Next challenge - under harder braking my E9 pulls to the left

Another option is to source a good used subframe, have it coated, install new bushings, and then swap em out?

Would be quicker and likely same cost as having someone repair yours. Cheaper still to weld it up yourself anyway.
 
If you have to change the bushing anyway... then it is easy enough to weld that up, grind it smooth and paint it in situ.

Those bushings are tons of fun (not) having just done them... out of the car.
 
Don has recommended another source for the tension strut bushings and they don't appear to be available anywhere that I can find? Any other sources? I recall a post with someone using a polyurethane from a UK company...
 
Weld the crack and then have them bend the hooks back in shape. I bent them with heat and a long crowbar. Repaint. Coupeking used to sell the hooks, don't know if he still does, I bought a couple thinking I'd need to replace one, but gave them to other members because welding was the way to go for me.
 
Thanks all and to Drew, I can't wait for that. I was always jealous of Chris Macha's undercarraige (that sounds terrible) and zinc plated stuff. I also found a few obscure sources on eBay in Europe that sold some OEM bushings (FYI original part # is 31121116587 but is superceeded by 31121123552, apparently). Bimmerworld also sells them for $93 for the pair but sources in Europe. I will probably get this done after the Vintage in mid May where I plan to visit Chris Ohmes and Tom Baruch to get help installing replacement tie rods and centerlink. A few months from now my car will be driving like new, I hope.
 
I decided to go ahead and replace my forward tension rod bushings as well as the large cupped washer. I bought both the stock and "motorsport" harder bushings from WN. I ended up installing the motorsport version as the ones I removed had a similar durometer to the stock ones from WN and were actually in good condition.
I also had some damage similar to what you described, I assume my car bottomed out as well at some point in the car's history. In my case a previous owner just cut the tiedown off on one side.
I never had any for / aft freeplay in the bushings / tension rod, however I did see a surprising amount of for / aft compliance in the bushing itself which is much less now with the harder bushings. Hopefully the weather will cooperate next week so I can test the theory. I'll post what results I get.
BTW Installing the bushings was "fun"...
 

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Wayne…. It is listed for both cars I guess… but as the above poster mentioned there are two… one regular and one harder. Both are available from WN.
 
There are several old posts about these parts that I had forgotten about.
In this one Don mentioned that the W&N parts are impossible to install.
In another one I haven't found he has a video of how easy they can be installed.
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Dan Wood said:
There are several old posts about these parts that I had forgotten about.
In this one Don mentioned that the W&N parts are impossible to install.
In another one I haven't found he has a video of how easy they can be installed.
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sfdon

Thread 'We get asked how to install compliance bushings…'

Here’s Ed at the shop installing one in 32 seconds. Out of practice I think from all the huffing and puffing. No special tools needed.

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Wayne, not sure if you ever found the cause of your pull to the left under braking but I thought I'd pass along how I finally cured the same problem I was experiencing. On my car the nut holding the pitman arm on the splined shaft of the steering box had backed of slightly (the securing tab was in place but did not lock the nut in sufficiently). This alowed the pitman arm to move up and down 2 or 3 degrees. This up and down movement would alter the toe on the left wheel. There was no rotational play in the arm which initially probably led me to believe it to be ok. However once the nut was tightened and the pitman arm movement eliminated the car started to tracks straight under braking.
 
72CS said:
Wayne, not sure if you ever found the cause of your pull to the left under braking but I thought I'd pass along how I finally cured the same problem I was experiencing. On my car the nut holding the pitman arm on the splined shaft of the steering box had backed of slightly (the securing tab was in place but did not lock the nut in sufficiently). This alowed the pitman arm to move up and down 2 or 3 degrees. This up and down movement would alter the toe on the left wheel. There was no rotational play in the arm which initially probably led me to believe it to be ok. However once the nut was tightened and the pitman arm movement eliminated the car started to tracks straight under braking.
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Thanks, I did not check this but will next time I'm on a lift. After replacing the full front axle, tie rods and centerlink, new tension bushings and arms themselves, plus all new fastener hardware, I think the pulling under braking is nearly gone (but not enough road testing yet after getting car back and travelling directly to the Vintage in Asheville). I believe the pulling was caused by two hairline cracks in the sub-frame where they meet the tension bushings and front tow hooks; one crack was more extensive than the other and likely caused that pulling effect under braking. One of the tension bushings was effectively not doing much at all and might have caused additional deflection.
 
Wayne, it looks like you have identified the likely cause with the cracked sub-frame. You should be able to find someone to weld it up and resolve the issue.

I had a heck of a time installing the bushings. Although I had purchased a set from W&N I opted not to use them as I seem to recall others saying they were too big to fit. I also was unable to fit a different set from another provider (MTC?), but that may have been a result of the powder coating. I did use a set from Jaymic in the UK and those slipped in with no issues.

My saga here
 
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