Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

For those that have changed their trailing arm bushes

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • For those that have changed their trailing arm bushes

    What was the condition of your old ones like?

    I've dropped my subframe/diff/trailing arms today to renew trailing arm and subframe bushes etc.

    One of the subframe bushes looks ok but the other has a small split, but I'm surprised that the trailing arm bushes look like new. No perished rubber, no twists, no play, nothing! Even the bolts look like new (no corrosion, and all came apart easy). At over 130,000miles, including many trackdays and 18yrs old I'm really surprised by this. I'm sure I've read of people renewing these and the old bushes were tired and failing (maybe old E30 blogs perhaps).

  • #2
    How is the subframe removal job? I need to do the axle bushes on mine soon. Did you take it down as a whole assembly or in bits?

    On the z3 does the stud that goes through the axle bush stay in place and the subframe slide vertically off it?

    Is the procedure something like this;

    Remove both rear exhausts sections
    Disconnect prop
    Disconnect shock absorbers at the bottom
    Disconnect and block brake lines
    Support assy with Jack/cradle
    Remove subframe support pieces(Allen head bolts)
    Remove rear diff casing bolt
    Remove 2 subframe nuts(bolts?)
    Lower with a assistance of a mate

    What sort of time does that lot take? It looks pretty straight forward but I'm assuming a morning would cover it by the time you hit a few stubborn bolts etc.

    For the cost of the training arm bushes and their relatively easy removal I guess you might as well change them. From things I have read they don't seem to wear. Out of interest what symptoms did you have to make you change the subframe bushes. I have a small amount of axle tramp which I think have pinned down to the Lh axle bush as there is some verticle play if I grab the axle on a 4 poster ramp. Car is on circa 78k with no record of them being changed previously.

    Thanks

    Jon

    Comment


    • #3
      Sometimes the rear feels a bit disconnected, but they all feel like that to a degree and it's a general characteristic of the E30 style rear end, but from what I've read the poly bushes for the subframe really help. So I thought whilst tdoing that I'll change the trailing arm bushes too. Also fitting a camber and toe kit so I can get full adjustment on the rear.

      Procedure is similar to what you have said. Some other bits I can remember from today;

      - Disconnect ABS sensors, and brake pad warning sensor and speedo sensor.
      - Disconnect anti roll bar by removing 13mm nuts on trailing arms for the drop links and push it up out of the way.
      - Disconnect handbrake cables; struggled with these so just chopped them!! I have had 2 new cables in my garage for ages so this will make me fit them.
      - Don't need to split the brake lines; just remove the caliper and ziptie/hang it from the body.

      I lowered the whole assembly in one go but it got stuck for a while but realised it was locking up against the rear diff mount as it was coming down at an angle (I thought the prop shaft was causing a problem and kept checking this wasn't getting in the way as I lowered it).

      The studs/pins that the subframe attaches to stay in place, and the subframe drops down off them.

      I had two stackes of wood on either side so that the trailing arms would rest on them rather than come down on the brake disc backplate.
      Last edited by c_w; 28-05-2017, 10:50 PM.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by c_w View Post
        What was the condition of your old ones like?

        I've dropped my subframe/diff/trailing arms today to renew trailing arm and subframe bushes etc.

        One of the subframe bushes looks ok but the other has a small split, but I'm surprised that the trailing arm bushes look like new. No perished rubber, no twists, no play, nothing! Even the bolts look like new (no corrosion, and all came apart easy). At over 130,000miles, including many trackdays and 18yrs old I'm really surprised by this. I'm sure I've read of people renewing these and the old bushes were tired and failing (maybe old E30 blogs perhaps).
        Funny that you say that i had mine changed and was told it wasnt needed !

        Comment


        • #5
          Thanks for the comprehensive reply. There is some good little tips there. Are the adjustment plates and welding position guidelines available online? As the car runs lower than standard with a kwv3 kit it might be worth being able to dial out the extra -ve camber. I was thinking of getting it all powder coated whilst it was off anyway, so that would protect the new weld points.

          I know what you mean about the vagueness of the rear end, it's a partial attribute of a rather basic rear end setup. I had a couple of e30s so I am used to that!

          Comment


          • #6
            As the trailing arm bushes are pretty solid it's definitely the subframe that's floating about; I've run some bush inserts which helped but going to try the poly bushes.

            The camber kit looks relatively straightforward to fit; you set the outer guides horizontal to adjust for toe, and the inner guides vertical to adjust camber. My plane is to weld them on to the subframe then drill out the slots on the subframe using the camber kit slots and guides. Then get it shot blasted and powder coated.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by kwoffa View Post
              Funny that you say that i had mine changed and was told it wasnt needed !
              I'm thinking the same thing, they literally look like new which is really surprising given their age and use. I'm almost hesistant to replace them as bush replacement is such a pain in the arse.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by c_w View Post
                I'm thinking the same thing, they literally look like new which is really surprising given their age and use. I'm almost hesistant to replace them as bush replacement is such a pain in the arse.
                I would replace them anyway as you have the car in bits
                Last edited by Dave P; 29-05-2017, 10:33 AM.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Yea I probably will end up doing them! Today I fought with the subframe bushes (would be so much easier if I had the right removal tool) - ended up drilling out the rubber then cutting the bush metal outer with a hacksaw and whacking them out. Also worth pointing out again, that despite the age and mileage and use, one subframe bush looks fine and the other had a small split but by no means failed.

                  I'm going to fit some poly bushes to the subframe but I must admit I'm thinking this may increase NVH too much for me - but it's worth a try since I should be able to remove them from on the car and just push a new OE bush on. The poly bush comes with a top "hat" piece (similar function to the ACS suspension spacer) that sits on the top side of the subframe to limit vertical movement. I've checked and this works with the OE bush, so if I did remove the main poly bush I would leave the spacers in (so I wouldn't need to drop the subframe again).

                  Also welded the camber and toe plates on the trailing arm tabs; just need to open the slots to allow the adjustment range. Once that's done I'll get it blasted and powder coated.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    All I can say is I went genuine on mine after fitting polys to my e36 m3, far too rigid

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Rags View Post
                      All I can say is I went genuine on mine after fitting polys to my e36 m3, far too rigid
                      I'll see how it goes, though this is just the subframe bushes which are quite different from the setup on the E36, and seems a popular upgrade on Z3s and E30s (whilst leaving trailing arm bushes stock). I think I read somewhere that more or less every car that Randy Forbes fixes leaves with poly subframe bushes.

                      Comment

                      Working...
                      X