Re: E36 rear control arms (wishbones) and bushings

[Hans Conser <conser@xxxxxxx>]

> Date: Wed, 6 Nov 2002 11:34:09 -0600
> From: alex.fadeev@domain.elided
> Subject: E36 rear control arms (wishbones) and bushings
>
> Folks,
> I'm about to order two sets of rear E36 lower wishbones (control arms) 
> and
> some bushings. One for my car, one for my wife's. Three out of four of
> those babies on our two cars are bent.
> I am also thinking of swapping lower wishbone bushings, rear trailing 
> arm
> bushes and rear axle carrier bushes while I'm in there.
> Both are street cars, with mine getting a little bit more track time 
> than
> hers.
>
> Has anyone on this list gone through a similar procedure in the past?
> What suppliers did you use?
> Did you go with stock or some exotic aftermarket bushings?
> Did I miss anything?
>
> TIA,
> alex
>

I am going through this now, not replacing the control arms, but the 
bearings and bushes.  I'm not an expert, but have a couple insights.

1)  Buy the arms with the bushes and the wheel bearings installed, as 
many places that have a hydraulic press cannot accommodate the rear 
control arms off our cars.  I had to take mine to the local truck 
repair shop, two other machine shop type places couldn't deal.

2) I went with OEM bushings but I think that M3 lightweight bushings 
may be the best, stiffer rubber but not urethane.

3)  To replace the axle carrier bushes you will have to drop the rear 
axle carrier, I changed my mine on this, didn't want to get into it 
after a good hard look.

I hope to have them back on the car tommorrow morning.  I broke one ABS 
sensor trying to remove it from the control arm.  On the other side I 
unplugged it and let it stay in the control arm.  I noticed  that the 
new ABS sensor ($65) was plastic instead of aluminium  so it shouldn't 
weld itself to the control arm like the old one.

Hans Conser

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