Suspension Noises
 

Okay guys, I know suspension noises can be annoying to diagnose, so I'm asking for some help, I'm currently living away from my permanent address, since I'm taking a course for my licensing and I noticed a clunking noise coming from my front suspension, but it's only at low speeds while I'm turning, I've heard it a couple of times if I'm braking and turning at slow speeds too, anyone have an idea of what it could be. The noises don't happen when I'm driving normally, and I don't notice them over bumps. Could it be the sway bar links? I wanted to order parts before I go back so I have new parts waiting for me, isnt that the best feeling ever, since I forgot my wheel locks, I won't be able to fix it for atleast another 2 week, I hate hearing sounds coming from my suspension, always seems like an expensive fix. Thanks in advance

What E70 are we talking here? Mileage?

You can rebuild the entire front suspension yourself for about $800 with quality parts, or half that with questionable parts. If paying someone, yes, I agree, could get expensive.

Edit: Just saw in the other thread you said nearing 200k miles. If the suspension is original, I'd go for all of it. We did ours in total at 150,000 miles and it made an incredible difference.

It actually is all original, which i was surprised about, since my 5 series need a suspension refresh at 100k. What do you think I should replace?. my CV's are fine, so control arms and possibly tie rods? Or do you think the Wishbone and struts with mounts? I do all my own work. But I broke my shoulder bone 3 months ago so I don't have the strength to work on everything at one time.

Sorry to hear about the injury. Understand working on a car with pain.

I'm the type who replaces everything when I hear a noise and then forget it for another 100k+ miles. From what I've read on here the upper wishbones never* go bad. I replaced ours anyway. It's everything else that goes. If you are looking to start with the easy and cheap, start with the sway bar links as you said. Have a look at the foam "washer" that goes on top of the strut. When it wears out it will let the strut top contact the tower and make a racket. That's what prompted replacing all of the below for us.

https://i.postimg.cc/G25Z0Qwh/20181221-132239.jpg

What foam washer? And how do I check it, I've heard the same thing about the wishbone too, I was thinking about doing a suspension refresh with Lemforder too, but some people say that the bushings are worse than OEM and yeah I won't have full strength in anything that requires my shoulder or arm to be out stretched, the surgeon said it could take a whole year, so that's why I wanted to hope it was something simple... and none of friends I trust working on my car, have a friend with an Audi S4 and his policy is I'll break things taking it apart then replace it with something new lol.

I hear you. I don't trust many of my friends to work on my cars either. Only one really, lol and only under my supervision. :bustingup

This is the foam washer in question.

https://i.postimg.cc/8Cw24GZv/20181221-125813.jpg

And here's a better shot from another user. It leaves foam dust everywhere as a tell tale sign of failure.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2805/...71267071_z.jpg

Edit: Here's a good thread on the rebuild. I posted one too but I used this one to get a good idea of what I was in store for.

https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/...ive-drive.html

Oh that washer, that was the first thing I looked for, that was fine

Tension arms. There are two 'lower' arms. The tension strut arm takes a massive pounding.

First parts to to are the control arms and tension struts. They have varied level of kits at fcpero.com. Back and front. It wouldn't replace shock unless it's showing age. Our X5s are both about 190,000mi original shock still performing ok. The anti sway links should have failed long ago.

Good deal. Agree with Andrew and ard. Would do sway bar end links as an I'm in there since they are the cheapest component. And look at the tension arm and control arm as your most likely cause of that noise. Don't replace struts unless bad, I didn't.