E34 Steel/Al Control Arms

["Richard Vaughn" <rav3@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jim, When this subject comes up, I like to show this picture of our broken 
aluminum lower control arm from my wife's '95 740i. I found an old crack in 
this part that finally broke when my wife hit the brakes when she was only 
going about 20 mph. Sure made a mess but luckily she wasn't on the 
interstate going 75mph next to a semi.

http://members.roadfly.com/bimmernut/Broken+ends.JPG

Richard Vaughn
BMW CCA #132931 Tarheel Chapter
'95 740i w/new engine hers
'92 535i 5 speed mine
'90 325i 5 speed (64k)sons & mine
'96 Z71 mine too


>Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 08:55:24 -0700
>From: ThreedB <ThreedB@domain.elided>
>Subject: E34 Steel/Al Control Arms
>
>Can I use steel control arms in my 95 540ia?
>
>The car has aluminum arms now with 90kmi and dead bushings.  The Bentley
>manual said you can replace the bushings in the steel arms but the aluminum
>arms need to be replaced.  Is this a geometry issue or merely a materials
>issue?  I want to know if I can buy new steel control arms (@$45 ea.)
>instead of aluminum (@$145 ea.).
>
>PS- Thanks to all for the answer to my last Thrust Arm question, solved 85%
>of the vibration.
>
>Jim


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