E30 control arms/tie rods

[Wh33lhop]

(Note: title should be EBAY control arms)

I know lemforders are OEM and the most reputable part, but I also don't want to spend $400 just to refresh the front suspension of a $1200 car if I don't have to. Who's had experience with the ebay control arm/tie rod/etc kit? Did it last 6 months, did it last a few years, did it murder your family and your dog?

I need a new tie rod and I figured I can either get a single lemforder tie rod ($60) or I can get new tie rods, control arms, more caster and new sway bar end links for $185. New OEM parts would be $60 for the bushings, $200-250 for the control arms, $120 for the tie rods, and that's not including shipping or the end links.

[atomic]

I have a buddy who had a CA break on him. IIRC it was a mayle brand he bought off of ebay new. It broke completely through at the inner ball joint. The break caused him to have zero steering input and immediately ran off the side of the road @ 40mph and hit a telephone pole dead center on the right frame rail totaling his car.



I will see if he still has any pictures of the one that broke on him...

[ATTACH]19498[/ATTACH]

Thats in almost the same place as where my buddies broke on him...

No, he said it was aftermarket from FCP Groton on Ebay. Goya, do you know if they are Karlyn brand or ???

I would HIGHLY SUGGEST to stick with the lemforder brand...



;)

[Wh33lhop]

lawl. So much for that.

What happened to break them on both accounts?

[atomic]

My buddies gave him NO warning, one second he was just cruising along and the next second he was hitting the telephone pole. Not sure about the other guy, but it sounds like he had a similar experience as well...

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=137130&highlight=control+arm

.

[jlevie]

Control arms, tie rods, and brakes are not a place to try to save money. Buy the best you can find as the penalty associated with cheap parts can be far greater than the loss of a car.

[Wh33lhop]

Control arms, tie rods, and brakes are not a place to try to save money. Buy the best you can find as the penalty associated with cheap parts can be far greater than the loss of a car.

Yeah, I figured cheapness would manifest itself in how long the ball joints lasted, not in cracks in the control arm itself. Oh well, Lemforder it is. Don't want to be second-guessing my control arms in the middle of a 60mph corner.

[Dana R]

The ebay Hamburg Technic are pure junk, but you can get good quality for somewhere in between Lemforder and ebay. Meyle is very good and TRW is okay too. They won't last as long as Lemforder, but for the short term are fine.

[z31maniac]

Yeah, I figured cheapness would manifest itself in how long the ball joints lasted, not in cracks in the control arm itself. Oh well, Lemforder it is. Don't want to be second-guessing my control arms in the middle of a 60mph corner.

I paid $95 a control arm (Lemforder) and $40/pr for OEM M3 CAB's from BMA just about a month ago.

Last year I think my front set of complete tie rods were about $105 per side.

Call Patrick and he'll take care of you. Like the others have said, suspension/brakes is not the place to cheap out.

[phreshkid]

where is the sweetest deal on lemforder control arms?
you guys kinda scared me away from the ebay setup so i just want a whole new set up in front. poly m3 CABs are in the plan as well.

the lowest i've found was 115 for individual control arms alone.

help please

[MikeDE]

Stop being a Brand-Whore, Meyle CA's are TUV approved in Germany which means they exceed factory specs...check them out. I just put a set on my E30, paid 100euro for the set and about 8euro(what a steal) for Febi/Bilstein LCA bushings. They have replaceable ball joints which means that you can just press out the old and install new. But of course, seeing this break you can make up your own mind as to how long you wish to keep the actual arm in service on the vehicle(but keep in mind this above arm was a no-name made in china use at your own risk non-OE duct tape/JB weld/zip-tie r3ved Ebay shit).

[monty23psk]

I can get lemforder arms with my business account and sell them to you: $90 for the left (31 12 1 127 725 ), $95 for the right (31 12 1 127 726), plus shipping.