Control arm removal...

[T La]

i'm trying to remove/replace my control arms on my 318is, the diver's side has all of the nuts disconnected but it won't come out.

also, we're having difficulty getting to the subframe to control arm bolt on the passenger's side. what tool has everyone been using?

[JoeyBones]

I just did this... to get the arms out you need to get the ball joints to seperate from the frame. They are actually slightly tapered and get pressed in. The best way is to use a ball joint seperator... you can also use a pickle fork...or the way I did it, the tried and true take a BFH and beat on the side of the arm until it pops out.

to remove the top nut on the inner ball joint on the passenger side this is what i had to rig up:



dunno why image isnt working... :(

[Hellabad]

also, we're having difficulty getting to the subframe to control arm bolt on the passenger's side. what tool has everyone been using?

Use an upside down 22mm, 15 degree offset, open end/ box wrench. A 7/8 will work too.

Fortunately, this is a very common wrench.

[McGyver]

or use a ratcheting wrench. whatever you do DON'T hit the top of the rod that has the thread with you BFH, thats how i ruined a pair...

[JoeyBones]

or use a ratcheting wrench. whatever you do DON'T hit the top of the rod that has the thread with you BFH, thats how i ruined a pair...

yea! like i said...beat the SIDE of the arm.

my picture was supposed to show the 1/2 drive 22mm socket, followed by u-joint, 1/2drive 4in extension, re-bigulator, 2 6in 3/8 drive extensions, de-bigulator, 1/2 drive ratchet.

I went down from the top. Just had to slightly bend the heat shield out of the way for a min. I went from the top on both sides with this.

[T La]

yea! like i said...beat the SIDE of the arm.

my picture was supposed to show the 1/2 drive 22mm socket, followed by u-joint, 1/2drive 4in extension, re-bigulator, 2 6in 3/8 drive extensions, de-bigulator, 1/2 drive ratchet.

I went down from the top. Just had to slightly bend the heat shield out of the way for a min. I went from the top on both sides with this.

down from the top seems like a good idea to me, thanks.

as for hitting it from the top, i've actually tried that (i have new control arms going in once i get these out) and it has yet to pop out... would a tie rod ball joint puller work? i'm guessing i'm going to have to rent that tool anyways to get my strut assembly out..

[JoeyBones]

there is a ball joint seperator at harbor freight for $15... make sure you're using a metal hammer and DO NOT hit it from the top...what did i say? DO NOT.... you run the risk of mushrooming the bolt and it wont fit through the hole...who cares about the threads. BEAT THE SIDE OF THE ARM with a metal hammer...it will pop out.

[T La]

there is a ball joint seperator at harbor freight for $15... make sure you're using a metal hammer and DO NOT hit it from the top...what did i say? DO NOT.... you run the risk of mushrooming the bolt and it wont fit through the hole...who cares about the threads. BEAT THE SIDE OF THE ARM with a metal hammer...it will pop out.

oh yeah good point. hopefully i didn't already get the effect :/ we'll see though. i was trying to smack the side of the arm with the hammer and it wasn't really moving but that was after we had hit it from the top so hopefully we didn't mess it up.

[MattM]

also, we're having difficulty getting to the subframe to control arm bolt on the passenger's side. what tool has everyone been using?

i was able to get a 1/2" socket driver on it from the front, if you reach up over the steering rack you shoild be able to get a socket on it, i was also able to get a breaker bar on mine sticking out the froont of the car.

[SkinnyVT]

you can hit it from the top as long as you put the nut back on so it is even with the top of the ball joint, that way you beat the shit out of the nut which can just be threaded back off.

[T La]

quick change of subject. now about trail arms:

the passenger's side trail arm looks like it has a gas line in the way of fully removing the inner nut/bolt.

how do you get around that? is it a MUST to drop the subframe?

[T La]

UPDATE: everything is out except for my driver's side balljoint attached to the strut (this is the one we hit from the top) i'm trying to use the puller but it's not working, the balljoint just won't budge.

If i have gotten a mushroom affect how can i go about getting the CA out?

thanks,
Trevor