argh, rear ball joints

[Brandon002]

Turns out it's not my ball joints, it's the other end of the integral link. The rubber is separated from the metal tube so it rotates inside causing the creak when going over bumps. Looks like integral links are getting ordered.

I'm seriously thinking of selling this thing soon. It was such a damn good car up until the brutal winter, now repairing all the issues that developed in the extreme cold has my wallet running on fumes. I should have bought another 3 series.

[Brandon002]

Turns out it's not my ball joints, it's the other end of the integral link. The rubber is separated from the metal tube so it rotates inside causing the creak when going over bumps. Looks like integral links are getting ordered.

I'm seriously thinking of selling this thing soon. It was such a damn good car up until the brutal winter, now repairing all the issues that developed in the extreme cold has my wallet running on fumes. I should have bought another 3 series.

[Ricky Bobby]

I'd always recommend doing the ball joints and integral links together as they are bolted together you shouldn't reuse the old part. And at 100k or less the ball joints will need to be replaced on our cars it's a popular wear item

[Brandon002]

Turns out it's not my ball joints, it's the other end of the integral link. The rubber is separated from the metal tube so it rotates inside causing the creak when going over bumps. Looks like integral links are getting ordered.

I'm seriously thinking of selling this thing soon. It was such a damn good car up until the brutal winter, now repairing all the issues that developed in the extreme cold has my wallet running on fumes. I should have bought another 3 series.

[Doru]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

You need to take the pre-load off the rear suspension when working on it, otherwise you will unbolt the ball joint and the pre-load will be fighting you, the wheel carrier won't hang down, etc, since the inflation of the air spring will keep it in place.

Same reason why most mechanics can't diagnose excessive rear camber issues (rear ball joint and wishbone most likely culprits) because they don't take the pre-load off the suspension first. You can deflate the air spring or just put a jack under the air spring itself and jack it up to relieve the pre-load.

+1,000,000 to what Ricky Bobby said.
I have the special press (similar to the one Ricky Bobby provided the link), and it took me 15-20min/side to press out/in the ball joints once the car was lifted and the wheels were off. It's a very easy job with that tool.
Also, when I did the alignment, it was exactly what Ricky bobby described - they didn't take the preload (did not deflate the air suspension), and even with the prybar, everything "looked" very tight, but they could not straighten the rear wheels. They said it's "normal" with BMW's. BS.
Once the ball joints were out and replaced, the rear wheels straightened out by themselves - the alignment was done to the max prior to that, and they went where they should go, with minimal camber.
On a scale from 1 to 10, I would give it a 1 or maybe a 2 - I had to wrestle a bit to line everything up as it should in order to fit the integral link & long bolt back in.

P.S: if you have more than 1 BMW, that press is a good investment. The rear ball joint is the same part for many BMW applications - I used it on my e39 as well. Exact same part.

[Ricky Bobby]

Thanks for chiming in Dorin, at the price of the special tool its really a no brainer since I'm sure someone would either rent from you afterwards or buy it off you, for $60 its worth to have the right tool for the job.

With the proper tool and perhaps a day or two prior of spraying the area down with penetrating spray to loosen everything up, the actual press in/out of the ball joints is not even the hardest part of the job, its probably wrestling with the wheel carrier to line up the integral link to get it back installed which is the toughest part.

[giodog2000]

Originally Posted by Brandon002

I'm seriously thinking of selling this thing soon. It was such a damn good car up until the brutal winter, now repairing all the issues that developed in the extreme cold has my wallet running on fumes. I should have bought another 3 series.

Time for a Honda?
Since the last time we spoke you and I (no hard feeling btw), I've put another 2K on it of infuriating fails (cv boot, front wish bone, front left link, suspension inactive problem, brake line) and mine is now for sale. I'm keeping the E70 for now but I'm thinking of selling that one also and after 8 BMW's I think I'm done with them. Now looking into Subaru for piece of mind....Good luck bro and don't think about it twice as I did , once the seed of selling it is planted , fighting it is just a bad idea. Sell it and fast.

[Ricky Bobby]

Damn gio I'd swap running boards with you before you sold it if you weren't in Canada

[giodog2000]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

Damn gio I'd swap running boards with you before you sold it if you weren't in Canada

Why does everyone want my running boards anyway RB? lol

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by giodog2000

Why does everyone want my running boards anyway RB? lol

I feel like I'm the only one lol.

They are pricey from the dealer ($700-750 for the set) so its hard for me to drop the coin on them when I have a ton of house work/projects going on, and I just bought a few things for my Triumph, as well as OEM xenon headlights for my wife's car lol. And not to mention as you know, with the repairs and maintenance our cars need, that kinda coin could get a few things done on my X preventatively.

I'm waiting on my tax return if Uncle Sam gives me one this year but I always wanted a set, I thought they made the E53 look so classy!


Sorry you had so many troubles and are selling your 4.8 man, we will miss you on here, if you are parting out (are you premier member?) why not sell some of your mods in Classifieds?