95 M3 Front LCA's ... vs non - M

[aeronaut]

I've always read the Front lower control arm (ignoring the ball joints) on the 95 M3 is the exact same as all the other E36 3 series (325s, etc). Hence, the offset LCA bushings.
Is this true?

Understanding that the ball joints are different (non M's have are rubber isolated in the arm, M3's are solid/metal), it seems this is a 1-1 replacement for my 1995 M3, even though it doesn't show as fitting.

Are the ball-joint shafts the same diameter on the M vs non-M?

https://www.turnermotorsport.com/e/p...-duty-upgrade/

[olemiss540]

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...s-fit-on-95-M3

Meyle HD non-m are common replacements and I installed on my 95m3 without issue. Highly recommended to save some cash.

[aeronaut]

Most excellent. I searched...but I think I mispelled Meyle. lol
THANKS!!!

And wow. TMS price about $20 cheaper per side than BW.

[TXBDan]

I run the Meyle HDs on my '97 with offset bushings. Cheap and work great. Got 'em from bimmerworld as part of a front end kit and saved a lot. Talk to them and they'll sort you out with the right combo of LCAs and bushings.

(Also, screw TMS. They sold their parts shop to ECS and laid off a bunch of good people.)

[aeronaut]

Didn't know that about TMS & ECS. But.... consolidation increases scale-out, and scale-out improves cost savings, and cost savings reduces price. I like price reduction.

[olemiss540]

Then you should do what I did and go with cheap rockauto arms. They are consumables on a track car anyhow. Will probably replace every 10 or 12 weekends, but the price is right....

[aeronaut]

Crap, I buy from RA all the time, and forget about them on stuff like this. UG!!
Just checked RA, they have MOOG's for $78. I'll pay $10 more ea and stick with the Meyle's.

I'm lucky, my current front ball joints are going on 50+ days, no issues. That's with Nitto and Toyo RR level abuse.

[olemiss540]

Lol. I meant to check non-m arms on RA (the meyle arm is a non-m arm). They are as low as 25 bucks....

[aeronaut]

Jezzz, you're right. $29 and up.

Do non-M, non-Meyle arms have 'solid' ball joints? I've heard rumors the non-M OEM had some sort of rubber isolation?

[olemiss540]

You are right and the solid joints will probably last longer. You can also swap out the ball joints themselves with lemforder ball joints from an e30 that is the exact same OEM balljoint that came on the e36 m3.

[aeronaut]

Thanks, yea, I've done the E30 ball joint install on my LCA's.

[TXBDan]

Didn't know that about TMS & ECS. But.... consolidation increases scale-out, and scale-out improves cost savings, and cost savings reduces price. I like price reduction.

Turner is local to me and I know some folks who used to work there. They were passionate about BMWs and serving the community. Now Turner is just a web front to ECS. It's not ECS's fault, it sucks that Will Turner sold it to them.

I feel like i know half the guys at Bimmerworld, i buy most of my car stuff there even if it costs a little more. They've more than made up for it in service and support. Like fabbing me some reinforced LCAs and next day shipping them to me for free when i needed them fast and they were out of stock.

If we can we can afford this hobby we can afford an extra $20 here and there. These are the shops that make new products and keep tracking these old cars possible. Online Worldpac distributors don't give two shits.

Personal rant.

[aeronaut]

It does suck that long term and passionate TMS folks have been pushed aside. I have not had the best experience with ECS. Ground Control & TCK have given be unbelievable customer support. BW has been 'mostly' good, world class sometimes and bluntly bad at others.

[Crustashio]

I actively avoid ECS and any ECS-related sites. I ended up switching to getting almost all my OEM parts locally through an independent shop.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...&theater&ifg=1