Grease or No Grease for M3 Front Sway Bar Install

bdoooh · 04-09-2013, 07:18 AM

I've seen mixed instructions.. I know for your eibachs & hotchkis, you want to be very generous with the lithium grease or else it's going to clunk.. I made that mistake with my Mazdaspeed.. I'm going to be installing my E92 M3 FSB this weekend, but looking around it looks like some people advise on using grease since it might eat away at the rubber bushing.. but I see others using grease. Should I or shouldn't I?

Focusedintntions · 04-09-2013, 08:03 AM

Use a grease that's friendly on rubber. But yes you def want to lube it up to help it ensure it works correctly and doesn't bind in there.

andrey_gta · 04-09-2013, 11:24 AM

Yes, it makes install easy. First to push in busing into clip , second to twist the busing around bar to align with clip mounts

bdoooh · 04-09-2013, 11:34 AM

Alright. Thanks! Any suggestions on lube on Amazon that is rubber friendly? Like.. would this work? http://www.amazon.com/Permatex-81981...lithium+grease

John_01 · 04-10-2013, 07:38 PM

I'm not familiar with the M3 sway bar, but I thought rubber bushings were supposed to stick to the bar so isn't actually any friction involved. The rubber material will internally deform when the sway bar moves. All you need is little soap or glycerine so it can be assembled if its a really tight fit.

Pig Farmer · 04-11-2013, 07:03 PM

I can't remember who told me that you do not use grease on the M3 sway bar bushings, but I can tell you that I did not use grease when installing mine and it's been fine for a couple years now. No noise at all.

bdoooh · 04-12-2013, 06:59 AM

Alright maybe I'll try it with no grease. If it gets noisy I'll take it back out and add grease. The installation doesn't look too bad, minus the million tray bolts..

BruceWarne · 04-12-2013, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdoooh

Alright maybe I'll try it with no grease. If it gets noisy I'll take it back out and add grease. The installation doesn't look too bad, minus the million tray bolts..

It's a 30 minute job if you have an electric screw driver. Very very easy, and you can do it on ramps - no reason to take off the wheels.

I did it without using grease - but I'd use some soap next time to make it easier to align the holes with the end-links.

JTB · 04-13-2013, 07:38 AM

I would use grease on poly mounts to avoid the creak that happens as the bar moves. If you are using the rubber mounts, it will not be necessary.

timhatimay · 04-14-2013, 06:00 PM

I didn't use any grease on my M3 sway, and there hasn't been any problems or noises. You will need something slick so that you can clamp down the bushings over the bar. I just spit on it, then used a c-clamp to press the bushings into the bracket. Good luck!

Tim

bdoooh · 04-14-2013, 09:27 PM

I did the install today using no grease.. So far no clunking from a few mile test drive.

04-09-2013, 07:18 AM	#1
bdoooh Captain 112 Rep 969 Posts Drives: 2014 SSII M5 CP Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Ohio iTrader: (2)	Grease or No Grease for M3 Front Sway Bar Install I've seen mixed instructions.. I know for your eibachs & hotchkis, you want to be very generous with the lithium grease or else it's going to clunk.. I made that mistake with my Mazdaspeed.. I'm going to be installing my E92 M3 FSB this weekend, but looking around it looks like some people advise on using grease since it might eat away at the rubber bushing.. but I see others using grease. Should I or shouldn't I?
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04-09-2013, 08:03 AM	#2
Focusedintntions Colonel 105 Rep 2,696 Posts Drives: 2011 135i M-Sport :D Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: NoVA iTrader: (1)	Use a grease that's friendly on rubber. But yes you def want to lube it up to help it ensure it works correctly and doesn't bind in there. __________________ Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death… – Hunter Thompson
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04-09-2013, 11:24 AM	#3
andrey_gta Brigadier General 298 Rep 4,040 Posts Drives: 130i coupé ;) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Bimmerpost iTrader: (1) Garage List 2008 BMW 128i [10.00]	Yes, it makes install easy. First to push in busing into clip , second to twist the busing around bar to align with clip mounts __________________ 128i Sport 6MT converted to Euro 130i spec, 3.73 diff, tuned by evolve ~220 whp 207 wtq(ft-lb) SAE In-progress: //M front arm, M3 rack, e36M lip Wishlist: Coils, n55 mnts, headers, LSD, e60 finn diff "The 1-series is the last car that BMW engineered before the Germans, as a car-making culture, fell out of love with driving." - R&T 2013 135is
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04-09-2013, 11:34 AM	#4
bdoooh Captain 112 Rep 969 Posts Drives: 2014 SSII M5 CP Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Ohio iTrader: (2)	Alright. Thanks! Any suggestions on lube on Amazon that is rubber friendly? Like.. would this work? http://www.amazon.com/Permatex-81981...lithium+grease
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04-10-2013, 07:38 PM	#5
John_01 Colonel 232 Rep 2,643 Posts Drives: E90 325i, E82 135i Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sydney, Australia iTrader: (0)	I'm not familiar with the M3 sway bar, but I thought rubber bushings were supposed to stick to the bar so isn't actually any friction involved. The rubber material will internally deform when the sway bar moves. All you need is little soap or glycerine so it can be assembled if its a really tight fit.
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04-11-2013, 07:03 PM	#6
Pig Farmer Major 340 Rep 1,293 Posts Drives: E92M Join Date: May 2010 Location: Florida iTrader: (0)	I can't remember who told me that you do not use grease on the M3 sway bar bushings, but I can tell you that I did not use grease when installing mine and it's been fine for a couple years now. No noise at all.
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04-12-2013, 06:59 AM	#7
bdoooh Captain 112 Rep 969 Posts Drives: 2014 SSII M5 CP Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Ohio iTrader: (2)	Alright maybe I'll try it with no grease. If it gets noisy I'll take it back out and add grease. The installation doesn't look too bad, minus the million tray bolts..
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04-13-2013, 07:38 AM	#9
JTB Private First Class 18 Rep 116 Posts Drives: 135i Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Colorado iTrader: (2)	I would use grease on poly mounts to avoid the creak that happens as the bar moves. If you are using the rubber mounts, it will not be necessary. __________________ JTB Spec Miata - 2nd SCCA RMDiv 2014 Spec Miata - 2nd SCCA RMDiv 2013 2009 135i - let the modding begin!
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04-14-2013, 06:00 PM	#10
timhatimay Lieutenant 129 Rep 559 Posts Drives: ///M3 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: NYC iTrader: (1) Garage List 2018 BMW M3 [0.00] 2009 135i [0.00]	I didn't use any grease on my M3 sway, and there hasn't been any problems or noises. You will need something slick so that you can clamp down the bushings over the bar. I just spit on it, then used a c-clamp to press the bushings into the bracket. Good luck! Tim __________________ M3 6MT SmTo/CS ZCP 135i MT JB/CR ///MSport - Gone
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04-14-2013, 09:27 PM	#11
bdoooh Captain 112 Rep 969 Posts Drives: 2014 SSII M5 CP Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Ohio iTrader: (2)	I did the install today using no grease.. So far no clunking from a few mile test drive.
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