Pressing the tension strut bushings on e90 LCI

rararat4 · 09-02-2024, 08:48 PM

Has anyone replaced the bushings on the tension struts on an E90 LCI. I am interested to know if you used a dedicated tool like the one from FCP
Euro: CTA Manufacturing 7880, or is it possible to do this job with a simpler tool.

I am looking at the bushings on rockauto.ca here in Canada. They do not appear to have a split in their outer casing so don't seem to require compression. I know Bentley says, or it was another source, you can do it once on a tension strut.

whyzee125 · 09-02-2024, 11:25 PM

If it were me, I'd replace the whole arm as it's much more cost effective.

Short of that, I would probably burn the bushing out then sawsall out the sleeve and press the new one in with whatever sort of press you have. Sometimes I've had to get creative with the cups to make something match up but I've always found a way and have never used anything more complex than the janky one you can rent at o'reilly.

But I only do that when the whole arm is too expensive or not available.

rararat4 · 09-05-2024, 02:20 PM

Thank you for your reply but I was not looking for an opinion. I am interested in hard information from someone who has done these particular bushings.

I am not new to the game. A while back I replaced a ball joint and a bushing in the rear suspension but I used the dedicated tool by BavAuto from ECS Tuning. I also replaced the tension struts once. I need to do them again. My car has 280k kilometres on it which might explain why. This time I would rather do the bushings. At first glance the cost effectiveness stacks up in favour of the bushings. I can get the Lemforder tension strut for about 100 CAD and the Lemforder bushing for 28 CAD. Of course the job might not be possible without a proper tool which if you do not have it alters the math.

I would like to hear about the way someone did the job because I am not going to completely hack it. I need to have some level of confidence that it can be done properly. The tension strut is aluminium, it will not take abuse. For starters it would help to know the diameter of the bushing. I can order the bushings to find out but then if I do not have a suitable cup or a place to get it I would have a couple of not so cute paper weights.

09-02-2024, 08:48 PM	#1
rararat4 New Member 5 Rep 20 Posts Drives: E90 LCI 328i Join Date: May 2019 Location: Calgary iTrader: (0)	Pressing the tension strut bushings on e90 LCI Has anyone replaced the bushings on the tension struts on an E90 LCI. I am interested to know if you used a dedicated tool like the one from FCP Euro: CTA Manufacturing 7880, or is it possible to do this job with a simpler tool. I am looking at the bushings on rockauto.ca here in Canada. They do not appear to have a split in their outer casing so don't seem to require compression. I know Bentley says, or it was another source, you can do it once on a tension strut.
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09-02-2024, 11:25 PM	#2
whyzee125 Brigadier General 1927 Rep 3,955 Posts Drives: Dinan stage 2 335i Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Chattanooga Tn iTrader: (0)	If it were me, I'd replace the whole arm as it's much more cost effective. Short of that, I would probably burn the bushing out then sawsall out the sleeve and press the new one in with whatever sort of press you have. Sometimes I've had to get creative with the cups to make something match up but I've always found a way and have never used anything more complex than the janky one you can rent at o'reilly. But I only do that when the whole arm is too expensive or not available.
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09-05-2024, 02:20 PM	#3
rararat4 New Member 5 Rep 20 Posts Drives: E90 LCI 328i Join Date: May 2019 Location: Calgary iTrader: (0)	Thank you for your reply but I was not looking for an opinion. I am interested in hard information from someone who has done these particular bushings. I am not new to the game. A while back I replaced a ball joint and a bushing in the rear suspension but I used the dedicated tool by BavAuto from ECS Tuning. I also replaced the tension struts once. I need to do them again. My car has 280k kilometres on it which might explain why. This time I would rather do the bushings. At first glance the cost effectiveness stacks up in favour of the bushings. I can get the Lemforder tension strut for about 100 CAD and the Lemforder bushing for 28 CAD. Of course the job might not be possible without a proper tool which if you do not have it alters the math. I would like to hear about the way someone did the job because I am not going to completely hack it. I need to have some level of confidence that it can be done properly. The tension strut is aluminium, it will not take abuse. For starters it would help to know the diameter of the bushing. I can order the bushings to find out but then if I do not have a suitable cup or a place to get it I would have a couple of not so cute paper weights.
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