Front-end clunking sound when going over bumps
 

My 2002 3.0i X5 is making a clunking sound when going over bumps at any speed or steering angle on the driver's side (I can't tell if the passenger side is doing this as well). I've had the CV joint replaced on that side about a year ago - maybe it's coming loose? :dunno: Any ideas experts???

one of the stablelize sway bar link is going south.get it check or replace it DIY.;)

Yea, this is usually the swaybar end-links.

+1 ON THE LINKS CHEAP TO FIX YOURSELF!!

Thanks guys for the replies! I'd just like to make sure I have the correct part. Are you referring to item number 7 in this diagram? It's identified as either a right or left swing support, part number 31356750703 or 31356750704. Do I have the correct part identified? :confused:

yup #7. Pair of those chopsticks.

LOL! I'll make sure when I stop by my Indy I tell him I need a pair of chopsticks for my X5! This should be a very inexpensive repair since he only charges $75/hr and the links cost about $70 total for both. Thanks for the help guys and I'll post to let you know how things go! :thumbup:

Just got the X5 back from the Indy and it feels like I'm driving a brand new car. You guys were 100% correct, sway bar links were bad (mostly on the driver's side) so I had both replaced and the noise is completely gone. $161 total repair bill - not bad at all! Thanks for the assistance guys!!! :thumbup:

you welcome.
:thumbup:

Awesome!!!!

Hmm, I have the same sound. I'll check out the DIY and FUP on the boards. I thought it might be the shocks. '02 3.0i E53, 116,000miles.

So I'm curious, the picture you posted looks like it's from www.realoem.com. They quote some low prices yet have no links on the site to order from them . Checking other online retailers of BMW parts yields higher price quotes. Where'd you get the parts?? :banghead:

My Indy purchased from our local BMW dealer for $76 for both and charged me $85 to install. Did you check with your local dealer for a price? I think my Indy did get a discount which in part was passed onto me. Let us know how things work out for you! :thumbup:

Thanks for the DYI post guys. Just put a pair of chop stix on mine and the noise is gone. Still have a vibration when braking at higher speeds in the steering wheel, on in the brake pedals. Noticed when doing the sway bar links that the wheel can be moved back and forth a bit while on jacks. Sound like symptoms of bad control arms and or bushings?

i get a low clunking noise coming from the passenger front wheel.. ONLY when i go over very small bumps/uneven road... (no clunking over larger bumps, or when turning, or when breaking)
yall think its also the sway bar links? is there a way to test it? (visible damage? feel them? pull them?) just wanna be sure thats what it is before i replace them.
thanks!!

It's hard to test for movement in the link while the beast is up on jacks as you need a load or weight baring down on the suspension. There's a 98% chance that the sway bar links are the culprit. Given that probability with the cost (40-70 bucks for the pair), and the great DYI write-up, I'd just replace them. Worst case scenario, you'd have new links (which would have eventually failed given the written track record). My 2 cents (which cost the government about 10 cents to manufacture).

so i squezed myself under the beast while its on the ground and tugged on the links, left one was tight, right one moved up and down slightly... success! unfortunatelly i also discovered that my left front outer cv boot is torn! :( looks pretty recent.. so hopefully there is no inside damage, im no mechanic but ill try to replace it with the DIY.. any tips for the process? any advice is appreciated.
thanks

I'd replace both sway bar links while you're there since the other one will fail sooner or later. As far as the left outer CV boot is concerned, as long as you do not have the dreaded click-click-click or scrape-scrape-scrape sound, then you most likely have found the boot torn before your CV joint was damaged by sand/water, etc contaminants. If that's the case, then use the DIY for the boot replacement, otherwise, replace the whole half-shaft as I did in the past with my local indy. Good luck, let us know how you make out! :thumbup:

took a look at the DIY, too much for me, dont have some of the tools needed.. bearing puller? :) found a bmw mechanic that does side jobs on evenings, he changed my left outter boot and right sway bar link for $225 parts included. so im satisfied.
thanks for the support!

Very good, glad everything worked out for you! Sounds like you got an excellent price on the work and didn't have to dirty your hands! :thumbup:

Not a bad price. Glad everything worked out. Happy motoring

sarunas4 and photonic were you getting the clunking noise mostly on rough road surfaces?, cobbled roads?I get it too not on speed humps or cornering or highway, just bad quality road surfaces......hmmm I am to guess that these rods must be load bearing in some way?can they catastrophically fail and get me in trouble as I have not yet attended to issue?or do they just affect handling becuase of the role they play with the stabilizer(uk english I guess) -sway bar(u.s)?thanks

Hey, Mostly i got the noise from just driving on slightly rough roads.. hitting very smalls bumps, small, shallow pot holes. I cannot answer your question about them failing because I am not a mechanic. From what i understand its just the rubber wearing out around inside the holes, so with time they will probably just wear out and make even more noise, but i dont think they will fail since theyre surrounded by steel.
Anyways, theyre not that expensive and since diagnosed it and changed it myself (and im not a mechanic like i said) the whole process was cheap. It's not hard. You dont have to to lift the car or anything just take the wheel off...

I joined X5world for posts just like this! Mine is doing the same and it is good to have some education before going to dealer. If this is what ails my X, then it's a DIY - great news. Thanks to all the posters who have done the repair and posted their work.

Sarunas thanks for the reply, most people have suggested the car being lifted with no weight applied to the front wheels as if you only jack up one side and take the wheel off the weight of the car applied via the sway bar to the link you try to take off makes it difficult…anyone out there try taking it off with the car only jacked up on one side and wheel removed?

"sarunas4 and photonic were you getting the clunking noise mostly on rough road surfaces?, cobbled roads?I get it too not on speed humps or cornering or highway, just bad quality road surfaces......hmmm I am to guess that these rods must be load bearing in some way?can they catastrophically fail and get me in trouble as I have not yet attended to issue?or do they just affect handling becuase of the role they play with the stabilizer(uk english I guess) -sway bar(u.s)?thanks"

If the vibrations/clunking noises are due to bad sway bar links, I don't believe a failure would be catastrophic but all bets are off if the clunks are due to bad CV joints....inner or outter.

As far as the questions concerning jacking it up on one side and pulling of the SBLs.....based on my experience, it's next to impossible. Jack up both sides or throw a jack stand on the center 'jack plate' in the front of the vehicle.

thanks photonic..i only get clunk on rough roads
 

Photonic thanks for the reply fella,

I don’t get any clunkng clicking or vibrations when driving on flat surfaces/cornering or going over speed humps, or up and down kerbsides, the cv boots look intact also. But like most of the comments made here I get the noise which can be described as a clattering/clunking noise only on moderately rough roads, similar to someone under the wheel arch with a sack full of cuttlery having a party.

I will keep in mind the points about the car having to be jacked up and hence no weight on the front suspension in order to remove SBL , only question is, is there a bolt head on the back of both ends of the SBLs? I have felt around the back and it feels like plastic???

Indeed there is a bolt at the ends. There's a great DIY on this site. Follow this link. http://www.xoutpost.com/articles/x5/s...-link-diy.html

Does anyone know if this is an easy DIY job? I am having the same problem and I wish my mechanic would have fixed this when I took it in to get the wheel bearing on the passenger side replaced, but he didn't. I hate to take another day off work to get this fixed and am wondering if I can do this in an evening.

Apparently so ....the DIY threads are not complicated just need some flat wrenches. My mechanic took less then an hour to do both, so......
I didn't do them myself because my garage floor is tooooooo damn cold still.

YMMV depending on your tools/equipment.
Using air tools makes this a fairly simple procedure.
Read the DIY referenced by Photonic above.

This is a 5minute job....... :popcorn:

Hmm.. I get a TON of squeaking too.. but I'm hearing from the rear end not front end.. guess I'll have the shop take a look at the swaybar

Trooper,

Very easy DIY. Make sure you have a tourqe wrench . Tighten the nuts securely then tourque the nuts with the wheel on the ground. I did mine in one afternoon, approximately 1 hour each side.

Hey Guys,
I'm having this problem, but the sound is only coming from the drivers side. Do I need to replace both sides, or is it okay to just replace one side? Also, should I go aftermarket, or buy from BMW parts store?

Go aftermarket. Try partsgeek.com or Ebay.

Just replace the one that's got play.

awsome. thanks. i will do it this weekend. love this forum.

Hi,
Anybody got away with just tightening these?not that I wont buy em if I need to, but father in law to be will attempt to jack up front end and have a go at tightnening the bolts up....

FEBI Sway Bar End Link Left Front part 31 35 6 750 703

part is 17.00 here each side that is.

I changed my front sway bar links at the weekend in about 1.5 hours taking my time,easy job.:thumbup:Just noticed how old this thread is!

Bump, just in case you're having the same problems!

Replaced passenger side 6 months ago and today i noticed it was starting again. Maybe it could be tension strut bushings. Does the 3.0 have these? I read where someone replaced these.

Yes it does. You should replace the suspension components in pairs. SO you will prbably need an overhaul with those many miles if they have never been changed before.

List:
Tension Strut
Wishbone
Tie Rods
Wing Supports
Ball joint to tension Strut