Centre Tie Rod installed incorrectly

[Paulgallagher]

I've installed a new centre tie rod in my RHD E38 (including left & right tie rod ends). I appreciate that the tie rod ends must be installed on the correct sides but does it matter which way the centre tie rod is fitted - is there a left and right side. Both sides of the tie rod looked exactly the same and there was no markings on either side.
Problem is that I now have the steering arm side inner tie rod rubber boot rubbing against/banging part of the sub frame when steering. The rubber has been badly damaged - not sure if I can purchase a replacement rubber only ??
I'm looking for the reason why the boot (inner ball joint) is interfering with the frame - have I fitted the complete centre tie rod the wrong way around or have I made some other error? Any help would be appreciated. Paul

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[cazal740i]

TRW or Meyle stamp theres.. cheap aftermarkets don't .....wrong way will make the tie rod rub, ask me how I know??...Remove the rubber off the old tie rod and replace...and definitely flip the center drag link

[Paulgallagher]

Thanks, mine is a Delphi which I thought were good - when I take it out I'll have an even closer look.Unfortunately I was too quick to dispose of the old tie rod.

[cazal740i]

I bought a cheap aftermarket too and had to remove it, install old 1 back on, drove to North Hollywood(40 miles each way) and was happy they took the drag link back..It had a ripped ball joint cuz it rubbed after install...My complaint is that it didn't have Left or RIGht too ..Paid the difference for the TRW, which clearly was stamped L or R and drove home, installed and drove to alignment shop...good for 2 years..Damn bought a bad TRW. The ball joint at the Pitman arm broke?. My guess it broke on a huge pothole on FWY...which dented my Alpina rim.....Ordered a Meyle Drag link off Oembimmerparts and its been a solid 2 years since...no issues..

[Moonchen]

Hi folks I am looking to do exactly the same thing to my RHD E39 540i. I have replaced just about every other suspension component with Genuine BMW along with Bilsteins, Ground Control camber and caster kit and Eibach swaybars. This time I am looking to do the center tie rod, left and right tie rods and the sway bar links.

I have not really bought any OEM or OEQ components for this car save the Meyle HD thrust bushes. Could someone kindly have a look at my EACTuning cart and tell me if I could have done better quality wise? I went with Febi AKA Bilstein and Hamburg Technic. Should I have gone for Lemforder or Meyle or maybe just stuck with Genuine BMW?

https://www.ecstuning.com/Cart/?add1...tent=link2cart

[BillConn]

Hi folks I am looking to do exactly the same thing to my RHD E39 540i. I have replaced just about every other suspension component with Genuine BMW along with Bilsteins, Ground Control camber and caster kit and Eibach swaybars. This time I am looking to do the center tie rod, left and right tie rods and the sway bar links.

I have not really bought any OEM or OEQ components for this car save the Meyle HD thrust bushes. Could someone kindly have a look at my EACTuning cart and tell me if I could have done better quality wise? I went with Febi AKA Bilstein and Hamburg Technic. Should I have gone for Lemforder or Meyle or maybe just stuck with Genuine BMW?

https://www.ecstuning.com/Cart/?add1...tent=link2cart

Your cart link doesn't work but that's fine... For the center link and tie-rod ends, TRW is the OEM supplier for the BMW parts. I wouldn't pay the premium for the BMW branded part as ordering the TRW part will give the same part just not in BWM packaging. Id use Meyle HD for the sway bar end links.

(1) TRW Center TieRod P/N: JTY130 - I paid $90 via Amazon (best price I could find at the time). ECS wants way too much for the part, FCPeuro.com has the TRW unit for $120.

(2) TRW Outer Tie Rods P/N: JTE146 & JTE145 - I paid $30-ish via FCP Euro (Best price I could find at the time). I don't think ECS carries the TRW outer tie rods... But FCP and Amazon both have good pricing on them.

(3) Meyle HD Sway Bar End Links (not sure on actual P/N). These are the best bet for end links. Price for the two of em will be similar to BMW parts, but they are supposedly an improved design.

[Jerry Scholder]

great post for a project I am currently working on. Do all these parts come with new nuts, washers? I was particularly interested in the question regarding replacing the center tie rod installation. Never occurred to me there was a right and left side and couldn't be interchanged.

[Majestic7]

yeah I am not sure about the reversability side of the center for rod. Jerry i bought Meyle center and outer tie rods and they had new nuts with them. they also clearly has L and R molded into them. As far as suspension work i remember the job going easier than I thought. Use a ball joint tool.

[BillConn]

great post for a project I am currently working on. Do all these parts come with new nuts, washers? I was particularly interested in the question regarding replacing the center tie rod installation. Never occurred to me there was a right and left side and couldn't be interchanged.

Yes, the center tie rod only goes in one way. There is a "depression" on one side of the center tie rod for clearance. Outer tierods are also clearly labeled Left and Right.

Most should come with new nuts. I know my TRW units did, and so do the Meyle parts as mentioned above. Don't forget a new idler arm bushing and idler arm mounting bolt. Pressing out the bushing is no easy task. You will need a beefy hydraulic shop press to do it. So you may plan to either take the idler arm to a shop and have them press it out. Or just a buy a complete new idler arm with bushing already installed.

As far as physically replacing the tierods/center link, The BMW ball joint tool is certainly nice to have and makes separating all the ballpoints a breeze. Interestingly when I replaced mine, almost all the balljoints separated on their own when I loosened the nuts with the impact wrench. That said, the tool is still really nice to have on hand. It is BMW P/N 83300492002. Order it direct from your local BMW dealer. The local dealer here wanted less than $40 for the tool (special order), The online pricing I found was around $80 IIRC. Also, the generic balljoint tools don't seem to fit very well on the BMW balljoints. This factory tool fits perfect!

Here is a pic of the BMW balljoint tool for the tierods:

[Moonchen]

Really flippin helpful guys, good call on the idler arm and was wondering about the Meyle HD sway bar links... I guess I have to ask but are all the part numbers the same for left hand drive and right hand drive cars???

This is what I have got from the ECS site when I load my car in.

2x 31351095664 - Sway Bar Links
1x 32211096059 - Center Tie Rod
1x 32211091723 - Outer Tie Rod End Left
1x 32211091724 - Outer Tie Rod End Right
1x 32211141592 - Idler arm with bush

[BillConn]

Really flippin helpful guys, good call on the idler arm and was wondering about the Meyle HD sway bar links... I guess I have to ask but are all the part numbers the same for left hand drive and right hand drive cars???

This is what I have got from the ECS site when I load my car in.

2x 31351095664 - Sway Bar Links
1x 32211096059 - Center Tie Rod
1x 32211091723 - Outer Tie Rod End Left
1x 32211091724 - Outer Tie Rod End Right
1x 32211141592 - Idler arm with bush

According to www.realoem.com the p/n for a 2002 RHD 540i Center Tie Rod is 32211096060

*SIDE NOTE* When I gave you the TRW part numbers I was not aware the parts for a 540i. I had assumed it was E38 740. The part numbers are different between and E39 and E38, and both appear to have specific RHD P/N's for the Centerlink. I would confirm all part numbers via www.realoem.com using your actual build date, model, options, etc.

[Moonchen]

Great call on the RHD Center Tie Rod!

Here is the list now, anyone know where I could get the whole lot from? I am guessing I will have to go to the UK/Japan or Europe due to the Right Hand Drive Center Tie Rod?
2x 31351095664 - Sway Bar Links - Meyle HD
1x 32211096060 - Center Tie Rod - Lemforder 15786 01 or TRW JCY105
1x 32211091723 - Outer Tie Rod End Left - Lemforder 15378 03 or TRW JTE153
1x 32211091724 - Outer Tie Rod End Right - Lemforder 15386 03 or TRW JTE154
1x 32211141592 - Idler arm with bush - Genuine