tjackson9810

I recently replaced my front lower control arms and sway bar end links for my 2004 525i. Now, I'm receiving a bumpy ride. When I say bumpy ride, what I mean is imagine going over really small speed bumps while driving. When I hop onto the freeway I also hear a rhythmic thud. Does anyone know what might be the problem and what to check for?

Thanks in advance!

pcy

Who replaced those parts? Go back to all the bolts that were removed and make sure all those bolts are tight to the spec.

bmwrider2010

correct go back and point them your problem

tjackson9810

Thanks for the replies. My friend and I changed them ourselves. We used this youtube video, , as a guide and didn't have the specs. We did tighten the bolts until we couldn't any more.

thakid22

Watching the video, I saw one thing missing.

The Control Arms must be tightened to torque spec with the suspension at ride height.
If you torque the control arms while the car is in the air (at full droop), you will cause the
bushings on the control arm to bind.

This bind will cause a firmer ride, more road noise, and will wear out the bushings prematurely.

turboawd

most likely this is the issue.

tonyb635

Yes, you can't believe everything you see...

V70Cat

I need to replace mine so the question is it better to replace the whole arm or just the bushing?

Where should I purchase it BMW or after market?

pcy

Depends on the condition of the ball joint on the other end of the arm. If the ball joint is in good condition, it may be ok to just swap out the bushing rather than replacing the entire arm.

Go with Lemforder bushings. These bushings contribute a lot to the quality of the ride; don't try to cheap-out on these bushings.

tjackson9810

What I did after reading the posts was, I used a jack lift to lift up my rotors to ride height and tightened them. I still hear the thudding but now there's also a metal clanking noise. Could the wheel bearings be worn out?