DIY: How to tell if your BMW E46 needs Control Arms!

My out ball joint was shot and to replace the ball joint you need to replace the entire control arms on both sides and bushings. OEM BMW Control Arms and Bushings were around $500 and shop labor time should be 2.5 hours max (no special tools are needed if your bushings are already pressed into the
lollipop brackets.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• BMW
• E46
• Control
• Arms
• ZHP
• Bushing
• Ball
• Joint
• Bracket
• Lollipop
• Polyurethene
• 330i
• 325i
• 330xi
• 325xi
• 335i
• 335xi
• 328i
• 323i
• 323ci
• 330ci
• 325ci
• 330
• 325
• 328
• 335
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• 320d
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• 320ti
• mini

[olaf2046]

It was the outer ball joint

[fontaiedmo]

hey im no mechanic but i know a lil bout cars i changed rotors, brakes, wheel and brake sensors and watched a video on bearings. I have a 2001 325ci. Is it hard to change the control arms yourself. im sure you can watch a video on here but my pops told me that the bushings have to be tightened a certain way and it cant be just tightened like you do a wheel or brake calipher.

[kinematixs]

If it moves forward and backward then its your bushings, if it moves left to right then its your ball joints. They typically go at the same time. I replaced my bushings 6 months ago and then had to replace my control arms 4 months later. Do it all at once, then you won't have to pay twice for alignment.

[EthanCommins888]

Get some powerflexes.

[xdarkdragonx01]

I think it's the control arm bushings too. You should replace it soon and you'll see a big improvement on handing

[if575]

Its the Control Arm Bushing .. I had mine replace like 2 months ago... In that case you should change out the other side too....