[E92_William]

Hey, I need some help figuring this issue out because I'm stumped. This car for whatever reason now has the sway bar links hitting the wheel spindle. The link hits the bolt at the spindle that holds the bottom of the shock.

This started a few days after I dropped my subframe to change my oil pan gasket (didn't disconnect any balljoints or sway bar links, only control arm bolts) and it makes this noise now when turning the wheels standing, also clunks repeatedly when backing up and turning. See this video:

https://youtube.com/shorts/kZ6AFX9CdXU?feature=share

When I jack the car up I can't get it to make all those noises but I see that the sway bar link on the passenger side is hitting the bolt on the knuckle that holds the bottom of the strut. There are marks on the link from previous hitting. Does it on both sides of the front end as both have marks. Any ideas?

https://youtube.com/shorts/gZo0t0jdbM8?feature=share

I just took the front struts apart today to replace failed strut mounts but this didn't improve anything… is my link installed wrong? Maybe I missed something putting the sway bar back onto the subframe?

My car is a 2008 328xi. However I have no front cv axles only the stub in the spindle so no axle can be making this noise. All arm bushings are new, sway bar links are recent and so are ball joints.

Here are some pics of the suspension components to see if anyone sees anything installed wrong. Car drives fine otherwise.

[E92_William]

I could grind the side of the bolt on the spindle a bit so the link doesn't hit it but this wouldn't be solving the problem but masking it as something has to be off if it worked fine before.

[E92_William]

Trying to diagnose my way out of this issue I removed both sway bar links. No change in noise so that's surprising.

I went today and decided to check my tie rods and rack so I removed the outer tie rod ends from the knuckles and they have no play and balljoint feels ok even if a bit on the looser side.

The inner tie rod end I wonder if it's supposed to have no resistance to movement or if it should move freely easily? Here's a vid of how loose it is.

https://youtube.com/shorts/QfKirYgTFxs?feature=share

Also greased the steering rack and inner tie rod joint. No change in noise at all.

[Tambohamilton]

Struts on the wrong sides? They're side specific...

[E92_William]

I resolved my issue thanks to many people with lots of patience to come up with ideas about what the issue could be.

I lifted the engine again with the support bar and loosened the subframe and removed and retorqued every bolt with anti seize. Then removed the rear front control arm bolts and reinstalled them at ride height with anti seize too and the car was fixed after that. I think the issue was the control arms somehow binding when turning even though I torqued lifting the spindle with a jack up last time I loosened them. Just glad it's fixed now

While the car was on the ground and wheels turning I would go under and grab on the subframe and by feel you could tell the noise and vibration was coming more from the rearward part of it. Very weird issue to diagnose and nobody online seemed to have gotten this specifically, some had subframe bolts snapped though