Dogbones install

[632 Regal]

there is a difference in which way you install these things. One side is closer to the bolting surface, other brands have a slight U shape to them. The Bently makes no regard and the other places I read says install same as it came out... That sucks. what if the last guy had no clue and did it wrong?

Certainly there is a proper install, I just cant figure it out yet. I got the cheapies again as the last set made it about 6 years and 80K... so I'll get a new set every year if I have to. Lemforder, man that stuff is really king of the game but I can also kill one of them in a month on my roads.

So what say thee on the dogbone install?

[mikell]

Don't know, but . . . How much difference can it make?

The part is just two holes connected by a piece of steel with bushings. The distance between the holes is the same, no matter how the curve (if there is one on your parts) goes. As long as nothing is rubbing, it should be okay, right? And, If I was choosing, I'd install them the way the bolt heads are on the side with the greatest distance to the body of the part - assuming there's a difference. It's been a lonmg time since I did mine, so I don't recall the specifics.

Now that you bring this up, I need to do mine again.

[shogun]

Dogbone / Rear axle pitman arm replacement (http://bmwe32.masscom.net/johan/dogbones/pitman.htm)
How to replace the rear Pitman arms (torque rods) (http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/51276)

[Tiger]

It still doesn't say which side is which... flat and curved... my mistake for not torquing the bolts while the car is on the ground... maybe that's why the boot ripped...

[shogun]

it does not matter, I tried both sides, and after 1 year the cheap ones make noise, no matter how you install them ;-)

But I found that they last longer when you add some good grease into the dogbones before you install new ones, looks like they even save on grease on cheap ones.
Just remove the clip from rubber boot, remove boot and add some grease. Assemble again and install.

[Tiger]

Oh! Yeah, the cheap one I installed clicked in no time... ripped boot in no time too... Once I sprayed waterproof grease in.... noise disappear but it occasianally clicked. I got Lemforders to go in.

[632 Regal]

My cheapie dogbones last time were FCP, now Karlisle (SP?) they have pretty violet spring clips on them. The FCP boots were trashed in a week but took until this year to self steer on the highways. Also scored the aluminum front control arms from FCP. I did manage a decent deal on KYB struts for the front, my Boge/sachs has finally taken all the abuse it could, I would rate them 9/10. The Bilsteins only made it a couple weeks till they puked internally. Hopefully the Lemforder thrust arms with the M5 bushings have held together because I hate to do this again, those are a couple years and 20K old.

[ss2115]

Can anyone make a list of what brands are crap, which are okay and which are brilliant for us all?

I have a thud over bumps from the rear left-hand wheel (only). The RH doesn't do it.
Would this be these dog bones or something else. It sounds like a shock mount but I cannot see anything wrong with it.

To replace these dog bones at the normal wheel height, I'd do the job on wheel ramps.

[BigKriss]

Did you take the rear parcel shelf off to see the shock mount?




Can anyone make a list of what brands are crap, which are okay and which are brilliant for us all?

I have a thud over bumps from the rear left-hand wheel (only). The RH doesn't do it.
Would this be these dog bones or something else. It sounds like a shock mount but I cannot see anything wrong with it.

To replace these dog bones at the normal wheel height, I'd do the job on wheel ramps.

[ss2115]

Did you take the rear parcel shelf off to see the shock mount?

Hi BigKriss.

Its a Touring (s/wagon) and I have had the trim over the rear wheel off to inspect the top of the shock. Its pretty easy on the touring.
Its more a thud from underneath the car - not "through" the car if you know what I mean.

I've also done the obvious things like check the spare is locked down, no tools or anything moving around etc.

[BigKriss]

Okay well, I'm not sure what it is then :( - could be a few things.

[Tiger]

Hamburg Tech is duds..
Lemforder is best. Not sure about others.

[632 Regal]

Holy shitballs! The dogbones have physical play on one side about 1/8 inch or 3mm for you folks that don't know math, other about half that play. This is just the play from pushing the bushing pieces towards and apart, not using any force just fingering the biatch. The bonus part is that I plucked a chunk of Eiback from the spring perch. Nice.

[Tiger]

Sounds normal to me... wear and tear...

[632 Regal]

But the Eibach missing chunk?

What if I use some worn out 525 springs up front? Use stocker rear springs and 525 up front.

Still does the self over steer on right turns, cant wait to see what that brings me as into surprises when I do the front end.

Yes I am all into pre maintenance but financially I have treated her like a toy-yota the past 2 years.

[632 Regal]

dogbones did not help the oversteer at all, car is declining in health. need a fan shroud too, it's to the point of hot glue and zip ties, no biggie. Going to try the suspension on the left front side this weekend but in limited time, hope the lemforder thrust arms are intact. really think the right side is the culprit though. :left side strut spwewd its juice innards all over, easy to say it is toast.

[Tiger]

When is the last time u had alignment done? You should physically see the machine reading... not printout. ALot of those big shops fake alignment jobs.

[632 Regal]

Long Long ago, I have balljoint clunking upfront and a completely dead shock so I will replace the control arms and swaybar links first along with the struts. That should allow me under there to inspect everything else. Hope the Lemforder thrust arms haven't given up, would suck to tear it all down again but they looked fine last oil change before winter. Control arm boot is ripped on one side and it was all rusty inside, hope that is the culprit.

[632 Regal]

Replaced the passenger side strut and control arm. As a buddy said when he checked the old arm "this thing is WASTED". lots of play. Lack of air pressure caused me to not continue the drivers side. Took it on the freeway today and the self steering issue is cured, steering wheel straight again. All in all the car is now quiet, tight and responsive again.

Will complete the job on drivers side this coming weekend, it's so nice to drive the thing and actually have control again.