Front Control Arm and Alignment?
 

Hello all,

I was wondering if this bushing on the Front Control Arm would cause Alignment shop to not be able to do a front end alignment?

Yea, that bushing looks shot. They wouldn't be able to get consistent numbers every time they try to recompensate the car on the rack.

It depends on what is out of alignment. With that said, those are common failure bushings.

Thanks for the reply guys. We have lifetime alignment on this car. I took it in a few months back to get front and rear alignments. I left it there all day only to get a call late afternoon that they couldn't because the front bushings were shot.

I just did the upper/lower rear control arms and carrier bushings since the car sqeeked so bad. Noise is now gone but now that rear needs an alignment. It was also the first time I looked at the front end to verify the alignment guys statement.

Front tires are wearing fine for now. Gonna get the rear aligned tomorrow and order those front end control arms. Never ends with this X5 :thumbup:

I'm installing polyurethane right now and yeah that bushing is beat to heck and doesn't owe anyone another mile of service life, IMHO. And yeah, that would make an alignment that would hold true nearly impossible. Too much flex at every acceleration and deceleration.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/VH...w=w668-h890-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2w...A=w668-h890-no

Mike

Nice, where do you get those? Can you use the old control arm and press in those bushings?

I got them off Ebay. They are PowerFlex knockoffs at 1/2 the PF price.

Yes, you reuse the arm, press out the old and press in the new.

Mega PITA pressing in the new PU bushing to get the large edge through the arm.

I am guessing that a newer PF design is a two piece/sandwich affair :dunno::dunno:

Mike

I'm using Meyle HD front bushings with good results. Got 11,000 miles on them now and working great. It's a cheaper option (and more compliant) to the PU bushings depending on your goals for the vehicle.

How are you guys pressing them out? I do have a harbor freight press and a bearing press set as well.

The X5 is my wifes car so not sure if I need to PU's on it. Just a bit overboard for her. Neat idea but yeah kinda pricey.

These ones?

BMW E53 E83 X3 X5 - 2 Premium Polyurethane Front Control Arm Bushings 04-10 | eBay

Ah now I got it. Just use your new bushing to press out the old and in with the new. Love Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpa9RJ7iEfQ

Yep - straight forward task if you have your own press. Just did mine recently (used Meyle HD bushings).

Hardest part is getting the control arm out of the car. You need a ball joint seperator for the wheel end of the arm and I had remove what seemed like half the damn car to get at the bolts on the bushing end. Lots of Tupperware inthe way.... :rolleyes:

Yes, those are the ones!

My mechanic had to shave a little of the face off at an angle to get that bushing to press in. It was just mushrooming in stock form with a 20 ton press until we decided to shave one side to make somewhat of a funnel shape to get the insertion going. Being careful not to touch the back lip/raised edge of that insertion side to allow that lip to perform its function of holding the bushing on that side against the metal arm edge.

If you can figure out how to press them in shout shaving it, please let us all know.

My guess is that a newer (and likely more expensive) design may be a two piece affair like I've seen on some other PU bushing designs in images.

Mike

Having a "pickle fork" or ball joint separator handy is a good backup plan. My driver side came apart with a few whacks with a BFH and impact extensions.

The passenger side required a BJ separator AND massive propane torch heat on the arm at the joint to free it up.

:dunno: :dunno:

Mike

The trick for installing 1 piece poly bushings?

Use a 1/2 x 13 threaded rod/nuts/large washers to "pull" the bushing into the bore (with silicone spray).

Pushing them in is like trying to get toothpaste back into the tube!

Thanks TiAgX5!

That's a great trick!

Mike

Ughhhh. I was hoping that front control arm was an easier job than the rears. Control Arms really wasn't that bad, except I removed a bolt that I should have and had to remove the spring to relieve tension on the drivers rear to get it back in.

Here are more of my experiences that I posted in another thread:

Heat in the form of a propane torch on the tension strut at the ball joint combined with my Harbor Freight http://www.harborfreight.com/media/c...mage_12294.jpg

popped the arm free from the ball joint.

Then removing the ball joint was a real joy as well. Heat around the spindle area surrounding the joint with generous PB Blaster followed by impact extensions and whackings from my BFH persuaded it to release. Thankfully the E12 torx bolts removed easily without damage. (pre-PB Blasting probably helped).

Another mega PITA was the ABS wheel sensor. This was totally corroded into the bare steel of the spindle, even though the sensor housing is plastic. I removed the wiring harness from the frame and when the spindle was finally removed was able to back tap it out with a drift punch without damaging the plastic.

Cleaned all the joint openings with a wire brush and applied liberal doses of anti-corrosion product for reassembly.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xr...A=w668-h890-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xa...Q=w668-h890-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7E...Q=w668-h890-no

Put a new seal in the differential and waiting for drive shaft and front suspension parts to arrive today.

Will battle the driver side tomorrow and maybe a piece of Saturday. Will also change the front diff fluid since the drain plug, I believe, is only accessible with the skid plate out of the way.

The skid plate will rotate nicely out of the way to enable the inner CV joint whack to remove from differential by leaving it dangling from one bolt. Then when you want to work on the other side, dangle it from the opposing front corner bolt.

Also, completely removing the steering knuckle/spindle from the strut and attaching arms is really a short cut way to get at the bolted in ball joint and probably corroded in ABS sensor. :dunno: :dunno: It worked for me. :dunno:

I also use liberal doses of anti-corrosion spray and wire brushing of all the mating surfaces to ease any future disassembly, although I use the "touch it once" standard so that I'm not back in there in my lifetime with the vehicle.

Mike

OMG! Ha ha. Just got back from the alignment place. I was way off on my settings after the rear arms replaced. Anyways, told them to give me an installed quote for those front arms. I wanna see if it's worth it to let them do it or DIY. From the pics, not looking forward on this DIY :wow:

Every vehicle is different. Most just pop off with no "extreme" measures required. Plan on one weekend, get your tools, clean dry working area, organize your work area, turn on the tunes, snap on the extra work lights and get to work.

Roger that. Still no word from the quote. Eff it. Will do it myself. Here is my alignment readings yesterday.

Big improvement

As I just buttoned up my front suspension refresh I began thinking and making a plan for maybe next month doing the rear suspension components.

Hopefully get an alignment appointment for tomorrow.

Saw a video last night where a guy used a conventional ball joint press to remove and install the rear lower ball joint.

This is what the guy in the video used: https://youtu.be/dhxOoXSqqos



http://www.harborfreight.com/media/c...mage_26697.jpg

$60 at Harbor Freight with coupon Ball Joint Service Kit for 2WD and 4WD Vehicles

All the other components look pretty simple and since I have air bag suspension, I'll be able to deflate the bags and work without fighting the massive spring :dunno: :dunno:

Don't waste your money on the ball joint kit from Harbor Freight. It will not work on the X5. The way the rear carrier is made doesn't allow enough room for the tool to seat properly. Believe me, I tried that tool first.

This is the tool you need: https://autoplicity.com/9235446-baum...joint-tool-kit

See the the flat part? That allows it to clear the bolster on the carrier that keeps the Harbor Freight tool from working.

Or you can search around some more on Youtube, there's one on there from a guy that made his own tool out of steel pipe and flat stock welded together with part of the side cut away to provide that clearance.

Thanks for the heads up on the HF tool.

Oh man, that $300 price is killing me!!!!

Will keep looking before I tackle it.

Thanks,

Mike

I know $300 is steep. I couldn't find one to rent anywhere around here. After struggling with the Harbor Freight POS for over an hour I said eff it my time is worth it. Took 10 minutes per side with that tool to remove and install new ball joints. Amazing how things go when you have the right tool. Figure I'll sell it after I do the wife's X5.

I think you should go into the $50 ball joint removal tool business. Take $300 via PayPal and refund $250 when the tool is returned to you!

Or maybe I'll buy it and go into that business? :rofl: :rofl:

PS: put me on your list of prospective buyers to PM when you are ready to "Let Go" :thumbup:

Mike

Take a look at the CTA ball joint tool before you go down the Baum path. Just used one to do one of my E39s
CTA Tools (CTA8692)

Unfortunately, the E39 wheel carrier is just a little bit different than the E53. The universal tool will work on the E39 but not the E53.

The c-clamp tool is a PITA to use. I bought the same balljoint tool that baum sells but for 1/3rd of the price.

BMW E38/E39/E52/E53/E60/E61 Rear Axles Bush Removal Installer Bushing Tool | eBay

Make quick work of the rear balljoints. Pushed the old ones out and the new ones in like it was nothing. I bought it after struggling through removing one side with the c-clamp.

I'd be willing to loan it out if someone doesn't feel like buying it.

That's great Joshdub!

I'm going to keep you in mind when I tackle my E53 rear suspension makeover. :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Damn! I wish I'd found that before I ordered the $300 Baum version.

That is the same as the CTA tool. Works great