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Car Forum / BMW Cars / January 2006

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Where to get parts? OEM or not OEM..

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C.Read - 10 Jan 2006 13:33 GMT
I recently had an MOT on my E36 328is 1996, (101k on it) and it passed
needing new bulbs, although I have received an advice note from the tester
indicating parts that they think will need to be looked at before the next
MOT. On the advice note I have says all these things are too minor to fail
the test:

Track Rod Ends has very slight play, both sides.
Rear shock slightly damp (small leak).

He also said that the car is the age for the rear trailing arm bushes too
and although they seem ok now, might be worth changing those too.

I've also got some very minor signs of clutch wear.. SO.. Since I am
thoroughly in love with this vehicle and I'm going to be keeping it quite
some time I decided to have a look for the parts, and buy them, and fit them
slowly during the year. THIS is where I need your help!

BMW want £70 + vat each side for the Track Rod Ends, I have found no such
part on German French and Swedish Car Parts, but I have been told that the
"Tie Rod Ends" are in fact the same part, is this true? The main thing here
is that the GSF part is £17.99 + vat each side! Massive difference between
that and the BMW part. Now are these parts the same? Is the difference in
price just mark-up? Or is there a distinct difference in part quality?

I am concerned because of this difference in price.. I have other quotes for
clutch £110, bushes at the rear £25 ish for the pair, and the shock (I
assume I would be getting a pair for the back?) £35 each...

Can anyone advise me on these parts.. I would really appreciate it..

Thank you

Craig
Dave Plowman (News) - 10 Jan 2006 13:56 GMT
> BMW want £70 + vat each side for the Track Rod Ends, I have found no
> such part on German French and Swedish Car Parts, but I have been told
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Is the difference in price just mark-up? Or is there a distinct
> difference in part quality?

> I am concerned because of this difference in price.. I have other quotes
> for clutch £110, bushes at the rear £25 ish for the pair, and the shock
> (I assume I would be getting a pair for the back?) £35 each...

> Can anyone advise me on these parts.. I would really appreciate it..

Can't answer this individual query, but I've used Eurocarparts discs and
pads which are also a fraction of BMW prices. And they've been fine.
Doubt that BMW make the parts you need so they might well be from the same
maker as the cheaper ones, but in a very expensive BMW box...

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Russ (www.e36coupe.com) - 10 Jan 2006 14:32 GMT
"Track Rod Ends has very slight play, both sides."

This doesn't mean they are knackered.  If they are a bit loose that's
normal, they should be replaced when the ball starts knocking in and
out of the socket.

The rear trailing arm bushes cannot be diagnosed as faulty purely on
mileage or be visual inspection.  You'll know when they're in need of
replacement as you'll get a knock from the rear when you accelerate,
you may have odd tyre wear on the rear tyres and in severe cases, the
rear axle will feel like it's floating and not really connected to the
car.

The rear trailing arm bushes were a problem on many early e36's, but
newer ones had the redesigned rear trailing arm bushes which had a
metal casing round the rubber bush, making them much stronger and
longer lasting than the earlier, all rubber design.

Most suspension/steering parts are made by BMW by a company called
'LEMFORDER' (or something similar!), so as long as you use those parts,
you are getting the OEM bits but without the BMW stamp and price.
Euro's and GFS usually do 2 options, OEM quality and a cheapo version -
the OEM ones can be OK, but avoid the cheaper parts form Eurocarparts,
etc, as they don't last as long, so it's a bit of a false economy.

Clutches are usually SACHS I think too, so again replacement SACHS will
be jsut as good - Euros sell some other make (name escapes me right
now) but they are used in Peugeots, etc....so have not rightful place
in Munich's finest!

OTher parts such as the viscous fan coupling are made by SACHS, and I
know when I replaced mine some years back the GFS unit was exactly the
same SACHS unit....

It's always worth checking with a BMW parts dealer what make the
original bits are and asking these parts places who makes theirs.
Russ (www.e36coupe.com) - 10 Jan 2006 14:38 GMT
Oh, forgot to say.   Suspension parts be wary of...if you are replacing
them with aftermarket ones, stick with Bilstein for shocks and Eibach
for springs.

Bremob discs work well with the OEM calipers and pads....

Which reminds me, Eurocarparts sell ATE pads - and whilst the OEM
calipers are made by ATE, the pads themselves are not.  At no point
have ATE been an OEM brake pads supplier for BMW.

The ATE discs are Ok.

I had ATE pads on my e39, thinking they were and OEM brand, and they
used to knock and rattle due to excessive movement when seated in the
caliper - so avoid!  OEM pads are made by JURID.
Dave Plowman (News) - 10 Jan 2006 19:16 GMT
> "Track Rod Ends has very slight play, both sides."

> This doesn't mean they are knackered.  If they are a bit loose that's
> normal, they should be replaced when the ball starts knocking in and
> out of the socket.

There's not any play in a trackrod end in good condition. I'd replace any
one which had - they're hardly expensive.

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Russ (www.e36coupe.com) - 10 Jan 2006 19:40 GMT
yeah, but if they've not been off before, they can be a pig to get off.
Dave Plowman (News) - 10 Jan 2006 23:36 GMT
> eah, but if they've not been off before, they can be a pig to get off.

I've never had this problem. Do you mean splitting the taper or unscrewing
it off the trackrod?

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Russ (www.e36coupe.com) - 11 Jan 2006 08:34 GMT
unscrewing it off the trackrod.

They can get rusted pretty solid and you end up buggering the threaded
end of teh steering rack to which the it's attached (this can be
replaced too though, so not the end of the world).

If you're going to change them, give each track rod end a good soaking
in WD40 for a few nights before you try moving them.
Dave Plowman (News) - 11 Jan 2006 09:39 GMT
> unscrewing it off the trackrod.

> They can get rusted pretty solid and you end up buggering the threaded
> end of teh steering rack to which the it's attached (this can be
> replaced too though, so not the end of the world).

But it screws onto the track rod - not the rack. And I'm not quite sure
how you'd damage that thread?

> If you're going to change them, give each track rod end a good soaking
> in WD40 for a few nights before you try moving them.

I'd use heat. The track rod end is going to be replaced so damage to it
doesn't matter.

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adder1969@yahoo.co.uk - 11 Jan 2006 11:50 GMT
> > If you're going to change them, give each track rod end a good soaking
> > in WD40 for a few nights before you try moving them.
>
> I'd use heat. The track rod end is going to be replaced so damage to it
> doesn't matter.

I'd use the locking screw screwed in from the other side with a plate
in the gap so tightening the screw opens the clamp from the threaded
adjuster.

I agree that any play is usually a bad thing although I have to be
cynical and say that maybe the garage was simply touting for business.
Dodgy - 11 Jan 2006 12:12 GMT
>> unscrewing it off the trackrod.
>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>I'd use heat. The track rod end is going to be replaced so damage to it
>doesn't matter.

I second that...

20 seconds of propane blow torch and a good belt with a hammer.

Dodgy.
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Fred W - 11 Jan 2006 16:11 GMT
> unscrewing it off the trackrod.

My advice?  Don't.  Replace the whole tie-rod including the inner joint.
 They are pretty inexpensive and less work to replace then just the end.

Don't

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Dave Plowman (News) - 11 Jan 2006 17:17 GMT
> My advice?  Don't.  Replace the whole tie-rod including the inner joint.
>   They are pretty inexpensive and less work to replace then just the end.

Are these readily available? On my other non BMW wear on the inner ball
joint required a replacement rack assembly - I couldn't source an inner
balljoint/trackrod. Any suppliers in the US I could have a browse through?

But in the UK, track rod ends are pretty cheap and I've never found them
difficult to remove.

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Fred W - 11 Jan 2006 19:36 GMT
>>My advice?  Don't.  Replace the whole tie-rod including the inner joint.
>>  They are pretty inexpensive and less work to replace then just the end.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> But in the UK, track rod ends are pretty cheap and I've never found them
> difficult to remove.

Yeah, they are easy to come by (at least for E36es).  The only tricky
thing is finding a wrench the right size to torque the new ones on.
Then there is that sheet metal keeper thingee that you have to bend so
it doesn't come loose later.

Here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/New-BMW-E36-318-325-328-M3-Tie-Rod-Assemblies_W0Q
QitemZ8028162513QQcategoryZ33593QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


The ends are about half the price of the whole rods but you also only
are replacing half the number of joints then.  When I did mine I wanted
to do it once.

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-Fred W

 
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