Date: Mon, 04 Jun 2001 12:06:31 -0700
From: Jim Ochi <jochi@ricochet.net>
Subject: Re: [uuc] front suspension clunk

At 02:16 PM 6/4/2001 -0400, ben keyes wrote:

>today I called one of our local dealers & after explaining to them that 
>the car
>wasn't an M3 & wasn't an E46 ;-), they found something in the EPC that 
>seems to
>be the part in question.  it's described as "swing suport" on the faxed page
>from the EPC.  unfortunately I cannot read the fax very well as it was
>highlighted when the screen print was done.  the particular dealer I called
>quoted $52.13 for the part, which sounds like highway robbery as the guys 
>at the
>track said it would only be a $10 part.

If it is the end link, my parts CD says that it's the same part as on an 
E36M3 - part #31 35 2227 203.  The BMP catalog has a price of 32 bucks for 
it.  Otherwise, you can get a really trick version from Ground Control for 
around a hundred bucks, or you can make your own following Ben Liaw's 
instructions on the UUC Motorwerks web site.

>1) does the diagnosis sound correct ??

Could be.  One thing you might try is to disconnect the end link on the 
left side, then drive over the same bumps.  Since the swaybar is no longer 
connected, the clunking should stop if it's the endlink.

>2) what is the correct part number for the part & what should the parts 
>cost me
>from the dealer ??

See above...

>3) should I get aftermarket parts instead at similar/lower cost ??

All the aftermarket end links that I know about are the cool adjustable 
ones - they all cost more than stock, at around a hundred bucks a 
pair.  You can make your own pretty easily, but I think it still comes out 
to 70-80 bucks a pair for the parts.

>4) will the changing out of the part be easy ??

If it's anything like the E36M3, then it's a piece of cake.  Jack up the 
car, pull the wheels, remove two nuts (you may need a thin wrench to keep 
the bolt from turning - I don't remember the size) that hold the end link 
in place, put in the new end link, put back on the two nuts, tighten 
everything up, put the wheels back on, drop the car.  Done.

Hope this helps,

Jim Ochi
jochi@ricochet.net