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Maintenance
BMW Control arms

















 

Cost: less than $100

Difficulty:

Time: 1 hour/side

Buy it now
 

In the Bmw E34/E32, control arms are attached to the front crossmember through rubber bushings and to the steering arm by ball joints. The bushing can be replaced, but the whole arm is cheap so better change the whole arm.

Please if you love your BMW use Lemforder parts only!!!! Else you will change your arms every year...

Failure syndromes:
- Clunk noise (cause by defective ball joint).
- Bushings torn or with small cracks.

 
Procedure
  • 22mm wrench, 22 & 19mm sockets and ratchet.
  • Pickle fork (can be loaned from Pep Boys free) and hammer or tie-rod puller.
  • WD 40.
  • Ramps to tighten the bushings.
  • New self locking nuts.

1. Raise the front of the E34, support with jacks and remove the wheel.
2. Remove the 3 bottom bolts holding the strut assembly. You can remove the control arm without removing the whole strut assembly.

3. Break the two 19mm nut on the ball joint and on the bushing side.
4. Use a pickle fork (actually works fine) to remove the ball joint or a tie-rod puller (much better).
5. Undo the 22mm nut and bolt attaching the control arm to the frame. Remove the control arm.
If the ball joint is turning while removing the nut, use a good pair of vice grip to hold the ball joint.
6. If the ball joint turns while tightening the nut, use vice grips or pliers to hold the bottom of the ball joint to the steering plate.
7. Installation is reverse of removal but don't tighten the 22mm nut holding the arm to the frame all the way. You will need to lower the car to the ground to tighten the thrust arm bushing nut under load (78 Nm, 57 ft-lb). If you have ramps it's time to use them.
   
Part numbers

All BMW E34s

Control arm Left: 31 12 1 139 991
Control arm Right: 31 12 1 139 992
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