Rear Suspension: Wishbone Inner Bush

    Trying to find the source of knocking under the car and noticed these:
    8er.org/forum/index.php?attachment/24521/


    8er.org/forum/index.php?attachment/24522/


    Looks like they are shot - are they easy to replace?


    Also when I hit the centre box (expansion box) on the silencer, it rattles too, as if there is something loose inside - are there baffles in here or is it just an empty chamber? What purpose does it serve?

    I got complete wishbones from Gerry at Phoenix as the BMW ones are extortionate - they are nicely powder-coated as well.


    I don't know if the resonator has baffles - but it removes the boom from the exhaust note and joins both banks of the exhaust together which aids gas-flow.

    If I am not mistaken this is a detail picture of the lower cross-member also supporting the spring?


    8er.org/forum/index.php?attachment/24538/


    The ball bearing which clearly has seen better times can be replaced. Of course, for this the cross-member needs to be removed which, looking at the condition of the screw and ball bearing may turn out to involve rather drastic measures.
    Looking at the excerpt from the parts catalogue above please take notice that the excentric bolt in this location is NLA, so try and rescue this whatever it takes unless you have good spares around!
    We have had cases where the bolt was rusted into the ball bearing and whatever we tried it would not yield. In one case we had to cut it out and in another case we removed the entire subframe before we managed to retrieve the bolt. Allegedly there are similar sized excentric bolts from other BMW series only no one has gone that far to check whether they will properly fit (size of excentric washer).


    Other than that the cross member/bearing is easy enough to replace - see pictures here. You will need to have your rear axle tracking aligned after the work is done.


    Cheers
    Reinhard

    ZF 15647-01 is not the part needed here. This is replacement for #23 above (1137819).
    Replacement for #2 (1135131) is ZF 15927-01!


    Anyway, Angus - it´d be best to check out every single one of the ball joints (2 more in each wheel carrier and one hard to see in #10; also bushing #16 for excessive play). The one in #10 has been source for trouble as was reported earlier here and there


    Cheers
    Reinhard

    Thank you both for your assistance. I note the comments regarding the bolt being NLA - maybe a project for Gerry to manufacture some in stainless steel?


    As I do not have ramp/hoist facilities or spring compressors I will see if my local garage can do the work - let you know the outcome.

    Nr Welshpool, Powys, Wales[INDENT]E31 840 Ci Sport - 1999
    VW Passat Alltrack - 2013
    Mercedes SLK 320 - 2002
    Toyota Rav4 - 1997[/INDENT]

    Zitat von anguswolfendale;114007

    As I do not have ramp/hoist facilities or spring compressors I will see if my local garage can do the work - let you know the outcome.


    I have completed the rebuild without the above facilities BUT with the kind assistance of Wolf and Reinhard. I didn't take step-by-step photo's as most of the time my hands were covered in grime!



    • Chock front wheels
    • From inside boot, remove carpet and side trim
    • Remove grey covers over top of shock-absorbers
    • Undo the two shock-absorber retention nuts (not the centre nut)
    • Release wheel nuts
    • Jack up rear of car as high as possible and support on axle stands at rear Jacking Postion
    • Remove wheels
    • Support lower pan (spring support) with trolley jack.
    • Disconnect EDC shock electric connection (Connector block housed in plastic "box" attached to rear subframe in front of spare wheel well)
    • Release cables for shocks, brake pad wear sensor and ABS sensors from plastic retention clips (clip plastic can be very brittle).
    • Undo the bolt that is inboard of the lower lateral support arm part: 07119914684
    • Undo the bolt that secures the lower pan to the wheel carrier 07119914829
    • Undo the lower shock absorber bolt: 07119914681
    • Push shock-absorber upward enough to enable it to be pulled out of the car.
    • Pull the wheel hub (grab the brake disc) towards you and gently lower the lower support pan.
    • Now remove the road spring
    • Now tackle the eccentric bolt, inboard or the lower support pan: 333211338
    • If you are lucky - you will be able to remove it - most likely it will have seized to the inside of the bearing. It took three days of soaking with penetrating oil and many clouts with a lump hammer to remove one. The other had to be cut out
    • The eccentric bolts are no longer available. However, Reinhard steered me to:


    [INDENT]33.30.3.784.983 Bolt
    33.30.3.786.187 Eccentric washer
    33.30.6.760.349 Nut
    This bolt is slightly longer than the original. The eccentric collar and washer are 1mm larger in diameter and need to be taken down to size so that they will locate correctly in the rear subframe location slots.


    [/INDENT]
    20. Remove lower support pans
    21. Support Wheel carrier on trolley jack
    22. Undo the bolts retaining the upper support arm
    23. remove upper support arm (I ordered refurbished arms from Wolf who supplied them powder coated with a new bush fitted.
    24. Remove bushes from wheel carrier and lower support pan. You will find a 30mm socket can be used as a tool to push out the smaller bushes: 33321135131
    25. A 32mm socket can be used to drive out the larger bush on the upper of the wheel carrier: 33321090336[INDENT]I purchased a Sealey bush/bearing removal tool kit and this proved invaluable.[/INDENT]
    26. On one lower support pan the bush was impossible to remove with my tools so I got the local tyre fitter to push it out with a hydraulic press and fit the new bush
    27. Replacement is the reversal of these steps.


    Please note: I did not dismantle the hub or remove the drive shafts. I did not remove the exhaust nor the hand-brake cables. I did not use a spring compressor.


    All components genuine BMW. Bolts were liberally greased before refitting (new bolts where possible) and torqued correctly.


    The car is now booked in for a KDS alignment to ensure all settings are correct.


    I'm glad the job is over as it was a struggle at times, with seized components and having to lie on my back, whilst wielding a hammer or yanking on a breaker-bar. I'm no spring chicken!!


    Cost of components, including Wolf's refurbished upper wishbones and shipping, less core refund is: £501 inc VAT + BMW KDS: £150 +VAT.

    Nr Welshpool, Powys, Wales[INDENT]E31 840 Ci Sport - 1999
    VW Passat Alltrack - 2013
    Mercedes SLK 320 - 2002
    Toyota Rav4 - 1997[/INDENT]

    You´re a brave man Angus! :top:


    To everyone else... don´t try this at home :laugh:


    When not having space or tools at home over here we can book time at self help workshops where one´d find at least a proper lift to make it less back breaking.
    Redoing the rear axle really is work which requires brute force at times esp. when the wetter elements have had enough time to do their nasty work.


    It is good to hear that the late issue excentric bolt can be made to fit, it does not seem likely that BMW will make the original one available again but it is very likely that many, many more 8ers will require new ball joints and bushings in the rear axle.


    If anyone is thinking of sourcing this out to a BMW workshop rest assured that they will probably charge in excess of 20 hrs of labour - you do the maths ;)


    Cheers
    Reinhard

    Started on the Black one today , as there are a few bushings needing replacment.


    Does not look to bad no rust on any components and it all whent straight out, started this job due to number 16 not looking best any more and number 23 having the cracked rubber sleeve.
    Still no play in number 23 but it's just a matter of short time since dirt will now enter the ball bearing.
    No other bearings fond with any play , but would it be good to replace some of them anyway?


    8er.org/forum/index.php?attachment/26169/8er.org/forum/index.php?attachment/26170/8er.org/forum/index.php?attachment/26171/8er.org/forum/index.php?attachment/26172/

    If all seem good then just keep checking from time to time. If you start changing things because your under the car it will start to get very expensive. My 840 is off to Phoenix Motorsport in April as I don't have the time or space to do the job myself. There isn't anything wrong at the moment, but I have the funds to replace all the component's. I first bought an old rear axle £125. I sent the upper wishbones to Wokke for refurb. ( around £300 ) Then on to Gerry at Phoenix for trailing arm exchange + a couple of extras £500. All the eccentric bolts from Wokke £55. All other nuts, bolts and washer from BMW about £56. 4 off detail "2" £80. 2 off detail "23" £105. both from BMW. Lemforder do sell the bushes but they we're in short supply when I enquired. Two new number 7 bushes cheap at £10. We're over £1100 now and I have just paid £600 on top of that for Bilstein B12 kit. Then there's the fitting!! I think I started but couldn't stop. Still I think the suspension is original with only a few bushes being changed over the years ( according to the bills I have) so I think it is for me, a job that will not need doing again for another 20+ years judging but the mileage it covers now.

    Morning All!,
    I've not been around here on the forum much of late - been far too busy with work and far too broke to spend any money on my car. Fortunately, despite going through a long and hard financial wilderness I managed to keep my 8, it's safely under wraps at a friend's house.
    Things are improving and I'm hoping I may be able to get the 8 back into use again. When I do, there's a little job that needs doing - some bushes in the back end :(
    I changed my wheels and tyres last time I used the car and noticed that one of the rear (RH) was worn over about a third of the tread from the inside. This suggests some sort of alignment issue - the car was set up and KDS checked recently (in terms of mileage prior to me swapping wheels and tyres) and no problems were noted, I'm left suspecting failing bushes causing trouble. So, I thought I might was well look to see about doing the whole job in one go - since it's a bit of a nightmare getting underneath to do this.
    I'm a bit out of touch though, can someone (Wokke maybe?) let me know what upgrade bits and bobs are available? I know Wokke produces some but I'd like to see the list of what's available.
    I also need a pair of Wokke's front arms as the dreaded shimmy is making it's presence felt under hard braking.


    Cheers

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