the size of the 'throat' needed in the tool to pop the ball joints; ECF, for one, sells two sizes, and the cheapie at Harbor Freight, throat only 3/4", I'm told is too small.

[upallnight]

Update: Received the bushings today. They are NOT for the thrust arms. They are for the upper control arm.

The bushings that they sent were labeled PSB not AST and they were made in South Africa.

Will be returning them for a refund.

[upallnight]

Originally Posted by Riggodeaux

Bentleyboy, that's my next major project [the fronts]. Did you need/use a ball joint removal tool? I'm rotating tires today and will inspect, but I know I need the full set of front arms/bushings/ball joints and am trying to assess the size of the 'throat' needed in the tool to pop the ball joints; ECF, for one, sells two sizes, and the cheapie at Harbor Freight, throat only 3/4", I'm told is too small.

The control arm, not the thrust arm requires a large ball joint separator to remove it.

[X53Jay4.8is]

Originally Posted by TiAgX5

Jay from Southlake has those "3rd World" BMW HD bushings. Just met him in person this morning, saw a black 4.6is with Dinan exhaust that was heading the same direction, pulled in when he stopped for coffee. Nice guy!

Tis true I went with the "package protection bushing". So far great, we will see what happens over mileage and time.

[upallnight]

Got the right bushings for the thrust arms and got them install in my thrust arms. You need a hydraulic press to get them in and you need to get one side in first before the opposite side will snap right in.

Here's a video (not mine) on installing the bushings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DES16QO9ds

Bushing was 65.00 plus free shipping and they appears to be similar to the Powerflex black bushing, not their Purple bushings.

May post picture of the arm with the poly bushing when I have time.

[TiAgX5]

The Powerflex Blacks are around 30% stiffer then the purples. So stiff that they are split (each half is pressed into arm).

These are "track use only" recommended.

https://www.powerflex.co.uk/road-ser...ush/11572.html

[upallnight]

The bushing is not a split bushing, but is a one piece bushing. I think if they had made it a split bushing, it could have been installed in the arm without a press.

Hopefully they will last until I sell or trade the X in.

[RFaber]

I did my front tension strut bushings without a "press" I used a couple sections of pipe, and a vice!
I did buy a press shortly after though! but just sayin, the job can be done with out a press

oh, and +1 on the Meyle bushings, no problems with any of their stuff!

[OregonDude1]

Brought the X5 to the alignment shop as I replaced the rims and tires recently plus the front end felt loose and clunky during quick stops.
The tech indicated the fluid leaked out of one of the tension arm bushings with visible movement and the other side was on its way out and one of the control arm ball joints was loose.

Decided to replace everything on the front suspension and ordered a 10 piece Lemforder kit from FCPEuro. Went with Lemforder as these are identical to the OEM parts and have used them in the past on other BMWs that I have owned with no issues. I have also used Meyle parts on an Audi A4 and experienced premature failure (worn after ~30k) as others have reported.

About 125k on the chassis so I was due for needing a refresh of the front suspension parts...