[Davidle0612]

<p>31. Bushing installed.
<a href="http://www.e46fanatics.com/members/tim330i/poly/31.jpg"><img src="http://www.e46fanatics.com/members/tim330i/poly/tn_31.jpg"></a>
</p>
<p>32. Install the inner bushing part. I use white lithium grease to lubricate the two parts.
<a href="http://www.e46fanatics.com/members/tim330i/poly/32.jpg"><img src="http://www.e46fanatics.com/members/tim330i/poly/tn_32.jpg"></a>
</p>
<p>33. The bushings all ready to install.
<a href="http://www.e46fanatics.com/members/tim330i/poly/33.jpg"><img src="http://www.e46fanatics.com/members/tim330i/poly/tn_33.jpg"></a>
</p>
<p>34. Everything bolted back together. Carrier to frame rails takes 44 ft/lbs and the chassis brace to frame is two stage. First tighten to 43 lb/fts then tighten another 90 degrees and another 30 degrees. (per the Bentley manual).
<a href="http://www.e46fanatics.com/members/tim330i/poly/34.jpg"><img src="http://www.e46fanatics.com/members/tim330i/poly/tn_34.jpg"></a>
</p>

Hello Tim, you are cool. I like to know how come people don't use the new bushing as an adapter to push the old bushing sleeve out? I think new bushing pushing old bushing is perfect since their sizes are 100% matching. I saw a YouTube clip that the guy does this way using a hydraulic press.

 

[Sapote]

Yes it was a pain, no it says nothing about the OE quality. The inner rubber part of the bushing itself isn't hard to get out (see attachment with it missing). What is hard to get out is the steel sleeve. I actually pressed the rubber part out when I was trying to figure out what I was going to do. Then I beat on the steel part with a hammer and tried a couple other things before making my "tool"

RE removing the thin bushing off the carrier, people had tried with 1 1/2” pipe cap and all sort of ways, but I’m thinking since the bushing is a thin wall – about 1mm or 0.050” thick – then why not try to fold it into an heart shape or apple shape if you know what I mean, then its OD is smaller and should come out easily. I will use a small chisel and start folding in the thin tube close to the carrier, on both sides of the carrier, to get the portion of the tube under the carrier folded in as a heart shape. What do you think?

BTW, I saw pic of the new bushings installed in the carriers but there was no attempt of having the bushing inner "hex shape" aligned with the control arm. Before removing the carrier from the chassis I would mark two horizontal line on the carrier which are parallel with the top and bottom faces of the "hex shape" and later install the new bushing with the same alignment. This should help ease the carrier two bolts mounting process.

Sapote

 

[ms9876543]

For anybody wanting an easy way to get the bushings off the arms, get a 'bearing separator' similar to this:
http://www.harborfreight.com/bearing-separator-and-puller-set-93980.html

Its functionally identical to the BMW special tool and you always get all the bush off in one go.

Its also useful for removing the race from the hubs when doing a rear wheel bearing (even though its really best to replace the hubs).

EDIT: Updated Link:
http://www.harborfreight.com/bearing-separator-and-puller-set-62593.html

BMW special tool:
http://www.bmw-stuff.com/prodimages/007500.jpg

Pictures attached.

 

[OnTheFence]

All this talk about cutting the rubber out or removing the bushing carrier only applies to aftermarket mods, right?
If I am just replacing with OE housing and bushing combo, I just need to get it off and replace it, right?

Do I need that C-shaped disc to place behind the bushing for the gear puller to grab
or can any plain gear puller work alone? What size gear puller?

 

[OnTheFence]

I think I get why you need a "wall" behind the bushing.
If you just use a gear puller, it will pull the metal housing, and push on the control arm pointy end, and the rubber can just rip out of the housing and stay on the control arm/
Is that why you need more than just the gear puller?

 

[ms9876543]

Yea, that's the idea behind using a disc behind bush, or a bearing separator style tool like above. Although I'd say one of the biggest advantages of pulling on the rubber and not the housing is that you don't build up a lot of tension before things start to move so its less likely that the gear puller would slip/fire off halfway through. Its not that you need to pull on the rubber, its just a lot faster and easier, and a proper tool is pretty cheap.

It also makes a difference what bushings you are trying to remove, solid rubber like MeyleHD would be easier with a gear puller than really worn OEM oil filled style ones would.

Although, depending on how stubbornly the old bushes are on it could well go fine with a gear puller. With the car up on a lift I've seen the bushes pulled off the arms by hand after some twisting and some oil sprayed on, others have just levered them off with a pry bar.

 

[brianc843]

Is it worth getting powerflex bushings ( fcab,front sway,and rtab) at 200k or should I go with lemforder or something cheaper. I do plan on keeping my 2000 e46 but am not planning on driving it so hard with its age and mileage.

 

[brianc843]

Anyone ???

 

[LeverThis]

Is it worth getting powerflex bushings ( fcab,front sway,and rtab) at 200k or should I go with lemforder or something cheaper. I do plan on keeping my 2000 e46 but am not planning on driving it so hard with its age and mileage.

Anyone ???

Brian,

I don't have experience with powerflex bushings, but I would also consider how bad (or good) the roads are in your area.

Here in the San Francisco bay area the roads are crap (both city and highway) and after putting just Meyle HD fcab bushing on my 2004 325i at about 107k miles it seemed like I could feel every little bump, crack, pothole, in a way that was quite jarring and almost too much. (The car handled fantastically with the new fcabs, but I had to respect the condition of the road much much more.)

But, this car is a daily driver and, again since the roads around here are pretty bad, I wouldn't want much stiffer of a fcab.

Also note that within about a month of putting in the Meyle HD fcabs (maybe a few thousand miles on the car) the suspension in the front got battered to death so I ended up replacing everything except springs in the front and shocks, mounts, rtabs and rear sway bar bushings in the rear. (Bilstein B4 shocks & struts, Meyle HD control arms, and Lemforder for everything else (mounts, sway bar front & rear bushes, tie rods, rtabs).

It would all have been necessary regardless given mileage, but I strongly suspect that the new fcabs accelerated the end for the older suspension parts and can imagine that even stiffer powerflex bushings would do the same. Although, to be fair, the new bushings did make me drive the snot out of the car at first so that also hastened the end of the suspension ... but it was sooo much fun, driving the car like it was on rails ...

So, thats my 2 cents based on recent experience with putting in Meyle HD fcabs. I'm not trying to discourage you from the powerflex bushings, especially if its a car you wont drive very much, but just giving my experience with the Meyle HDs and the crappy roads that I drive on everyday.

Hope this helps.

 

[LeverThis]

Dont forget the Steering Guibo

Brian,

Also dont forget the steering guibo, it develops play where the bolts/studs go throught the rubber discs. I changed mine out a couple days after redoing the suspension, and it noticeably tightened up the steering response.

 

[brianc843]

Brian,

I don't have experience with powerflex bushings, but I would also consider how bad (or good) the roads are in your area.

Here in the San Francisco bay area the roads are crap (both city and highway) and after putting just Meyle HD fcab bushing on my 2004 325i at about 107k miles it seemed like I could feel every little bump, crack, pothole, in a way that was quite jarring and almost too much. (The car handled fantastically with the new fcabs, but I had to respect the condition of the road much much more.)

But, this car is a daily driver and, again since the roads around here are pretty bad, I wouldn't want much stiffer of a fcab.

Also note that within about a month of putting in the Meyle HD fcabs (maybe a few thousand miles on the car) the suspension in the front got battered to death so I ended up replacing everything except springs in the front and shocks, mounts, rtabs and rear sway bar bushings in the rear. (Bilstein B4 shocks & struts, Meyle HD control arms, and Lemforder for everything else (mounts, sway bar front & rear bushes, tie rods, rtabs).

It would all have been necessary regardless given mileage, but I strongly suspect that the new fcabs accelerated the end for the older suspension parts and can imagine that even stiffer powerflex bushings would do the same. Although, to be fair, the new bushings did make me drive the snot out of the car at first so that also hastened the end of the suspension ... but it was sooo much fun, driving the car like it was on rails ...

So, thats my 2 cents based on recent experience with putting in Meyle HD fcabs. I'm not trying to discourage you from the powerflex bushings, especially if its a car you wont drive very much, but just giving my experience with the Meyle HDs and the crappy roads that I drive on everyday.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the help. I live in myrtle beach sc so yea the roads here are shi+. I thing I'm gonna go with lemforder bushings. And I just got 4 brand new extreme contacts put on and that's making everything else stand out and probably putting a lot more stress on them. I love those continentals there super grippy in the rain. I'm guessing now in have to pretty much change all the bushings. But it looks like all the bushings are a pretty easy diy. Thanks again

 

[brianc843]

Anyone ever heard of putting weight on the control arms before tightening bolts all the way?

 

[DEADF15H]

I just replaced the lower control arm bushings and weeks later i notice the rubber sticks out, i just want to know if its normal?

Stinger was right with the brand selection, on any BMW part. You don't necessarily have to use genuine BMW, but there is plenty of information on quality substitutes.
From what I've read, it's best to put the carriers on, then drop the car on the ground to preload the bushing, then raise it back up before torqueing the bolts down. Otherwise your bushing alignment is off and your stressing the rubber even in a rested position. I think this would have prevented your bulge.

Also, use diluted dish soap as a lubricate, it drys, so the bushing doesn't slip after install.

 

[Brenda325]

Control arm bushings

Hey e46 peps can i get some help.. i have a bmw 2001 325ci and i am looking to change ether the control arm or the intter control arm bushing.. is it posable that i can change the control arm bushing closes to the tire? Or do i have to change the whole control arm? Please help its the intter bushing that is bad... ***128547; i dont know what to do?