control arm bushing

[krisco]

I recieved some offset M3 CA bushings from IE. Is there any way to replace them myself or do I have to take it to a shop to get it done. I looked in Chiltons and they say you need a hydraulic press so I'm assuming take it to a shop to have them installed. I just like doing stuff myself, and saving money.
Kris

[Jordan]

Do you have a press or not? simple Q & A for you.

[peerless]

If you have a vise and some big sockets you can do it your self. I replaced mine. They are a little tough but not that bad.

I used a small drill and run it inbetween the bushing and control arm and gave it a good twist and they slid right off, used the vise to press the old ones out and the new ones in. Sprayed them with some lube and twisted them back on. Then hit them with carb cleaner to get the lube out, lowered car bounced 3 times, had a cup of coffee and a smoke and took her for a test drive.

Perfect

[krisco]

No, I don't have a press.

[Red325es]

When I did them I used the press at my school. it is definately a must, I don't know how it would be possible without a press.
-Pete

[nando]

find a shop with a press.. it cost me like $10 to have one side pressed in after I destroyed a $20 puller doing the other side myself.

also, use a torch to heat up the old bushing (when it catches on fire is about right) to remove it from the control arm. use really soapy water to pt it back on. by far, the hardest part of this job is getting the bushing on the control arm.

[Bill 84 318i]

To get mine off, I just cut through the rubber with a jigsaw, then use a puller on the 'center' ring that is still on the arm.

To get the new ones on, I used a 2x4 with a hole in it. Lube everything up and then hit the 2x4 with a BFH. It'll go on with a couple good hits.

[kansas-ix]

just a question about what side of the offset goes outward if I want to improve camber

[Bill 84 318i]

It won't affect camber much (if at all).

You will get more caster. You want the hole to be in the outside most part of the car.

[Stu]

Lube everything up and then hit the 2x4 with a BFH. It'll go on with a couple good hits.

haha. hell yea.

I used a hydraulic press for mine. 40 tons of pressure does the job!!

You can do it various ways though it seems, vice, BFH, etc..

[kansas-ix]

nando here told me that it would give me a lil camber back on my 325ix b/c I'm just outside the spec. range. So I can't manuever the bushing to a lil camber back, then why do I have these bushings and what was Nando talking about and how do I get a lil camber back on the front tires so I don't wear them out.

[Bill 84 318i]

Think about how the bushing works.

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That is your right hand side control arm. If you pivot the part going backwards to the outside of the car, it will shift the strut forward (creating more caster). Camber will change very little. M3 bushings are, however, far superior to standard e30 mounts. They'll last longer.

Perhaps nando was talking about offset (crash) upper strut mounts. They can add/take away a half degree of camber.

[nando]

nando here told me that it would give me a lil camber back on my 325ix b/c I'm just outside the spec. range. So I can't manuever the bushing to a lil camber back, then why do I have these bushings and what was Nando talking about and how do I get a lil camber back on the front tires so I don't wear them out.

you do lose some camber, but it's not very much. the bushing basically pivots the strut forward and inward a tiny amount.

Even so, the amount of camber you get when lowering an ix is tiny. you shouldn't be worried about it at all.

[kansas-ix]

gotcha thanks for cleaing everything up, I'm going to put these suckers on this week let you know, thanks for bearing with me nando and everyone else.