Suspension Preventive Maintenance
 

171,000 on my 2011 35d and just replaced the front wheel bearing assemblies because one of them was making noise and replaced the front sway bar end links at 160,000 but they were fine. Instead of waiting for other suspension parts to fail, in your experiences, what other suspension parts failed that I can now replace before a failure? Just want to be proactive and will be doing the work myself. It would be nice to compile a list of suspension parts failure by the average miles it takes for them to fail so others can consider this.

I no longer have a DPF/EGR (since 100K) so that whole emissions level of issues are of no concern for me.

I contacted BMW USA and the latest driveshaft recall doesn't pertain to me unfortunately.

I just ordered the rear wheel bearing assemblies and I'll replace those next.

Thanks!

Lower control arm, 103k, started growling at the ball joint on bumps or shift in weight.

Tie rod, bit of play at inner joint 103k.

Check http://www.bmw-rp.com/ with your vin to see if the driveshaft is listed for your vin. I had it done last fall.

Thanks Rob. I'll order those parts next. For the driveshaft, I typed in my last 7 digits of the VIN but that's a repair reimbursement. I haven't had the repair done. I'll try to find a page that shows if mine is covered under the recall.
Thanks again.

Thrust arm bushing. This is in the lower control arm, where it attaches to the frame.

When I typed my VIN, it also says reimbursement for in-tank fuel pump only. But my car is currently at the dealership for airbag and fuel pump.

Did you get a letter in the mail?

Try this site to check for recalls http://www.bmwusa.com/recall
This is where i saw the driveshaft one and have the airbag one still pending


But the ones that are warranty extensions, like scr active tank don't show up there.

It is usually my preventative maintenance course of action to replace all front suspension components on my BMW's @ between 100,000 miles and 120,000 miles (with exception of the struts/shocks and upper strut/shock mounts, I wait for failure on those).

On the X5's that includes:
inner and outer tie rods (w/ new boot kits)
thrust arm ball joint and bushing
control arm
sway bar end links (I usually skip doing the sway bar bushings)

I just finished the above on my E53 @ 113,000 miles... and it feels like a new BMW.

If the thrust arm bushings have been addressed already, the only big ticket item worth keeping eye on is the front sway bar bushings. The regular non-AD bar has bushings fused on, meaning you have to replace the entire bar, which requires losening subframe and potentially the follow up alignment. Alternatively, you can use 3 series bushings with extra padding, and then crart some means to prevent the bar from the lateral movement.

Upper control arms and the rest of e70 suspension rarely go bad (unlike e53, but thanks for chiming in anyway), so I'd save $$ for other things.

Did not know that...

Interesting that there is a world of longer term issues, or 'refurbing stuff' that we, as a group, have not yet seen...but will as time marches on.

Good info all around. Our 2010 x5d is @ 138,000 miles so I was expecting to have to do some of these things in the very near future. Nice to know they are lasting longer than e46's, e39's, e53's, etc for some of the suspension stuff. :thumbup:

Bummer about the sway bar bushings though. :(