Wishbones

UK forum for general and technical discussion about the Z3 roadster
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frog farmer
Joined: Thu 18 Jul, 2013 15:01
Posts: 32

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Charante Maritime, France

Wishbones

Post by frog farmer »

Hi, having now replaced both wishbones on my Z3 and at the same time sorting the rust out under the front of the car... The steering now is very precise and i can feel every bump in the road through the steering wheel :( will getting the tracking done sort this ? or is there another issue ?
Del
Joined: Sat 19 Nov, 2011 18:35
Posts: 2136

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Wishbones

Post by Del »

The only thing I can think of that might make the ride harsher, when changing the wishbones, is the replacement of the standard bushes with less flexible ones.
RichP
Joined: Wed 20 Feb, 2013 00:47
Posts: 190

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Wishbones

Post by RichP »

i replaced mine, just with standard unbranded bushes, and felt no noticeable difference. Tracking also made no difference.

Did you replace the bushes with solid ones or with ones with a gap between the inner and outer rings?
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frog farmer
Joined: Thu 18 Jul, 2013 15:01
Posts: 32

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Charante Maritime, France

Re: Wishbones

Post by frog farmer »

RichP wrote:i replaced mine, just with standard unbranded bushes, and felt no noticeable difference. Tracking also made no difference.

Did you replace the bushes with solid ones or with ones with a gap between the inner and outer rings?

I replaced the complete wishbones fitted with standard bushes purchased of ebay for about £180. they looked well made my only complaint was that they didn't come with a complete set of new nylocks some of which I had to source locally (not easy in rural France).
The steering wheel now moves with every bump in the road now... which I hope will be cured when i get the tracking done next week.
Del
Joined: Sat 19 Nov, 2011 18:35
Posts: 2136

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Wishbones

Post by Del »

The price of £180 sounds like a premium after-market product and so I can’t imagine that there is a problem with your wishbones. Sounds like a good plan to get the tracking checked and reassess afterwards.

One experience I have encountered when renewing suspension parts on my own 15-year old Z3 is that the renewal of one part has immediately exposed a weakness in another. I had this when I replaced my rears shocks and mounts. I went for a drive and the handling was much better but there was a clink-clink-clink noise when corning to the right at anything other than a snail’s pace. The immediate reaction from both me and others was that I had made some sort of error when fitting the shocks. After some head scratching and studying the rear of the car, I noticed that one of the rear drop-links looked perished and cracked – I renewed both drop-links and ARB bushes – the problem was solved and the handling was perfect.

Turning to your findings, I wonder whether the fact that you now have nice firm geometry on the wishbones is exposing a bit of play in something like the steering end ball-joints?
Mike Fishwick
Joined: Fri 19 Jun, 2009 10:27
Posts: 2093

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Daglan, France

Re: Wishbones

Post by Mike Fishwick »

Frog Farmer - I had the same problem until I fitted poly bushes in place of the original gapped things at the rear of the wish bones - another example of OE parts being unsuitable, in this case for the lateral loadings placed on the susension via 45-section front tyres and French country roads. Since fitting poly bushes the car only jumps up and down, instead of from side to side!
A Z3 is not just for Christmas - it's for life!
Uncle Al
Joined: Thu 16 Aug, 2012 19:11
Posts: 12

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Wishbones

Post by Uncle Al »

Hi Mike

Where did you get the poly bushes for your wishbones

Had a great run to North Berwick today in the Z3.

Still had a desire to use the 1100RT but couldn't fit my wee dog into the equation !

Best regards

Alistair
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