Benefits of M3 control Arms?

[2mAn]

I know they are aluminum, but does that really justify the cost? How much weight savings is it VS the steel ones??

[Todd Black 88]

No it doesn't justify the cost for a street driven car.

[reelizmpro]

No, not worth it anymore. They were popular back in the day when they were $125-150 each but their price has more than doubled.

[2mAn]

Cool, I will be ordering some steel ones very soon. Ive heard mixed reviews about Meyle. Safe bet, or pass?

[mrcheezle19]

I just installed the meyle ones, don't see any issues to me. looked like quality pieces to me

[MR 325]

The Meyle are great for the price.

[Cabriolet]

my PO put steel ones on my 90 m3, instead of replacing ball joints. and the aluminum ones will cost something like $600 to put on.

[Roysneon]

From all I've heard it's not advisable to press out/in ball joints to the aluminum arms, which makes sense to me. I had a very good used set that I chose not to use on my car as it is a street driven car with only occasional track use. Daily driving on aluminum control arms is just asking for a problem, especially on the east coast. I sold my used aluminum arms for enough to buy new steel Lemforder parts.

[JGood]

Meyle will probably be OK for a street car, but I had a set of brand new Meyle control arms fail after a weekend at the track (probably a total of 4 hours of track time). The ball joints developed enough play to clunk over bumps, and I could actually see movement in the joints with the car jacked up. I literally had them on the car for less then 7 days and had to remove them and put them in the trash. That's something you'd expect to see after 5+ years of normal driving on a Lemforder arm. I'm sure the steel arm itself is fine, it's the junk ball joints that they use that's the problem. That was a few years ago. I put Lemforder arms on after that, and they are still on the car to this day, and I did probably 10-15 track weekends after that, along with lots of daily driving after I stopped doing track events.

Then I had a set of Meyle tie rod ends go bad on my daily driver in less then a year. Then, I bought a Meyle windshield gasket and it didn't fit at all. I don't think I'll ever buy anything Meyle again.

[AustinK425]

Simon do you need new bushings?

[2mAn]

Austin, Im going to need new control arms and tie-rod ends, but Im going to buy all new tie-rods. Also getting sway bar links, so I dont have to deal with it. Probably getting Lemforder, though I really want Aluminum

[ForcedFirebird]

Meyle will probably be OK for a street car, but I had a set of brand new Meyle control arms fail after a weekend at the track (probably a total of 4 hours of track time). The ball joints developed enough play to clunk over bumps, and I could actually see movement in the joints with the car jacked up. I literally had them on the car for less then 7 days and had to remove them and put them in the trash. That's something you'd expect to see after 5+ years of normal driving on a Lemforder arm. I'm sure the steel arm itself is fine, it's the junk ball joints that they use that's the problem. That was a few years ago. I put Lemforder arms on after that, and they are still on the car to this day, and I did probably 10-15 track weekends after that, along with lots of daily driving after I stopped doing track events.

Then I had a set of Meyle tie rod ends go bad on my daily driver in less then a year. Then, I bought a Meyle windshield gasket and it didn't fit at all. I don't think I'll ever buy anything Meyle again.

I use Moog ball joints and press them in the old arms. I had a customer come in with Lemfoerder and the ball joints were loose after a few months when we were doing more service on it. Not sure where he bought them, may have been sold to him as Lemfoerder and not been genuine. Pressed Moog's in and they are still holding up well, nice and tight after a year.