Thrust Arm Bush Replacement Procedure!

[e34.535i.sport]

As you probably noticed I changed my thrust bushes to the powerflex variety recently hence: http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39445 . This procedure will apply to changing them for other 'normal' bushes with the small difference of having to press the new bushes in. I would NOT want to do this lets just put it that way!

Procedure

I'll have to do this over a few posts on this thread as I can only attach four photo's per 'post'... I apolgise if some of the pic's aren't great...

TOOLS
You will need the following tools - some you may not use it all depends on how lucky you are

22mm Spanner
Socket set - inc 10mm 15mm 17mm 19mm 22mm
Large breaker bar
Good Ratchet
Extension for Ratchet
Balljoint Seperator
Jack
Jackstand
Press - if you can get one
Jigsaw + lots of blades
Hammer
19mm Spanner
Peice of strong sturdy wire
Torque Wrench
(Maybe a Screwdriver)


REMOVING THE STEERING PLATE
Firstly, I decided that I would remove the whole steering plate with the thrust and control arms attached to it to save buggering the balljoints... It may take longer than just removing the Thrust arm itself but this was the preferred method for me.

Jack the car up and secure with a jackstand. Get all your tools ready and accessible...
http://img33.picoodle.com/data/img33/3/9/12/f_Jackedupm_eb24ad5.jpg (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/3/9/12/f_Jackedupm_eb24ad5.jpg&srv=img33)

Take the two under trays off now if you don't want to be arsing around later (learn from my mistakes! ) - use the 10mm socket on the nuts/bolts.

Sit down and look at the thrust arm pivot bolt... You need to undo the nut but not remove it for now.

http://img37.picoodle.com/data/img37/3/9/12/f_Thrustarmpim_4f00cff.jpg (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/3/9/12/f_Thrustarmpim_4f00cff.jpg&srv=img37)

Get the 22mm spanner and put it on the nut side. Get the 22mm socket on the bolt side and use the breaker bar on it. It should be moderately tough to crack at first but not too bad. Loosen the nut off but leave it on for now.

Now look at the control arm pivot bolt. You want to loosen the nut off on this but again leave it on for now.

http://img37.picoodle.com/data/img37/3/9/12/f_Controlarmpm_677ff87.jpg (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/3/9/12/f_Controlarmpm_677ff87.jpg&srv=img37)

Get the 19mm spanner on one side and the 19mm socket on the other side and undo it - leave the nut on the end.

Now you need to look underneath the bottom of the shock at the steering plate - this thing:

http://img33.picoodle.com/data/img33/3/9/12/f_Steeringplam_7a3ee11.jpg (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/3/9/12/f_Steeringplam_7a3ee11.jpg&srv=img33)

You want to get the 19mm socket and breaker bar and loosen the nuts off enough so that you will be able to use the ratchet to undo them later. Leave them in for now. (There is a good reason for this!!)

CONTINUE TO NEXT POST!

[e34.535i.sport]

Now, after loosening the steering plate nuts turn your attention to the tie rod end... (track rod end): Take the nut off with the 15mm/17mm socket whichever it is...

http://img26.picoodle.com/data/img26/3/9/12/f_Tierodendm_031a37e.jpg (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/3/9/12/f_Tierodendm_031a37e.jpg&srv=img26)

You will need to remove this balljoint to get the steering plate off the car so get a balljoint seperator or pickle fork and free the tie rod from the plate... I done it like this -

http://img37.picoodle.com/data/img37/3/9/12/f_Balljointsem_8e3e514.jpg (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/3/9/12/f_Balljointsem_8e3e514.jpg&srv=img37)

When it pop's out just move it out of the way... Now it gets interesting!!! (*At this mpoint you might want to removethe sway bar link on one end to save the boot getting damaged, up to you but I left it on and it was ok!)

You will need to be aware at this point that once you start removing all the loosened nuts and bolts from before the strut assembly may turn violently as the mount on the top is actually a bearing... So be careful.

Remove the bolt from the thrust arm and put it somewhere safe, do the same with the control arm bolt. now remove the three bolts from underneath, the ones on the steering plate. Keep the strut from turning with your knees if you need to. Now simply get the hammer and bang the steering plate down to free it from the strut... If it hasn't been off for a while you may need to get a screwdriver and pry it away. The plate should come off and you can remove the plate with the two control arms from the car... like so:

http://img37.picoodle.com/data/img37/3/9/12/f_Steeringplam_dbff25c.jpg (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/3/9/12/f_Steeringplam_dbff25c.jpg&srv=img37)

Now use the stiff wire to secure the strut to one of the holes where the control arm goes to stop it turning too much.

With the plate off you're almost there, just the easy job of getting the old bush out. (Shudder at the thought of it now LOL!!!). It was a mammoth task for me I'll be honest!

First, I got it in this press and attempted to press it out -

http://img37.picoodle.com/data/img37/3/9/12/f_Pressinusem_19edb3a.jpg (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/3/9/12/f_Pressinusem_19edb3a.jpg&srv=img37)

I pressed it that hard that I broke the press!!!! The bush remained unaltered in the arm... You can see what I'm getting at...

CONTINUE TO NEXT POST!

[e34.535i.sport]

PLAN B: CUT THE BASTARD OUT!!! I resorted to my old friend, the JIGSAW:

http://img27.picoodle.com/data/img27/3/9/12/f_PlanBJIGm_f5e69fe.jpg (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/3/9/12/f_PlanBJIGm_f5e69fe.jpg&srv=img27)

Get it in the workmate if you have one and cut right through from the centre to the outside of the metal ring... This takes some doing I'll be honest. Wear goggles or something and maybe a mask or something. You WILL need more than one blade unless it's made out of titanium or something! I broke about 5 or six. Keep at it, it will frustrate you. Once you've cut through the edge try to hammer it out. In my case the rubber part came out leaving a single metal ring to come out. I took it into work, got it on a big metal vice and hammered fk out of it and it came out.

You could also try drilling through the rubber in multiple places to get rid of that because it's hard to cut with the saw. Do whatever works!!!!

Once you have it out and you've got over the sheer joy of it put in the two peices of purple powerflex bushes, grease up the metal centre and stuff it in. It should go in nicely... Looks like this once it's in:

http://img37.picoodle.com/data/img37/3/9/12/f_Newbushinarm_0e38dca.jpg (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/3/9/12/f_Newbushinarm_0e38dca.jpg&srv=img37)

The two metal washers go either side of the purple rubbers when you put it back in so don't forget!

REFITTING
When you go to put it back in, it's up to you whatorder you do it. I will tell you what I done anyway...

Firstly I pushed the steering plate back up onto the strut assembly and fitted the three nuts to 'ratchet tight' for the time being... Then got the control arm bush lined up and put the bolt through with the nut/washer on finger tight only.

Next I got the tie rod end and reattached it to the steering plate... I tightened the nut just snug for now, torque it later.

Now do the same with the Thrust bush as you did with the control arm bush but there seemed to be a knack to this with the two metal washers to get on. I put the bolt through the hole a tiny bit and rested one washer on it... Then pushed the arm/bush up with the other washer on the other side and pushed the bolt right through it. It's hard to explain but you'll figure it out anyway when you have it in front of you. It'll end up like this:

http://img26.picoodle.com/data/img26/3/9/12/f_oNewbushoncm_ea0636b.jpg (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/3/9/12/f_oNewbushoncm_ea0636b.jpg&srv=img26)

Now you should be able to torque the tie rod end up to about 40nm, and the steering plate bolts to around 70nm (I think the haynes says 65nm)...

You need to torque the Thrust arm pivot bolt and the Control arm pivot bolt UNDER LOAD... This means you should wait to fully tighten them until you drive it onto some ramps and while it is sitting at normal ride height.

So bang the wheel back on, torque up the wheel nuts and let her down. Get it on some ramps, get underneath and torque the Control Arm pivot bolt to 75nm (I think) and the Thrust Arm pivot bolt to 130nm (pretty sure!)...

Make sure everything is as it should be and get over to the other side and do it again!!!!!

Here's a pic of underneath with the new bush:

http://img26.picoodle.com/data/img26/3/9/12/f_Newbushonvem_dccb62c.jpg (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/3/9/12/f_Newbushonvem_dccb62c.jpg&srv=img26)

I'm going to reserve comment for now on the results, but it's definitely firmed up the front end and rid me of the annoying 60mph shimmy... I'll report on them fully in a week or two.

I hope this has been of some use, good luck...

[632 Regal]

nice write up!

[attack eagle]

nice, surprised you didn;t break out the torch and burn out the old bushing so all you have to cut was the outer sleeve to remove it.

[e34.535i.sport]

nice, surprised you didn;t break out the torch and burn out the old bushing so all you have to cut was the outer sleeve to remove it.

I remember someone said it was really toxic **** so I was a bit dubious about burning it out, although it probably would have been much quicker!!! At least my lungs are still intact though :D

[Tiger]

Reciprocating saw.... recirprocating saw... Sawzall would do a much quicker job than jigsaw to cut the metal out... but your press is definitely not enough to press it out. You need heavy duty 20 ton press to get it out and you don't have all the proper spacers for the bushing to slide out.

[e34.535i.sport]

I just used what I had to hand to be honest - I didn't want to go out and buy any new tools as I've spent over £2000 on doing it up over the last 18 months... And the car is only worth ~£1200-1500!!!!


... your press is definitely not enough to press it out. You need heavy duty 20 ton press to get it out and you don't have all the proper spacers for the bushing to slide out.

Considering I broke it trying that goes without saying :D I used some strong wood to space the arm off the press enough for the bush to come out, I didn't just press the bush into itself :p

[Tiger]

Yeah I know what you mean about the tools and expenses.

[whiskychaser]

Put some bushes in her E30 when she had it. Dont have a pic of the original press but it looked something like this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_press#Types_of_presses
The weights on top are bob weights:D
So not surprising you had a bit of a struggle. A great write up and you got it done in the end despite limited resources. Look forward to hearing how they perform once they have settled in

[632 Regal]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/GoldsmithPress.jpg

[whiskychaser]

Yeah that sort of thing would do too

[Jon K]

Hey there - any part number or make/model of the ball joint remover you used? I may be doing control arms shortly.

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

Hey there - any part number or make/model of the ball joint remover you used? I may be doing control arms shortly.

Buy the Astro Pneumatic kit, you can find it for under $100, and comes with everything you need to service the front end. part # 7838


http://files.pbepro.com/Astro%20Pneumatic%20Tool%20Company/images/hi/7838.jpg

And if you're gonna just do bushings, then you'll need this. part # 7865

http://files.pbepro.com/Astro%20Pneumatic%20Tool%20Company/images/hi/7865.jpg

[e34.535i.sport]

Hey there - any part number or make/model of the ball joint remover you used? I may be doing control arms shortly.

To be honest I got it from our local motor factor Halfords... I think it is their own brand. It was only about £15 (~$28??) and I've replaced everything up front with it, no problems. :D

[Ferret]

To be honest I got it from our local motor factor Halfords... I think it is their own brand. It was only about £15 (~$28??) and I've replaced everything up front with it, no problems. :D

Holy tapdancing piglets, my weekends been sh*te!

Not the car mind, but eurocarparts can go take a flying leap... I specifically ordered thrust arms without the bushings on friday afternoon for last collection on saturday before they close for the weekend.

Guess what turned up! Thrust arms with bushings, mislabelled as without.

Fine I thought, I'll just knock the old bushings out... which I managed to do happily, get 3/4 of the way through the work and look at the plainly labelled LEFT and RIGHT lower control arms - then notice they're both the same, peel back the label on the RIGHT one and underneath there's a LEFT label.

ECP just scored -1 customer - I'll be using GSF from now on despite them being slightly more expensive.

My car's still on the axel stands waiting for the correct parts to turn up, wasted weekend. (literally - got to the point where I couldnt go any further with the car and the beer and BBQ came out)

bah!

Like john, I have one of these ball joint separators:
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/Ferret101/balljointsplitter013095.jpg

These work excellently with the E34 steering knuckle, though I've found the following:
It'll happily pop the steering balljoint while still on the car - the other arms you'll have to do while off the car.

Mine came out dead easy - the best way to do it is to load up the balljoint with the splitter to the point where the wrench wont turn any further, then give the whole assy a smack with a lump hammer - the ball joints just pop out easily.

Alternatively - the more fun method is to hit the splitter with a rattle gun lightly, it'll just pop the balljoint right out in a second. Dangerous though if you let it spin after the joint has popped, the splitters casting will explode.

Stripping the suspension down on mine went through like a breeze, with the exception of one rusty nut on a drop link - On my 540 there just wasnt space to get a spanner through the subframe - I'm suspecting that there may have been a minor change to the chassis or something as I had to whizz out the subframe bolt to get a spanner onto 'that' nut.

I'll get some photo's sorted out and uploaded - a rattle gun really does make this job a lot easier!

I discovered what was causing my suspension to shift around - one of the old poly bushes had been put in backwards, allowing it to slide along the mount with about 0.5-0.75" play.

(Though I was finding copper grease everywhere when I pulled it apart which stopped everything seizing up - thank you PO!)

[anonymous1]

Hi,

Ha ha on the piglets... Not good on Euro! Unfortunately myself and e34.sport have had them mess up in the past as well. Personally avoid using them wherever possible now due to having to drive over to Manchester just to find it's a wasted trip.

Although I've had the dealer mess up a few times as well, same as you only with the control arm bushes, they order 2 drivers side ones, noticed just before I started taking the passenger one off luckily. :p

Hope you manage to swap the parts over smoothly and get the job finished. :D

[e34.535i.sport]

Holy tapdancing piglets, my weekends been sh*te!

Not the car mind, but eurocarparts can go take a flying leap... I specifically ordered thrust arms without the bushings on friday afternoon for last collection on saturday before they close for the weekend.

Guess what turned up! Thrust arms with bushings, mislabelled as without.

Fine I thought, I'll just knock the old bushings out... which I managed to do happily, get 3/4 of the way through the work and look at the plainly labelled LEFT and RIGHT lower control arms - then notice they're both the same, peel back the label on the RIGHT one and underneath there's a LEFT label.

ECP just scored -1 customer - I'll be using GSF from now on despite them being slightly more expensive.

My car's still on the axel stands waiting for the correct parts to turn up, wasted weekend. (literally - got to the point where I couldnt go any further with the car and the beer and BBQ came out)

bah!

Like john, I have one of these ball joint separators:
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/Ferret101/balljointsplitter013095.jpg

These work excellently with the E34 steering knuckle, though I've found the following:
It'll happily pop the steering balljoint while still on the car - the other arms you'll have to do while off the car.

Mine came out dead easy - the best way to do it is to load up the balljoint with the splitter to the point where the wrench wont turn any further, then give the whole assy a smack with a lump hammer - the ball joints just pop out easily.

Alternatively - the more fun method is to hit the splitter with a rattle gun lightly, it'll just pop the balljoint right out in a second. Dangerous though if you let it spin after the joint has popped, the splitters casting will explode.

Stripping the suspension down on mine went through like a breeze, with the exception of one rusty nut on a drop link - On my 540 there just wasnt space to get a spanner through the subframe - I'm suspecting that there may have been a minor change to the chassis or something as I had to whizz out the subframe bolt to get a spanner onto 'that' nut.

I'll get some photo's sorted out and uploaded - a rattle gun really does make this job a lot easier!

I discovered what was causing my suspension to shift around - one of the old poly bushes had been put in backwards, allowing it to slide along the mount with about 0.5-0.75" play.

(Though I was finding copper grease everywhere when I pulled it apart which stopped everything seizing up - thank you PO!)


I'm sorry to hear about your weekend Andy - I've been in the same position with those muppets before! I hate having it up in the air for long periods too, makes me nervous... :( Hope GSF sort you out sooner rather than later.

Hahaha - I've never had the pleasure of finding a copper greased part on mine unless it's something I've done before!!!! :D

Yes those balljoint seperators are the business, but I have been able to use it on the car for all balljoints, it's just a bit awkward at first. IIRC the Thrust arm balljoint is the worst for getting it into the right position but it can be done... :D

[sal_park]

ECP just scored -1 customer - I'll be using GSF from now on despite them being slightly more expensive.

I've just done the thrust / control arms and got all my bits from GSF (very helpful people btw). The thrust arms (listed as BQ (best quailty) on GSFs website) and were cheaper in the shop (Hemel hempstead) than online (ymmv) and they were OEM parts (lemforder) without thrust bushes :)

[Ferret]

I'm sorry to hear about your weekend Andy - I've been in the same position with those muppets before! I hate having it up in the air for long periods too, makes me nervous... :( Hope GSF sort you out sooner rather than later.

Hahaha - I've never had the pleasure of finding a copper greased part on mine unless it's something I've done before!!!! :D

Yes those balljoint seperators are the business, but I have been able to use it on the car for all balljoints, it's just a bit awkward at first. IIRC the Thrust arm balljoint is the worst for getting it into the right position but it can be done... :D

Hallelujah etc, she's done finally!

Well, mostly :)

She's all back together and buttoned up now - though she's running majorly duck footed (read: toe out) and is prone to drifting all over the place!

Been out running her around at speed and she feels like a new car again - and the change over to alu arms can be felt in the sure-footedness over the rough junk we call roads here.

Just got to do up the bolt under the steering column, and get her tracking done on my lunch break tomorrow and she's sorted! Then I can get back to replacing the headlight and other MOT prep work.

Cack, I've just remembered I owe MarkD an email with my ECU details for an EAT chip!

[Tiger]

I got that same separator from JC Whitney but I never got it to work. I run out of bolt before the ball joint separates. How do you make it work?

I don't understand how that thing work... they use the ball joint as an anchor and then pushes on the ball joint threads to pop it out?

[whiskychaser]

Been out running her around at speed - Just got to do up the bolt under the steering column

Glad I dont live on your street :D

[Ferret]

Glad I dont live on your street :D

bah, bah I say!

I live out in the sticks now, plenty of country lanes to try it out on :D

[Ferret]

I got that same separator from JC Whitney but I never got it to work. I run out of bolt before the ball joint separates. How do you make it work?

I don't understand how that thing work... they use the ball joint as an anchor and then pushes on the ball joint threads to pop it out?

Not quite sure what you mean, but the basic principle of use is that the fork bit goes under the metal plate the ball joint is attached to, uses it as it's anchor position.

The hook goes over the thread and effectively pushes the plate and thread together?

[Old Man Pete]

Just a bit worried about your steering plate as Bentley manual says to tighten to 110Nm and to use loctite thread lock. Definately one part of your car you don't want to drop off! Great write up though!
Had to use blow lamp and BFH to get thrust arm ball joint off steering plate on both sides of my car

[e34.535i.sport]

Just a bit worried about your steering plate as Bentley manual says to tighten to 110Nm and to use loctite thread lock. Definately one part of your car you don't want to drop off! Great write up though!


Hey I was going off the Haynes manual but it's vague to say the least!!! Thanks - I'll be tightening them up I think!!!! :D

[sal_park]

...and that's loctite 270 btw

[Tiger]

Mmm... maybe that is what I did wrong... Got any picture of how you mount it so I can confirm what you meant?

[e34.535i.sport]

Mmm... maybe that is what I did wrong... Got any picture of how you mount it so I can confirm what you meant?

The Pic isn't that clear but you can make out where it is supposed to be... The seperator actually pushes the end of the 'bolt' towards the steering plate to seperate them...

http://img37.picoodle.com/img/img37/3/9/12/f_Balljointsem_8e3e514.jpg (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/3/9/12/f_Balljointsem_8e3e514.jpg&srv=img37)

[Ferret]

Mmm... maybe that is what I did wrong... Got any picture of how you mount it so I can confirm what you meant?

I'd forgotten I had a photo of this, but basically you set it up like this: (weird angle btw)
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/Ferret101/Steering/JS-Closed.jpg

[e34.535i.sport]

I'd forgotten I had a photo of this, but basically you set it up like this: (weird angle btw)
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/Ferret101/Steering/JS-Closed.jpg

So you got yours from halford too then???!!! LOL it looks exactly the same as mine... I broke one so far it had that much use... The second one is holding well as the balljoints it's worked on are all relatively new!!!

[Tiger]

Ahhh... I see the problem of mine... I am missing that 1/2" of the tip so my bolt is not long enough to pop it out. I'll go buy a longer bolt to solve the problem.

[Panzer Captain]

What is the ride quality / noise like with these urethane thrust arm bushings??

[sneekens]

Nice write up! How harsh is harsh now that you have POLY bushings in? Or it's not really that bad....?

[e34.535i.sport]

To be honest it is a tad noisier depending on the road surface but nowhere near enough to be a nuisance. I think mine is uqite a harsh ride due to the 18" inch wheels mainly, but it is still comfortable in my eyes... Other people may not like it it's hard to speculate!

The benefits of the bushes far outweigh the small negative issues I would say. :D

[e34.535i.sport]

Hey guys - Just an update for those contemplating doing this...

It's been a while and I would definitely advise doing it. However, after a few weeks they developed an almighty creak/squeak over speed bumps it was audiable in the car with the windows up it was that bad. Rathr embarrassing to be hinest... Just got around to taking them back of this afternoon and greasing them up GOOD STYLE with copper grease... Imagine nutella on toast that's how much I coverd them! :D Took it out for a test drive and silence! WOO!!!!

I don't want to jinx it but somehow doing this has also rid me of a knock type noise I had over the little square speed bumps too.... Gonna take it out again later to make sure... Fingers crossed!

[e34.535i.sport]

Hey guys - Just an update for those contemplating doing this...

It's been a while and I would definitely advise doing it. However, after a few weeks they developed an almighty creak/squeak over speed bumps it was audiable in the car with the windows up it was that bad. Rathr embarrassing to be hinest... Just got around to taking them back of this afternoon and greasing them up GOOD STYLE with copper grease... Imagine nutella on toast that's how much I coverd them! :D Took it out for a test drive and silence! WOO!!!!

I don't want to jinx it but somehow doing this has also rid me of a knock type noise I had over the little square speed bumps too.... Gonna take it out again later to make sure... Fingers crossed!

Good news... I just took the car on a good drive on the roughest surface known to man (British roads) - Silence! Really happy with the result... I doubt it could be related, but I did rotate the wheels before too... Interesting.