[Lshaw]

Ran into a little problem with installation when replacing my rear upper guide rods.

When i was replacing all of my control arms with trw m3 bits, i ran into a problem with the rear guide rods. As pictured and circled, this what it normally should be, bolt is going toward the subframe, nut on the subframe side. In my case, it is opposite. The bolt is facing away, and the nut is on the open side. So i cannot remove the bolt obviously because the subframe is in the way.

My car was in an accident a few years back, and i am guessing those idiots didnt replace the bolts back to oem spec.


My Indy is offering me 50% off my next service bc he f*cked my last install

Options are:
1. Drop the subframe, at this point, i would do a full subframe bushings swap. Was quotes ~8 hours of labor (50% of that)

2. Ask my shop to try and cut the bolt? Save me some money

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=33_1230

Part #12 and 13? If someone can confirm that would be great.

I would do subframe bushing inserts instead.


3. Screw it, sell the guide rods, and just do subframe inserts.






M3 Wishbone Question
Anybody with Front M3 Control arms who can chime in: When my car was on the lift, i notice a TON of rotational play with the wishbone. I can rotate it front and back pretty easily, i would say .5"-1". Nothing lateral, no problems with drivability. Just in my head that it moves so much in between the bushings. 2K miles on them.

[katsooba]

are you sure they are installed correctly?
what is their orientation?
upper link bend should be bending upwards, lower link bend should be bending downwards

[Lshaw]

Absolutely installed correctly.

[matteblue3er]

You could probably loosen the subframe bolts and just hang the subframe to get that bolt out.

[Lshaw]

I might even not bother with these rear guide arms...

I am veering way left on hard accelerations, so i am thinkning of going rear toe arms first.

Since if the shop cannot cut the bolt out, i put myself in a position where i have no choice but to have them drop the subframe. And if they drop the subframe...obviously subframe bushings are a must.

[warmmilk]

well 50% off 8hr of labor is a huge chunk... if subframe bushings is something you want to do eventually, this is absolutely the time to do it

[CALWATERBOY]

Originally Posted by Lshaw

Drop the subframe, at this point, i would do a full subframe bushings swap. Was quotes ~8 hours of labor (50% of that)

OK stop the presses - they quoted 8 hrs so they'd have enough billable time to make the regular rate. Hey it's Christmas.

30 min to drop the subframe; 30 min to reinstall. Easy - 6 accessible bolts + disconnect exhaust flanges + disconnect brake lines.

Hey just DIY if you have a warm place to work....be aware: those subframe bushings are a bee-atch without a R&R tool like HPAutosports rents. Trust me!

[Lshaw]

Originally Posted by CALWATERBOY

OK stop the presses - they quoted 8 hrs so they'd have enough billable time to make the regular rate. Hey it's Christmas.

30 min to drop the subframe; 30 min to reinstall. Easy - 6 accessible bolts + disconnect exhaust flanges + disconnect brake lines.

Hey just DIY if you have a warm place to work....be aware: those subframe bushings are a bee-atch without a R&R tool like HPAutosports rents. Trust me!

You might be the very first person to say it takes 1 hour to drop the subframe and reinstall. hah

I am not from around here, so i don't have the luxury of a place to work/ tools/time.

[wren57]

Originally Posted by katsooba

are you sure they are installed correctly?
what is their orientation?
upper link bend should be bending upwards, lower link bend should be bending downwards

Super late to this party but I was looking for an answer to which way the rods should bend and this guy is right. OP your shorter rods (guide arms I think) are upside down. That's probably giving you quite a bit of trouble.

[feuer]

wren57 is correct. They need to concave down. In order to have them install correctly they need to go on the opisite side of subframe as well.