E39 540i front swaybar upgrade instructions - upgraded

After following my own instructions this weekend to perform the third M5 front swaybar transplant into a 540i, I updated the web page to correct a couple of errors and to make it easier to follow. Placing a piece of wood under the floor jack in order to gain another inch of lift really made a big difference when it came time to pull the old bar out and snake the new bar into place!

With two people who have done a couple of these before, it's possible to crank one out in under three hours. Plan on seven to eleven hours if you're doing it by yourself. Some of the steps really require two people and are MUCH harder with one.

http://www.zeckhausen.com/howto/bmwe...eplacement.htm

Dave,

Would you consider refining that procedure a bit more with a fourth install. I have the bar and mounts ready to go and am only 40 miles or so from you.

Steve D

Originally Posted by DZeckhausen

I updated the web page to correct a couple of errors and to make it easier to follow.

http://www.zeckhausen.com/howto/bmwe...eplacement.htm

Muy Excellente Senor Zeckhausen!

Just so others know, I paid 5 hrs/$375 in labor to have my Eibach front+rear 540i sways installed. Sounds like Dave has it down to a science, so paying the same amount or even slightly more for his expertise would be completely worth it.

I am off to begin my install. Hopefully I can finish before dark!!!
JB

Old stuff is out. Now to put this stuff in!
JB

$375 is what I would pay someone to shoot me for starting this nightmare.

Done. Holy crap... that is by far the most difficult undertaking on a car I have ever done. That includes my racecar. I cannot believe what a bear that subframe was to get back in. And then the stupid steering gear.
However, it was all worth it. Not only am I now a member of the "been there done that M5 install myself" club, but the car handles great. More about that on the main board.
Oh by the way... Dave, I owe you a huge thanks for that install instruction page. I followed it step by step and it was a tremendous help!!!

Originally Posted by DSPTurtle

Done. Holy crap... that is by far the most difficult undertaking on a car I have ever done. That includes my racecar. I cannot believe what a bear that subframe was to get back in. And then the stupid steering gear.
However, it was all worth it. Not only am I now a member of the "been there done that M5 install myself" club, but the car handles great. More about that on the main board.
Oh by the way... Dave, I owe you a huge thanks for that install instruction page. I followed it step by step and it was a tremendous help!!!

Each time I've done this installation, it has been on jack stands and was with two people. Now that you've just done it with one person and the pain is fresh in your mind, is there anything that you would suggest to improve the installation instructions? Were any of the fastener sizes different on your car than in my instructions? Specifically what was hard about getting the subframe back in place? Was it getting it lined up with the engine mount studs? Or did the 6 bilts not want to line up? It's been my experience that you should install the front 4 bolts first and tighten them. At that point, the two rear subframe bolts that are installed at an angle will go in easily. But if you install them first, it's very hard to get the front ones to go in.

Congratulations on doing this modification! I'll bet you are going to be sore today.

This morning I feel like I spent the day yesterday benchpressing my car... oh yeah, I did do that
Anyway,for a more productive response...
1. The removal instructions were perfect... I would not change a thing except to say that it is highly recommended that TWO people do this job. While it is not impossible for one person, it was EXTREMELY hard.
2. After getting the sway in/out, then the subframe decided to drop the four inches you mentioned. It had decided to move a little but as I was trying to put the front bolts back in, it decided to drop like described. After it dropped it seemed like everything shifted. It was inches from lining up with any holes. First I tried to line up the drivers side but that damn steering pump was so heavy that I would have to hold that up then push up on the subframe and then use my third arm to put the bolt in... Anyway, I moved to the passenger side and for some reason the subframe would not clear the pass side motor mount. After I pulled out the motor mount things went much easier and I was able to get the front pass bolt in and pivotthe subframe on that. Reinstalling the engine mount was a ****** but for me there was no way around it. Once I got that first bolt in and 3/4 way tight, I was able to pivot the subframe and get the driver front bolt in. I had to pretty much tighten the four front bolts snug before the back bolts were anywhere near being lined up. Plus since I had the car jacked up so high, I had to fully extend my arms to exert pressure on the subframe so you get tired very quick unless you have Arnold like upperbody strength (I don't).
3. I would change the order of putting the exhaust shields back in until one of the last steps. I would not have been able to get the stubby 21mm wrench on the traction strut if those were reinstalled.
4. I would emphasize having two people when turning the steering wheel to get stuff to move. Every time I turned it, the linkage would get kinked and make the steering pump impossible to move. I had to keep getting in the car and turn the wheel a little then get back under the car to see if I had turned it the correct direction and if I had turned it enough/too much.
5. I used Blue locktite on everything but the instructions did not say anything about that.
6. The exhaust shield are sharp and easy to cut yourself especially when it is 41degrees outside and your hands are numb.
7. Bolts and wrenches will observe the laws of gravity and fall straight out out there hole and pop you on the forehead as you are trying to be right under them to get a good line of sight... I have a few lumps on my forehead. Oh yeah, the rotors hang low and really hurt when you knock your head into them.
8. Getting the motor mounts to align with the subframe was not that bad, just lower the engine slowly and have your prybar in hand.
9. The only instruction I would add at the beginning would be... "Print out these instructions and hand them to your mechanic!!!"
It took a lot of total time but included in that was:
1. Trip to Sears for a set of stubby wrenches, 18mm wrench (could not find mine) and a nice set of prybars.
2. Trip to FLAPS to purchase some locktite.
3. Lunch
4. Dinner
5. Lots of cleaning as can be seen in the attached photos!!!
Thanks again Dave!!!
JB

Originally Posted by DSPTurtle

$375 is what I would pay someone to shoot me for starting this nightmare.

Doh! Glad to hear it's done!

JB,

I am ! You sound a bit like Dave Barry...believe he writes for the Miami Herald but I love his columns; funny as hell.

I might be taking on a front sway-bar install soon with my buddy jvr530i but he thinks he can get some cheap time at his buddy's lift. However, we have I6s so we'll be somewhat venturing into semi-uncharted waters. Frankly, I think it should be easier since there is more room in the engine bay...in fact, I PRAY it's easier.

I have some stuff you can apply to your chest that will encourage a third arm to grow out of it but I guess you don't really need it now, eh?

Chris

Originally Posted by Ågent99

Frankly, I think it should be easier since there is more room in the engine bay...in fact, I PRAY it's easier.

Chris

Yes, besides better gas mileage, I hear the I6 front sway install is much easier. Probably don't even need a lift.

Yeah, but they don't have the cool write-up on how to do it. I tell you what, just looking under the car, I thought the front swaybar change was gonna be easy... we all know how that worked out. Oh yeah, Bentley says to remove the links and the brackets and then remove the swaybar. Maybe, just maybe the I6 guys will get lucky here.
JB

Bringing this back as I did this the other night and I have some suggestions for changes to the instructions.

These instructions were *extremely* helpful to me late Sunday night, as I wondered just how the heck to get the stock sway bar out of my 540. I had all of the other suspension and steering components removed (except the pitman arm), and I had an M5 sway bar next to me waiting to go in, but I couldn't figure it out. Finding this write-up saved me. In kind, here are my suggestions:

1. The instructions say to remove the two bottom bolts from each motor mount, and jack up the engine. I did exactly this, and as I did so, the outside edge of each motor mount caught on the subframe, and since I was exhausted and didn't see what was going on it tore the rubber on both motor mounts very badly. I did not notice until I found the subframe did not want to drop at all - I discovered the torn mounts while searching for what the subframe was caught on. I had to go to the dealer on Monday and spend about $240 on new motor mounts. This could have been avoided if I had instead removed the *top* bolts from the motor mounts, and lifted the motor off of them.

2. It's not necessary to completely remove all of the bolts from the subframe. I left the two middle bolts in, I undid them and then screwed them back in so at least 5 or 6 threads were engaged. This made returning the subframe to its original position very easy.

3. It's not necessary to completely remove the heat shields either. I undid the front screws for each shield, and this gave them the flexibility to move out of the way as needed.

Thanks again for this information. Invaluable!

Thanks for the tips guys.

That went like clock work one up. One more thing I would add for one man bands:

- If you remove the Pitman arm getting the bar out by your self is actually really easy.
- You don't need to take of any additional suspension components as the bar comes out down and back.
- Getting the Pitman arm out is just two more nuts and one more ball joint pop.
- Take care to note which way the arm is orientated and mark the height of the steering arm on the steering box spline. Other than that it is a cinch to take in and out.