[Beisofmarko]

Hi,

I just finished up changing all of the 31 bushings to Strongflex yellow on my 2006 E92 335i.
Right after install i'm getting pretty loud creaking sounds accompanied with slight binding sound/feeling.
It doesn't creak/squeek on normal driving or spirited turns but going over speedbumps (more compression) causes alot of sounds.
I used floorjack to move one corner of the suspension at a time and can see that it's coming pretty much from every control arm, rear being worse than front.

This is closest of the sound i'm having. https://youtu.be/08RNqoJxYoA?t=2

I have applied grease provided to every contact surface and plenty of it, as its spilling from everywhere:
- between the socket and the PU bush
- between the PU bush and the metal bush
- the center of the metal bush
- PU bush sides
- All the bushings are in correct places in right way with right sleeves.
- Everything has been torqued to spec

I'd like to know if someone has experienced same with new lubed poly bushings, is it normal or? Other than that, the car feels great and difference taking sharp turns is day and night.

Thanks!

[Brian86]

Yup, poly bushings are creaky.

It's just like loud high performance brake pads. Embrace it.

[Andy198712]

How did you do the rear bearings on the arms that are pressed steel? One I tried distorted the arm
Fronts were easy enough

I don’t notice creaking though.

Sure it’s not the hard bushing/bearings in the hub section?

[Beisofmarko]

Originally Posted by Andy198712

How did you do the rear bearings on the arms that are pressed steel? One I tried distorted the arm
Fronts were easy enough

After getting old stuff out i used "sandpaper flap disc" for my drill to clean insides just a bit to make surface smooth.
I used bench vice to install new bearings/rings to control arms, i pushed them inside from the side that has small rounding.
Just make sure when starting to tighten the vice, that you have lined everything properly on vice so pressure will be even.
Make sure when pressing that you have lined control arm between vice so that it won't press the control arm.
I had 1 jaw against middle of bearing and other against ring of the control arm that bearing comes thru.
Then some lubricant and turn vice untill bearing bottoms out and then swapped correct size socket to allow bearing to come thru last few millimeters that it was supposed to.

I don’t notice creaking though.

Sure it’s not the hard bushing/bearings in the hub section?

When jacking up rear on the lift i can see that when control arms are moving up and down,
the bearings/metal rings are not turning inside control arms, so those are not the cause.
But the yellow bushing is turning inside bearing and i believe that inner sleeve where bolt goes thru is moving also.
I can see the bushing turning with what looks like it seems to be so tight that it creaks and pops slightly when jacking the rear up and down.
All of those surfaces have lots of grease

[335i54n]

did you do swaybar bushing? when you go over bumps same time it makes noise but if you lift only 1 side over the bump does it go away? poly bushing suck imo, every few months i have to grease my swaybar bushing

[Beisofmarko]

Originally Posted by 335i54n

did you do swaybar bushing? when you go over bumps same time it makes noise but if you lift only 1 side over the bump does it go away? poly bushing suck imo, every few months i have to grease my swaybar bushing

Yes swaybars also, did all of the 31 bushings.
It creaks/squeeks when rear has alot compression/travel, if i drive just one side over a speedbump, noise comes from that corner.
I can see and feel where sound comes as the bushings bind/pop a little when control arms change angle and the bushings turn inside them.

I don't mind the sound too much, but just trying to figure if i have everything right
as i've read that they tend to squeek and require re-greasing.
But i just have put everything back together and every surface has plenty of thick grease.

Maybe i'll take one arm out someday and see if i can see if it's the bushing or the inner metal sleeve inside the bushing that is tight and binding slightly,
even after it has plenty of supplied grease.

[335i54n]

it shouldnt make noise right away though, something off. i would put it on stands and use a jack to compress and locate the noise. you could also remove the shock and the rear should move pretty freely if all the rears are poly