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[Sir Tigger KC]

I've had a creaking noise coming from the rear suspension on my 530d for a while now and a couple of days ago popped off the offside wheel for a looky see, but could see nothing obvious.    The Beemer forums suggest it's either the sub frame bushes or ball joint.

The handling has got a little twitchy, it's a bit 'thumpy' over speed bumps/pot holes and the rear tyres have scrubbed down on the inner edge.  This suggests to me that the sub frame bushes are knackered. 

It's on 128,000 miles and I expect that they are the originals.  It looks easy enough, but apparently you need a special tool to remove and install the bushes. 

Any thoughts Gents?    TIA! 

[Doctor Gollum]

Could also be one of many arm bushes...

You can polybush the entire rear end for around £500...

[STEMO]

Could also be one of many arm bushes...

You can polybush the entire rear end for around £500...

......or buy another car for that money.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Could also be one of many arm bushes...

You can polybush the entire rear end for around £500...

......or buy another car for that money.

I wonder if Sir Tig has considered the Omega made by Vauxhall. Just a thought.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Could also be one of many arm bushes...

You can polybush the entire rear end for around £500...

All the arms seemed nice and tight. 

It's the shagged tyres that make me think it's the sub frame bushes.    It's shame as they're top quality Autogrips! 

[tunnie]

Could also be one of many arm bushes...

You can polybush the entire rear end for around £500...

All the arms seemed nice and tight. 

It's the shagged tyres that make me think it's the sub frame bushes.    It's shame as they're top quality Autogrips! 

A fine tyre, I hear the fatty admin rates these well and has shares invested in the company. 

[tigers_gonads]

Could also be one of many arm bushes...

You can polybush the entire rear end for around £500...

All the arms seemed nice and tight. 

It's the shagged tyres that make me think it's the sub frame bushes.    It's shame as they're top quality Autogrips! 

A fine tyre, I hear the fatty admin rates these well and has shares invested in the company. 

Not a bad tyre but will never beat Wanli's Ditch finder for ultimate control as you go backwards through a hedge 

[Sir Tigger KC]

It's the shagged tyres that make me think it's the sub frame bushes.    It's shame as they're top quality Autogrips! 

A fine tyre, I hear the fatty admin rates these well and has shares invested in the company. 

You should try them Tunnie as i think they'd suit your driving style! 

[TheBoy]

Could also be one of many arm bushes...

You can polybush the entire rear end for around £500...

All the arms seemed nice and tight. 

It's the shagged tyres that make me think it's the sub frame bushes.    It's shame as they're top quality Autogrips! 

A fine tyre, I hear the fatty admin rates these well and has shares invested in the company. 

Not a bad tyre but will never beat Wanli's Ditch finder for ultimate control as you go backwards through a hedge 

The Wanli's have better wet grip than the Autogrips.  Well, ice has better grip than an Autogrip in damp conditions.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Could also be one of many arm bushes...

You can polybush the entire rear end for around £500...

All the arms seemed nice and tight. 

It's the shagged tyres that make me think it's the sub frame bushes.    It's shame as they're top quality Autogrips! 

A fine tyre, I hear the fatty admin rates these well and has shares invested in the company. 

Not a bad tyre but will never beat Wanli's Ditch finder for ultimate control as you go backwards through a hedge 

The Wanli's have better wet grip than the Autogrips.  Well, ice has better grip than an Autogrip in damp conditions.

 

Given their reputation I once tried hard to get them to lose grip on a dark wet night with no traffic, by wanging round a roundabout pretty quick, but they held on! 

Don't think I'll try it again now they're shagged though.....   

[TheBoy]

Could also be one of many arm bushes...

You can polybush the entire rear end for around £500...

All the arms seemed nice and tight. 

It's the shagged tyres that make me think it's the sub frame bushes.    It's shame as they're top quality Autogrips! 

A fine tyre, I hear the fatty admin rates these well and has shares invested in the company. 

Not a bad tyre but will never beat Wanli's Ditch finder for ultimate control as you go backwards through a hedge 

The Wanli's have better wet grip than the Autogrips.  Well, ice has better grip than an Autogrip in damp conditions.

 

Given their reputation I once tried hard to get them to lose grip on a dark wet night with no traffic, by wanging round a roundabout pretty quick, but they held on! 

Don't think I'll try it again now they're shagged though.....   

At brand new, they are just a normal budget tyre with poor-ish wet grip.  Take about 3mm off them, they become unbelievably shite

Don't worry, Terry the chip man didn't believe me either, and said they were fine...   ...then after about 3k on them, I saw the damage to his car after he'd taken it out in the rain .  He said he had no idea what happened, just going fairly slowly around a slight corner, and ends up with a smashed in rear quarter and a buggered alloy

[TheBoy]

I had a single Autogrip on TBE, so one day when it was damp, I put it on NSR, and went to have some fun.  No matter how gentle I was, I couldn't get it round a roundabout at more than 10mph without facing the wrong way (TC Off)

[Sir Tigger KC]

Looking through the BMW forums it seems that a special tool is required for both the sub frame bushes and ball joint, both the prime suspects for my creakiness. 

Might be a garage job!   

[Doctor Gollum]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-Rear-Subframe-Bush-Tool-BMW-E39-5-Series-VSE5580-/331317547163?epid=1307741446&hash=item4d2410909b:g:l9YAAOSwDNdV1OkX

Cheapy ones are circa £40 but you might need four to do the job

[Sir Tigger KC]

Subframe bushes are £120 - £300 for 4 + £160 for the tool (granted I could resell) + a day lying on my back on the drive. 

Think I'll get a quote from the garage. 

[Doctor Gollum]

Subframe bushes are £120 - £300 for 4 + £160 for the tool (granted I could resell) + a day lying on my back on the drive. 

Think I'll get a quote from the garage. 

Damn, that mouse squeaks loud

[Sir Tigger KC]

Subframe bushes are £120 - £300 for 4 + £160 for the tool (granted I could resell) + a day lying on my back on the drive. 

Think I'll get a quote from the garage. 

Damn, that mouse squeaks loud

Yes and then knowing my luck, I go through all that to change the sub frame bushes and it turns out it was the ball joints all along! 

Buy more bushes, another special tool and another day lying on my back on the drive!   

[Nick W]

That's what happens when you buy old German cars.

[Sir Tigger KC]

That's what happens when you buy old German cars.

Now you tell me!   

[Nick W]

I may have mentioned it before.

[Sir Tigger KC]

I got a mate to rock the car whilst I was underneath it and I think the creakiness is coming from the ball joint rather than the sub frame bushes, which is good as 2 ball joints are helluva lot cheaper than 4 sub frame bushes. 

I was surprised at the amount of movement in the sub frame bushes though. 

[Sir Tigger KC]

Took it to a local indy BMW specialist this afternoon who confirmed that the ball joints are knackered, but also pointed out that the sub frame bushes are in poor condition as well.  This was more obvious with it up on the ramp. 

They are going to get back to me with a quote.  I have the feeling that it will be eye watering! 

[Nick W]

That's what happens when you buy old German cars.

[Sir Tigger KC]

That's what happens when you buy old German cars.

There's an echo in here.....     

[aaronjb]

That's what happens when you buy old German cars.

Fixed that for you, Nick! (Unless you count the Omega as German, of course..)