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Hi everyone,
I've got a very subtle "clunk" in the front end of my '90 745T with 115k miles. The symptom is at low speed, when you either move very slowly with the brake gently applied, or make the car "bounce" with the brakes (vertical movement) makes the clunk. You can feel it through the floor and brake pedal. Took it to a local shop, and they showed me how 3 of my 4 shocks are leaking. I thought "new shocks and perhaps upper strut mounts". But now, after talking to the shop, I'm starting to think maybe I need ball joints or something more.
Long story short, the wheels, when on a lift, show no "play" back and forth - I thought this was indicative of bad ball joints or tie rods. The car tracks nice and straight - no pulling. The bushings obviously have little age cracks in them on the ball joints, but it doesn't look like things are just falling apart. Everythin seems nice, tight and clean under there.
So, my question, should I just get 4 new shocks, and perhaps upper strut mounts, or should go for the full monty and get shocks, upper mounts, ball joints, and perhaps tie rod ends. The shop says often the tie rod ends are siezed after so many years, and they may not be able to be unfrozen for the front end alignment needed after the shock replacement. The place isn't a Volvo shop, just a local tire/suspension/muffler/general mechanic place I've used in the past for my "second car". However, I love my second-car 745 so much (1 owner, full records, etc.), I don't want to send it on a path of decline.
It almost seems cheaper from a labor perspective to do shocks, upper mounts and ball joints all at once, but on the other hand, is that just overkill. This is probably the difference between $500 and $1000. By the way, I decided to go for Bilstein shocks.
Thanks in advance for any advice - you guys are great!
Gavin
1990 745T
2002 330i
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