Spring Maintenance

[DMC3165]

Around this time of year I like to get my car ready for the summer season. I've been using it periodically over the winter because the weather has been so cooperative. But I just have a few quick questions.

In addition to changing the oil, checking the air in the tires, lights, check oil in trans etc, I'll grease my front end. But aside from the upper and lower ball joints (and the angle drive) is there anything else that needs to be greased. What else should I be doing while I'm under there?

[jawn101]

Around this time of year I like to get my car ready for the summer season. I've been using it periodically over the winter because the weather has been so cooperative. But I just have a few quick questions.

In addition to changing the oil, checking the air in the tires, lights, check oil in trans etc, I'll grease my front end. But aside from the upper and lower ball joints (and the angle drive) is there anything else that needs to be greased. What else should I be doing while I'm under there?

When we serviced my front suspension recently, it made a huge difference to grease the sway bar bushings at the crumple tube. We also greased the sway bar bushings in the LCAs, the tops of the springs and the shock mounting bushings. But that's a little more involved than just 'maintenance'. The front sway bar bushings are easy to access though.

[David T]

Among the many things you can do include:

Checking the age, condition and pressure of the tires (including the spare)
Making sure you are "legal", current registration, insurance, and inspection
Make sure all exterior lights work
Grease and lube the car, the front end, angle drive, doors, suspension
Check the C/V boots and do a general under-carriage inspection
Replace the brake and clutch fluid every other year
Have the battery charged and load tested
Replace the coolant every 5 years, have it tested every year
Check the fuse-block area for signs of overheating
Run a bottle of Techron through a full tank of fresh gas
Clean the car
Check the struts
Take for a test drive checking all of the systems
All this assumes the car was in good condition and everything worked BEFORE it was stored.

David Teitelbaum

[DeLorean]

As a general rule, you should not grease things that are made of rubber. For example, greasing the rubber spring spacers would not be a very good idea, because after a few years the petroleum based product will basically dissolve rubber that's not designed to be in contact with it. This is the same for things like sway bar bushings... Check out an engine mount that's been soaked in motor oil due to a leaky engine/trans. It turns into a weak sponge that does not have structural integrity and fails quickly.

If you wanted to grease such items, they should be greased with something that is acceptable to use on rubber. Not sure if such a product exists...

Bees wax would probably be acceptable in small amounts, but something like motor oil or wheel bearing grease will simply eat the rubber right up.

Personally, I would buy some BMW branded "door brake grease" and grease every hinge / contact point on the car, but leave anything with rubber involved be. Door hinges, strikers, hood, trunk, etc. But under the car... if it does not have a grease nipple on it, don't grease it or you will be replacing it a few years down the road when it fails.

[rddmc]

What is Techron and what does it do?

Rod
10921

[jawn101]

As a general rule, you should not grease things that are made of rubber.
...

If you wanted to grease such items, they should be greased with something that is acceptable to use on rubber. Not sure if such a product exists...


Should have said we've been using Teflon silicone grease, which is supposedly safe to use on rubber.


What is Techron and what does it do?

It's a fuel additive that cleans injectors

[dvonk]

Should have said we've been using Teflon silicone grease, which is supposedly safe to use on rubber.

silicone grease was the first thing that came to mind, glad to know im not the only one. :smile: