Front Lower Control Arms

[Auto Parts Guy]

Luckily i took a before pic bc you're right, it will go on either way. Let me know if it's really wrong. No issues or codes so far and I installed like it came off. It does look wrong though..

[80stech]

Yes, I am pretty sure that is wrong.

[X5only]

Yes, that’s wrong. Should look like this, pic from TIS. The sensor rod, as it connects to the control arm, should be perpendicular to it, not parallel.

[Auto Parts Guy]

That's funny. Now I'm afraid to change it. I guess it just affects my headlights? They are perfect right now. I don't remember having any stored codes either. I'll scan it later and see if anything is there.

[X5only]

I only noticed something was wrong when the headlights beam would wander when navigating a curved road at night. Otherwise no codes were stored.

[Auto Parts Guy]

So in the building I work in, we have either the first or one of the first e53 4.6is with basically no miles. Perfect condition with every option pretty much. Anyway, i looked up under the car, and sure enough, the height sensor arm is straight up and down like the TIS shows. So mine is definitely wrong. Ill try to see if I have the headlight issue before i fix it. Otherwise no known issues. On the new X5s, and even the F15, you would get a code no matter what since the voltage would be out of range.

[carbob]

Many thanks for the detailed photos and advice. And I learned to remove the ride height sensor plug. I wonder if the issue with the ride height arm is one of relative position rather than absolute, the combination of spring/strut wear, headlight adjustment, even tire pressure may allow an older SAV to have a different orientation from a new one? Could that be why some have not had any issues with the arm in different position?

Received the parts yesterday and going to (try) to install next week. Thanks for the helpful reassurance with removal of the ball joint side. I’m trying to plan in my mind how to handle torquing the ball joint side, was thinking I could support the brake disc or knuckle with a jack by measuring the distance from the disc to the wheel well and replicating that with the jack to simulate normal stance, now I’m concerned by the comment of this being dangerous. Seems like there probably is room to use the torque wrench with wheel on the ground.

Last point, I’m doing this because the dealer demonstrated play (on a video) in the left control arm while repairing something else. I think steering feels normal but the only thing I notice is I do feel a “thud” at the end of the driveway which has a slope at the end. Is that consistent with the symptoms andrewwynn described and am I doing this for the right reasons?

[EODguy]

Speed bump test...

Go just fast enough to compress the suspension quickly and keep the weight off as it clears without "jumping off" on the back side (just rides down in contact without full weight) if you get a thunk on compression it's the short control arm if you get a thunk on the back side then it's the long control arm.

Not foolproof but helpful and always replace arms, joints together unless you have craptastic roadways like here in the Middle East.

Sent from my SM-A730F using Tapatalk

[andrewwynn]

I think that's a great test. I don't have any worn joints yet but I do that check occasionally

[Auto Parts Guy]

I torque the ball joint side to spec with the car on the lift, wheels down, nothing special. But I leave the bushing side loose (bolt/nut installed) until i get it off the lift and drive out of the shop and back in. Then i finish torquing the bushing side while laying on the ground. That's the side that makes a difference.

And yes on the thud going over a bump. Before the control arm change, i had a thud noise going into my garage, maybe a 1" lip of concrete. After, no thud and no brake shimmy.