DIY LCA's and Tie Rod replacement.

[martin01]

was just thinking about it, I guess that the flex introduced in the different suspensions is probably minimal compared to what it would be if the bushings set-up while the car was still in the air and then you dropped it to the ground. Yes/No?

Bentley says preloading will affect handling (but omit any mention of premature failure ), you're right though, if any problems bushings are easy enough to change. Thanks again.

[leedawg]

Yeah Id think preloading with no weight would be much worse than preloading having a bit of preloading from lowering the car. I never noticed an adverse affect any way. In fact my handling improved. AGain the bentley is being vague. I found it usles in this job. Nothing I dident know already. Seems like all the jobs I do the benelty is uselss in But whatever. ITs there for ya. No problme good luck let me know how it goes for you if you end up doing it.

[4Life]

Great write up. I will be doing this in the spring and the thought of the soap drying and setting up before i can get both sides done and the car dropped scares me. Couldnt the wet time be extended by just spraying the bushing occasionally with a squirt bottle filled with soapy water?

[leedawg]

Just spin them around a few times ever few minutes and you can extend the time for quite awhile. Lets put it this way it took me bout an hour to get it down if not an hour 15 and mine are fine So no worries just make sure you get it all together right. and like I said just rotate around the bushings and you will extend your time.

[BMW328guy1]

Very nice write up. I need to do mine soon but do you know where I can just buy new lollipop with brushing?

I think Bavauto can pre-install the bushings into the lollipop...call and ask.

[leedawg]

Um good call youll pay a lot more for it though id imagine cause you will be buying the whole lolly pop too.

[hellrot325]

Um good call youll pay a lot more for it though id imagine cause you will be buying the whole lolly pop too.

The lollipops will set you back $70-80...better to invest in the tools to DIY than be a Sally

[leedawg]

Well being a sally is kinda fun sometime I opt that way if its easier a lot of times But yeah id do it yourself. FOr 60 and 70 you can get all the air tools for the job. And its pretty easy.

[bitcore]

Just as a note, the bushing preload issue is with the special kerosene based BMW fluid. The kerosene melts the rubber and when it dries, it 'glues' the bushing to the control arm. The kerosene evaporates MUCH quicker than dish soap, so you can spend an hour drawing the bushing\lollypop onto the control arms and drop it down with plenty of time to spare.
I'm not saying you can leave the car on jack stands overnight... You still want to do this step last, and in a timely fashion, but don't do a sloppy job just to race the clock.
It will take at least a few days for it to dry up completely, and I suggest that you try not to drive very hard for the next 48 hours. (2 reasons: bushing seating, and if you really screwed something up and a part fails, at least you weren't driving hard when it did fail and *REALLY* tear stuff up!)

EDIT: someone else says the same thing. http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...4&postcount=22

[ganderson]

Thanks, leedawg. I just finished my e30 cabrio's right LCA. Your posting and Tommy R's from 2004 were a great help. Not really a bad DIY project at all - I'd say set aside about 5 or 6 hours for the job (I didn't have to do the tie rods). Great help - many thanks!

[leedawg]

Thanks, leedawg. I just finished my e30 cabrio's right LCA. Your posting and Tommy R's from 2004 were a great help. Not really a bad DIY project at all - I'd say set aside about 5 or 6 hours for the job (I didn't have to do the tie rods). Great help - many thanks!

Hey bud no problem and thanks for joinin just to post the reply. I like hearing back from ppl makes it fun. Glad to hear it went well. No its not to bad, but does take some time. Happy new Year and thanks again for the shout out.

[318tiDon]

Thanks for the info, may be attempting this myself soon, but I am confused on what parts I need to purchase. Checking out bimmerparts.com, they sell tie rod ends, and tie rod assembly's, do I need one over the other?

Also, same thing for control arms, they sell control arms, and also bushings, Do I need to also purchase a set of bushings?

Thanks for clearing this up.

[BimmerDude18]

Did you just use the stock LCA's or did you buy a set of M3 fitment LCA's. I'm trying to price parts out (I budget myself) and I don't know the difference other than a degree of castor (have heard thats from the bushing though) so I can't justify the extra $$.

[318tiDon]

man this board moves fast.

is it bad karma to bump just for my question to be answered?

[328ischef]

good writeup, just did the LCA's today, very informative!

[bastian]

Thanks for the writeup and taking the time to document the process (with pics nontheless).

Just a couple of additional notes:

There is an old fashioned way of getting the bushings out of the "lollipops" that I used to use to get the spring bushings out of the frame on old land rovers. You can actually burn/melt/cut the rubber away so all you have is a ring left and then carefully (CAREFULLY!) use a hacksaw with the blade assembled inside the old bushing cage and slowly and CAREFULLY cut through the cage. You just need to CAREFULLY check to see what your progress is and, when you have just cut through the cage and take the blade out the cage should collapse slightly so it just drops out (a little persuasion may be needed).

Another recommendation on lubing the bushings is from the old chemistry days when you needed to slide a glass tube through a rubber stopper. You coat the tube with glycerine (available a KY jelly - you will have to go somewhere other than you local auto parts store to get this though), slide it through and you are done. I'm not sure about the set up time though and would like to know if anyone else has tried using glycerine. Am replacing control arms tomorrow and will ammend as needed.

Fortunately for me, I have access to a hydraulic press and a nice set of anvils so I should be able to press them out. The hacksaw method is a throwback to my "shade tree mechanic" days.

[hung low]

will be doing this as soon as I get new sways. Already have new tie rods, control ams and bushings. Thanks for taking the time to do the write up and take pics.

I Got an air hammer from lowes for $19.99 AND a thin 32mm wrench from local bike shop for $9. I need a bench vise still. I love buying tools now that I dont loose them anymore

[leedawg]

Did you just use the stock LCA's or did you buy a set of M3 fitment LCA's. I'm trying to price parts out (I budget myself) and I don't know the difference other than a degree of castor (have heard thats from the bushing though) so I can't justify the extra $$.

Um I bought the 96+ m3 control arms. They have a differnt gemotry than the stock control arms and hence give you the added caster. The older ones used a bushing however that was offset from center to acheive the same effect. So Either you go with stock LCA's and M3 bushings that are pre 96 or go with 96 plus m3 lcas and 96 + m3 bushings follow?

[BimmerDude18]

Um I bought the 96+ m3 control arms. They have a differnt gemotry than the stock control arms and hence give you the added caster. The older ones used a bushing however that was offset from center to acheive the same effect. So Either you go with stock LCA's and M3 bushings that are pre 96 or go with 96 plus m3 lcas and 96 + m3 bushings follow?

Gotcha, appreciate it.

[martin01]

Um I bought the 96+ m3 control arms. They have a differnt gemotry than the stock control arms and hence give you the added caster. The older ones used a bushing however that was offset from center to acheive the same effect. So Either you go with stock LCA's and M3 bushings that are pre 96 or go with 96 plus m3 lcas and 96 + m3 bushings follow?

don't the m3 LCA's, both pre and post '96, have a more solid inner ball joint and that's the reason for going with those over stock?

as I understand it (from reading tons of posts and tech articles), the 96+ m3 geometry is achieved through the strut mount and control arm, so you use the centered LCA bushing (IOW, the bushing is the common piece between the m3 and non-m3).

In pre '96 m3, the geometry is achieved with strut mount and the offset bushing, so the common piece (geometrically speaking) between m3 and non-m3 is the LCA. So you could have an "m3" setup and use the stock non-m3 LCA, all you have to do is use the m3 offset bushing and the m3 strut mount (plus m3 strut).

[BimmerDude18]

Yeah, I was going to use E30 control arms because they have solid ball joints, but I didn't want to do it if I had a better option with the E36 M3. I can just use the 95 M3 bushing, an E30 LCA, and be set

[martin01]

Yeah, I was going to use E30 control arms because they have solid ball joints, but I didn't want to do it if I had a better option with the E36 M3. I can just use the 95 M3 bushing, an E30 LCA, and be set

what's the advantage of using the e30 LCAs over 95 M3, price?

[leedawg]

what's the advantage of using the e30 LCAs over 95 M3, price?

I think the solid ball join? But not sure? What is the advantage?

[BimmerDude18]

I think the solid ball join? But not sure? What is the advantage?

Both, E30 M3 LCA's are $79 each on www.bfbmw.com compared with $156 for a 96+ M3 and $92 for a stock E36.

They also have solid ball joints which is supposed to result in more solid performance etc., but also a bit harsher of a ride.

So for me its win win ... solid ball joint and price.

[martin01]

hmm, I was thinking of getting Meyle LCAs with solid ball joints, $100 each, anyone know how those perform?