Control arm change

[PeaveyBassist]

How long does it take you guys to change your control arms? I might change mine in a couple weeks and I am curious how long it takes and how hard it is. Is it real difficult to undo the ball joints from the car? I will be changing the entire control arm with ball joints, so I dont care if the ones on the car now break or not. Also, when I buy control arms, they dont come with bushings normally correct? Can I buy control arms and bushings on ebay? Or are all the ones on there basically poo?

Will

[cthulu703]

I don't believe the CA's on ebay are Lemforder. You definitely want Lemforder CA's. The thing that will probably take you the longest, is getting the lollipops and bushings seperated from the arm. It went very quickly for me, only because I switched to the TH eyeball arms at the same time. Since you are throwing the old CA's away you can use a pickle fork to break the balljoints free, except the tierods. If you want to preserve the tierods, then a block of wood and a BFH will do the job, as long as you disconnect them before anything else. I found the best price on Lemforder CA's was EAP4parts.com.

[b00b00]

Re: Control arm change

How long does it take you guys to change your control arms? I might change mine in a couple weeks and I am curious how long it takes and how hard it is. Is it real difficult to undo the ball joints from the car? I will be changing the entire control arm with ball joints, so I dont care if the ones on the car now break or not. Also, when I buy control arms, they dont come with bushings normally correct? Can I buy control arms and bushings on ebay? Or are all the ones on there basically poo?

Will

I got my control arms with bushings on ebay along with the tie-rods for 150.00. I didn't bother with the Lemforerder arms as I will be swapping them out every two years because I will be tracking the car. IMHO the price difference wasn't worth it. Any bushing that is new will be better than something that has been in the car 15 years. Try and get the m3 bushing as it has more caster. (And if you have lots of money get the m3 control arms as they are aluminium and are if I remember correctly) about 4lbs lighter a side). The swapping out part is not terribly complicated, this being said there are often complications (check my saga in the post below about inner lca nuts). As for removal of the ball joints themselves, I used a pickel fork, others have used hammers to good effect.

Good luck, may the force be with you
~andre~

[PeaveyBassist]

So if I plan on upgrading to aluminum control arms in a year or 2, the Meyle ones from Eghey should be fine?

Will

[KenC]

So if I plan on upgrading to aluminum control arms in a year or 2, the Meyle ones from Eghey should be fine?

Will

Just keep telling yourself that.

Lem ones are $74 each from eap4parts.com

[PeaveyBassist]

So that is a negative... So I should get... the LEM CA's and the LEM CAB's from eap4parts.com for an order total of $181 + shipping? (CA's are $78 each and CAB's are $25 for a "set")

Will

[KenC]

So that is a negative... So I should get... the LEM CA's and the LEM CAB's from eap4parts.com for an order total of $181 + shipping? (CA's are $78 each and CAB's are $25 for a "set")

Will

That's what I would recommend.

[PeaveyBassist]

Whats "so" bad about the Meyle arms compared to the Lem ones? Is it just mainly quality of the product? Do the Meyle ones not last as long or what? I'm just curious as to why they are so bad.

Will

[KenC]

Since Lemfoerder has a patent on the design of the e30 control arm (they're the OE manufacturer), those wishing to 'copy' the product must make slight changes to it in order to avoic copyright infringment. I've also never heard that great of reviews about the quality of the balljoints.

[PeaveyBassist]

So the Lem ones are the factory ones. Any other company that makes e30 control arms makes them with a slightly different design? And the ball joints arent as good as the Lem ones correct?

Will

[cthulu703]

I have noticed, in general, that the fit and finish of lemforder parts are better than Meyle and Meyle is much better than OCAP.

[KenC]

Yes, BMW does not manufacture their own control arms. They use Lemfoerder for their OE control arms and tierods (probably many other parts as well).

[cahomey]

So meyle being slightly different makes them worse?

[hamann318is]

Changing them doesn't take long, but I can't quote you a time. I did mine with my entire suspension overhaul. The balljoints aren't hard to pop at all, the only tricky thing about the entire install is the balljoint connected to the subframe. In that situation, extensions are your friend.

Get the Lems... at least for the added peice of mind value.

[b00b00]

Whats "so" bad about the Meyle arms compared to the Lem ones? Is it just mainly quality of the product? Do the Meyle ones not last as long or what? I'm just curious as to why they are so bad.

Will

Lemforerder are considered to be the best in the industry for BMW. The boots last longer, the grease is better in the joints, the construction is generally better.

If I had an unlimited budget I would have bought these but I bought the car in the fall and have a lot to do yet before the spring.

In addition to the lca's and tie rods. work thus far includes: Turner Motorsport J-stock springs, Bilstein sport shocks, new gas tank, timing belt and waterpump, two sets of rims and tires, brake ducts, driver seat, steering wheel, new performance chip, wheel stud replacement kit, front and rear strut bars and the list goes on.

Needless to say, I've had to compromise where I could. I'm sure they'll be fine for the limited use they'll see. The goal is to be clubracing in two years and at that time I'll see if I'll spring for the m3 arms.

and now back to your regularly scheduled program,

~andre~