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Lower control arms or ball joint replacements

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  • Lower control arms or ball joint replacements

    As the title states, I have worn ball joints on the front o/s wheel and was wondering what makes the most logical sense, and if so, what's the best parts to get? I've been searching all day on the forum but cannot find a definite answer.

    I was in real oem and cannot find part numbers for the ball joints, and sourcing the whole arms apart from the dealer is proving difficult also.

    Just wanted to get people's insight if they have had a similar dilemma?

  • #2
    Get replacement joints for an e30. They're all solid on those and pretty cheap for decent ones. Seriously you can pick them up for under £5 but I wouldn't put them on myself. This is better http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item...466649&alt=web

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    • #3
      Originally posted by itsdashy View Post
      Get replacement joints for an e30. They're all solid on those and pretty cheap for decent ones. Seriously you can pick them up for under £5 but I wouldn't put them on myself. This is better http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item...466649&alt=web
      Ok 2 of them. What about the outer ball joints? And the bush and bracket?

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      • #4
        I would get complete arms from BMW

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        • #5
          With them being a pretty important part I would agree with Dave,don't mess up a great car!!

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          • #6
            I just replaced mine on Saturday. Do the rear bushes that the wishbones go into as well as it makes sense when the cars apart and they are relatively cheap (the bushes). I got mine from bmw

            Wishbones
            31122228461 and 31122228462
            Bushes
            31129069035

            Parts all in was about €500.00 but labour should be cheap as it is very straightforward.
            KW V3, H&R arbs, H&R 12mm Spacers, Weichers Strut Brace, Ireland Engineering Bushes, Uprated rear top mounts,swapped front top mounts, EBC Yellows, Simota CAI, Supersprint Exhaust, Shadow chrome Roadstars

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            • #7
              Originally posted by kwoffa View Post
              With them being a pretty important part I would agree with Dave,don't mess up a great car!!
              I totally agree with that. I called my indy who are a 10 min drive from me and they advised me that buying the arm was not necessary, hence my post. others saying that its the best uption to replace the whole thing.

              ill bite the bullet and just replace the arms i think. thanks everyone for your input.

              Thanks for the info UJM3

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              • #8
                The rear bushes on the arms should be replaced...makes a great big difference...you will notice the difference.

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                • #9
                  Aluminium Control Arms

                  Anyone installed these aluminium control arms and Powerflex bushes on their car?

                  http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-Z3-M_Co...l_Arm/ES49093/

                  Just wondering what the benefits would be as I can't really find much info on it?

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Lagwagon View Post
                    Anyone installed these aluminium control arms and Powerflex bushes on their car?

                    http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-Z3-M_Co...l_Arm/ES49093/

                    Just wondering what the benefits would be as I can't really find much info on it?
                    big weight saving but they are expensive so maybe not worth the extra cost unless its a track/race car?

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                    • #11
                      A few issues with that the e30 geometry is wrong for a z3m and you cannot replace the ball joints.

                      From fitting z3m suspension to a couple of e30 the only way the e30 arm could work was if you roated the offset bushes 180deg then I am not sure it would be close.

                      A lot of e36 drifters use the e46 whishbone (needs an e46 bush in the e36 lollipop) lighter gives more track and more camber.

                      For bushes get they replacements from ECP
                      BMW e21 track car
                      Z3M (S62)
                      2.8 Z3 Coupe
                      Ariel Atom
                      GT86 race car
                      Ferrari 348 Challenge
                      Merc G500

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                      • #12
                        The e46 arm is no where near either, its a LOT longer, gives a lot of camber like you say popular with drifters but would give extreme jap camber. I measured one up thinking that if I put my top mounts back the "right" way with the e46 arms it might work but they are around 30mm longer so there's still be far too much camber.

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                        • #13
                          This coupe looks to have the alloy lower arms fitted,



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                          • #14
                            The alloy arms are the same dims as the e36 so if you had standard top mounts they would work. But you are losing the factory geo and i guess they did it for a reason.
                            BMW e21 track car
                            Z3M (S62)
                            2.8 Z3 Coupe
                            Ariel Atom
                            GT86 race car
                            Ferrari 348 Challenge
                            Merc G500

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Those alloy arms look like E30 M3 arms which are mega money(probably with offset wishbone bushes)

                              The standard e46 arms that I've seen measure considerably longer from front balljoint to hub balljoint like this;

                              Last edited by c_w; 28-06-2015, 05:37 PM.

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