Reply With QuoteSounds like at least your rear subframe bushings are sacked.
3 Grand Master
Help stop me wandering
Car is great round town but on open road it wont hold a straight line. There is no uneven tyre wear. The tracking has just been redone and was found to be half a degree out. The centre tie rod was replaced about 12 months ago and there doesnt appear to be any play on the steering. There DOES appear to be some movement at the inboard end of the lower control arms though I only just replaced them for the MOT. Had weight in it and torqued up the bolts properly. There is an audible clunk when moving the steering wheel when at rest. There also appears to be some up/down play at the rear end - the dogbones and wishbone bushes seem ok but the whole suspension seems to move down if the car is rocked in park. You can even see the exhaust move down on its hanger. So am I looking at new arms (again) and new subframe bushes? Had pics but sods law says they are a few kb too big to post
Oct '00 E46 330i. Feb '92 525i (departed)
Major Contributor
Sounds like at least your rear subframe bushings are sacked.
1997 535i V8
5spd, OBC, A/C, cruise, BMW phone, factory M-Tech wheel & suspension, 18" Alpinas
4 Grand Master
I'll second that.Originally Posted by DaveVoorhis
"The gas pedal wouldn't go to the floor if it weren't meant to be there"
4 Grand Master
Are you sure there is no play in steering? How about your Idler arm? Can you rock that thing up and down? Did you tighten up your steering box bolt?
How is your wheel bearing? Any play? Should be zero.
All sway bar links? Have they ever been changed?
3 Grand Master
I wander
No play in the wheels bearings. Not clear what you mean by sway bar links but if they are the verticle down-links ( no. 6 in the pic http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...45&hg=31&fg=10 )
they are new too. Just for info it doesnt matter what angle the wheels are at - you still get the clunk when rocking the steering wheel back and forth. Cant see any movement in the idler arm or box but will double check the bolts to make sure. Thanks both for the advice
Oct '00 E46 330i. Feb '92 525i (departed)
4 Grand Master
Idler arm is checked when car is up in the air... both wheel up in the air and push and pull up and down.
Big, Big Time Poster
ave you tightened the nut at the bottom of you steering column?
3 Grand Master
Update
As per Tiger's instructions, put it on stands and heaved away at the drop arm. No movement. Rechecked the bearings and all the steering joints again. No movement. Where I do have movement is on the inboard end of the lower control arms-the ones I just replaced. So I took out the bolts expecting them and/or the arm bushes to be worn oval- and they arent. But they are not a snug fit either. I put the bolts back in, retorqued to 78nm with weight in the car as before -and got rid of the movement and the clunks. Maybe just for now. While I was at it, also checked the rear subframe (vertical front) bushes. So can anyone plse advise:
1. if the bolt through the inboard end of the lower control arms should be
a. interference b. tight c. dont matter
2. should the rear subframe bush extend up through the arm to meet the body? only I can get my fingers in a gap there!
Oct '00 E46 330i. Feb '92 525i (departed)
Green Beret Special Ops
maybe its the nut behind the wheel?
95 E34 530I V2.37
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Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
John F. Kennedy
3 Grand Master
What nut?
Very likely. Should be certified
Oct '00 E46 330i. Feb '92 525i (departed)
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