Just had the car in for Mot this morning and the tester found that the rear anti roll bar had popped out of its link on the near side. He managed to get it back in again and passed it but I wondered if anyone had heard of this happening before and what could have caused it, everything looked fine otherwise.
I do remember hearing a twang at the rear recently when attacking a roundabout a bit quickly but never heard of this happening.
Antii roll bar popped out
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Mike Fishwick
- Joined: Fri 19 Jun, 2009 10:27
- Posts: 2093
- Location: Daglan, France
Re: Antii roll bar popped out
This is a well-known problem on all Z3 and 318Ti Compact up to April 2000, and is even detailed in a BMW Service Instruction - these tell dealers what is wrong with their cars!
New ARB drop link being pressed into position
The answer is to fit two new drop links, the new ones having 'Boge' moulded into their rubber bushes. The are a very tight fit - even using the specified lubricant of rubbing alcohol - we call it surgical spirit (50% alcohol and olive oil) I had to press them onto the ARB in a vice. They should be aligned at an angle of (I think) 76 degrees to avoid excessive flexing of the rubber bushes when in their normal (not jacked up) position. See my description of the process in the Z3 Knowledgebase - viewtopic.php?f=18&t=17598
The BMW TIS workshop manual tells us to mount the lubricated link in a vice, then press the end of the ARB against it and insert it into the bush, using a twisting motion . . . Perhaps a massive German could have done this with the original badly-fitting links, but not with the replacement type.
New ARB drop link being pressed into position
The answer is to fit two new drop links, the new ones having 'Boge' moulded into their rubber bushes. The are a very tight fit - even using the specified lubricant of rubbing alcohol - we call it surgical spirit (50% alcohol and olive oil) I had to press them onto the ARB in a vice. They should be aligned at an angle of (I think) 76 degrees to avoid excessive flexing of the rubber bushes when in their normal (not jacked up) position. See my description of the process in the Z3 Knowledgebase - viewtopic.php?f=18&t=17598
The BMW TIS workshop manual tells us to mount the lubricated link in a vice, then press the end of the ARB against it and insert it into the bush, using a twisting motion . . . Perhaps a massive German could have done this with the original badly-fitting links, but not with the replacement type.
Last edited by Mike Fishwick on Thu 23 Apr, 2015 13:44, edited 1 time in total.
A Z3 is not just for Christmas - it's for life!
Re: Antii roll bar popped out
All suspension parts should be fitted so they are in an untwisted position when the car is sat on it's wheels in the normal position.
Pingu
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Mike Fishwick
- Joined: Fri 19 Jun, 2009 10:27
- Posts: 2093
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- Location: Daglan, France
Re: Antii roll bar popped out
Yes - I have just added a few words to explain why the ARB links shold be fitted at a 76 degree angle - the same consideration applies to tightening the bolts at the bottom of the rear dampers and the front ARB drop links.
A Z3 is not just for Christmas - it's for life!
Re: Antii roll bar popped out
So do you advocate using genuine BMW parts rather than any other say off the internet, so they will have Boge on them?
Re: Antii roll bar popped out
Lemforder make the OE ones (and most of the other rubber bushes on the car) and they can be bought at http://www.carparts4less.co.uk/?gclid=C ... tAodpB8AEw
They cost less that £10 each (rear) and are indentical to the current OE and you can even see where the dual branding "BMW" mark has been rubbed off
Fitted them on mine in 2012 and the rubber bush insert was embossed with the word "Boge".
They cost less that £10 each (rear) and are indentical to the current OE and you can even see where the dual branding "BMW" mark has been rubbed off
Fitted them on mine in 2012 and the rubber bush insert was embossed with the word "Boge".Re: Antii roll bar popped out
Thanks for the help and advise guys.
