[hockeyplayer]

Okay everyone I need some help with making a decision. Recently got tires & was told needed the control arm bushings replaced in order for the alignment to be correct. (part # 31120393540)

I have found the bushings online for less than $100. The shop quoted me $300 to replace them, which I do feel is a reasonable price. I have looked at some of the DIY posts for this & am trying to decide...is this task just worth paying the $300 for?

I know I will need a press in order to install the new bushings correctly, but will it require any type of special fitting or tool to press the new ones in?

thanks in advance.

You better off buying the entire control arm, its easier to install DIY you just bolt it on and off.

Pressing in just the bushing in a pain in the ass, and with the arm replacement you get a new ball joint on the other side, plus you can upgrade to Meyle HD or M3 parts.

Look on ecstuning.com

Only thing is the car has to be in the loaded position before you tighten the bolts on the bushing. You can do this with the car being on the ground or jacking up the hub to ride height.

[hockeyplayer]

that's a good point. thanks for the info.

[avocet]

Originally Posted by index1489

plus you can upgrade to Meyle HD or M3 parts.

+1000!!!

if it is for the non-x, it is a perfect time for an m3 control arm upgrade!

[The Cleaner]

You will need something of the same size to press out the old bushing. I'd pass on the Meyle HD stuff and get a OEM arm. Make sure you get the pre-load right or you will be doing the job again.

[Castle]

Originally Posted by index1489

You better off buying the entire control arm, its easier to install DIY you just bolt it on and off.

+1.

Additionally the bushings only fix one end of the control arm, the other end is eventually going to bust and then you'll end up replacing the whole arm anyway. Spend the extra $100 and save yourself some headaches. I didn't listen to this advise and suffered the consequences.

[997_RICH]

I think i might also recommend urethane bushings. In previous BMWs I've replaced the bushings 3 times in 120k miles. The urethane ones are slightly stiffer but they last almost forever. They can also be purchased already pressed into arms.

[D-Ros]

Pressing the bushing in/out is not that hard, but you need a press, plus a selection of big sockets to push against the bushing and control arm. It's a lot less work to just buy the complete control arm.

Urethane bushings can squeak.

[benjlv]

I'm planning on replacing just the bushings myself. I have access to a press though. If you dont have a press or experience with one, it would just be less hassle to replace the whole arm.

for me though, I figure by the time these new bushings go out, it will be time to do a full refresh on the front end with a alignment. I did not go with the meyle bushings or upgrade because this is my daily driver and I didnt want to decrease the isolation from the road.

if you do want to just DUI the bushings. you could remove the arms and take them and the new bushing to a shop and have them press them for you. They shouldnt want more than $20 to do so since its easy. Thats a lot of hassle though

[fdawg4l]

Originally Posted by D-Ros

Pressing the bushing in/out is not that hard, but you need a press, plus a selection of big sockets to push against the bushing and control arm. It's a lot less work to just buy the complete control arm.

Urethane bushings can squeak.

Eh? To get the arm in the press, you have to remove the whole piece from the knuckle/subframe. Might as well just replace it with a new one at that point.

Can you push out an old bushing and push in a new bushing while the arm is still connected to the car? Sounds like acrobatics.

[Efthreeoh]

Get the M3 arms they are $20 more a piece than the stock suspension parts. The thrust arms actually fall out of the car once you unbolt them.

[hockeyplayer]

Finally got around to this job this weekend. It really wasn't that bad aside from one of the nuts was kind of a pain to get off due to some crud/corrosion.

Otherwise, the most difficult thing about it was getting that @#&)%!!! plastic pan off & on from underneath the vehicle.

Thanks to everyone who gave me input. I did decide to replace the entire arm(s) instead of just the bushings. When I took the old arms off, I could easily move the ball joints with my hand, so they were definitely close to being replaced anyway.

And, thanks for whoever posted the DIY on this. It was a well-written article and definitely made the job easier.

[benjlv]

Originally Posted by hockeyplayer

When I took the old arms off, I could easily move the ball joints with my hand, so they were definitely close to being replaced anyway.

You want the ball joint to move freely with little friction. What you don't want is compliance side to side or up and down. In my experience arms usually ship with a hard to move joint that quickly frees up with use. My point is that the ball joint moving freely isnt necessarily a indicator that its dead...its movement outside of its designed range thats bad.

[techwhiz]

Like benjlv said:
If they move up and down they are bad. Freely moving isn't the issue.

On my e36 I had significant up/down play in the ball joint. That thing was toast.

[hockeyplayer]

Thanks for the info. I'm always learning!

[benjlv]

out of those who have done this... has the outer ball joint just dropped out of the steering knuckle/upright? I dont currently own a ball joint puller, so im hoping to get away without investing in one.

[hockeyplayer]

You won't need one. They came out really easily. I think I did have to thump one of them a few times with a rubber mallet but otherwise it almost fell out.

I would recommend getting the correct torx bit. That was helpful in getting the corroded/rusty nuts off.

Besides the DYI posted here I also found the Pelican Parts article very helpful:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=778726


http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tech...eplacement.htm

[Casca]

After putting in a 335i rear knuckle on my 325i in order to accommodate using the 335i rotors and parking brakes, I found one control arm (rear upper center "wishbone" passenger side) that is completely shot. Some of the others are not in great shape, but I think still serviceable.

I had thoughts of going all M3 on everything, but then I realized that is just too much $$$ than I am will to put into this. I ended up ordering Raybestos professional grade control arms ($45 per) to replace both sides of the rear upper wishbone control arm. This was after thoroughly reading about Dorman, Karlyn, Moog, Meyle, Lemfoerder and a few others.

I am not looking to break the bank, but wanted something that gets me back OEM and isn't gonna fail in under a year for now. While I realize it is not Meyle, Lemfoerder or made in Germany, I have only read good things about Raybestos control arms from other car forums and it may just be a temporary part anyway. The plan is to then determine the difficulty of pressing out the bad wishbone bushings from the control arm I take out and pressing in new powerflex bushings. Have access to a few presses, lots of pullers, driver sets, pucks as well as a manual mill and lathe. Not much experience though. Although pressing bearings on the knuckle was super easy.

How does using the OEM control arms with powerflex bushing pressed in to everything compare to M3 control arms for performance? I am planning on getting the ECStuning front M3 (TRW) control arm kit for the negative camber, but everything else will remain OEM arms with new bushings pressed on most likely.

[gajones]

Originally Posted by hockeyplayer

You won't need one. They came out really easily. I think I did have to thump one of them a few times with a rubber mallet but otherwise it almost fell out.

I would recommend getting the correct torx bit. That was helpful in getting the corroded/rusty nuts off.

Besides the DYI posted here I also found the Pelican Parts article very helpful:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=778726


http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tech...eplacement.htm

Hey man is there anyway you can send me a link to the exact parts you used??

[hockeyplayer]

Originally Posted by gajones

Hey man is there anyway you can send me a link to the exact parts you used??

Sure, I just looked up "e90 control arms" on ebay & bought them there. I just checked and there are tons of them available. Note that there are actually 4 control arms, the ones you likely want to replace are commonly called "thrust arm" and are the kind of curvy looking ones. I also noticed when I searched there are kits you can buy to replace all 4 at once instead of just the 2.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bmw-E90-E91-...9d41e9&vxp=mtr

Use the Pelican article to note all of the tools you will need and the correct procedure for installing. Make sure you 'load' the suspension correctly when installing the new ones. If you're handy or a DIYer this should not be that difficult of a job. I found it more troublesome to remove the plastic underguard than actually removing/installing the arms.

good luck!