E46 Bushes

Bradmax57 · 17 Mar 2013 at 00:00

How can it be easier doing the whole arm? once the guard is removed its just 4 bolts to remove the lollypops

rare · 17 Mar 2013 at 00:17

The only front bushes are the lollypops in brackets. The front arm is often replaced because the ball joints come pressed in to them. An arm, an inner ball joint from arm to chassis, outer ball joint to hub and a bush connecting the arm to the chassis.

pepsilol · 17 Mar 2013 at 00:38

[TW]Fox;23952573 said:
I thought the front was similar to the E39 which has more than that and for which most recommend just doing the entire arms as its easier than just the bushes.

As suspected 100% wrong.

It's not even remotely close to being like the E39. The E39 is far more complicated.

We are talking about the front lower rear control arm bushes. Something that is quite literally held on by 2 bolts which just lowers down, the bushes slide of and you slide on new ones.

Clarkey · 17 Mar 2013 at 00:38

Purple powerflex are fine. I couldn't tell any difference in NVH between this and stock. In fact, I couldn't tell any difference at all (compared to factory M solid bushes). They are very easy to fit though, just push in by hand.

Clarkey · 17 Mar 2013 at 00:39

pepsilol said:
As suspected 100% wrong.

It's not even remotely close to being like the E39. The E39 is far more complicated.

We are talking about the front lower rear control arm bushes. Something that is quite literally held on by 2 bolts which just lowers down, the bushes slide of and you slide on new ones.

They don't always just slide off easily though, they can become seized on there and be a bit of a bear to get off tbh.

pepsilol · 17 Mar 2013 at 00:40

Clarkey said:
They don't always just slide off easily though, they can become seized on there and be a bit of a bear to get off tbh.

Well it's not something you would spend a lot of time getting off. Any mechanic will have a puller if it isn't coming off straight away.

mattyprice4004 · 17 Mar 2013 at 11:26

Your town is the reason it takes me an hour to get to my new job, I live in Southport and have to drive through Ormskirk lol.

I'd do the bushes yourself - seems quite easy and you'll save a packet

[TW]Fox · 17 Mar 2013 at 11:32

Sanchez said:
ring my local indie but they charge £65 an hour so not really much cheaper than the BMW dealer.

It's amazing how much per hour some of these guys charge now. You can get BMW main dealer rates for not much more on older cars and benefit from nicer places to wait, better coffee and brand new loan cars

SHEDDER1uk · 17 Mar 2013 at 11:36

Still got my poweflex bushes pressed into the lollipops took them of and put mele hd ones on.

F355 · 17 Mar 2013 at 12:20

I've got a 330d Sport I've owned for 4 years and every year the front bushes would get picked up on the MOT, one year I had BMW replace them (whole arms) and they lasted 2 years.

In December when they were brought up on the MOT again I got it booked into a specialist to get poly bushes fitted, it was just over £100 all in, and apparently they only fit poly bushes now. The E46 goes through front bushes for breakfast.

They said the front end would feel a bit tighter but it wasn't a massive change as the sport suspension is very firm to begin with. They also said, and I quote "they shouldn't need replacing again" - this is a reputable BMW specialist, although I doubt the bushes will outlast the car I hope they would last a number of years.

Matt82 · 17 Mar 2013 at 12:35

the OE items have voids (for comfort) so i can see how the movement could be mistaken for failure

M3 items, iirc, are solid rubber, as opposed to plastic, so should be a better compromise

Clarkey · 17 Mar 2013 at 12:44

Poly bushes will outlast the car, but will start squeaking after a while, be sure to grease them.

Sanchez · 17 Mar 2013 at 15:34

mattyprice4004 said:
Your town is the reason it takes me an hour to get to my new job, I live in Southport and have to drive through Ormskirk lol.

I think you're part of the reason it takes an age to get through Ormskirk!

it's a bit of a nightmare isn't it.

[TW]Fox;23954076 said:
It's amazing how much per hour some of these guys charge now. You can get BMW main dealer rates for not much more on older cars and benefit from nicer places to wait, better coffee and brand new loan cars

Well this is my thinking. By the looks of it BMW charge £100 an hour for labour. Still I need to think over the poly bushes and decide what to do. I would be better spending the savings on other suspension parts too perhaps.