What is going on with the early model control arm?

**jaredmac11** · 11-08-2017, 09:16 PM

I am going a bit nuts here, I understand the early and late lower control arms are different. The outer bushings are different, connecting to different sway bars, and even different crossmembers. Could anyone confirm if the inner bushings are the same or not, or if either can be pressed in? RealOEM has different part numbers so I cant make a safe assumption here.

The most frustrating thing here is that if I ever break that ball joint, I dont know where I can replace the arms at. Most stores lump early and late years together when selling the late arms, so you cant go by that (looking at you rockauto)

There are inner bushings for the early control arm, but they are 5x the price of the late model's, so I'd love to not spend $50 more on rubber.

Has anyone cracked this code, how are you refurbishing your control arms? Jester makes 1 inner bushing so maybe its all the same, or maybe they have to be modified slightly?
Otherwise, I think I'll just DIY some poly for this.

**epmedia** · 11-09-2017, 10:42 PM

Wish I knew the differences between the early and late inner ca bushing design. I looked at the pics on ecstuning, they look near identical. Maybe just a very minor difference between the two. If anybody has a 'scrap' spare early-ca to send you, it may be worth the $8+ to order the later inner bushing to test fitment.

I'm not sure how the bushing is installed, but maybe have to freeze the rubber and heat the CA just-right to make the rubber slippery (but not hot to damage it), and use either a press, or carefully with a BFH, etc..

**Thecatmilton** · 11-09-2017, 11:03 PM

Early and late bushings are very different and so are the control arms. The early arms have a beveled edge for both of the bushings to sit on. The late ones have a straight bored hole and the bushing is originally pressed into it from one side.

**epmedia** · 11-10-2017, 12:05 AM

inner bushing in question (where connects to subframe). well, most of the question

**jaredmac11** · 11-10-2017, 12:14 AM

To be honest, I can use a DIY poly to build my own inner bushings. It won't be pretty but it'd work.

I'm kinda concerned about the ball joints. If I ever eat a pothole in Houston I don't know how I would repair em. :/

**cgifool** · 11-10-2017, 12:39 AM

I'm certain I've seen them available, I was concerned when I saw the right side was NLA from BMW.

Might be junk, but these ones look right to me (only $28 each, but you gotta buy 5! group buy anyone?

http://www.miparts.com/detail/track-control-arm_6180
http://www.miparts.com/detail/track-control-arm_6181

Both these parts show up on ebay as well..

31121114700
31121114701

**jaredmac11** · 11-10-2017, 09:20 AM

Ah-ha! There are a few new-old ones on Ebay! I almost wanna snatch them up and save em.

I was checking ebay for the bushings and couldnt find much, didnt try the whole arm.

**JDTable** · 03-22-2018, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by cgifool

I'm certain I've seen them available, I was concerned when I saw the right side was NLA from BMW.

Might be junk, but these ones look right to me (only $28 each, but you gotta buy 5! group buy anyone?

http://www.miparts.com/detail/track-control-arm_6180
http://www.miparts.com/detail/track-control-arm_6181

Both these parts show up on ebay as well..

31121114700
31121114701

If anyone is actually down for a group buy I'd split an order up keeping a couple of each.

**jaredmac11** · 03-22-2018, 05:30 PM

Really not familiar with the brand but I could be interested. Not sure if shipping and swapping makes it viable.

**JDTable** · 03-23-2018, 07:49 AM

Yea I was actually shopping around yesterday and found the early control arms for both sides on rockauto comes to around $140 for both sides and are acdelco. Seems to be around the same price on ebay for acdelco control arms as well, so I'll give them a shot over the $28 no brand ones. They also come with the correct beveled/tapered bushings.

**jaredmac11** · 03-23-2018, 09:58 AM

Interesting, let me know what you get. some of those look like the early control arms by the looks of the smaller bushing. Some are still the part number for the LATE control arms and look like the late control arm.