So here's an unusual mechanical failure...

[ELVA164]

I noticed a right-front clunk, so I did the ol' fender-shove test and found my right-front strut insert was blown. Alright, order a pair. I wanted to check everything out underneath, though, because the clunk didn't feel like a damper. I found this:







Both sway bar brackets were bent down and backwards, pulled out from the side where the bracket slides under the bolt.

Huh.

I'd assume a huge hit would do something like that, but I'm very careful about that when I drive. At any rate, I've ordered two new brackets and two new bushings to go with the dampers. Just thought I'd share because it seemed odd.

[MrBurgundy]

I would imagine something like this would have to happen to cause that.

[ELVA164]

I would imagine something like this would have to happen to cause that.

Exactly, that's what's so confusing. Nobody else drives my car, especially not the valets from Ferris Bueller. Maybe when the damper blew, more force got sent through the sway bar?

[TimeMachinE30]

You are in luck! I have NIB shackles.


Pay fot shipping and a good beer and they can be yours... not even sire whay daler charges.

[gte175x]

It looks like there was quite a bit of lateral load - forward or aft of the vehicle. What could cause that? suspension shift/change? lower control arm joints?

Also, do I notice a crack where the shackle bolts in one of the pictures? If so, then the load to do that could have been decreased.

[ELVA164]

You are in luck! I have NIB shackles.


Pay fot shipping and a good beer and they can be yours... not even sire whay daler charges.

Thanks for the offer, I've already ordered a pair. They were like $13 each I think? I didn't order from a dealer.

It looks like there was quite a bit of lateral load - forward or aft of the vehicle. What could cause that? suspension shift/change? lower control arm joints?

Also, do I notice a crack where the shackle bolts in one of the pictures? If so, then the load to do that could have been decreased.

Lateral load, like side load? Or do you mean fore/aft? The only older part of the front suspension is the right lower control arm, and I've decided to replace it just because. Bushings are a bit tired but not torn.

I don't see any crack, could you circle what you see?

[gte175x]

Lateral load, like side load? Or do you mean fore/aft? The only older part of the front suspension is the right lower control arm, and I've decided to replace it just because. Bushings are a bit tired but not torn.

I don't see any crack, could you circle what you see?

Yes, fore/aft - I tried to attached where I thought I saw the crack, but failed...maybe I will try to PM you.

Edit: I just uploaded it...haven't done this in a while.

[TobyB]

Front sway bar tabs popped out? That doesn't seem so unusual to me- they're hard to get in
correctly, and if the rubber walked out or deteriorated, there's nothing keeping them spread.

BMW has never had great anti- sway bar retention- except maybe the E21, where it
was made into a suspension link...

Dang, I do NOT miss living in a Salt-Lots-or-Die state!

t

[ELVA164]

Yes, fore/aft - I tried to attached where I thought I saw the crack, but failed...maybe I will try to PM you.

Edit: I just uploaded it...haven't done this in a while.

I see what you mean, but that's just a slit cut in the bracket. You can see it in the first and third images. Totally normal, luckily!

Front sway bar tabs popped out? That doesn't seem so unusual to me- they're hard to get in
correctly, and if the rubber walked out or deteriorated, there's nothing keeping them spread.

BMW has never had great anti- sway bar retention- except maybe the E21, where it
was made into a suspension link...

Dang, I do NOT miss living in a Salt-Lots-or-Die state!

t

I'll admit it seems like a really dumb way of doing it--why not two holes?

Also, salt sucks.

[2mAn]

http://www.iemotorsport.com/bmw/E30-suspension-steering/e30swybrpvtmt.html

[ELVA164]

http://www.iemotorsport.com/bmw/E30-...wybrpvtmt.html

Yep, should have come like that from the factory.

[TobyB]

I do not know why not just 2 bolts.

Oh, and it's possible the bushings bonded to the sway bar with rust,
then the rotation twisted them loose as the bar worked up and down.
It looks like they were stuck to the bar, as there's a buildup of
scale rather than a polished spot where the bar would have contacted the bushing.

So maybe it rusted itself together, then you did some 'yumps, at maximum attack,
and that twisted 'em out.

Settle down, you animal!

t

- wait- one popped a tab, the other broke the bolt- on tab, didn't it?

Rust sucks, indeed.

We used to spray the bottoms of the cars with a Hudson sprayer-
run it to get the oil really hot, drain the oil, spray it all over the undercarriage,
refill the oil, then go blast down a dirt road. Not sure if it helped, but it didn't
do the local wildlife any favors...

[ELVA164]

I do not know why not just 2 bolts.

Oh, and it's possible the bushings bonded to the sway bar with rust,
then the rotation twisted them loose as the bar worked up and down.
It looks like they were stuck to the bar, as there's a buildup of
scale rather than a polished spot where the bar would have contacted the bushing.

So maybe it rusted itself together, then you did some 'yumps, at maximum attack,
and that twisted 'em out.

Settle down, you animal!

t

- wait- one popped a tab, the other broke the bolt- on tab, didn't it?

Rust sucks, indeed.

We used to spray the bottoms of the cars with a Hudson sprayer-
run it to get the oil really hot, drain the oil, spray it all over the undercarriage,
refill the oil, then go blast down a dirt road. Not sure if it helped, but it didn't
do the local wildlife any favors...

That's a plausible theory. I was watching some Markku Alen videos....


Both tabs popped out, no breakages.

That's a very British solution to rust!

[jpod999]

E39s have really shitty sway bar mounts too. My M5 had both aluminum mounts crack. Luckily they were super cheap to replace.

[RobTapps88]

Bro... You stole my picture!!! Lol naw I got the same issue here... Hard to tell but the subframe is bent (and rusting out) soooooooooooo..... A rebuild it is...

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