help w/ replacing Control Arm

[joshuaaa]

im wondering how easy it is to replace the left front CA on a 87 325es? anyone have a guide to it by any chance? any help would be great so i can avoid paying the extra $200 or so to have a shop do the work.

[87Blue325iC]

im wondering how easy it is to replace the left front CA on a 87 325es? anyone have a guide to it by any chance? any help would be great so i can avoid paying the extra $200 or so to have a shop do the work.

Bentley

[joshuaaa]

bentley?

[87Blue325iC]

bentley?

http://www.amazon.com/BMW-E30-Service-Manual-1984-1990/dp/0837603250

If you plan on doing repairs on your own, you need this.

[KenC]

hes referring to the bentley manual for our cars. it explains the procedure in detail. $200 is way too much to change a CA... if it's just the labor charge. Decent price to replace both, but not one.

[PeaveyBassist]

$200 for one is a little high. Here in the Indianapolis area we charge $80/hour and I think changing a control arm only pays about 1.5 hours or so. So that would be around $240 for both or $120 for one.

Will

[StereoInstaller1]

I took me about 2 hours to do my first one, and hour to do the second, now at about 10 or 12, I can get them off in about 10 minutes, back on in 15.

Get a 22mm open end wrench, a curb (yes, like on your street) and a big sledgehammer.

Lay that cheap ass wrench out so one end is on the ground, the other up on the curb. Whack that motherfucker with the sledge...bend it into a shape like a elbow macaroni. That is your "Inner Ball Joint Removal Wrench", it will save you countless hours, and the story you get to tell is great.

In the meantime, when you whack that motherfucker, it will fly. Mine flew over 50 feet at an altitude of 30 feet.

5 pounds of wrench flying 50 feet is an awesome and dangerous thing.

If you are "r e t a r d e d", don't fuck with it, pay the shop.

L8R
Luke

[BimmerBall]

I took me about 2 hours to do my first one, and hour to do the second, now at about 10 or 12, I can get them off in about 10 minutes, back on in 15.

Get a 22mm open end wrench, a curb (yes, like on your street) and a big sledgehammer.

Lay that cheap ass wrench out so one end is on the ground, the other up on the curb. Whack that motherfucker with the sledge...bend it into a shape like a elbow macaroni. That is your "Inner Ball Joint Removal Wrench", it will save you countless hours, and the story you get to tell is great.

In the meantime, when you whack that motherfucker, it will fly. Mine flew over 50 feet at an altitude of 30 feet.

5 pounds of wrench flying 50 feet is an awesome and dangerous thing.

If you are "r e t a r d e d", don't fuck with it, pay the shop.

L8R
Luke

I lol'd and iced tea shot out my nose. haven't had that happen since 3rd grade.

[86espowa]

If you are having problems getting the control arm out of the strut try this.

take the 22mm nut off, jack up the car, put a jack under the control arm, right near the inner ball joint. lower the car onto the jack, then simply thack away on the 22mm nut and the inner ball joint will pop right out. makes the whole process a lot simpler.

[LINUS]

I took me about 2 hours to do my first one, and hour to do the second, now at about 10 or 12, I can get them off in about 10 minutes, back on in 15.

Get a 22mm open end wrench, a curb (yes, like on your street) and a big sledgehammer.

Lay that cheap ass wrench out so one end is on the ground, the other up on the curb. Whack that motherfucker with the sledge...bend it into a shape like a elbow macaroni. That is your "Inner Ball Joint Removal Wrench", it will save you countless hours, and the story you get to tell is great.

In the meantime, when you whack that motherfucker, it will fly. Mine flew over 50 feet at an altitude of 30 feet.

5 pounds of wrench flying 50 feet is an awesome and dangerous thing.

If you are "r e t a r d e d", don't fuck with it, pay the shop.

L8R
Luke

While Luke's story is wildly entertaining, a more controlled approach that won't involve your medical co-pay, or a lawsuit from a neighbor would be to find a buddy who owns a cutting torch. Put it in a vise, heat it & bend it with a good size chunck of pipe. Plus you'll get a nicer, tighter 90* - and the neighbors won't think you quite the white trash crack addict that the aforementioned actions would lead them to believe.

Sorry to be a buzzkill, Luke - I'm tryin' to look out for you.

I just see some newb sueing you after reading this and winning. And not having the courtesy to at least post pics of the injury.

[matt]

I did mine when I had my motor out, easy as pie.

I think I could get an impact gun on it with an extension and a swivel...

[dark89e30]

First spray the crap out of the ball joints with some WD or liquid wrench the day before you are going to do this. When you get the wheel off, hit the knuckle on the side of where the ball joint goes through (the vibrations help loosen the joint quite a bit, you can also do this the day before when you spray the WD to help it soak in much better). Then proceed to beat the livin' crap out of the top of the control arm near the steering knuckle with a 3lb or more steel hammer (and don't hit it with your purse, lay into it). When these ball joints haven't come off in a few years they ARE REAL NASTY. And to get the bushing out, I've used gear oil (it's the slickest stuff on the planet) and just started moving the lollipop back and forth with the whole thing off of the car. It will eventually come off. Oh and before you start this be sure to move away anything breakable from your workspace just in case you start throwing tools...

[dtdub]

Oh and before you start this be sure to move away anything breakable from your workspace just in case you start throwing tools...

This is a very important step... do not forget it.