M3, meet Ditch.

[Bran36]

TL;DR: I lost control, did a 180 and ended up in a ditch on the other side of the road. I limped home and changed the rear passenger tire which was audibly leaking. The original was a 245, the spare is 240. I'm worried that I bent something because the camber doesn't look right. I don't know that much about the suspension so I've attached a few pics; hopefully you guys can help me ID the problem.



I'm sorry guys; I hate to ask for advice and then make you manually follow links, but I can't post pictures yet.

The aftermath:
img89.imageshack.us/img89/4272/image01h.jpg

Original wheel:
img840.imageshack.us/img840/4838/image02qr.jpg

Spare:
img201.imageshack.us/img201/7572/image03tz.jpg

imageshack.us/a/img440/2567/image04dl.jpg

img195.imageshack.us/img195/7485/image05qkc.jpg

img526.imageshack.us/img526/200/image06ie.jpg


Thanks in advance.

[Moron95M3]

TL;DR: I lost control, did a 180 and ended up in a ditch on the other side of the road. I limped home and changed the rear passenger tire which was audibly leaking. The original was a 245, the spare is 240. I'm worried that I bent something because the camber doesn't look right. I don't know that much about the suspension so I've attached a few pics; hopefully you guys can help me ID the problem.



I'm sorry guys; I hate to ask for advice and then make you manually follow links, but I can't post pictures yet.

The aftermath:
img89.imageshack.us/img89/4272/image01h.jpg

Original wheel:
www.img840.imageshack.us/img840/4838/image02qr.jpg (http://www.img840.imageshack.us/img840/4838/image02qr.jpg)

Spare:
img201.imageshack.us/img201/7572/image03tz.jpg

imageshack.us/a/img440/2567/image04dl.jpg

img195.imageshack.us/img195/7485/image05qkc.jpg

img526.imageshack.us/img526/200/image06ie.jpg


Thanks in advance.
3
http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/4838/image02qr.jpg

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/4272/image01h.jpg
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/7572/image03tz.jpg

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/200/image06ie.jpg


http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/7485/image05qkc.jpg



http://imageshack.us/a/img440/2567/image04dl.jpg




LAST pic shows it - bent LCA.


it's bent down, causing less camber

should be nice and flat. you 'should' replace it, however you could try to bend it straight, then realign it, but I advise against it. Overall, you did okay for spinning into a ditch, hopefully this is all you need. Btw your LTW wheels are nice and rare if you didn't know. Hopefully you didnt bend the wheel.

Also, judging that the LCA has a sticker still on it, it should be easy to swap if it was already recently done.

http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/2712/278x.png

[Bran36]

LAST pic shows it - bent LCA.


it's bent down, causing less camber

should be nice and flat. you 'should' replace it, however you could try to bend it straight, then realign it, but I advise against it. Overall, you did okay for spinning into a ditch, hopefully this is all you need. Btw your LTW wheels are nice and rare if you didn't know. Hopefully you didnt bend the wheel.

Also, judging that the LCA has a sticker still on it, it should be easy to swap if it was already recently done.



Thanks a ton for the reply. Just to clarify, you're talking about the part with the white sticker (with BMW logo) (part 7 in the diagram)?

If so, would this be a viable replacement:
fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-control-arm-rear-lower-e36-e46-33321092237?gclid=CKLzxsugn7MCFQ45nAodagMA8Q

I'm not sure if you can tell by a picture, but how safe would it be to drive it like this for a week or so until the part arrives?

Thanks again.

[slocar]

I agree ... you did very well for going off into a ditch. Control arm, tire and alignment and you should be alright.

edit: Yes, part 7 ... I wouldn't drive like that. Last thing you want is to hit a big pothole and end up snapping that already weakened control arm and then subsequently end up destroying more stuff.

[Bran36]

I agree ... you did very well for going off into a ditch. Control arm, tire and alignment and you should be alright.

edit: Yes, part 7 ... I wouldn't drive like that. Last thing you want is to hit a big pothole and end up snapping that already weakened control arm and then subsequently end up destroying more stuff.


Thanks a lot, I appreciate the help.

[forthewinwin]

The exact same thing happened to me last weekend... except of going into a ditch I rammed up the island in the middle of the road and slammed right into a sign

[darknezz7]

I would strongly advice you spend the extra $10 and get the lemforder brand over the no name "after market" brand.

and as said, glad thats ALL that happend, oh and dont drive it.