bmw z4 creaking from rear anti roll bar bush.

[steve_bmw]

Hi, I have had a creeking from the rear of the z4 for a while now and I have found the problem, its the anti roll bar bushes, No.2 in pic

I took them off and they looked ok, I cleaned them up, greased them and the carrier part, the creeking noise had stopped.
However the noise is back, I have ordered some new ones from bmw and was wondering the correct way of fitting them, should I use any grease or put them on dry?

Are they designed to be a very tight fit on the anti roll bar so the bar stays still and just twists under torsion or is it supost to move in the bush?

Never fitted any before,

Thanks

[Nick3point2]

To account for pitch the bar must be free to move in the bushes, I always stick a load of copper grease in when fitting; helps 'lubricate' (have to write it in inverted commas otherwise some smart arse will storm in and explain that copper grease is not a lubricant) them at first and forms a barrier to prevent them seizing.

[BIG DUNC]

I always put grease on bushes when fitting them so if ever I have to remove them, they are less likely to be siezed. On the other hand, a wise old man did once tell me that I shouldn't as the grease may cause the rubber to deteriate more quickly. He recommended vasoline or silicon grease.

I only use "normal" grease not copper grease on suspension bushes. There is nothing wrong with copper grease, but its advantages are for hot applications (exhausts & engine parts) where the grease will burn off but leave a layer of copper which will act as "lubricant and anti sieze compound" long after the grease has gone. On a suspension bush, it really is not going to get hot enough to burn the grease off, so there is little need for the copper.

[steve_bmw]

Found the noise!
The bracket that holds the anti roll bar bush had worn on the bit that hooks into the subframe, causing the bracket to flex and make a clunking noise.
Fitted a small metal spacer under the tab to take out the slack!!!!
No noise anymore !

[Nick3point2]

Nice!!

Got to love fixes like this!