MyE28.com

I spoke to Powerflex (who were very helpful) and they did some additional research, with the following results:
- the UK website shows the correct bushing for the E28 M5 to be PFR5-310-25. They no longer stock that item.
- their US and UK catalogues show that PFF5-310-25 is an E34 item but the UK website also shows it fits the E28 M535 and the E24 M635.
- their US website used to show that the correct bushing for the E28 M5 was PFR5-504-25. I can tell you for sure that item does not fit.
- they have now amended their US website to reflect that the correct bushing for the M5 is PFF5-310-25.

They are sending me the correct ones and told me to keep the incorrect ones. If anyone can figure out what to use PFR5-504-25 for and wants a set, I'm happy to give them to you. Edit: Powerflex says they will only work on E28 and E24.

I just installed the set (PFR5-310-25 and PFR5-308-18) and thought I'd share the experience. I had a heck of a time with the front bushings, I spent a 2 hours trying to get them in, only to realize they weren't going to fit (a few threads wasn't enough to hold the screw in). I took it out and compared it with the stock bushing to see if I could alter it. The pair that was given to me had a ridge on the flat end of the bushing that wasn't on the stock bushing, and caused it to sit a few mm out from the body bracket. After cutting off the ridge they fit fine, I guess I had a poorly manufactured one? Definitely wasn't a "perfect fit".

The rears were also a little difficult as M5BB mentioned. I had to use Vise-Grips to get the brackets to line up. Are you guys not telling the whole story when you say perfect fit, or am I just bad at car maintenance? I ran into an unforeseen problem at every stage.

I plan on doing an auto-x this weekend, I'll report if there's a noticeable difference between these and 180k mile old stock.

I know it's been a while since all of you posted on this thread. I have a quick question regarding these bushings. I actually purchased a set from Bavauto for my 535i but assume the assembly and response will be the same as you've mentioned on your M5. I went to replace my old bushings tonight and couldn't get them on. They were quite tight and didn't seem to fit perfect as some of you stated here. The instructions on the box say this is normal but I fought it for a half hour and couldn't get it so I put the old one back on until I got some help from one of you who have installed them. I first put the bushing over the sway bar, then attempted to put the stainless steel sleeve over the bushing but couldn't get it into place to place the screw. Any suggestions to make this easier? I even turned the steering wheel to see if it helped line things up, it helped a little but still no success.

The Poly bushings are a cast-iron bitch to install. Given the chance to do it again, I wouldn't.

In the front, I got the first side on really easy (think I did the driver's side first?). I'm not sure why that one went so easy. The second side on the front I had to use a jack on the end of the bracket, at exactly the right angle, to press the bracket close enough to the frame rail to get the bolt to grab. It took probably 45 minutes to achieve the right angle and positioning for the block of wood that I was using to press the bracket up over the bar and bushing.

The rear was the same sort of process, only it took longer, and it was tougher to get up into the mounting points.

It was one of those "Holy Shit I'll Never Do That Again" sort of jobs. Next time, or next car, it's rubber OE bushings for me....

Haha! Thanks man. I feel a little better knowing it was tough for you as well. Not that I want it to be tough for anyone but I was like, "seriously?...Is this really supposed to be this hard?" Did you but the bushing over the bar first, and then wrap the sleeve around it? I assume that's the only way, otherwise the bushing will be clamped tight and prevent it from opening around the bar? I just hope I feel the response you did once it is done because I totally agree with the response that the car is still swaying too much for my liking and I want more of a sporty, tight feel. Maybe I won't get that with just bushing and I need sport springs and shocks.
thx for the detail.

packman21 wrote:Haha! Thanks man. I feel a little better knowing it was tough for you as well. Not that I want it to be tough for anyone but I was like, "seriously?...Is this really supposed to be this hard?" Did you but the bushing over the bar first, and then wrap the sleeve around it? I assume that's the only way, otherwise the bushing will be clamped tight and prevent it from opening around the bar? I just hope I feel the response you did once it is done because I totally agree with the response that the car is still swaying too much for my liking and I want more of a sporty, tight feel. Maybe I won't get that with just bushing and I need sport springs and shocks.
thx for the detail.

Yes, on the bar first is the only way to do it.

The bushings I replaced were 24 years old and dead. Anything would have been better. I don't have plans to track the car at this point, so the marginal gain in rigidity was really not worth the extra work for this vehicle.

But the purple looks kewl as shit, particularly alongside the puke green ST springs and yellow/blue Billie Sports.

I was in the same boat as you guys, after trying and trying, eventually I got a jack at just the right angle. Once you know that technique though, it's not that bad. It seems like it's as hard as any repair I try for the first time on this car.

I hate to bump an old thread, but it has to be done.

I'm very confused as to why people/Powerflex say the 18mm rear bushings are correct when to my knowledge the rear E28 M5 sway bar is a 19mm unit. I must be missing something here, because if I'm right, that might explain why they were so difficult to install.

I'm in the process of purchasing a set of M5 bars for my 528e and am trying to decide if poly is worth it over stock, and if so, which size/part numbers to order. From what people say in here, it sounds like OEM is the way to go from an installation standpoint.

The Pelican page
http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/catalog ... hk_pg4.htm

says I need PN PEL-PFF5-310-25 for the front and PEL-PFF5-308-19 for the rear (for a 25/19 setup). Yet everyone in here got the 18mm rears. Why is that?

EDIT- Well, I found my answer here (at least to one of my questions)
http://www.digest.net/bmw/archive/v7/msg03531.html

It looks like the E28 M5 bars are 25/18 stock, which would explain why everyone was getting the 18mm bushings


Unfortunately, I have a new question:
Can I use the Ireland Engineering brackets for M5 bars, or are they specific to the IE bars? I'm looking to buy a set of M5 bars but I'm not sure if they come with M5 brackets or not. If they don't, am I stuck trying to track down a set of used M5 brackets (since it looks like they NLA from the dealer)?

I'm looking to buy a set of used M5 bars, but when the seller measured them with a digital caliper, the rear was 18.9mm. The front measured a normal 24.9mm. I was under the impression the rear was an 18mm bar. Could this be why the 18mm bushings were so hard to install (more material than a 19mm version)?

grbbenny wrote:Consider me pissed. These finally showed up and the front bushings do not fit - not even close. Now for the agony of exchanging them for the ones I ordered in the first place.

I mentioned in the notes that I was using them in a non-stock configuration and that I needed PFR5-310-25 and PFR5-308-18 and they sent me the correct ones. Looks like you have to explicitly tell them they weren't ordered that way by mistake.

95maxrider wrote:I'm looking to buy a set of M5 bars but I'm not sure if they come with M5 brackets or not. If they don't, am I stuck trying to track down a set of used M5 brackets (since it looks like they NLA from the dealer)?

Probably won't help you now, but as of post date, OEM M5 sway bars and brackets were available from dealer, as well as a local third party shop that orders through dealer networks at wholesale.
Total cost of brackets and bars was $326 (No bushings) before tax. They are, however, taking longer than it would have taken the dealership to get them, but $50 cheaper and I have a third of the distance to drive.

Is there any risk to redoing the front (Control arms, drag link, tie rods, sway link arms, sway bar, maybe more I'm missing) and then in a few weeks or months doing the rear bits when the disposable income fairy visits? I imagine it'd just be sort of messy in the rear, at least compared to the front. I should be able to use the 25mm on the front and the 15mm on the rear until I'm ready to just do it all at once without it either making the car unsafe or damaging something?
Just checking before it turns out to cause huge oversteer at modest speeds or something.
Plan is front, then rear, then shocks/springs.