Front Suspension Arms

S

skmattwell

Active member
 London
The steering on my zed is very twitchy and nervous. It'll move left to right at free will and while it's drivable, it's not pleasurable. I'm constantly having to correct the steering especially at higher speeds.

I don't have run flats, so everything I've read points to the front suspension arm bushes. Had them looked at today and the mechanic said they look quite worn, which was almost a releif to hear. What wasn't a releif was the £300 charge he predicted to replace just the rear bushes on each side.

Is this a fair price or is there someone on this forum who can do it much cheaper? I don't mind paying that but I'd rather have the entire arms replaced, as they are around £115 for the pair with new bushes and everything.

Thanks in advance!
 
i am sure someone more knowledgeable than me will be along shortly but I thought the way forward was to replace the whole unit rather than faf around trying to rebush which is a very time consuming job.
 
Deffo don’t bother rebushing in my humble opinion

Buy two new control arms and rear bushes

Also may be worth getting alignment done once you’ve done that but it’s not a hellish job

Where you based?
 
Mike6 said:
i am sure someone more knowledgeable than me will be along shortly but I thought the way forward was to replace the whole unit rather than faf around trying to rebush which is a very time consuming job.
Click to expand...
They are similar times - removing the bushes can be done without removing the arms, and removing the bushes isn't hard especially if worn.
I did this first to fit Powerflex bushes, and then later changed the arms for Meyle HD ones.

AutoData says arm replacement is 1.25 hours so £300 sounds expensive, unless maybe thats an all-in price including wheel alignment, parts and London prices...

I'm not sure what arms you were looking at, but the cheapest I can see Meyle HD arms is £190 for the pair with bushes - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300869717205
I wouldn't fit cheap ones as they just won't last, your better off keeping what you have.

EDIT - Finally I wish I'd gone for the Z4M rear bush setup...
 
Jakg said:
Mike6 said:
i am sure someone more knowledgeable than me will be along shortly but I thought the way forward was to replace the whole unit rather than faf around trying to rebush which is a very time consuming job.
Click to expand...
They are similar times - removing the bushes can be done without removing the arms, and removing the bushes isn't hard especially if worn.
I did this first to fit Powerflex bushes, and then later changed the arms for Meyle HD ones.

AutoData says arm replacement is 1.25 hours so £300 sounds expensive, unless maybe thats an all-in price including wheel alignment, parts and London prices...

I'm not sure what arms you were looking at, but the cheapest I can see Meyle HD arms is £190 for the pair with bushes - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300869717205
I wouldn't fit cheap ones as they just won't last, your better off keeping what you have.

EDIT - Finally I wish I'd gone for the Z4M rear bush setup...
Click to expand...

+1 on don’t go cheap
 
This is what I was looking at: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/202897370835?fits=Plat_Gen%3AE85&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item2f3da02ed3:g:yeAAAOSwK9heQT1m&amdata=enc%3AAQAFAAACcBaobrjLl8XobRIiIML1V4Imu%252Fn%252BzU5L90Z278x5ickkrmmq8hWevtuKE7%252F%252BLfVXtlEb4%252FqAFZaVovghIu7zsjeiI7V3GeP0mOgQGJ49lre9SUAymUWXNUhNEb%252BirJpzHn1a7Lu3EhCsX5BTxjDLDXKUVtgm2IVZFqISTBeGDqcIezFbYfZiYICnVewjyHYjSagDuZ19HBYd3oQzpDkciJ8%252F%252BfZ%252FosvSELFNwxOe3rFiqUYESjDY6crs6yiJXBdJZofknKInerWtMUlNeAnM%252FVSWA3mdAD637VkXsGREhV1lzxDlCdKklaVCoy%252BhvO2AjLlxuGUcqrHAuVwrCqwCBbELR%252Fyr%252FIZSu7hMw0RZnGoEIgHan7ztMiTOzUjg1JMXzS%252FW04d9ZXtdTGIjRqPG7PbZlnU23%252F8rjHhHtp3MXe2JQxp1ZyYLnj72V0E8Xc7lYW4UJyaSjFO2s8SWPJ%252B0abJeqjbeg0TDhP%252BpHHZF0utWOLnhnszScAH1xbjBwncVOaScR8%252BxaguSy5nz05glT4rpvcVQt0FCed6ksgHcyKc%252BahbUUQNtIMjDrMDy4oz0BHGMcwKQs%252FxLellF79SeKhDXNkXJEUkamZfFPY3Pk%252BNlTZOTGe2GppBfQ00s%252FKJh%252Ft0pZPmJLf6ZbWNZSmL1yU8SLEDazqFVSyOPrjZSgzptItsXAxQ%252Bm1kN95KJwdN9mbczAwYeex6lW1FJH%252FTDReq7RXwH0eC%252B72blQ2Ryrw86NRiFoFBSl8txgTj1XIR8kWjjJFtqcenltUidmmCXsRKiSwk9OuK%252F3Nyb8WAW2c%252BqtOCcUYzqlIV71Xy3l2kwgw%253D%253D%7Ccksum%3A2028973708353794c3aa28684886b26f7f8942e4564a%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A2334524

The only worry I have is I'll buy one myself and have no one to fit it. I'm based in London.
 
Cheap and cheerful bud

Buy at your risk- I wouldn’t personally

If you want to help and fancy a trip to Lincs I’ll show you how to fit new control arms and bushes!
 
bigwinn said:
I wouldn’t go less than lemforders myself
Click to expand...
I went with Meyle HD ones because the ball joints are replaceable, without replacing the whole arm.
 
Thanks for the advice will have a shop around and buy what I can afford. To be honest anything will be better than how it is now, it's like I'm having to fight the car to go in a straight line!

Might just take you up on that offer bigwinn, although how would we raise the car?
 
skmattwell said:
Thanks for the advice will have a shop around and buy what I can afford. To be honest anything will be better than how it is now, it's like I'm having to fight the car to go in a straight line!

Might just take you up on that offer bigwinn, although how would we raise the car?
Click to expand...

I’ve done a few now on axle stands

Not a big issue to not have a lift
 
Have had the Z4 on crap english country roads for 17 years , I wouldn't buy anything other than Meyle HD control arms, those by far last the longest 7+ years , everything else lasts a few years.
 
I got Powerflex bushes fitted a couple of years ago. By far the best thing I’ve done to the car and I think cost 180 quid fitted.
 
I changed the rear bushes to powerflex after an alignment showed the originals to have signs of age. When you remove the rear bush, you can wobble the wishbone around and feel if any of the joints feel rough or loose. Mine seemed perfect, so new Powerflex bushes to the rear and geo redone and is as good as gold. Handles the roads well for the lump it is :driving:
 
I am just about to remove the power flex rear RTAB bushes I fitted back in 2012 , I am after some more comfort take some of the shock out of the ride when hitting potholes. I may put them back if there is hardly any difference but will be interesting to see. Those and the Meyle HD have been trouble free for several years, but there must be a tradeoff with the power flex. I found the power flex made it harder to stay in a straight line at high speed but that may have just highlighted a tracking issue.
 
yg54sg said:
I am just about to remove the power flex rear RTAB bushes I fitted back in 2012 , I am after some more comfort take some of the shock out of the ride when hitting potholes. I may put them back if there is hardly any difference but will be interesting to see. Those and the Meyle HD have been trouble free for several years, but there must be a tradeoff with the power flex. I found the power flex made it harder to stay in a straight line at high speed but that may have just highlighted a tracking issue.
Click to expand...
Polyurethane bushes tighten everything up in my experience, but that exacerbates any existing issues.
My Z4 drove a little worse after fitting them - it tightened it up, but that exacerbated the tramlining - mostly because it had runflats and I hadn't adjusted the steering which was the root cause of the problem.
That's still an endorsement, though.
 
Have bitten the bullet and ordered the meyle hd ones. Will be so happy when my zed doesn't shimmy it's way down the M1!
 
Quick update... had the front control arms replaced and 4 wheel alignment and it made no difference. The car still jerkily pulls to the left and right at will?

Trying to think of what else it could be, tracking rods? Tyres? Steering column?
Any suggestions welcome!
 
Took me ages to sort my old 3.0 & this was my list... hope it helps

1. Non RFT (9/10), preferably michelins or other premium tyres
2. Correct tyre pressures 33F/36R (8/10)
3. Tighten Steering collar (this seems to be the major fix)
4. New poly lollipops (8/10)
5. New front & rear drop links (7/10)
6. New tie rod ends (7/10)
7. New Bilstein B6 shocks (10/10)
8. New rear top mounts (3/10)
9. New ARB bushes (1/10)
10. Check no broken rear spring(s)
11. Poly RTAB/RTAL’s (7/10)
12. Proper alignment with tweaks (7/10)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom