Control Arm Price Hike?

[4x4_e30]

About 6 months ago I was looking around for a control arm, found a couple for $180. I cant remember if they were genuine BMW or not. But everywhere I look now they're $300+. Was that previous price for Lemforders, and they stopped making them?

My plan was to buy one brand new and use one of the FARO arms at work to reverse engineer it and make something like the SLR tubular arms (without that high angle cantilever dealio). That's starting to look like my only option now, since I own 2 iX's and control arms are the kind of thing that need replacement every couple years.

Which gets me thinking, at that price point I could start selling them... Anyone interested in some tubular control arms? I could make some that accept the factory ball joints or a set that uses spherical bearings...

Also, does anyone know the difference between the 2WD and AWD control arms?

[Kershaw]

You can replace the balljoints.

[4x4_e30]

Sure, when it's not folded like a taco. Junkyard iX, ftw.

[TimeMachinE30]

Fcp Euro. I just replaced the set. Meyle for under 180 shipped.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-control-arm-kit-front-e30-e302piece-my

Edit: my bad iX. No wonder Kershaw was here.

[nando]

this is why I hoard old ix arms.. the only problem is, I don't have ball joints for them, lol.

last time I replaced them, it was still about the same price to get a whole new arm, but now it sounds like I should find a couple sets of ball joints. Unfortunately, as time marches on getting parts will continue to get harder. it's still not bad, but damn, the '88 ix is almost 30 years old now..

[TehRaydarlover]

Are the Lemforders inner ball joints available anymore? I have a few worn-out sets of control arms that I was planning on rebuilding but when I was looking back in the fall I couldn't find any anywhere. This is the part number I was using: 31 12 1 701 063

[packratbimmer]

I still have a pair. They are not beautiful, but the balls still have a lot of life left and the boots are good. Make an offer for the pair.

[nando]

The inners seem to last about 4x longer than the outters. at least, on all the control arms I have, the inners are still good.

[TehRaydarlover]

Huh, I've had like the exact opposite experience, both times I've had to do the control arms its been the inner ball joints that have worn out. On two different cars that is. Weird haha.

[AndrewBird]

I really wish ball joint manufacturers would list cross reference data. There has to be other cars that use the same size/dimension ball joints, but you would never know because the part number is based off what car it goes in, not what size it is. Same for wheel bearings and many other parts.

[stonea]

^This. It would be great if you could search dimensions instead of part numbers.

[Kershaw]

You can order them from NAPA, Lemforders, I think I have 2x inner and outers sitting in my basement.

I think it's $60 a side. Better than $220.