[moosebrew]

I'm about to order and replace my differential bushings (two front, one rear) as preventative maintenance (high miles) on my '06 330i.



These bushings are rubber and I'm not sure if there's a trick to installing them. I've pressed in RTAB's on an E46 before but these don't have metal sleeves so I'm left scratching my head a bit on exactly what's needed to install them into the subframe. Any help is appreciated.

Maybe someone here has done this job before

[moosebrew]

nobody, huh? This might be tougher than i thought...

[mike3000fl]

the rear one should be hydraulic and not just rubber

[moosebrew]

Originally Posted by mike3000fl

the rear one should be hydraulic and not just rubber

Meaning that it has fluid built into the bushing, like many other BMW bushings?

What's giving me confusion is that every other bushing I've pressed in has been wrapped in a metal housing.

Pressing in a rubber bushing just seem odd to me.

[Blackhawk36]

The front bushing on the diff should have a metal sleeve and they require a special tool you can rent or make. The back ones just press in but you need to use the special lube that evaporates after the install so you don't damage them.

[moosebrew]

Originally Posted by Blackhawk36

The front bushing on the diff should have a metal sleeve and they require a special tool you can rent or make. The back ones just press in but you need to use the special lube that evaporates after the install so you don't damage them.

Thank you for the tip on the rear bushing install. I'll have to check into that lube.

As for the front, I'm with you on the need for the metal sleeve. However, the parts that ECS and other outfits want to sell me don't have it (see the link in my initial post.)

[Blackhawk36]

I'll copy the pages from the Bentley manual and upload them this evening. I read your post and then the Bentley manual on the subject because I always wondered about the diff bushings. Long ago I worked on a Triumph TR6. They had diff bushings and if you didn't replace them regularly, when they wore out they would break the mounting points requiring some very expensive welding to fix. It doesn't seem to be a big problem on the E90.

[moosebrew]

Originally Posted by Blackhawk36

I'll copy the pages from the Bentley manual and upload them this evening. I read your post and then the Bentley manual on the subject because I always wondered about the diff bushings. Long ago I worked on a Triumph TR6. They had diff bushings and if you didn't replace them regularly, when they wore out they would break the mounting points requiring some very expensive welding to fix. It doesn't seem to be a big problem on the E90.

I hate to see you go to the trouble, but if you have the time I'd sure appreciate getting a look at what it says.

[Blackhawk36]

No sweat. It is just a couple of pages.

[Efthreeoh]

OP, I have a 325i with 272K on it, bushings look in good shape. I'm not sure you're going to see any benefit to replacing the bushings.

[Blackhawk36]

See attached Bentley instructions,

[moosebrew]

Originally Posted by Blackhawk36

See attached Bentley instructions,

Thank you for posting!!

[moosebrew]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

OP, I have a 325i with 272K on it, bushings look in good shape. I'm not sure you're going to see any benefit to replacing the bushings.

I finally got around to doing this project last weekend. I drilled out the old bushings and installed the new ones with a homemade press I fashioned from some carriage bolts, washers and 1/4" plate steel I cut to shape with an angle grinder.

All in all it went fairly smoothly and the new bushings feel quite a bit more connected. What I removed showed no visible signs of imperfection. I replaced the rear with an OE 330i bushing and the fronts with M3 upgraded bushings.

There is a noticeable difference but I can't say for sure whether it's due to new bushings in general or upgrading to the M3 part numbers. Either way, it was a very nice return on investment with 150k on the clock.

[2fast4]

Originally Posted by moosebrew

I finally got around to doing this project last weekend. I drilled out the old bushings and installed the new ones with a homemade press I fashioned from some carriage bolts, washers and 1/4" plate steel I cut to shape with an angle grinder.

All in all it went fairly smoothly and the new bushings feel quite a bit more connected. What I removed showed no visible signs of imperfection. I replaced the rear with an OE 330i bushing and the fronts with M3 upgraded bushings.

There is a noticeable difference but I can't say for sure whether it's due to new bushings in general or upgrading to the M3 part numbers. Either way, it was a very nice return on investment with 150k on the clock.

5 years later...I need to do this. You've drilled out the old bushings.
How did you press in the new ones? Did you use the same carriage bolts as well? Isn't any one of the mounts have metal jacket around the bushings?

Is it required to drop the diff? I don't have trans jack to drop the diff but can you do this with without it like using floor jack? And how is it to unbolt diff from shaft and axles? I see some guys using big skinny open end wrench for shaft.