Removing Thrust Arm Ball Joint - Press Bushing into Thrust arm

[shogun]

I just updated an old thread from Bimmernut with missing pics from Bill R. and added some new ones when we did it on an Alpina B12 http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showt...614#post348614
Bill R. once wrote in 2004:
I was going to make a strut arm change page but very few people expressed any interest when i asked about it so it got shelved. At any rate you can remove the bottom bolts that attach to the strut as seen here and then remove the sway bar link on one end. Then remove the tie rod from the steering knuckle with a conventional puller Then remove the bolts that attach the thrust arm to the frame and the lower control arm to the frame. Then you remove the whole thing as a unit as pictured. I was going to show you how to separate the thrust arm ball joint in a vise with a hammer but I thought that a number of you might not have a vice of sufficient size to support it, so I thought about it and decided to come up with an easy field fabricated method that anybody could separate the joints with. By supporting the knuckle on a couple of impact sockets (Improvise here) I supported it solidly so it couldn't deflect or more and then I hit the ball stud one whack, didn't even take a very hard whack and they pop right out when supported as shown...... and yes the torque is 68.5

Upper Control Arm Bushing Replacement, 1992 e32 by Gale http://www.nmia.com/~dgnrg/page_26.htm

BMW 5-Series Control Arm & Thrust Arm Replacement (E34) , incl. torque info https://www.fcpeuro.com/blog/posts/b...eplacement-e34

[shogun]

Upper thrust arm bushing replacement without press, "Pressed Bushing into Thrust arm with $5 pipe cap", by Patrick, many pics http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/1267688