[Rick V]

JMO (and I have spent many years working on BMW's) You don't want any movement of the rear trailing arm other than up and down. Any other movement will cause your alignment angles to go out as the wheel travels up and down. As long as your bushing doesn't bind (the powerflex ones won't) You will be good, and have only the movement that the arm was designed for. You will simply be removing all the compliance that is designed into the cars for street use.

[Clarke]

I second Rick's opinion on this. Any lateral movement in the RTAB is going to result in a change in the rear toe.

[roundel]

I have the Powerflex bushings in my grubby hands, so I will go that direction once it gets warm enough to sanely do the work, but I would love to know more about the spherical bearings mentioned in Wonger's link. I assume this is not the part I initially linked in my OP? Am I correct in the understanding that a spherical bearing will fail to absorb some of the impacts that cause damage to the console carrier bolts. The spherical bearings are a great way to go IF you have the chassis reinforced where the bolts attach?

Does it boil down to this choice?: If you want to replace bushings every so often, choose the Powerflex. If you want to weld/repair or replace chassis every so often go with the spherical bushings.

[magnetic1]

Bob, you should get the mounting points reinforced regardless.

On my car I use E46 M3 rubber OEM w/ shims.

[roundel]

Originally Posted by magnetic1

Bob, you should get the mounting points reinforced regardless.

On my car I use E46 M3 rubber OEM w/ shims.

The reinforcement is welding the console mounting bolt holes around the full 360º, right?

I hoped that since I have OEM springs, near OEM shocks, OEM sways, and will have near OEM bushings, I would avoid needing this welded.

Anyone in the Towson area with the skilz to perform these welds? Maybe I should see if my alignment guy is a welder too. That would be nice to kill both birds...

[magnetic1]

Originally Posted by roundel

The reinforcement is welding the console mounting bolt holes around the full 360º, right?

I hoped that since I have OEM springs, near OEM shocks, OEM sways, and will have near OEM bushings, I would avoid needing this welded.

Anyone in the Towson area with the skilz to perform these welds? Maybe I should see if my alignment guy is a welder too. That would be nice to kill both birds...

Well... I mean if you are replacing all that stuff and it is going to be out, welding a little aint hard, not would it hurt.

[martin944]

FYI, I installed Powerflex rtabs and OEM rubber lcabs on my 97 M3 over the weekend and I am very happy with the set up. The rear feels a lot firmer, i feel the road bumps a little more but nothing too different from OEM bushings. Now when I take turns the car really feels planted to the road as opposed to before the install wherein the rear felt like it would break looks taking turns. Also when I removed the old rtabs, I could see the cracks around the metal through hole. That would probabaly explain the rear feeling loose.

[roundel]

Originally Posted by martin944

FYI, I installed Powerflex rtabs and OEM rubber lcabs on my 97 M3 over the weekend and I am very happy with the set up. The rear feels a lot firmer, i feel the road bumps a little more but nothing too different from OEM bushings. Now when I take turns the car really feels planted to the road as opposed to before the install wherein the rear felt like it would break looks taking turns. Also when I removed the old rtabs, I could see the cracks around the metal through hole. That would probabaly explain the rear feeling loose.

I just replaced mine a few minutes ago in my 97 M3 aka Vader. I am going to bolt the consoles to the chassis tomorrow. I've moved on to whiskey this evening. Getting the old bushings out was a lot of fun. I had to use a punch to pound the tabs of the original bushing to fold them to fit in my press. Once everything was lined up, having an air gun to run the press was so nice. My old bushings did not [I]look[I] bad but were clearly shot. The new Powerflex sure were easy to install. Earlier this year I did the lolly pop bushings and replaced the lower control arms and front tie rod bushings all with OEM stuff, but I did put the offset lcabs in the lolly pops. I expected this to add caster and camber, but my alignment remained within spec. Jeff Shaw is going to weld the chassis mounts for me. Then I just need some RA1s and HT10s.

[BlackTalon]

Originally Posted by roundel

Then I just need some RA1s and HT10s.

B-b-b-b-but I thought it was best to stay on street tires!?!

[roundel]

Originally Posted by BlackTalon

B-b-b-b-but I thought it was best to stay on street tires!?!

You are correct sir, unless one is consistently getting all the streets are capable of. Once I passed you in my stock car on street tires, I allowed myself to consider track rubber.

In reality I burned up about 10 sets of Hoosiers back when I got tires free from Chuck G and before I got married and had kids.

Don't worry though Dave, I'll keep the Porkchop on BFG Sports for now.