Re: E36 lower control arm bushings

[alex.fadeev@xxxxxxxxxxx]

"Alan Leung" <alanleung100@domain.elided> wrote:
> I've read on the Digest before that there is some difference between
> the 95 M3 and M3 LTW control arm bushings. If I remember correctly the
> LTW ones are made of harder compound and have offset holes. 

Alan,
What car/model/year/product date do you drive?
My 8/94 production '95 M3 has solid rubber offset front control arm 
bushings. Similar to the E30 M3 and LTW ones.
Do all '95 M3s get solid offset bushes? I've heard a lot of conflicting 
statements on that subject. 
'96 M3 bushings are definitely centered and have small slits in the 
rubber. 
Non-M3 bushings are also centered and have giant holes in the rubber. 

> Besides potentially tighter steering feel what other benefits will I see
> by using LTW bushings? 

I had just finished swapping those bushes on my wife's 98 328i. Went from 
regular E36 bushes (could move them 1/2" with a screw driver) to solid 
offset E30 M3 ones (were easier to get than proper '95 M3).
Picked up additional caster (from 2.8 to 4.2) and lost 0.1 of negative 
camber. Can to get the car realigned to reset the toe.
The steering wheel feel did not change that much. Yes, it is a little 
firmer and picks up more road shake. In fact I will need to re-balance the 
front wheels whose shake has gotten significantly more noticeable in the 
65-75 mph range.
Otherwise I expect less camber change during high speed corners that will 
save tire wear on the car during DEs and autoXs.

> I have been trying to locate LTW bushings through my local dealerships 
> with no luck as they keep telling me that the bushings for M3 and LTW 
> are one and the same. 

I strongly suspect the dealer is correct and that all '95 M3s share the 
same solid offset bushes.

> Can anyone tell me how the LTW specific bushings can be ordered? Does 
> the installation of control arm bushings require realignment? 

Yes - if you go between different bushing types or unbolt the control arm 
to have the swapped.
If you use special BMW tools that allow you to replace the bushing with 
the control arm in place, than I would not bother to re-align the car. It 
would not hurt anything other than your wallet to re-align it regardless. 
Still cheaper than prematurely destroying even one Michelin Pilot or 
Bridgestone S03.

alex f

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