[JonEdwards]

Changed the front pads and rotors today. Whilst it was up in the air I had a good wiggle of all the suspension components.

The front tension struts (part 9 in the pic), aren't knocking, but they do roll side to side axially along their length quite easily (I could get maybe 20° of movement, one handed), which is far more motion than I could generate in any of the other suspension components whether running on bushes or ball joints.

So are they dead? If so, what's the fix? Complete new arm or press new bushes (polybush?) in to the old ones? If the latter, how much of a pig is that for a DIYer...?



Cheers!

Jon

[doughboy]

They are very squidgy as standard.

That part has a ball joint at one end and a soft hydraulic bush at the front end, so it will 'rotate' fairly easily, but its job is to resist pull / push forces rather than twisting forces.

These soft bushes are what BMW fitted to compensate for runflat tyres.

Myself and a few here have replaced these arms for M3 items which have hard solid rubber bushes instead.

[parapaul]

Are the M3 wishbones a DIY job?

[doughboy]

Yes, but you need a full alignment immediately as they are slightly longer, giving more neg camber and cocking up your toe badly.

2x tension struts and 2x wishbones. (parts 9 and 14 in the diagram)

[JonEdwards]

Quick responses. Thank you!

I knew the subframe bushes were extra squidgy to mask the runflats, but i didn't know that some of the strut bushings were too. Sounds like they don't need attention after all.

Cool. Because one of the rear dampers is leaking too. So the cash can go there instead!

Cars, eh. Almost more expensive than women. But at least they don't moan when you thrash them...

[A_P]

Originally Posted by doughboy

Yes, but you need a full alignment immediately as they are slightly longer, giving more neg camber and cocking up your toe badly.

2x tension struts and 2x wishbones. (parts 9 and 14 in the diagram)

Doughbboy have you replaced are rear components also? If so which ones?