Results 1 to 23 of 23

Thread: Has anyone tackled a full suspension (control arms etc) rebuild in their garage?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Busselton Western Aust.
    Posts
    333
    My Cars
    2009 F02 740Li

    Has anyone tackled a full suspension (control arms etc) rebuild in their garage?

    I have just ordered a full 20 piece kit from FCP and I am having trouble getting a shop to do the work. I have some DIY skills but I guess as grumpy old man I lack some patience and was wondering if anyone has done this job in their garage on stands and was it a serious PITA? I could buy a 4 post hoist if needed. Are there any specific tools that the average tool kit doesnt have?
    2009 F02 740Li

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Rochester, NY
    Posts
    524
    My Cars
    2001 740i Sport
    I haven't done the lower rear arms, but I've done pretty much everything else in my suspension. It's not too bad to do on stands (and I did it with just 1 end on stands at a time). FWIW, getting the nuts off for the front thrust arm and control arm at the knuckle side is much easier if you have the strut out (as that provides room to just blast the nuts off with an impact).

    To get the front on stands most easily, I usually jack under the engine subframe and put the stands on the jack pads.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Louisa, VA
    Posts
    371
    My Cars
    2007 Z4 M Coupe
    It's totally doable, just focus one end of the car at a time. Hopefully you have a local parts store that lends tools (e.g. to remove tie rods, rear ball joints, etc.). Obviously it also depends on your skills and available time. I've replaced almost everything on my car except shocks/struts, but that will change in a month or two.
    Current: 2007 Z4 M Coupe (blue/black)
    Previous: 2001 740iL Sport (black/black), 2000 528i Sport (black/tan), 1995 318is (black/black), 1991 318is (white/black)

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Hansville, wa
    Posts
    972
    My Cars
    2001 750il Chrome line
    I have done it all one piece at a time, just changed out my forward strut rods. In my garage on stands. If you are doing all of it do all of the ball joints first, loosen the nut and smash the joint with a hammer until it drops out. A good large ball peen will be best. I did this stuff as a kid in my dad's shop and nothing works like a good hammer strike or twenty. I have tried all kinds of tools and by the time you get done screwing around with the tool you could be drinking beer if you just use a hammer.

    I've done mine one at a time as I figure out which one are bad using Timm's shimmy guide. I would do the worst one's and rive the car and then come back and do a few more. Doing it all at once would be a pain because you loose all of your attachment points. Have fun and don't be shy with the hammer. When you are done it will drive like a dream!
    01' 750il Chromeline
    95 M3 LS swapped
    07 M5 Manual
    06' M5, Spartan wheels and a 507hp V10
    00' 740il Dinan, CAI, Romulus exhaust, Stage 5 engine and transmission tune, 750 brakes, camber plates, strut tower brace. Sold
    00' 323i wagon for daughter
    03' 525i wagon for the wife, sold
    98' 740i for the daughter, wrecked
    92' 525i with over 200k, wrecked
    02' R1200 CLC, hit by a bus and broken in half. That one made the news!
    It's like herpes there is no cure but if treated properly you can live with it for the rest of your life

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    lA, ca, lA
    Posts
    886
    My Cars
    BLK 01 sp, 20 Trail Boss
    I did it, probably for me was getting the front upper control arms ball joints apart was a PITA everything else was pretty straight forward I bought a rear ball joint tool it made that job super easy. I also bought a harbor freight suspension tool kit to get the front apart. I did the rear first finished it then did the front never had the car on 4 jack stands at once I did build some blocks to elevate the car so I could get under to torque everything under load as recommended. It felt like I did a thousand sit up's, up and down a lot. I have a great low profile floor jack and jack stands and blocks I built to set under the jack points for extra safety.I also have lot's of tools everything you could need and a creeper helps. I read and watched many utube vid's and read some Great threads here before I went for it. Just take your time ,be careful and know when to quit and come back the next day........

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    Wayne,PA
    Posts
    1,511
    My Cars
    740iL (E38 '01)
    You guys are all nuts doing this on stands Impressive tho!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Ft. Lauderdale, FL
    Posts
    5,083
    My Cars
    98 740il, 00 540i,04 ZHP
    I've done the front on stands and then the rear at a separate time on stands. Both are straightforward, but if you're doing the rear carrier balljoints, you're going to need the tool for that.
    '98 740il | 9/97 build | schwarz 2 | sandbeige | 5AT | 270k
    '04 330i ZHP sedan | Mystic blue | Alcantara | 6MT | 120k
    '00 540i sport | Titanium silver | Black | 5AT | 152k
    '85 Mustang GT convertible | Medium charcoal metallic | Gray | 5MT | 216k | one owner, all original

    mods: m-pars | Bilsteins & B&G springs | ValentineOne | StealthOne
    retrofits: full nav | MKIV | bluetooth TCU | BM53 w/ AUX input | video module w/ AV input & backup cam | oem sirius xm | xenon | shades | PDC | rain sensor | BMW DWS TPMS | lighted door handles | front seat heaters | heated steering wheel | euro rear fog lights | ski pass | folding mirrors


  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Houston, Texas
    Posts
    513
    My Cars
    1995 Dinan 740il
    Redid the front on mine and other than fitting the spring on the struts, it was dead easy (on jack stands; a shop lift would be better). I did get my 27 yr old son to help as he had just done a 3 series.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Northwest Ohio
    Posts
    809
    My Cars
    2001 750iL
    I have to agree with the majority here. I've done my front and rear on stands. But I did everything in the front at the same time. Then did the rear a few weeks later. I have to say it was easier than doing the e53 front suspension. And, yes. I had to rent the tool for the rear ball joints.
    2005 X5 4.8is (DD winter) * 2001 750iL (DD summer) * 2001 Ford Excursion 7.3 L <> 2005 X5 3.0 * 2003 X5 4.4i * 2009 X3 3.0 * 2009 X5 3.0 * 2007 Toyota Avalon Limited

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Savannah, GA
    Posts
    50
    My Cars
    2001 BMW 740iL
    I'm in the same situation as the OP. Never tackled a full suspension job like this. My plan is to install the 10-Piece Front Control Arm Kit from Lemforder. I have all the basic tools but are there any special tools that will make this job a breeze? No lift in my future so i'm on jacks as well.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    15
    Not a hard job at all, just takes time. It took me 4 nights after work (1 corner per night) . Buy a torch, heat is your friend with this kinda job.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Rochester, NY
    Posts
    524
    My Cars
    2001 740i Sport
    If you've got the front struts out or can find one that'll fit with them in, a tie rod puller is great for getting the control arm ball joints out of the steering knuckle. Oddly, the one I have doesn't fit the actual tie rod ends. Definitely wear hearing protection when using the tie rod puller though. The bang it produces when the ball joint pops out is loud enough to cause hearing damage (and you definitely won't hear well for a couple of minutes after).

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    lA, ca, lA
    Posts
    886
    My Cars
    BLK 01 sp, 20 Trail Boss
    +! with acspecialists on the hammer I didn't know it when I did mine but that really works I've seen it on a few shows and uTube vids .....I also did the 10 piece Lemforder kit just remember everything needs to be torqued under load with a full tank . easiest way is on a drive on rack of course for me I built some 2 x 12 x 2' by about 9" high but one under each wheel and then torqued it all once I'd finished the front and rear....... also had it aligned after
    Last edited by setconstr; 03-23-2019 at 10:53 AM.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Rochester, NY
    Posts
    524
    My Cars
    2001 740i Sport
    For torquing I just measured the height from the center of the hub to the wheel arch at each corner before lifting the car to start the job. When I was ready to torque, jack goes under brake rotor and use the jack to compress the suspension to ride height, then torque the bolts.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Houston, Texas
    Posts
    513
    My Cars
    1995 Dinan 740il
    I suggest you find a shop with a strut (spring) compressor. I had a pair of spring/strut compressors and rented two different ones for AZ and O'Reily's but none of them could get a good purchase. I eventually made one out of all-thread and scrap steel which worked but scared me. Might be a better way out there.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Savannah, GA
    Posts
    50
    My Cars
    2001 BMW 740iL
    Quote Originally Posted by rslifkin View Post
    If you've got the front struts out or can find one that'll fit with them in, a tie rod puller is great for getting the control arm ball joints out of the steering knuckle. Oddly, the one I have doesn't fit the actual tie rod ends. Definitely wear hearing protection when using the tie rod puller though. The bang it produces when the ball joint pops out is loud enough to cause hearing damage (and you definitely won't hear well for a couple of minutes after).
    Ok well that makes sense. Is this the correct one? https://www.bavauto.com/bmw-tie-rod-puller-ctaa412

    If that fails I do have plenty of hammers and torches.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Houston
    Posts
    507
    My Cars
    2001 740il
    Quote Originally Posted by Stillife View Post
    Ok well that makes sense. Is this the correct one? https://www.bavauto.com/bmw-tie-rod-puller-ctaa412

    If that fails I do have plenty of hammers and torches.
    https://m.harborfreight.com/3-4-quar...tor-99849.html

    Sent from my LG-G710 using Tapatalk

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Louisa, VA
    Posts
    371
    My Cars
    2007 Z4 M Coupe
    Hammer and torches are fine, until that rear eccentric bolt gets welded with rust through the ball joint... then it really gets fun with a cut off wheel (what a nightmare!)

    But again, I still did it with just 2 jack stands, one end of the car at a time
    Current: 2007 Z4 M Coupe (blue/black)
    Previous: 2001 740iL Sport (black/black), 2000 528i Sport (black/tan), 1995 318is (black/black), 1991 318is (white/black)

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    Wayne,PA
    Posts
    1,511
    My Cars
    740iL (E38 '01)
    We should raise the stakes, any of you did a torque converter replacement on stands? I bet some of you nuts did that

  20. #20
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Rochester, NY
    Posts
    524
    My Cars
    2001 740i Sport
    The tie rod puller I've got looks closer to the one Zedbimmer posted. But either style should work as long as you can fit it in there.

    Quote Originally Posted by georgebest View Post
    We should raise the stakes, any of you did a torque converter replacement on stands? I bet some of you nuts did that
    I might be giving something like that a try in the near future, but it'll be on my Jeep, not on the E38 (trans is about 20 lbs heavier plus 65 lbs of transfer case bolted to it). My plan is to build some kind of cradle with wheels to support the trans so I can basically just rest it on the cradle, un-bolt it and slide it back from the engine. A trans jack would be the easy answer, but that requires a lift.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    Wayne,PA
    Posts
    1,511
    My Cars
    740iL (E38 '01)
    Probably not enough clearance on the E38 to do it though

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Busselton Western Aust.
    Posts
    333
    My Cars
    2009 F02 740Li
    For some reason I am trouble posting a reply. Thanks for all the suggestions and I will see how the mood takes me when the parts arrive but after months of working on my old 38' motorhome my enthusiasm is fading in all things mechanical at the moment.
    2009 F02 740Li

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    33
    My Cars
    -98 740iL
    I just completed the ctrl and thrust arms, sway bar links for the second time in garage diy. Bj's were starting to go due to running those heavy style 95 19s'. Switched to the much lighter mpars so hopefully everything will last a bit longer.

    Cheers, jt

Similar Threads

  1. FS: 1995 M3 Full Suspension CONTROL ARMS, SHOCKS, SPRINGS, SWAYS, AND CAMBER ARMS
    By Mobil1E36 in forum Suspensions, Springs & Shocks
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 07-21-2013, 02:45 PM
  2. Replies: 28
    Last Post: 07-17-2012, 02:29 AM
  3. FS: front suspension/control arms/brakes/steering column 97 e36 M3
    By carreraboy911 in forum BMW Parts For Sale
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 02-01-2007, 08:30 AM
  4. Replies: 15
    Last Post: 01-30-2007, 11:09 PM
  5. Anyone replaced the front lower control arms?
    By scy in forum 1996 - 2002 Z3 (E36/7, E36/8)
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 04-16-2004, 05:16 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •