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Thread: SLR Kit & Control Arm Bushing Question

  1. #1
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    SLR Kit & Control Arm Bushing Question

    So I have a 95 M3 with ultra slr kit and offset control arm bushings.

    When I installed the slr kit I had the bushing offset towards the outside of the car (towards the lollipop handle/stick) but it moved the whole control arm forward making contact with the front bumper. So I decided to rotate them inwards toward the center of the car and that pushed the arm back and made perfect clearance. I've had it like this for a year or so and worked perfect up until this last event last weekend. I didn't hit anything but the track has a big dip in the middle of it and though I've ran this course multiple times for some reason this time it somehow put enough pressure on the control arm and rotated the bushing so that hole was now facing the outside of the car, moving the control arm forward.

    So my question is to the people running the slr kit, are you using offset bushing or center hole? If you are using offset, do you have them facing the inner center of the car or towards the outside (lollipop handle/stick)? If towards the outside, how are you dealing with clearance issues?

    I'd rather not cut my front bumper to make clearance but if i don't have a choice I suppose I will. I want to avoid this situation in the future so looking for any input.

    Front wheels as of right now are ds1's on 225/45's.

  2. #2
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    Well literally a couple minutes after posting this I just read that the slr tubular arms have the 96-99 m3 balljoint position geometry, so its recommended to use center lollipop bushings. And after looking at SLR webiste, they only sell the centered. Looks like I will be ordering some centered ones to try out.

  3. #3
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    It's also worth noting that the lollipop positioning changes caster drastically. I like the manually adjustable spherical ones. No binding, no bushings, full customization.

    Status: Someone put glitter in my oil. Wait. Why's all my oil outside the engine? What's that knocking?

  4. #4
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    Yeah, I decided I’ll be trying the adjustable round ones from slr.

  5. #5
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    Hey Protomor, did you use the SLR adjustable FCAB? If so, did you have trouble lining up the 2 mounting holes?

  6. #6
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    I did use the adjustable FCAB. It lines up fine. just takes effort. Got to make sure it seats flat against the frame. You don't push the bearing all the way down the control arm.

    Status: Someone put glitter in my oil. Wait. Why's all my oil outside the engine? What's that knocking?

  7. #7
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    Mines sitting about half way down the arm. I’ve moved it back and fourth along the arm but can’t seem to find the sweet spot. I can only get it to sit flat against the frame on one hole. The other sits on top of the “sleeve” (the part protruding out the frame). I must be missing something stupidly simply like usual. But I just couldn’t seem to get them to line up together.

    I’ll be back trying it again tomorrow. Thanks for the reply.

  8. #8
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    I gently massage it in, rubber mallet.
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  9. #9
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    yeah, they take some convincing to get on and off the first few times.

  10. #10
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    here’s what I’ve been dealing with. I feel like forcing it is adding a lot of unwanted pressure? I could be wrong but I also don’t want to bend anything. The OEM with condor offset bushings I originally had went on like a glove compared to these.


    5622D303-7AA6-43BD-B71E-167AE538FD53.jpg5622D303-7AA6-43BD-B71E-167AE538FD53.jpg
    Last edited by M3NACE2SOCIETY; 03-11-2020 at 05:47 PM.

  11. #11
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    Man.. I don't remember... I got an E46 now so it's different. Your alignment pins look a little mashed but could you have them on the wrong sides? I think the bearing should be forward the holes, not behind like the pictures. IE move left to right and right to left.

    Status: Someone put glitter in my oil. Wait. Why's all my oil outside the engine? What's that knocking?

  12. #12
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    :Facepalm: I think you are right. Thanks for the help, I appreciate it.

  13. #13
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    Fixed is fixed!

    Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

    Status: Someone put glitter in my oil. Wait. Why's all my oil outside the engine? What's that knocking?

  14. #14
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    So I definitely thought that changing it around was the problem. Turns out it was not. After looking into it more, I had them the right way. I took photos of how far off the arms were if the fcab are flat against the frame. (I have them extended to match the 95 M3 offset bushings) 73FA7E58-3890-4EF7-8E30-D8E814AB284C.jpg

    - - - Updated - - -

    I also shortened the extension of the lollipop to see if that helped and it’s still all off. I really can’t imagine it’s this hard to install aftermarket adjustable lollipops. All other fcab I’ve installed have been with the OEM bracket (Aftermarket bushings) and go on like butter.

  15. #15
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    The knuckle is hooked up? Why not unhook the knuckle first.

    Status: Someone put glitter in my oil. Wait. Why's all my oil outside the engine? What's that knocking?

  16. #16
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    Knuckles are unhooked, the arm was just resting on my chest.
    Last edited by M3NACE2SOCIETY; 03-17-2020 at 02:37 PM.

  17. #17
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    I think I hooked up the arm to the subframe first, then knuckle, lollipops last.

    See if you can get pictures more zoomed out. I can't tell much from those
    instagram @andyitslit

  18. #18
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    I'm so confused. this isn't rocket surgery.

    Status: Someone put glitter in my oil. Wait. Why's all my oil outside the engine? What's that knocking?

  19. #19
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    I’ll try it that way and see if I can’t get it aligned. I’ll also try to take some more zoomed out photos.


    I agree, this should be able to be done with my eyes closed but for some reason things are not lining up. There should be no difference between my oems and these in the terms of lining everything up. Will update shortly.

  20. #20
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    So I started with the subframe, then knuckle and last lollipops. It got me close but it is still pinching the inner most alignment hole (closest to the engine). I imagine I’m just going to have to force it with out damaging it, but I still don’t believe this is how hard it is to align these.

    I took some photos. The first is with everything but the lollipops bolted and the second shows how little it is off but it’s enough to not get them to sit flat. You can tell that it is digging into the alignment hole.
    7528CB9F-C431-4D66-87C6-954CE878E78B.jpg934B6B78-9C53-417F-907C-392BE970C01D.jpg1F371158-92F5-4867-89CA-9804C100B9F5.jpg

  21. #21
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    Bushing is too far in on the control arm. Back it off a little. Snap a pic of where the cab sits in the control arm.

    Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

    Status: Someone put glitter in my oil. Wait. Why's all my oil outside the engine? What's that knocking?

  22. #22
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  23. #23
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    I got it! I was missing that sweet spot of the bushing and having to force it a little more. Now for the other side. Thank you for helping my dumbass. I appreciate it.

  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by protomor View Post
    Bushing is too far in on the control arm. Back it off a little. Snap a pic of where the cab sits in the control arm.
    No clue how you noticed that from those pics but good work haha
    instagram @andyitslit

  25. #25
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    Well got them both on. Other side took me maybe 10 minutes to get done. Huge thank you to the both of you.

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