Chewed up and spit out

[Jalves619]

Along with my front 5 lug setup I put in some new swaybar bushings. After possibly 1k miles I'm driving today and hear a pop clunk. Half of the almost new passenger side bushing was gone. When installing these the suspension should be completely unloaded right? I have the mounting tabs reinforced w/ the akg plates on top and M3 strut style endlinks if that makes a difference. I just don't understand how it could eat through that bushing so quickly. Thanks in advance for the help.

[deutschman]

what did you lube them up with? i hope you used silicon grease. if you did the grease will eat threw your bushings really fast!

[z31maniac]

I could very well be wrong, but I was under the impression you need to tighten up the swaybar mounting stuff with the suspension UNDER LOAD.

[M-technik-3]

Correct Under Load.

[Jalves619]

what did you lube them up with? i hope you used silicon grease. if you did the grease will eat threw your bushings really fast!

I was supposed to use lube? I feel like such an amature:oops:. So are you saying that I should or should not use silicon lubricant?

Correct Under Load.

Well I'll take that route this time around. Thankfully those bushings are relatively inexpensive. Thanks for the help.

[!kid]

you need to lube them. i use a lithium grease,you can buy it at your local auto parts store.


Edit: he is installing OEM bushings?
ok i retract my statment for it is directed to poly bushings.

[Jalves619]

Well I installed a new set that seem to have seated better. I used some soapy water to help them in but skipped using any lithium grease because I've been told by multiple sources that lithium grease will be absorbed by the bushings and hasten their destruction.

[txtorquemade]

you need to lube them. i use a lithium grease,you can buy it at your local auto parts store.

Negative....

BMW installs the control arms bushings to the control arm with soapy water as stated above. Do NOT use any kind of grease, at all. Period.

[deutschman]

Negative....

BMW installs the control arms bushings to the control arm with soapy water as stated above. Do NOT use any kind of grease, at all. Period.

then why has every set of urethane bushings i have ever bought come with silicon grease?
the bushings are going to be loud!

http://www.polybushings.com/pages/bushinglube.html

[txtorquemade]

then why has every set of urethane bushings i have ever bought come with silicon grease?
the bushings are going to be loud!
http://www.polybushings.com/pages/bushinglube.html

Cant answer that. What I will tell you is that Ive read multiple sources, a few from BMW directly that recommends using soapy water only. You want the bushing to actually bond with the control arm so that slipping does not occur.

Soap and water guys.... Im telling ya! But do what you want I guess.

[jlevie]

A water based installation lubricant is what you use when installing OE bushings. Poly bushing require a synthetic lube.

[Hellabad]

When you say "5 lug conversion", do you mean e36 struts?

If you have e36 struts, make sure you didnt swap left for right.


Jay from Ground Control