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Hey all posting about
a front suspension clunk whenever you turn the steering wheel
can be heard while stationary
as well as when moving
have control arms en route but any thoughts, anyone who has personally experienced a specific clunk while turning.
swapping shock assembly next
EDIT:
Turned out to be the bolts for the subframe reinforcement were extremely loose (about to fall of) hanging by a thread when I removed the plastic covers. Tightened those up and back to a silent ride.
Last edited by e60boylife; Jul 9, 2025 at 04:03 PM.
Many threads here and on bimmerfest.com on replacing the lower control arms...
Some finer points:
Don't bother trying to only replace the bushings. You need a press and some properly sized cups and it isn't worth the small cost savings. You can only replace them one time in the aluminum control arm.
The bushings are fluid filled and they rupture over time. This and just general rubber degradation just lead to the breakdown.
The are variously called Lower Control Arm, Thrust Arm, Tension Strut depending on where you are looking.
Buy quality parts. The OE was from one of the ZF Corp suspension suppliers. My 530xi had, from the factory, TRW Automotive parts. Lemforder is also a OE part. Both of TRW Automotive and Lemforder are ZF Corp companies. I bought my TRW replacement arms on Amazon sold by Amazon. I see a number of other suppliers, just make sure they aren't counterfeit. I see Rockauto sells the TRW and Lemforder ones now.
You need to replace all the bolts and nuts involved. Some of them are torque to yield, when means you torque it and then turn is an additional number of degrees as specified. This make the joint stronger, but stretches the bolt and it cannot be reused.
You will need the torque values and a higher range torque wrench.
I have an xi and replaced the ball joints and upper control arms while I was there.
When you tighten the bolts, the wheel of the car needs to be on the ground or otherwise loaded with the weight it would normally have. If you don't do this, the bushing will be tightened in a position that is rotated from the normal resting position. This will twist the rubber and lead to premature bushing failure.
BMW says the car needs to be in "Normal Position". That's a specification from BMW with weights loaded in various places of the car and a full tank of gas. Most shops aren't going to do this, but I used some concrete blocks I had sitting around. You can surf and find these values on one of the sites.
When I had it all assembled, but not the final bolts of the bushings tightened, I dropped the car to the ground and bounced it up and down. Then raised it again and lowered it on to some ramps and bounced again. This puts the required with on that wheel, but give some room to get under the car and do the final tightening.
Many threads here and on bimmerfest.com on replacing the lower control arms...
Some finer points:
Don't bother trying to only replace the bushings. You need a press and some properly sized cups and it isn't worth the small cost savings. You can only replace them one time in the aluminum control arm.
The bushings are fluid filled and they rupture over time. This and just general rubber degradation just lead to the breakdown.
The are variously called Lower Control Arm, Thrust Arm, Tension Strut depending on where you are looking.
Buy quality parts. The OE was from one of the ZF Corp suspension suppliers. My 530xi had, from the factory, TRW Automotive parts. Lemforder is also a OE part. Both of TRW Automotive and Lemforder are ZF Corp companies. I bought my TRW replacement arms on Amazon sold by Amazon. I see a number of other suppliers, just make sure they aren't counterfeit. I see Rockauto sells the TRW and Lemforder ones now.
You need to replace all the bolts and nuts involved. Some of them are torque to yield, when means you torque it and then turn is an additional number of degrees as specified. This make the joint stronger, but stretches the bolt and it cannot be reused.
You will need the torque values and a higher range torque wrench.
I have an xi and replaced the ball joints and upper control arms while I was there.
When you tighten the bolts, the wheel of the car needs to be on the ground or otherwise loaded with the weight it would normally have. If you don't do this, the bushing will be tightened in a position that is rotated from the normal resting position. This will twist the rubber and lead to premature bushing failure.
BMW says the car needs to be in "Normal Position". That's a specification from BMW with weights loaded in various places of the car and a full tank of gas. Most shops aren't going to do this, but I used some concrete blocks I had sitting around. You can surf and find these values on one of the sites.
When I had it all assembled, but not the final bolts of the bushings tightened, I dropped the car to the ground and bounced it up and down. Then raised it again and lowered it on to some ramps and bounced again. This puts the required with on that wheel, but give some room to get under the car and do the final tightening.
no stranger to changing control arms on any car.
preloading a bushing before final torque is 101 for any suspension job
but what really threw me off was the vagueness of the noise and the way it presented itself as dashboard creaking / steering column noise when turning. It wasn’t until I got under the car while someone else steered that I was able to get an idea of where it might be resonating from. Based on the linked video above would you say I hit the nail on the head by diagnosing that LCA or are there other offenders that I might not be aware of?
edit: thanks for the lengthy reply btw this is why i post on the forum. Really appreciate the indepth response and insight
Last edited by e60boylife; May 31, 2025 at 08:57 AM.
I would say it could be the source of the noise. But, even if it isn't those bushings are likely shot just from age. The lower control arm bushings being filled with hydraulic fluid will rupture at some point. I've had my 2006 530xi since new. I saw some black oily stuff near the front wheels one day and finally figured out it was from a ruptured bushing. I drove on ruptured ones for a year or more. When I changed it all the suspension was much tighter. I think it is all still intact as of now.
Been under the car collectively for at least 45 minutes now while the missy turns the wheel. Got it down to the front subframe where aforementioned control arm bolts up to. It seems to flex in a certain way when the car turns or is on uneven road. My question now is i'm sure BMW is aware of the issue. I wonder what the procedure for this would be. I don't think the subframe bushings are shot as it's a faint noise. not something super constant.
I would say it could be the source of the noise. But, even if it isn't those bushings are likely shot just from age. The lower control arm bushings being filled with hydraulic fluid will rupture at some point. I've had my 2006 530xi since new. I saw some black oily stuff near the front wheels one day and finally figured out it was from a ruptured bushing. I drove on ruptured ones for a year or more. When I changed it all the suspension was much tighter. I think it is all still intact as of now.
Just checking that you got new bolts. The reinforcement plate uses one time use torque to yield bolts. First you use the torque wrench and then you do the additional angle listed. This stretches the bolt and attains a tighter connection, but since the bolt is now deformed, it cannot be reused. Most all of the aluminum bolts are this way and a handful of steel ones such as these.
2007 530i FRONT SUSPENSION CREAK (SOLVED)
