Results 1 to 23 of 23

Thread: Control Arm Bushing question

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    8,884
    My Cars
    Turbo 97 E36 M3, 99 M3

    Control Arm Bushing question

    I installed some new cabs when I did a front end refresh....coilovers, sway bar bushings, control arms, tie rods, end links....I have noticed that one of my cabs seems to have moved some and is no longer flush with the control arm. How does this happen and should I try to remove and reinstall? I know it was flush when I installed it.
    1997 Arctic Silver/Black M3
    CES Stage IV (651rwhp/615rwtq @ 24 psi)

    1999 Techno Violet/Dove M3
    Auto/Convertible and staying stock!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Vernon, CT
    Posts
    145
    My Cars
    1999 M3 5spd
    What kind of bushing, and did it move towards the back or the front of the car?
    95 cosmoschwartz M3/2/5 : 2012-1/1/2014 (worn rtab's and bald rear tires in the rain)

    98 cosmoschwartz M3/4/5 : 2016-3/10/2017 (understeering SUV)

    99 Estoril M3/2/5: 6/16/2017-current

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    8,884
    My Cars
    Turbo 97 E36 M3, 99 M3
    Its a lemforder and the bushing moved towards the lollipop....when I installed them, they were both flush with the control arm, all the way back. Now, just the passenger side has crepped backward just a quarter inch or so
    1997 Arctic Silver/Black M3
    CES Stage IV (651rwhp/615rwtq @ 24 psi)

    1999 Techno Violet/Dove M3
    Auto/Convertible and staying stock!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Austin Texas
    Posts
    118
    My Cars
    1997 M3/4/5
    Did you lubricate the bushing on install? Instructions call for something that dries, like soapy water, windex, isopropanol, etc. I can see this happening from oily lube.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    8,884
    My Cars
    Turbo 97 E36 M3, 99 M3
    I used dish washer soap on install and got both sides installed and lowered the car down within 30 minutes, and didn't drive or move the car within 24 hours.....again, only the passenger side moved
    1997 Arctic Silver/Black M3
    CES Stage IV (651rwhp/615rwtq @ 24 psi)

    1999 Techno Violet/Dove M3
    Auto/Convertible and staying stock!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    UT
    Posts
    4,375
    My Cars
    98 M3/4/5
    should have gone in dry.... lol
    98 Estoril ///M3 4/6
    S54 swap CSL

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Marietta, GA
    Posts
    2,680
    My Cars
    95 M3, 87 535is
    That 30 minutes thing only applies if you use the BMW lubricant (aka kerosene).

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    8,884
    My Cars
    Turbo 97 E36 M3, 99 M3
    Quote Originally Posted by jayjaya29 View Post
    That 30 minutes thing only applies if you use the BMW lubricant (aka kerosene).
    Correct, but I just mention it just in case someone else asks the question, which you typically see in these CAB questions. I will take the wheels off this weekend and take a pic
    1997 Arctic Silver/Black M3
    CES Stage IV (651rwhp/615rwtq @ 24 psi)

    1999 Techno Violet/Dove M3
    Auto/Convertible and staying stock!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    8,884
    My Cars
    Turbo 97 E36 M3, 99 M3
    CAB.jpg

    Here is a pic where you can see the slight gap.
    1997 Arctic Silver/Black M3
    CES Stage IV (651rwhp/615rwtq @ 24 psi)

    1999 Techno Violet/Dove M3
    Auto/Convertible and staying stock!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Vernon, CT
    Posts
    145
    My Cars
    1999 M3 5spd
    I thought that the metal part of the bushing was supposed to be pressed into the lollipop and be close to flush on both sides. How much of the control arm is protruding behind the bushing? From that picture, I think its not quite right, but still fine.
    95 cosmoschwartz M3/2/5 : 2012-1/1/2014 (worn rtab's and bald rear tires in the rain)

    98 cosmoschwartz M3/4/5 : 2016-3/10/2017 (understeering SUV)

    99 Estoril M3/2/5: 6/16/2017-current

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    8,884
    My Cars
    Turbo 97 E36 M3, 99 M3
    Quote Originally Posted by tsmith25 View Post
    I thought that the metal part of the bushing was supposed to be pressed into the lollipop and be close to flush on both sides. How much of the control arm is protruding behind the bushing? From that picture, I think its not quite right, but still fine.
    There is the same amount of bushing protruding on both sides of the lollipop
    1997 Arctic Silver/Black M3
    CES Stage IV (651rwhp/615rwtq @ 24 psi)

    1999 Techno Violet/Dove M3
    Auto/Convertible and staying stock!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Ottawa, ON, Canada
    Posts
    4,937
    My Cars
    e90 M3,X5,e46 racer
    It can't really go anywhere ... I'd keep an eye on it, but probably not much to worry about. Are you inner balljoints tight and no play?
    Check out the 8legs Racing page: https://www.facebook.com/8legsRacing/


  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    8,884
    My Cars
    Turbo 97 E36 M3, 99 M3
    Quote Originally Posted by ScotcH View Post
    It can't really go anywhere ... I'd keep an eye on it, but probably not much to worry about. Are you inner balljoints tight and no play?
    Yes, the entire suspension, control arms, CABs, tie rods, sway bar bushings, sway bar end links, refreshed struts.....all new and installed at the same time.
    1997 Arctic Silver/Black M3
    CES Stage IV (651rwhp/615rwtq @ 24 psi)

    1999 Techno Violet/Dove M3
    Auto/Convertible and staying stock!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    UT
    Posts
    4,375
    My Cars
    98 M3/4/5
    interesting.. never seen that before.. im about to do mine too
    98 Estoril ///M3 4/6
    S54 swap CSL

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Mills River, NC
    Posts
    1,118
    My Cars
    95 M3 coupe, 97 M3 sedan
    Looks perfectly fine to me. The bushing probably floated down the arm a little to match the bracket's mounting position on the body. It doesn't need to be fully pressed up against the arm part. It just needs to be somewhere along that round extension rod without having to stretch forward or back to meet the bracket's position. And then of course it needs to take a set in that position at normal ride height.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    8,884
    My Cars
    Turbo 97 E36 M3, 99 M3
    Great, just me being paranoid. I have a vibration in my steering wheel...not a shake or shimmy, and I was wondering if it might be because the control arm bushing was no longer flush, but its probably my solid passenger engine mount, poly sway bar bushings, ha!
    1997 Arctic Silver/Black M3
    CES Stage IV (651rwhp/615rwtq @ 24 psi)

    1999 Techno Violet/Dove M3
    Auto/Convertible and staying stock!

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Mills River, NC
    Posts
    1,118
    My Cars
    95 M3 coupe, 97 M3 sedan
    Quote Originally Posted by BMWManiac View Post
    Great, just me being paranoid. I have a vibration in my steering wheel...not a shake or shimmy, and I was wondering if it might be because the control arm bushing was no longer flush, but its probably my solid passenger engine mount, poly sway bar bushings, ha!
    In my experience, a huge contributor to annoying vibrations in these cars is transmission mounts. The higher durometer or more solid those are the more vibration you feel. The trans mounts seem to make more difference than engine mounts too. A lightweight flywheel accentuates the effect. If you're currently running poly transmission mounts matching your engine mounts, maybe try swapping the trans parts to OEM rubber and see if things get better. It's quick & easy to try. When my car was street driven I ran nothing but OEM rubber engine and transmission mounts. They were by far the smoothest.

    Also: hard to tell by your wording above, but if you're running one solid engine mount on the passenger side and a different mount material on the driver side that would likely cause some weirdness too.

    I can't think of a way that poly sway bar bushings would cause vibration. You're probably ok there.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    8,884
    My Cars
    Turbo 97 E36 M3, 99 M3
    I'm running a solid passenger mount to clear the turbo inlet. My transmission mounts are E46 M3 mounts and I might have some reinforcement cups too...need to check. No lightweight flywheel.
    1997 Arctic Silver/Black M3
    CES Stage IV (651rwhp/615rwtq @ 24 psi)

    1999 Techno Violet/Dove M3
    Auto/Convertible and staying stock!

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    New England
    Posts
    25,402
    My Cars
    F90 M5; E36 M3 Turbo
    E46 trans mounts won't cause NVH. Its probably the solid motor mount. Not a great idea on a street car.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    8,884
    My Cars
    Turbo 97 E36 M3, 99 M3
    I think I'm running the TRM engine mount. I wonder if I can go back to a stock engine mount now that I'm running the old steedspeed manifold with the GT4094r instead of the spa manifold/6262.
    1997 Arctic Silver/Black M3
    CES Stage IV (651rwhp/615rwtq @ 24 psi)

    1999 Techno Violet/Dove M3
    Auto/Convertible and staying stock!

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    New England
    Posts
    25,402
    My Cars
    F90 M5; E36 M3 Turbo
    With the old steedspeed you probably can depending on turbo. I ran a stock size Vorshlag mount with old steedspeed and 1.05 efr8374 but don't know how the 8374 compares physically to the 4094. The 8374 1.05 turbine housing was hitting the control arm eyeball bracket. I had to grind the bracket.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    8,884
    My Cars
    Turbo 97 E36 M3, 99 M3
    John at CES just confirmed that I can't run the stock motor mount....oh well, I'll live with the vibration I guess. Might be time to replace the little guibo at the end of the steering column too
    1997 Arctic Silver/Black M3
    CES Stage IV (651rwhp/615rwtq @ 24 psi)

    1999 Techno Violet/Dove M3
    Auto/Convertible and staying stock!

  23. #23
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Wilton , Conneticut
    Posts
    189
    My Cars
    2011 e93 msport /1999 M3
    an old school BMW only mechanic said turpentine is the liquid on choice for install control arm bushings- lubricates then dries.

Similar Threads

  1. E30 offset control arm bushing question
    By E30 Racer in forum Track, Auto-X & Drag Racing sponsored by Bimmerparts.com
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 10-30-2004, 01:39 PM
  2. lower control arm bushing questions...
    By scotty_passat in forum 1996 - 2002 Z3 (E36/7, E36/8)
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 09-13-2004, 09:18 AM
  3. control arm bushing question
    By jtgm3 in forum Track, Auto-X & Drag Racing sponsored by Bimmerparts.com
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 05-07-2004, 10:28 AM
  4. Lower Control Arm Bushing Question . . .
    By SkycityBMW in forum 1991 - 1999 (E36)
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 04-28-2004, 11:44 AM
  5. Changing front control arm bushings....question?
    By Sacramento M3 in forum 1992 - 1999 M3 (E36)
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 03-10-2003, 11:52 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •