I have now completed the installation of the polyurethane rear subframe bushes, front thrust arm bushes and the adjustable front and rear sway bar links.
I have taken a lot of pics and sorted them in an appropriate way to show the install but they mey well swap from side to side or in a strange order to tell the story better so please bear with me.
Firstly, we jacked the car up on one corner,
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...ig8bmw/1-1.jpg
supporting it securely with an axle stand.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/1A.jpg
We then cracked-off the wheel bolts and removed the wheel.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/2.jpg
Next you can see the bushes in situ, look fine don't they?
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/3.jpg
The rear mount supports the rear silencer and this now requires removal.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/4.jpg
Trade secret next, if you don't wish to remove the entire rear end of the exhaust to do the bushes, heat up the exhaust hanger pin and bend it out of the way!
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/5.jpg
Now remove the 2 bolts holding up this side of the subframe and as the frame lowers......oops, that bush looks worn,
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/6.jpg
in fact it is in 2 seperate bits! At just 50,000m and it looks like its been like that for a while.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/7.jpg
So here we have the subframe hanging, good pic of my anodised alloy hub centric ring there too!
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/8.jpg
but we just need a little more clearance so in goes a lump of wood to hold it down as we gently lever the frame lower.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/9.jpg
Lots of penetrating spray around the bushes both front and rear, and leave to soak for a few minutes.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/10.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/11.jpg
Next we use the special bush tool to pull out the remains of the old bush.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/12.jpg
Half had already just fallen out! Using a spanner on the bottom we wound out the casing of the bushes.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/13.jpg
And this is all that was left.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...ig8bmw/13A.jpg
Next you see the bare tube of the subframe at the front
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/14.jpg
so we repeated the procedure for the rear.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/15.jpg
The replacement bushes are installed simply by hand
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/16.jpg
and then lubricated with special grease before installing the center tube/spacer.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/17.jpg
The original washer is refitted on the top of the bush.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/18.jpg
Here you can see that this washer must locate on the shoulder of the tube
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/19.jpg
which must be fitted shoulder end up to locate with the washer
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/20.jpg
between it and the chassis locating tube.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/21.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/G.jpg
We used pipe grips to push the tube through and locate with the washer.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/22.jpg
With both front and rear subframe bushes now installed with the upper washers located on the tubes
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/23.jpg
We removed the timber wedge and jacked the subframe up slowly to locate on the subframe pins and get the lower washers fitted and the subframe bolts started by hand.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/24.jpg
The subframe bolts can now be tightened and torqued to spec.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/25.jpg
The previously "adjusted" exhaust hanger can now be bent back into position and the hanger mount refitted to the rear subframe mount lower washer.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/26.jpg
We then lifted the car, removed the axle stand, refitted and torqued the wheel and proceeded with the other side . Install both bushes by hand
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/27.jpg
Exhaust hanger "adjusted" to clear again.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/28.jpg
Grease upper bush
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/29.jpg
Followed by lower bush
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/30.jpg
Insert alloy tube, shoulder side up
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/31.jpg
pushing it fully in
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/32.jpg
If too tight to do by hand, it can be safely levered in
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/33.jpg
until the tube shoulder can be clearly seen
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/36.jpg
at which point the upper washer can be correctly located
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/35.jpg
and the lower washer and bolt refitted.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/34.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/37.jpg
again tightening up and torqueing to spec.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/38.jpg
finishing off by refitting the exhaust and hanger.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/39.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/40.jpg
and thats how we fitted the rear subframe bushes!!
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/41.jpg
and these are what we fitted from PhoenixMotorsport
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/A.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/B.jpg
the shorter bush is the top bush to allow installation without further lowering of the subframe
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/E.jpg
Here's an old and new comparison.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/F.jpg
And so onwards and upwards to the front. We replaced these split front thrust arm bushes
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/CC.jpg
With these new polyurethane bushes from Phoenix.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/C.jpg
Together with these new H/Duty adjustable roll bar drop-links.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/D.jpg
Here we can see the offending standard thrust arm bush installed
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/F1.jpg
We undid the pivot bolt at the front of the arm
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/F2.jpg
and undid the lower balljoint nut and with some gently persuasion with a chisel, seperated the arm.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/F3.jpg
With the help of a small press, we pushed out the old bushes from the arms
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/F4.jpg
Greased the new bushes, here we used copper grease as the bushes were a development set which we needed to be able to remove again later without damege, for the correct installation, USE A LIQUID SOAP here and use the copper grease supplied on the central pin. NOTE that the production bushes are thicker around the shoulder than these pre-production/development ones we used here.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/F5.jpg
Before pressing them in the arms.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/F6.jpg
Here we see the arm with the new bush fitted
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/F7.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/F8.jpg
The front of the arm is now refitted back into the chassis
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/big8bmw/F9.jpg
refitting the pivot bolt and torqueing to spec.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...ig8bmw/F10.jpg
completing this install by refitting the lower balljoint nut and tightening to spec.
Next it's the turn of the droplinks, not rattling yet but replacement imminent sooner rather than later. Here you can see the stock link in position
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...g8bmw/F10A.jpg
For the initial install, the 2 links were set to the same length until the suspension has settled. Here the links are loosely fitted. To remove any bar preload, lift both sides of the car together.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...ig8bmw/F11.jpg
Each end balljoint of each link is now tightened whilst the center section is loose. The center section is now tightened with the 2 lock nuts whilst each end balljoint is square to its attachment.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...ig8bmw/F12.jpg
The car can now be lowered to the ground and the same repeated for the other side.
To adjust the drop links properly, drive the car for a while to allow the suspension to settle properly. With the car on the ground, disconnect one end of one side drop link. Now get the driver to sit in the car. Depending on which link you disconnected, the link will either be too long or too short to easily refit. Now adjust that link so that it fits smoothly onto the roll bar again. Re-lock it to that length as before with the 2 locknuts and thats it all done, front roll bar correctly pre-loaded for that driver. Do exactly the same with the rear adjustable drop-links and the job is done.
PHEW!!!
X5Girl, xxx
