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Thread: Is this Rear lower control arm toast now?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
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    97 M3

    Is this Rear lower control arm toast now?

    I'm in the middle of a full suspension overhaul. Some balljoints have fused to bolts which have upset me. Upset me likes to get careless and go over the top and I get this crazy look in my eyes.
    Here's my stupid LCA

    IMG_20190511_111144476_HDR.jpg

    The ecentric bolts became one with the lca & bushing.

    Do I buy some used LCA's or get those $50 - 100 aftermarket Ebay ones? Or are are my ones good enough.. ( Street car only)

    I'm gonna call a machine shop today to see if they will press the bushings out of both hubs.. Axle is also seized in hub. (Indy shop told me that a while back and I couldn't get it out with a slide hammer..

    IMG_20190504_192526398.jpg

    Thoughts?
    Last edited by Skunk; 05-14-2019 at 03:54 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    e90 M3,X5,e46 racer
    Meh, I'd probably run it … but those are pretty cheap to replace
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
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    1999 BMW M3 Coupe
    Agree that those are probably still ok for street use as long as they aren't bent or anything. If you want replacements either find a used set of OEM, or get quality aftermarket adjustable arms like Turner, Ground Control, or other similar designs. Don't buy the cheap trash from ebay.

    You can probably find used OEM arms for well under $100, but the nice adjustable arms will be $200-300. That said, they do gain you the ability to more easily and precisely dial in rear camber during alignment and over a wider range (important for lowered cars to dial out excess camber). Probably not important for many unmodified street cars, but everyone has different priorities so you never know.
    1999 M3/2/5 - Titanium Silver - Track/Weekend Toy


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Minneapolis, MN
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    1995 BMW M3
    I’d just buy new Lemforder arms from FCP euro for $28/each and you will get a nice fresh inner bushing pressed in and ready to go.

    You will still have to spend $15 per side for new eccentric bolts, washers, and nuts.

    FYI, I have the Turner “street” arms on my car, but they are not worth the premium for a street car. The camber adjustment is very nice to quick changes on a track car, but I never found the eccentric bolts on the stock arms that hard to use. I’d avoid cheap aftermarket arms, a quick search will show reported failures, and accessing the inner jam nut on the adjuster might actually be more cumbersome than the stock eccentric bolt.


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  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Minneapolis, MN
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    1995 BMW M3
    Also, a friend’s M3 had a badly stuck axle that even a competent shop couldn’t get out. It took this tool remove.

    https://www.tooltopia.com/otc-tools-...yABEgKiu_D_BwE



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  6. #6
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    00 Maxima SE
    Quote Originally Posted by yellow914 View Post
    I’d just buy new Lemforder arms from FCP euro for $28/each and you will get a nice fresh inner bushing pressed in and ready to go.

    You will still have to spend $15 per side for new eccentric bolts, washers, and nuts.

    FYI, I have the Turner “street” arms on my car, but they are not worth the premium for a street car. The camber adjustment is very nice to quick changes on a track car, but I never found the eccentric bolts on the stock arms that hard to use. I’d avoid cheap aftermarket arms, a quick search will show reported failures, and accessing the inner jam nut on the adjuster might actually be more cumbersome than the stock eccentric bolt.


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    ^ This!

    Pressing that bushing on rusted thin sheet is just not a fun experience.

    https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...6-33321092237l
    Last edited by Genes1s; 05-15-2019 at 10:57 AM.
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  7. #7
    Join Date
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    97 M3
    Wow.

    New ones are a way cheaper than I thought. Since everything will be nice and refreshed, I better just replace them. It will help with OCD also. I'll add that hub puller to the list. Luckily I have a month to finish this refresh!


    I appreciate the advice guys.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
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    FL
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    are slow.
    Are you guys serious? I would 100% trash that arm.

    Your life or others lives are worth losing over a $30 part?

    Stress builds in the weakest link. Look at stress fractures in airplane parts, or cranes. Even a dent in a spar, or a pipe is considered dangerous and it won't be used until repaired or replaced. How would you treat this any differently? This part is being pulled and pushed thousands of times a day in that location. Sure, it might last a month, maybe a few months. But do you think anyone is going to check that location anytime soon or inspect it?

    The ebay LCA sucks. Really the OEM one is fine for 99% of people, and if you don't plan on changing your camber often, keep the stock arms.

    I would change it now and then forget about it.
    Last edited by Hova; 05-15-2019 at 03:38 PM.
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