Suspension Noise., XM Anti-roll bar bushes.

[cassmo]

I am getting a subdued rattle from the front suspension ( it is not the drop links)which is probably the anti- roll bar bushes. I have had similar problems on other vehicles.
Looking at these bushes reveals that they are well and truly buried in the subframe. Has anyone experience of changing them?

Cassmo

[Masterclock]

Hi Cassmo,

I've been in about the anti-roll bar bushes before, but its not a job for the faint hearted. If the noise is a dull rumbling noise, particularly bad when the steering is in anything but the straight ahead position, it is more likely to be the steering rack damper. It gets a hard time if the car has been run with hard spheres and tends to wear quicker than most normal cars. I've had to adjust this on both XM's I've owned and advised several list readers before, who all had the same problem.

The damper itself is not hard to adjust, but can be a B--ch to get at. You will need a piece of 19mm AF hex bar or a 19mm nut and bolt locked together. Instructions on how to do it are here,

http://club-xm.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=555&hl=rack


If it is the bushes you have a trick job. The cast alloy brackets that hold the bushes to the sub frame are also spacers where the subframe meets the body. to get the bushes out the sub frame has to be dropped at the rear. The alloy brackets usually disintergrate due to corrosion as soon as you start to try and remove the bolts.

Definately worth trying the rack first.

[Peter.N.]

Oh dear! I've got the same noise on mine, sounds just like the n/s drop link, in fact I changed it and its still there. I dont hear it while driving on the road but to reach the road I have to drive along a flinty forest track and it rattles like a good'un.

Peter.N.

[Craigdp]

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This post has been edited by Craigdp on May 26, 2006 06:31 pm