Re: control arm bushings

["David Kroth" <davidk@xxxxxxx>]

David,

I put M3 bushings on my '93 325 this past spring.  I had seen
a professional BMW mechanic do the job this past fall, so as
far as the procedure goes, you'll have to find another source.
I'm sure there are several on the net.  I posted some comments
to one of the digests after I did the work.  I'll include
that post at the end of this letter.

I will offer you one piece of advice:

Consider changing the control arms at the same time.  Yes,
the whole control arm.  The benefit is twofold.  First, you'll
end up with four new ball joints.  This is significant if you
have 50,000+ miles on your current arms.  The second benefit
is that you can install the bushings on the arms at your
workbench rather that laying on your back under the car.
The arms are about $80 each mail order thru Stephen at South
Motors BMW.

Now for my post from this past March:


- ---------------


I changed out the control arms on my car this past weekend.  It
has 74000 miles and had developed a "click" in hard right turns.

Got new control arms and busings from Stephen for about $225,
delivered.

The job was straightforward and took me about 7 hours total:

   1.75 hours : old part removal
   3.5  hours : R/R control arm bushings, including tool fabrication
   2.0  hours : new part installation

I pressed the new bushings into the carriers with my bench vise
and some soft jaws.  I pressed the bushings onto the arms with
a tool made from 1.5" angle iron and some threaded rod.

There's two things I'd like to pass along to anyone who is going
to do this job:

 - Consider a stubby 22mm box wrench to handle the inner ball joint
   nut.  I could only get about 4 clicks on my Facom 3/8" rachet when
   removing/installing the nut.

 - The old outer ball joint was held on by a nut that needed a 19mm
   wrench for removal.  The new nut (purchased specifically as the
   outboard ball joint retaining nut) was 18mm.


- -- 
David Kroth
davidk@domain.elided

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