Tie Rod

[Luftpost]

My right tie rod has sprung a leak. Actually it has all leaked out. What is the purpose of the clear jell inside the rubber thingy. What kinds of symptoms would it produce?? Shimmy perhaps??

I am getting that awful shimmy at 50 while braking, but the upper control arms don't seem to have any play. Any thoughts?

[632 Regal]

[/QUOTE]
Looks like time to replace things. The thrust arm bushings, look closely at the rubber part for cracking and the bolt being out of center. Sometimes hard to see.

[Interceptor]

If you haven't done anything to your front suspension for quite some time, it would be best to change everything. The E34 has a fairly complex and sensitive front suspension and steering components. If you decide to change one at a time, you might end up changing a piece every month! And you'll never have a good-handling shimmy-less car...

In the long run, it's cheaper to bite the bullet

[Luftpost]

If you haven't done anything to your front suspension for quite some time, it would be best to change everything.

I have owned it for 70,000+ miles and only had the center tie rod replaced 1.5 years ago. Who know how old the rest is.

I noticed this space between the rubber and the green plastic on the bushing. This photo was taken with the weight on wheels. Is this normal?

[632 Regal]

look at the microcracks in the above picture, lots of them at 6:00 oclock, this is what to watch for. if you maintain your car then these should be changed, if you think of it as american muscle let it go til something breaks and is obvious.

If you decide it's time to "as a manner of maintenance" change the front end then do it all except the centerlink as you said it was recently replaced. mail peicing one end after another does not a BMW make. Perhaps something else. If one or 2 ends are done then the rest are sure to follow. I am a cheap dude but know cheaping out here costs more later. Consider the M5 bushings in the thrust arms as I used them and have not busted them out in over 2 years which says a lot about the bushings. The stockers and 750 bushings I can pop on the first test stop.