[nsjames]

I ordered bushings
I ordered the CTA tool that proclaims to let me do them in situ on the car.

Who's used the fancy tool and has some pro tips?
there be zero instructions. I have not looked in ISTA to see if the CTA tol is the same as the factory, or if there was even a factory equivalent.


https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...cta-tools-4080

lemforder bushes of course.

I read they may be tapered and I have to make sure to push from the appropriate side. True? Accounts vary.
I will measure the new ones when they get here with caliper.
but stil waiting on shipping.


also, who needs the fancy tool when I'm done? Shame to leave it sit after I use it the one time.

[relative4]

Wish I'd known about this. I replaced the entire arms, which was easy but pointlessly expensive.
My wife's car will need bushings soon, so please put me on the list to buy the tool when you're done.

[nsjames]

well I don't want to risk damaging the balljoint and dealing with all that.
so it was like another $50 to get the tool+bshings and avoid the hassle.

[bluewater328]

I had no idea it was a specialty tool just for the tension strut. Thought the universal bushing tool set would be enough.

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by bluewater328

I had no idea it was a specialty tool just for the tension strut. Thought the universal bushing tool set would be enough.

it's got a fancy bit that's supposed to kep you from crushing something.

don't know. no instructions...

I guess we figure it out on the car.

[nsjames]

ok, so absolutely no documentation on how to use it.

you get a picture.



so my question is, the little silver band clamp thingy. Is it to compress the bushing shell so it goes in, or is it to be set as a stop so you don't pull the bushing passed center when pressing it in?

thoughts? I've emailed CTA to get some basic instructions.

it's very nicely made.
i'm about to post a gigantic photo.

[nsjames]

so I contact CTA through their website. I state that I have bought the CTA 4080 tool, but it comes with no instructions and the photo provided is so terrible that I can't see how to use the tool.

This is their response.

Good morning,



4080 - BMW Swing Arm Sleeve Tool Kit - Removes and installs the thrust are bushing without the need to remove the thrust arm from the steering spindle.

If you would like to replace your E9X's tension strut bushing with a new bushing this tool kit is ideal. It is designed to allow removal of the bushing without requiring removal of the entire control arm. The press is designed to easily remove and install the new bushing with basic tools.



We hope this helped, if you feel you need more assistance, please contact our vendor FCPEuro.com. They are well-versed in all European related products.



Best,



Alberto Roldan

Technical Director

CTA Manufacturing Corp.

263 Veterans Blvd.

Carlstadt, NJ 07072

201.896.1000

thanks guy. I already bought the tool, I need the fucking instructions, not the product description and a sales pitch.

[nsjames]

so then I emailed FCP.

and I gave them CTA's response.
and the ultimatum that if someone can't provide me the most basic instructions in using this thing that they could go ahead and just arrange to have it all returned.
I'll just buy arms.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Hahahaha wtf that reply!

I would answer back and say no, you're the manufacture of the product please tell me isntructions.

[nsjames]

yeah, that's what I did.

here's the response.

so that's very clearly the video that they pulled the instructional photo from, filmed with a potato in 2013.

now here's my question. That obviously shows a split bushing that needs the shell compressed to fit in the arm. Which is what I figured the band clampy bit did, except these bushigs I bought don't have a split shell, and I'm not compressing them.
this is the bushing I bought.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...nt-31126768818
Lemforder 31126768818
which is the part number that realoem gave me for my vin for the tension arm bushing.
If that's the case, I don't even see why I need the damned tool. I could have gotten this done with a balljoint press.

so did I buy the wrong bushing, or did the part get redesigned and you no longer need a specialty tool to get the job done?

edit:
ok, so I've been all through the ista and realoem. I've got the right bushings.
watching the video again, they clearly show the right bushing in the beginning, but then the bushing he installs is completely different with the split shell. So why do you need this tool to do the job if using the factory not split shell bushing? and is there a better split shell bushing I should be using?

I'm going to call FCP.

[nsjames]

watching the video again.

stop the video at 90 seconds.

the tool is for installing a different split solid rubber bushnig into the tension arm.

no where, and I mean no where, is this mentioned on the FCP or CTA page. In fact, I never even saw the video until CTA sent me the link, and I researched before I bought it.

[nsjames]

and here is the issue. the tool is not meant for stock bushings. Explains why I was staring at that band clamp bit and wondering what it was for.

it would have been nice if that was in the description.

no idea what the other bushings are for/from. Maybe rear carrier bushings? They're the only ones that look split. I'm not even sure if it's a BMW application.

[nsjames]

ok.

so I have talked with FCP. helpful as always.

They are going to try and find out what split shell solid rubber bushing that is.

if this tool allows XI owners to upgrade to a more M3 style bushing in the tension strut, it may just be awesome. Get rid of the hydrobearing, but not have to go full poly on the street.

[nsjames]

so I found this.

perhaps it's a cut down M3 bushing?

https://e84.xbimmers.com/forums/show....php?t=1234161

I'm not sure. it sure looks like it has casting dimples in the face of it.

[nsjames]

so the mystery bushing appears to be a cut down m3 bushing.

so I ordered two m3 bushings. I'm pretty sure I can remove the material with a belt sander and keep it square.

[nsjames]

stock XI hydrobearing next to M3 bushing.
It looks like I can compress it down with the tool to the right diameter. The length will require some bandsaw/belt sander action. but seems doable. bolt hole diameter is right.

[drawz]

Looks like the bolt hole is offset, probably to change an alignment parameter on the M3. Since the xi uses different arms, it's hard to know how this will impact alignment. BMW did this on the E36 M3 to get more castor I believe.

[nsjames]

that's just camera angle.

if I lay them both on a flat surface the bolt holes line up.
it looks like the compressible shell and the width are the only differences.
I'll compress the m3 bushing and measure with the calipers later.

[nsjames]

here's the measurements from the calipers.
M3 bushing was compressed until it's shell met in the middle.



so, it looks like you cut a mm off the shell to make the diameter work. That probably fixes the right/;eft measurement. The measurement where the XI bushing has it's key is 3mm off though. and I'm not sure how much a problem that is. I need to crawl under there and look at it to make sure that amount of "off" can be adjusted back into spec.
of course it wouldn't surprise me if my factory bushings were 3mm off at 100K miles when I had it aligned, so probably?
also there's about 4.7 and some change that needs to be taken off each side of the bolt sleeve.

wife goes on a girl's trip this weekend for the whole week, so I'll have time to tinker, and the ability to leave it sit disassembled for a few days figuring things out.

[nsjames]

well I was going to get this done while my wife was away for the week, but I just wasted the clutch in a tractor.

so splits a tractor is this weeks project.

[slowevoviii]

any updates on this? I've been looking for an alternate upgrade similar to the m3 for the rwd. one of my bushing is going bad

[Soravia]

I filled mine with 60 duro poly on new bushings