Front Lower Control Arms

[andrewwynn]

RealOEM refers to the control arm as the wishbone.

BMW in the TIS refers to the sideways arm as both the control arm and the wishbone.

BMW refers to the mostly forward arm as the tension strut or the radius arm but never control arm.

Unfortunately sales pages will add or exchange words so for example fcpeuro will call them tension strut and control arm, the 4 piece kit with both calls all four control arms. Don't tell bad if you ever get them confused there is a lot of misinformation out there on these particularly parts.

Back to the original question though: fcp Euro has the control arm bushing for $8.40. Also I bumped into the TIS how to press out the bushing as well.

The problem with that is it's very likely the problem is on the other end (ball joint).

To eliminate any confusion I refer to the two suspension arms as such:

1) sideways wishbone control arm

2) forward angled tension strut.

There is no mistaking forward and sideways. Only one is remotely forward aimed one is almost exactly sideways.

I have changed these a couple times between our two e53 and have not had any major hiccups save the tie rod being fused and nearly impossible to do the alignment afterwards.

I don't think you can change the ball joint on this part and that is usually where they fail for me: boot fails, grease leaves, joint dies.