Having now got my MOT old fatty has developed a massive knocking on the front end. Ive had a look underneath today, it's not the drop links, that was my first port of call, it looks like its the bushes in the rear of the two arms that have rotted away, it is making quite a solid thud.

So, assuming my diagnosis is correct do I:-
1) Replace the bushes (having purchased the necessary tools to do it) with o/e bushes.
2) Replace the bushes with polybushes.
3) Replace complete arms with bushes already fitted and fit new ball joints.

As always gentlemen, your advice and comments greatly appreciated, I intend to do the work on the drive outside my house with the car jacked up and on axle stands etc. Any advice on techniques or what the gotcha's are would be appreciated. BMW i3 Electric Car
2012 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8 (now gone)
2006 VW Touareg 3.0 TDi V6

Last edited by AJGalaxy2012 on 15th Aug 2019 7:33pm. Edited 1 time in total

Do not use poly bushes. They are a curse to world of motoring.
All they do is transfer more road noise into the car. They do NOT withstand punisment better than rubber, and they do not improve handling. They squeak, deform, and do not properly absorb forces, which in extreme cases have caused severe loads on attached arm, and caused them to snap off (Corvette, not LR, but still).

Click image to enlarge

But apart from:-

transfering more road noise into the car
Not withstanding punisment better than rubber
not improve handling
squeaking
deforming
not properly absorbing forces
causing severe loads on attached arm, and causing them to snap off

Are there any reasons why I shouldnt use them?

LOL

Thank you for that input, I may well just get Britpart arms with bushes already fitted, I dont need to buy the tool then.

AJG BMW i3 Electric Car
2012 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8 (now gone)
2006 VW Touareg 3.0 TDi V6

Personally I'd go for option 3, when I did mine on my first one I recall that the whole arm wasn't much dearer than just the bush. This made the job simple and pretty painless, I then had the bushes replaced at my leisure in the arms that I had removed, this gave me a "new" set for the next time. These bushes almost seem to be a service item.

I might have been a bit harsh on them, surley they have a purpose on some or other application.
My biggest issue with those, is that over time they steal sales from rubber bush manufacturers, causing them to stop producing OEM rubber bushes. It's hard to maintain classic cars when bushes are no longer available.

If I were you I'd opt for the complete control arm with OEM bush. The ball joint probably isn't far behind the bush. 2007 L322 3.6 TDV8 Stornoway

The Lemforder bushes that I fitted to mine exactly 1 year ago didn't last 20K kms. The originals were already on their way out when I purchased the vehicle at less than 20K kms but I put up with the knocking and wandering steering especially under braking for 3 more years. I'm not prepared to change bushes every 20K kms so I've ordered Polyflex bushes. Quite some years ago my son fitted the same brand and purple (road) versions to a Saab 9000 in the same position to overcome torque steer after an engine remap. The bushes did not increase harshness or noise or have any other adverse effects so I'm hoping mine will be similar.

As I understand, the original design has rubber 'spokes' which crumble under braking weight of the FF.

Be interesting to know if another bush can be used as I'm due to do mine too.

. Cheers, Greg
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2011 Vogue SE 4.4 with lots of toys in Stornaway

The internal bump-stop prevents most of the braking movement - its the wheels pulling forwards with drive that stresses the upper and lower attachment links. I suspect that non-smooth surfaces such as gravel roads is the cause of mine's short life.

Thanks guys, I feel an Island 4x4 order coming on for the front and rear arms with bushes. BMW i3 Electric Car
2012 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8 (now gone)
2006 VW Touareg 3.0 TDi V6

I knew that I had a similar issue when I purchased my l322 last month.

For the price of the parts + a little extra time, I replaced everything at the front including new nuts and bolts.

The difference is night and day, it is like driving a new car.

No bumps, knocks, creaks, squeaks or judders.

About £220 inc delivery over here for all the parts.

Money well spent IMHO and I now know where I'm at regarding the front end.

Best, Rich

Option 1 here the bushes were easy to replace - the ballpoint not so much.

We haven’t had any issues with OEM bushes, usually from island 4x4.

Last edited by TJH1985 on 11th Aug 2019 1:16pm. Edited 1 time in total

I have had poly bushes (usually Power-flex) fitted to a few cars over the years and never had an issue with them They do vary in hardness and fitting excessively hard ones on a road car is definitely not a good idea.

I fitted new front arms on our L322 less that 3 years ago and the bushes on the TCAs have already had advisories for the last 2 years! I have some Power-flex bushes which I will be fitting in the next few days, so it will be interesting to see how it feels with them on. I did them on our 5 Series BMW about 3 years ago and that has basically the same front suspension set-up.

GDM, your early feed-back would be appreciated.

+1 also, where do you get your bushes from? BMW i3 Electric Car
2012 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8 (now gone)
2006 VW Touareg 3.0 TDi V6

Go for nr 3! just did this on my L322. Complete kit for both side was cheap (order from UK), and it's an easy job for your local mechanic.