e90 Lower Arm Bush

[hakeemi]

hi,Any idea how much is the usual price of the LOWER ARM BUSH for our e90s? Ive been reading about the lower arm bush in the forum, now thinking to have mine changed. I havent check with any workshop just yet.Appreciate for some info beforehand.thanks.

 

[astroboy]

What's wrong? Mileage?

Stop/go got feel looseness ka? Its a common E46 problem but not ours ma..

E46 ini macam:

Item 6:
Set of brackets with rubber mounting, PN: 31 12 6 777 850, D=66MM, Production discontinued, Can be replaced by the part in the next line, 1.343 kg / 2.961 lb

Set of brackets with rubber mounting, PN: 31 12 6 783 376 D=66MM, 1.343 kg / 2.961 lb, €96.20, US$140.63

E90 ini macam:

Item 10. Set rubber mounting f pull rod, PN: 31 12 0 393 540 (Set), 0.925 kg / 2.039 lb, €50.48, US$73.8

Btw, u won't want to know the price for item 9 (tension strut) and 14 (wishbone) la. If suspect problem, or cracked or bent, sell the car! It's 5 figure USD!! Maybe I get it fabricated and sell half the price.. Unless my stupid catalog is wrong!! can someone confirm?!

 

[hakeemi]

Mr. Astro,

Mileage is 75k++. Its not really a big problem. Its just that whenever i got into pothole, the car feels unstable, it kindda feels like it move laterally.

Ive been talking to my e46 fren and a few mechanics, they suspect its the lower arm bush. From the forum, ive read its will cost only RM300+ to replace it.

Thanks for the explanations .

 

[hakeemi]

Anyone experiencing the same issue?

 

[astroboy]

What tyre air pressure u running? Towards hard? Towards soft? wheel size? front tyre tread balance?

 

[hakeemi]

What tyre air pressure u running? Towards hard? Towards soft? wheel size? front tyre tread balance?

I go toward soft, front:220 rear:250. I think the recommended pressure is a bit hard for our road. Is it ok?

It's 225/45R17 front, 255/40R17 rear.

Tread is ok, just change the rear tyres a month ago. Front is still looking good about 1 year old.

 

[astroboy]

Looks good. Soft pressure would absorb must shocks from the road. Tread too looks good. When was the last time your alignment checked? Can be insufficient toe-in. Absorber got sign of leakage? Can be one side softer than the other side ~ uneven absorber stiffness.

From the above E90 front axle diagram, turn the wheel out and u can see clearly the condition of the tension strut rubber mount. Inspect for looseness and crack or crack lines on the rubber surface. If none, then its not the so called lower arm bush problem.

 

[haku]

Hakeemi,

Do you have problems like your car swerving to the left or right? Mine is like that & I think lower arm bush is one of the culprits.

This is the problem that I face now. I did the allignment but still the same. my car tent to swerve to the left & my front left tire have uneven sign. Thinking to send the car to IA back since under warranty.

 

[astroboy]

325i need to initialize active steering after alignment job if not mistaken.. something to do with reset the "center" position.

320i no active steering..

 

[hakeemi]

Looks good. Soft pressure would absorb must shocks from the road. Tread too looks good. When was the last time your alignment checked? Can be insufficient toe-in. Absorber got sign of leakage? Can be one side softer than the other side ~ uneven absorber stiffness.

From the above E90 front axle diagram, turn the wheel out and u can see clearly the condition of the tension strut rubber mount. Inspect for looseness and crack or crack lines on the rubber surface. If none, then its not the so called lower arm bush problem.

My last alignment was a month ago. erm... i dont see any sign of leakage, but will check again.

I will do as what u suggested. Thanks man :top:

 

[hakeemi]

Hakeemi,

Do you have problems like your car swerving to the left or right? Mine is like that & I think lower arm bush is one of the culprits.

This is the problem that I face now. I did the allignment but still the same. my car tent to swerve to the left & my front left tire have uneven sign. Thinking to send the car to IA back since under warranty.

For me, i only can feel the sideways swerv when on uneven road conditon. I dont see any uneven sign on my tyres yet, hopefully not ever. :wink:

Update me if u have any info from IA. Thanks

 

[haku]

325i need to initialize active steering after alignment job if not mistaken.. something to do with reset the "center" position.

320i no active steering..

AB, this is the thing that i'm still puzzle. mine is 08 325i non m-sport. is it all 325 model come with active steering or just m-sport version only.

hakeemi,

will update you once back from IA.

 

[Schwepps]

You got it the other way around. The 325i has it, the 325i Sports doesn't (thank goodness)

 

[BMWs]

You got it the other way around. The 325i has it, the 325i Sports doesn't (thank goodness)

Bro, Why Thank goodness. Is Active steering no good? And how come 325i m-sports doesnt have it and non m-sports have it?

 

[Schwepps]

Not that it's no good BMWs, it does a good job of making steering at low speeds easier and therefore makes the car more luxurious. It's just that in a true sports car, the steering shouldn't be enhanced, so that it remains linear and pure. So it's correct that the 325i should have it and the 325i Sports shouldn't. The Sports' steering feels solid and meaty at all speeds.

 

[E46Fanatic]

Its a lazy man's option. I love it .

One of the coolest thing about active steering is how it is integrated with DSC. So it helps with corrective countersteering measures in emergencies.

Here's the writeup from BMW:

If the vehicle is threatened with instability, such as by oversteering or braking on a changeable surface, DSC identifies the problem and can use Active Steering to help overcome it. For example, in order to reduce unsafe yaw, Active Steering can increase the angle of steering wheels faster than even the most expert driver.

 

[astroboy]

Active steering is designed as a driver's aid for ease of maneuver the car, especially for parking. Compare to non active steering 320i, the 320i steering is a lot heavier, or in our term, more road feel or good steering feedback. Especially during tramlining occurrence, we literally have to fight/wrestle with the steering to maintain the car's traveling direction. With active steering, its less feel, less effort.

No active steering? Thank goodness? You guess is as good as mine.. :wink:

While E46F statement above sounded like the Active Steering has a mind of its own!

Thank goodness x2 ..

 

[dzuljazz2001]

do that immediately ....dont wait no more....

 

[Schwepps]

Its a lazy man's option. I love it .

One of the coolest thing about active steering is how it is integrated with DSC. So it helps with corrective countersteering measures in emergencies.

Here's the writeup from BMW:

If the vehicle is threatened with instability, such as by oversteering or braking on a changeable surface, DSC identifies the problem and can use Active Steering to help overcome it. For example, in order to reduce unsafe yaw, Active Steering can increase the angle of steering wheels faster than even the most expert driver.

Hey, that's way cool! I never knew that! :top: But there ya go BMWs, active steering makes a competent car even more competent!

But the Sports doesn't need it because BMW assumes that Sports buyers don't need that kind of assistance. :wink:

Sulu, raise the heat shields. I sense incoming fire.

 

[E46Fanatic]

Active steering is designed as a driver's aid for ease of maneuver the car, especially for parking. Compare to non active steering 320i, the 320i steering is a lot heavier, or in our term, more road feel or good steering feedback. Especially during tramlining occurrence, we literally have to fight/wrestle with the steering to maintain the car's traveling direction. With active steering, its less feel, less effort.

Actually not entirely true. AS varies the rack ratio only via a servo on the steering rack. Weight and road feedback feel of the steering remains the same. If you compare the steering rack of an A/S steering E90 vs. non the only difference is this servo and the additional sensors on the rack.

Best if you try both to see the difference. The only "downside" with A/S is as what Schwepps said, the turn ratio is no longer linear which for purist drivers is something out of the ordinary. Certainly for track driving you'll want something more predictable like a linear ratio vs a variable one esp. if you are not used to A/S. Personally, after getting used to A/S I really like it, and based on the feedback I've seen from other owners on online forums, its a well liked feature to those who have tasted and gotten used to it. Car feels a lot more agile and nimble esp in low speeds and very direct. No of turns in low speed mode lock to lock is tight, and feels like some kinda race car or go kart, while on highspeed mode its more relaxed and not as tiring to drive over long distances.