bigbadbull

I've been looking over the RealOEM diagrams , and the All Wheel drive wagon have a different set up on the Front Sway from the non AWD wagons in Europe.

The Rear M5/Msport ones look to fit with just new Bushings ( do to increased Diameter) but the Fronts have a totally different attachment set up. I don't think the M5 ones will fit the USA AWD E61's

Patrick E61

AFAIK, it is not possible to install the front anti-sway bar from the V10 M5 into any other V8 or I6 BMW. Completely different animal.

The same was true with the E39 M5; the M5 rear anti-sway bar worked in other E39 models, even in a 520i Touring, but the front M5 bar could not be installed in any E39 other than one with a V8 engine (and that mod was a serious PITA).

StreetPro

what makes you saying this? just get under the car, replace rubber bushing and there you go...

bigbadbull

Have you looked at the differences in the front sway bars between a Rear wheel drive car and a AWD car? It would take some serious Metal shop fab to even start to try this.

Patrick E61

The front anti-sway bar for the E60/61 M5 is completely different than one from a 535, 530, 528.

Nels996

This is an interesting topic. I've been doing the research on the front and rear sway bars. This is what I found. As you can se from the images the bars are different. But this doesn't mean it wont work. I'll be spending some time over the winter to clearify weather or not the from bar from the M5 with work on out E61's.

mmitev

Patrick,
I understand you have replaced your rear anti sway bar, so I presume you have some real experience with this. Below I have pasted pics of the M5 front sway bar (from Nels996's post above) and what I found in RealOEM to be a front anti sway bar for a 530d E61. I don't see any material difference, except of course diameter of the steel tube and weight.
What are your real-world experiences with this? Is the shape different, or the way its attached to the links?
Are the pics/drawings at all relevant or are they only rough representations of the actual part?
I've been looking for M5 E61 sway bars and I don't want to buy something I can't install..
Thanks

bigbadbull

The sway bar pictures you posted are for both RWD cars, the problem we have in North America is that all the E61 are AWD

So there is a bug question as to if the M5 E61 front bar will fit, since there are some big differences...

We don't have the option not having it.

Any one have any Eibach or H&R Sways for a AWD sedan or know where to get them state side. I'm willing to try that, but not the overseas M5 ones with out any conformation on the front bar with the AWD /RWD issue.

mmitev

My question was directed to Patrick as he has a RWD car, as do I. So I am only interested in sway bars for RWD cars.

I understand that the front sway bar for a AWD car is different from the pics Nels posted. (And I kow that the US wagons are AWD). But this is irrelevant for me.

Patrick E61

I can only comment on the rear anti-sway bar, and all that I can say is that it does stiffen up the rear end, especially in corners at higher speeds (Autobahn).

I would suggest that you go to a BMW parts department and ask them if the front M5 anti-sway will fit on your non-M5 E61.