I failed VA safety inspection b/c my left "thrust rod bushing" is cracked/leaking. After lots of research on here/elsewhere and speaking with the tech who failed me (it was at the dealer. yes, my first mistake) it seems that replacing the entire tension strut/bushing is much easier than "pressing" in the bushing itself (which apparently necessitates some special pressing tool).
Here is the picture of the leaking bushing:
You can see the leaking thrust rod bushing. The piece around it and with "BMW GERMANY" written upside-down is the tension strut.
Here are the parts on the RealOEM diagram:
Number 9 and 10
Here are the part #'s from RealOEM and my dealer:
Tension strut with hydraulic mount, left 31126769797
Tension strut with hydraulic mount,right 31126769798
Hydrobearing (aka, thrust rod bushing): 31126763719
My main question is
what is the procedure for replacing these tension struts/bushings? There seems to be no DIY for this on the site. Also, can someone send me a link for the direct replacement of these parts? I have seen lots of people throwing around the term "control arm bushings" and at times I cannot differentiate that term with the terms I mention here. I know people seem to replace some of these suspension pieces with M3 pieces for rigidity but i keep seeing them called control arms. Not sure if that is applicable here.
Thank you for your input. The dealer wants to charge $646 and I want to attempt this on my own if its possible without special tools. Any advice is much appreciated.