Front contol arm sources?

[DocWyte]

Need to replace mine this off season. Just checked out the usual suspects (Turner, Bimmerworld, ECS, RM Euro) and all they're offering is OEM/BMW arms for ~$220 each.

I'm a bit surprised by that, I expected to find arms by Meyle, Lemforder etc...

Are the OEM ones the only ones available now?

[Gene V]

AC Delco from Rock Auto...cheap, but more than likely hecho en Chine...

http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/b...le.com+URL+%2F

http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo....sn=436&jsn=436

Note: Amazon has the these, plus others, with free shipping for members with Prime...I've used AC Delco parts on my wife's '03 ES300, but not on the M...

[DocWyte]

Hmm, not so sure how confident I am of the AC Delco brand. I'd much prefer Lemforder or Meyle

[Gene V]

Hmm, not so sure how confident I am of the AC Delco brand. I'd much prefer Lemforder or Meyle

Yeah, I just threw that out there because you were looking for options...wouldn't use them on my M, or any car that would see track/autocross duty...lol

[ScotcH]

There never were aftermarket M3 arms (well, except that china garbage). The Meyle HD were nonM spec e36 arms (same as 95 m3), with the solid balljoints, but you need to use the offset LCABs, or the BW/treehouse lollypops. That combination works great.

[shogun]

Just replace the ball joints http://e36diy.com/e36-m3-replacement...rm-ball-joint/
you can save yourself lot's of $$ vs buying a whole new assembly.

[DocWyte]

Hmm, would need to take the arms to a shop to have the ball joints pressed in and out but that shouldn't be that much money. All of the ball joints are ~$100 vs the $450 it costs for new arms.

[shogun]

Buy a cheap 20 ton press, you can use that more often. Harborfreight has 1 on sale at the moment for $199.99, comp price $ 369.99. 20 ton H-Frame Industrial Heavy Duty Floor Shop Press.
and even after buying that press you still saved $150 compared to cpl. new arms.

[boarder2k7]

Buy a cheap 20 ton press, you can use that more often. Harborfreight has 1 on sale at the moment for $199.99, comp price $ 369.99. 20 ton H-Frame Industrial Heavy Duty Floor Shop Press.
and even after buying that press you still saved $150 compared to cpl. new arms.

This. I have the HF 20 ton and it worked great. Hearing protection recommended in addition to the normal safety measures, they bang loudly on the way out.

[pbonsalb]

HF 20 ton will go on sale for $159. Years ago it was more.

Be careful. The ball joints can pop out hard. Enough to hurt you badly.

[DocWyte]

While I'd love to have a shop press I don't have room for it in my garage. Bikes, motorcycles and cars are taking up all the space...

[adept]

I bought mine at getbmwparts.com for $196 each.

Whenever you have to go OEM for a part (like these), that website usually has the cheapest price. Whenever OE alternatives are available, like lemforder, then I usually look at autohausaz.com.

[olemiss540]

While I'd love to have a shop press I don't have room for it in my garage. Bikes, motorcycles and cars are taking up all the space...

Go Merle HD arms and offset FCABS (I run treehouse) or pay a shop 30 bucks to press new balljoints in. No need to go new OEM on the arms...

Hell, you could ship your arms to me and I would press the new balljoints in if worse came to worse....

[DocWyte]

There's a Firestone right around the corner from my neighborhood who should be willing to press in the new ball joints for a minimal charge. So I think I'll just rebuild my current arms...