Re: Clunk (archive)

The clunk can be one (or more) of several things. The most likely is a worn out ball joint on the upper control arm (thrust arm). It could also be the ball joint on the lower control arm or on the sway bar link. Any decent shop can check these once the car is on the lift. The first shop I used when I bought my car chased the clunk by replacing the lower, then upper control arms, and finally a sway bar link, so I learned the hard way (and they are no longer my shop). In fact, I needed both an upper control arm on the left and a sway bar link on the right. The control arm was the clunk, but once replaced, I heard a softer clank from the sway bar that had previously been masked by the clunk.

There's a remote, but unlikely, possibility that an upper strut bearing could be bad. That's not uncommon in McPhearson strut cars, but I understand it's fairly rare with these cars due to higher quality parts.

If you replace the upper control arm, do both sides and replace the bushings with the bushings for the 750iL. They're heavier duty and will last longer. You can get the parts much cheaper than at BMW. Good sources are Eurasian Auto Parts (ad in Roundel) or Ultimate Garage.

Follow Ups:

[ Follow Ups ] [ 5-series (E34) Message Board ] [ Msg. Board FAQ ]

Questions, comments, or problems, please visit the Roadfly help desk.