Front ARB mounts confussion

[BackinBlack]

I have a '90 320i cabbie.

I have replaced the front ARB bushes and I'm having issues remounting them.

When offering up the bush shells to the rails - is the front of the shell meant to locate into the hole in the chassis just in front of where the front bolt goes through? The rear mount is obviously just bolted up through the rail. I can't mount the front up again correctly.

Stupidly I just popped the brackets off when removing the ARB without checking how they were mounted (lesson I hope I have learned)

[TriggerFish]

This took me ages to do, and I couldn't easily get both sides lined up alone.

There's a small tongue/lip on the bracket, that slots into a hole on the subframe/chassis (can't remember which). Once that's in, then it levers up so the bolt will fit. I had to use a few pairs of mole grips to clamp it up so I could get the bolt in.

If I ever need to do them again, I'll pay a garage!

[BackinBlack]

Thank you TriggerFish.

I was worried that the was the correct way of doing it! I tried for an hour on one side trying to the lip bit into the hole and then the back in a position that allowed the bolt through.

Will give it another go, at least I now know I'll be doing what I'm meant to.

Good call getting a garage to do it ;)

[BHadley]

Use a longer bolt (with a nut) to fit it

Then clamp with mole grips

Remove longer bolt (and nut) whilst clamped with mole grips
Re install original sized bolt and nut

To assist in getting the anti roll bar central, use a weak mix of washing up liquid to allow slight movement and don't drive the car until its dried up (a la fitting bmx handle bar grips)

Job done

[TriggerFish]

I used a very long screwdriver to lever it all into position, but a long threaded bar would have been better. Wish I'd thought of that!

I also trimmed a bit off the top off the bush too, as it wasn't sitting in the bracket properly, and it was hard enough to start with without fighting an oversized poly bushing”‹!