Lower A arm bushing

I'm having a shop do my lower A arms, ball joints and stabilizer links. When it comes to the the rear rubber bushing and bracket going on the A arm one tech article says grease the A arm pivot point and bushing/bracket and install. Then you let the car sit and the bushing will find its own resting point for a proper bushing position/preload. The bentley says there is a special bmw lube for this.

Can someone run me through this or point me to a good tech sheet, I've printed out ones on this site.... they use the grease method.

Thanks, Rick

Everything I have read mirrors what you just posted. Not sure what grease to use though. Try this link here:

[www.pelicanparts.com]

and this for future reference,

[www.pelicanparts.com]

alan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/2010 02:45PM by alanrw.

Quote
rkj
I'm having a shop do my lower A arms, ball joints and stabilizer links. When it comes to the the rear rubber bushing and bracket going on the A arm one tech article says grease the A arm pivot point and bushing/bracket and install. Then you let the car sit and the bushing will find its own resting point for a proper bushing position/preload. The bentley says there is a special bmw lube for this.

Can someone run me through this or point me to a good tech sheet, I've printed out ones on this site.... they use the grease method.

Thanks, Rick

Rick,

I've seen this posted many times; BMW lube is nothing more than expensive kerosene

Basically you want to lube the bushing so that it can move to accommodate the resting point then set. Lot's of folks have simply used dish washing detergent; try the stuff that is good to your hands as it usually smells nice too
If you like stinky then use kerosene, stove oil or diesel...I'm going with Palmolive

Quote
Archeo-peteriX

Quote
rkj
I'm having a shop do my lower A arms, ball joints and stabilizer links. When it comes to the the rear rubber bushing and bracket going on the A arm one tech article says grease the A arm pivot point and bushing/bracket and install. Then you let the car sit and the bushing will find its own resting point for a proper bushing position/preload. The bentley says there is a special bmw lube for this.

Can someone run me through this or point me to a good tech sheet, I've printed out ones on this site.... they use the grease method.

Thanks, Rick

Rick,

I've seen this posted many times; BMW lube is nothing more than expensive kerosene

Basically you want to lube the bushing so that it can move to accommodate the resting point then set. Lot's of folks have simply used dish washing detergent; try the stuff that is good to your hands as it usually smells nice too
If you like stinky then use kerosene, stove oil or diesel...I'm going with Palmolive

Thanks Alan and Peter, interesting fact about the factory kerosene.... dis place

Thanks Peter, I talked to jack this morning and he's going with the dishwashing soap, we both thought that was the best (and wouldn't hurt the rubber bushing) for the job. Hopefully all will go well

It has worked perfectly for many who have gone before you

Quote
Archeo-peteriX
It has worked perfectly for many who have gone before you

Well, it must have worked nicely this time; I got a call today saying the car was ready and Jack was able to install the A arm, ball joints, stabilizer link and Control arm bushing in under two hours. Total labor 160.00 (they get 100 an hour).

I didn't make it back in time to pick it up today but monday be nice having a tight car again..... just in time for our week up north on the lake.

Thanks guys B)

Another alternative to the "special lube" is Armour All. Makes the rubber slippery for the install and then goes away.

Bob in Everett

Here is a question, what do the good folk on this forum think of replacing the rubber suspension bushes with vesconite.
Have used it on the Alfa's for many years and it just tightens everything up better, and is self lubricating throughout its life, is not degraded by oil and grease.

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E30'S AREN'T BUILT, THEY'RE CAUGHT IN THE WILD!!!



When in doubt, use full throttle,
it may not improve the situation, but it will end the suspence.

Never heard of it but if it worked on your Alphas then it should be just as durable on an E30. Can you get E30 replacement parts made of this material?

Hi Peter
Here is the website Vesconite I see there is a canadian number there too, 1866 682 34 84
They dont make up parts per se, you buy the material and get your local friendly machine shop to chuck it on a lathe and turn the bushes for you, and press them into the arms.
I have used it for many years for street and racing applications, brilliant stuff, lasts for ever.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E30'S AREN'T BUILT, THEY'RE CAUGHT IN THE WILD!!!



When in doubt, use full throttle,
it may not improve the situation, but it will end the suspence.

I guess if you can get the bushings machined up at a reasonable price; it may be worth it.

I'm guessing these will make the car perform like the hard poly bushings folks have tried. Not sure I would want them for purely street use.

Yes, they do stiffen and tighten everything nicely, but I do hear you when it comes to pure street driving, although it does come in different grades, so you can choose and fine tune, I use the pink one, it is softer than the grey one, which is rock hard, that would be uncomfortable on the road.
Just thought I would put it out there, nice thing is, once you have done them, they are done for pretty much the life of the car.
I guess in ten years or so from now, when the bushes are no longer available, then it will come into it's own.
I rebuild classic motorcycles, and a lot of the parts are no longer available, so one has to fabricate more and more these days.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E30'S AREN'T BUILT, THEY'RE CAUGHT IN THE WILD!!!



When in doubt, use full throttle,
it may not improve the situation, but it will end the suspence.

Quote
Flyboy
Yes, they do stiffen and tighten everything nicely, but I do hear you when it comes to pure street driving, although it does come in different grades, so you can choose and fine tune, I use the pink one, it is softer than the grey one, which is rock hard, that would be uncomfortable on the road.
Just thought I would put it out there, nice thing is, once you have done them, they are done for pretty much the life of the car.
I guess in ten years or so from now, when the bushes are no longer available, then it will come into it's own.
I rebuild classic motorcycles, and a lot of the parts are no longer available, so one has to fabricate more and more these days.

Control arm bushings have steel bushes both inner and outer don't they?

Rick