If my upper endlink balljoint has lost its seal...

[Oli77]

And looks like this,

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/27597541/pha622/ZOE_0012-D4A9FD7D_1-29228537.jpg


Is this an issue that could be associated with a series of light front clunks while turning? Its a suspension component right? The seal at that joint is broken and grease has come out.

The endlinks can be moved easily rotating around the vertical-ish axis. I suppose this is normal. There is no play when I tweak with a braker bar at the bottom or top balljoint.

With wheel up in the air, absolutely no play in wheel with hand at 6 and noon. However, lots of mushy play at 3 and 9 o'clock. Feels normal to me as the steering wheel moves when I do that. The control arms are not moving (2-3 years old).

The light front clunks while turning disappears when the car has been driven a couple of miles.

Can you guy see through these symptoms?

[danewilson77]

Yes. Absolutely.

Samsung Galaxy S5...

[Oli77]

Thank you for your support DW. Could you elaborate? I see that you see but what do you see?

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[danewilson77]

What I see is the boot is broken. You know this. I also see that the grease has leaked out. You see this also. In my experience when his happens, as weight shifts from one side of the car to the other, during turning, it will create a "click" vice making a smooth transition.

Now you see what I see.

It could be a number of things though.

You know these need replaced and I'd start there.

Samsung Galaxy S5...

[Oli77]

OK hunting for parts. . .

But in the meantime, do you concur that it is normal to have some play when torquing the wheel left-right with hands at 3 and 9 o'clock?

What about the endlinks pivoting along the vertical axis? Also normal?

[Oli77]

Options

1. With Meyle bushings @ turnermotorsports ~$37 each. http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-3241-front-sway-bar-link-e46-z4.aspx
(http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-3241-front-sway-bar-link-e46-z4.aspx)

2. Mummy from modbargains ~$182/pair http://www.modbargains.com/Hotchkis-End-Links-BMW-E46.htm

3. Penske parts $45 each. http://www.penskeparts.com/DiagramsMain.aspx?vid=47720&rnd=03192010

4. fcpeuro Lemforder $21 each. http://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-sway-bar-link-e46-31351095694l

5. Tresor trove at autohousaz $10-42 each. http://www.autohausaz.com/search/product.aspx?sid=dp1nzu450qc2hzanrvpamw45&makeid=800003@BMW&modelid=1431323@325I%20%28M54%29&year=2005&cid=27@Suspension%20System&gid=10737@Stabilizer/Sway%20Bar%20Link

6. ECS tuning $36 oem. http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-325i-M54_2.5L/Search/SiteSearch/Front_Sway_Bar_End_Link/ES51181/

7. or HD Meyle from ECS $27 each. http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/31351095694/ES1843949/

Ideas?

[Johnmadd]

I would go with the least expensive unless you have or plan on having upgraded suspension. The job is quick and easy, if they fail a couple years down the road it won't hurt your pockets, as you said performance hasn't been affected yet, just clunk sounds than its not a real big deal. Others may disagree, but you won't hurt anything imo.

[Oli77]

Thanks John. Leaning toward links #6 or 7 above.

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[Johnmadd]

Thanks John. Leaning toward links #6 or 7 above.

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No problem. I would go number 7. I went with really cheap German ones from local store and have no issues.

[alexandre]

OEM Lemfoerder is $27.xx at eeuroparts.

http://www.eeuroparts.com/Parts/28873/Sway-Bar-Link-Front-31351095694/

[Oli77]

I'm all over this. Thanks for the link.

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[Oli77]

Question actually, the ZSP is about an inch lower than the base 325i. The "sport suspension" could require shorter sway bar endlinks. Non?


Answer:NO

[Oli77]

Doesn't look like it at realoem.

[Oli77]

OEM Lemfoerder is $27.xx at eeuroparts.

http://www.eeuroparts.com/Parts/28873/Sway-Bar-Link-Front-31351095694/

Merci Alexandre, just ordered today.

Now, you wouldn't know the answer to the 2 questions above about mushiness at 6 and 3 o'clock, would you?

[alexandre]

Merci Alexandre, just ordered today.

Now, you wouldn't know the answer to the 2 questions above about mushiness at 6 and 3 o'clock, would you?

No clue. Usually indicates either bad FCAB or bad tie rod i think.


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[Rovert]

Don't get Meyle. Ask Alex why. LOL

[Oli77]

Got the end links from eeuroparts in the mail today.

Question: how much tension is on that sway bar if both wheels are off the ground?

Do you recommend doing this job one wheel at a time or both off the ground?

I wonder if there will be much tension on the bar if I do one wheel at a time.

Experts, let me know cause I don't want that sway bar to swing hard when it lets go of the end link.

[Johnmadd]

No safety problem unless the car falls... raise it up on both sides and there is almost zero tension. You'll be surprised how easy it it, it literally takes more time to get the car on stands.

[Oli77]

Thanks John, I will use the favored Dane technique for raising the front on both side (raise from rear side pad and insert stand under rail - repeat on other side). I'll try to remember to loosened the lug bolts before the car is up on stands:idea.

[Johnmadd]

You can do it #waterboy . Report back how easy it was.

[danewilson77]

Got the end links from eeuroparts in the mail today.

Question: how much tension is on that sway bar if both wheels are off the ground?

Do you recommend doing this job one wheel at a time or both off the ground?

I wonder if there will be much tension on the bar if I do one wheel at a time.

Experts, let me know cause I don't want that sway bar to swing hard when it lets go of the end link.

You have to do it with both wheels off of ground.


As long as we are not just 'rehashing the bashing', this could and should be a useful thread.

[Oli77]

Thank you both. What does #waterboy mean?

[danewilson77]

Thank you both. What does #waterboy mean?

+1

?


As long as we are not just 'rehashing the bashing', this could and should be a useful thread.

[Johnmadd]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ2HcRl4wSk&app=desktop
Thank you both. What does #waterboy mean?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ2HcRl4wSk&app=desktop

[Oli77]

Yes I can!

[Johnmadd]

Yes I can!

:lmao

[Oli77]

Looked up the old Bentley. Upper end link torque in one place says 44ft/lb and 48 ft/lb for lower connection to swaybar.

In another place it say 48 for top (on strut mount) and bottom (on sway bar).

Don't sweat it and torque to 48 ft/lb on both?

OK with that boss?

[alexandre]

I did 48 on both.

[Oli77]

Thanks man.

[Oli77]

Job done. The Lemforders where a perfect fit. Lifted both wheels up and that sway bar was not an issue as you guys told me.

Clunckyness up front is gone. Happy about that.

Took some thin needle nose wise grips to hold the shaft while turning the nut, when putting the new ones on.

Job was easy, I agree.

[Johnmadd]

:thumbsup

[Oli77]

Could have spoken too soon on the clunks up front. I have heard them again today and its the same ones!

I might have to re-tighten those end links.

[danewilson77]

Could be tie rod ball joints, fcabs, strut mounts, caliper....all dependent on maintenance history.

The friendliest forum on the planet.

[Oli77]

The wheel motion when in the air with pushing at 3 and 9 o'clock make me think tie rods now.

FCAB are relatively new.

[Oli77]

Inner tie rod meeting on the steering rack has some play.

Could that translate to clunky behavior when steering left and driving slow?

Could that also translate into a clunk when I brake?

Left right up down, North South, confused.

[Oli77]

Lemfoerder ball joint snapped while tightening it. Clunk was getting worse and I thought it needed tightening. Top one tightened nice a little more, bottom one kept spinning while I was maintaining back side locked.

Snapped.

Can I drive without one endlink?

[Oli77]

Found one locally, made in Turkey. Tightened nicely. I'll call eeuro tomorrow.14198

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[Oli77]

Eeuroparts said my over-torquing is what broke the shaft. I was at 55ft-lbs when Bentley recommends 48 ft-lbs.

Told him the other 3 nuts did OK but still, Zack couldn't do anything for me. The Turkey made one I bought as a replacement also did OK at 55 ft-lbs.

Moving on...

[Oli77]

Leaning towards FCABs because on occasion it happens when I brake...

It's lonely over here...

(Boss, perhaps move thread to troubleshoot please}.

[Johnmadd]

My fcab's are in need of change (maybe tomorrow) and sometimes while braking my steering wheel will pull left very sharply, thats why I'm changing them. My steering wheel will turn about from 12 o'clock to 9 o'clock.

[Oli77]

^ not much of that going on in my case, mostly a series of clunk driving slowly over tiny bumps on the road.
Does yours clunk too?

[Johnmadd]

^ not much of that going on in my case, mostly a series of clunk driving slowly over tiny bumps on the road.
Does yours clunk too?

Just at low speed when backing in to my rough rocky parking spot at my house.

[Johnmadd]

Maybe time to change control arms?

[Oli77]

They are ~3 years old, and ball joints are tight. I did reuse the fcabs though.

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[Johnmadd]

If I do fcab's tomorrow I will report back. I think fcab's are likely your problem now though, 3 years is about the normal for rubber rot or hard drive wear I would estimate.

[Oli77]

Update. After replacing the endlinks and complaining about the noise still being here, I kept driving and magically, the noises have all disappeared (took about 2 weeks)!