E30 Zone

Car: e30 325i 87 4dr SE

I've been arsing around for 2 days trying to get my polybushes on sit on the front control arms (there powerflex ones). I got the black ring pushed through the lollypop and thats all good. Then the big purple bits pushed on with a proper press so it's as flush as it will go. Then when trying to get the whole assembly on the control arm it won't sit far enough in to meet the mounting holes in the chassis rail, it needs to go another 2cm or so further along the arm but try as I might it just won't budge....

Anyone who's done this before had the same problem and remedy'd it? I'm loosing my cool about it now and I'm thinking I'm going to just order m3 eccentric bushes instead and try and return these..

I'm susposed to pick up friends from the airport on Wednesday morning and the car still has no front suspension on!

Any help will be massively appreciated!

Cheers Jim

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... ric+bushes

Is this any help to you?

I just read all that, I've been putting some serious amount of lubrication and huge amounts of force on these bushes and both sides are still off pretty much the exact same length, only bad thing is one is now bolted to the car so have to wrestle with it under there now as I don't have a balljoint remover!

I'm wondering if maybe I got a dodgy set or something here because lots of people I know who have varying knowledge of cars can't seem to figure it out! I just want my damn car back!

God I hate e30's.... well all cars... that I have to work on....

It's getting dark now and I've been trying to get this done all day plus fixing and mates e36 suspension so I'll continue on with it after work 2moz

Just wondering if I still can move the bastid thing what other eccentric bushes fit M3/Z series and where can I get a set ASAP!

Cheers

Hmm, black rings, big purple bits and some serious amount of lubrication...it's sounding like an ad for Ann Summers

I struggled for a little while with these.

I used a cross-head screwdriver through one of the lollipop holes and levered it (carefully) in the threaded hole in the body to get one bolt in. Before that was fully done up, put the other in.

Shame you haven't got a ball joint splitter, might make it easier to slacken the ball joints off to give more movement, and when you do them back up should get themselves into place.
If you see what I mean!

A large pry bar - or peice of pipe! - might also help! And WD40. And a hammer!

Martin.

You have got them on the right arms haven't you ?

My eccentric powerflex bushes came with left/right cast into the wrong bushes

There is a cut-out in each bush for the shark fin on the back of the arms to fit in, if you put the 'left' bush on the left arm it won't push all the way on.

They shouldn't need pressing on either, a couple of taps with a mallet was all I needed to install mine.

Even with the bushes installed properly the lolipops needed some serious persuasion to fit back onto the chassis, they were a couple of mm out. I found it easiest to undo the inner balljoint and release it so only a couple of threads on the nut are holding it in, then install the lollipops and finally tighten up the balljoint.

I wouldn't be buying them again, more road noise and harder ride than with the originals. I'd get genuine BMW M3 eccentric bushes if they ever need changing or I get fed up with them.

Cheers,

Iain T

Good point about the left / right markings! Mine were wrong too!

I haven't found mine to be too noisy or harsh on the road though, I like them.
Maybe I'm just used to very loud Minis and Mk2 Escorts etc.!

Martin.

What are you using to lube them ? i have struggled fitting regular and m3 ones with oil ,grease brake fluid etc then used rubberlube and they just fell on

Used everything under the sun, WD40, washingup liquid, coppergrease, old oil and even some silcone based dashboard cleaner! Road noise isn't really a huge issue as I used to drive a stripped e30 with a side exit

Those were the days... I've also noticed the markings were wrong when I got them as it's clear they only fit one way (the opposite of the marked one!)

Wish me luck and just hope they pop in or my head will prob pop off!

Edit I'll grab some photo's 2moz to see if anyone can see something is off!

Shinobi1 wrote:What are you using to lube them ? i have struggled fitting regular and m3 ones with oil ,grease brake fluid etc then used rubberlube and they just fell on

The lubricant that's supplied with them is copper grease.

Cheers,

Iain T

Gave up on them today after spending more hours fucking around... Not happy at all because I could have had the car back and running days ago if I wasn't messing around with this, going to order some m3 eccentric bushes.

Can I get them from GSF/ECP?

Cheers for the help though, I'm sure the bushes must be faulty!

Sorry to hear that. Main dealer is the place to go for anything rubber related. The eccentrics are dealer only anyway.

Good luck

haha thanks old skool, my car luck is non-existant, the lump is running like shit today also so I'm just in one of those ffs, scrap it and start again moods!