Torsion strut/ thrust arm replacement. (aka upper control arm)

[cpgifford]

So I recently bought the bushings needed to fix my braking problem. After consulting my bimmer bible (Bentley manual) I decided it was to much of a daunting task for me to handle. My Indy wanted $300 to do the work. After some research I found the whole arm including a new bushing for $55 on rockauto.com. The manual says that there is a ball joint on the hub, my question is.. Is this true? When you buy a new arm does it come with the ball joint? there is the picture from the manual of the thrust arm.

Has anyone replaced this themselves?

[civdiv99]

Yes, but is no big deal. This is a super easy job. I bought the complete (with already included bushing) from rockauto.com as you are considering. I bought the Beck-Arnley ones. Anyway, the balljoint is just bolted to the spindle assy. Takes maybe 20~30 min per side.
I personally ordered the balljoints same time I ordered the arms, but you don't have to. I bought the moot balljoints.

Anyway, jack up, remove tire, remove the front bolt (you don't have to disassemble anything else to remove it), and then you can maneuver the arm so you can remove the 2 bolts holding the balljoint. Should be able to tap the assy and it drops out. If replacing the balljoint then you can just bolt the new balljoint in place, bolt the new arm on, then maneuver the still hanging spindle to slide the new arm onto the balljoint. Tighten up and all done.

If re-using the old balljoint, then take the assy as tapped out and you can press out the joint -you don't need to try to press the arm off the balljoint while it's on the car as your picture shows.

I think way easier to spend maybe 5 min to remove the balljoint with the arm and now easy to work with off the car & on the bench.



I bought the Moot balljoints. Replacing arms and joints turns job into a slam dunk. You wilq

[cpgifford]

Wow thanks for the info deff. What I was looking for

[civdiv99]

Yer welcome. Don't tighten the front bolt until it's on the ground,
For a minute I thought you were a glutton for punishment doing this in January, but then I noticed Houston. Guess that means I won't be running into you out on the snowmobile trails this weekend......

[cpgifford]

haha, No Its around 70 degrees during the day, 45-60 at night

[thunderX]

I just did this nightmare of a job as part of other suspension work.

You know those 2 little bolts that hold the ball joint in place? On each side the bolts closer to the engine both seized in the knuckle and I had to drill them both out, which took forever.

You'd think BMW would use better metal.

[Isambard]

Originally Posted by thunderX

I just did this nightmare of a job as part of other suspension work.

You know those 2 little bolts that hold the ball joint in place? On each side the bolts closer to the engine both seized in the knuckle and I had to drill them both out, which took forever.

Same happened to me when I did this job last year.. PITFA!

Yeah, wish mine was as easy as civdiv's too! Took me nearly two days with the pressing out of the bushes that seemed to have grown roots into the arms-the 24 ton press started leaking! Then messing about getting the broken external torx bolts out of the hub carrier as you also experienced.

I'm sure if parts weren't seized and broken and grown into place over the 100k+miles since birth it probably would be a 'super easy job' that only take 30 mins each side!

[thunderX]

into thinking it was quick and easy since most Xs will have some miles on them by the time they do this job.

One important note: If your E-12 bolt breaks in the hole and you need to drill it out, don't bother trying to save the threads or re-threading. Just drill a big enough hole for a locking nut/bolt, which is supplied with the new ball joint.

Originally Posted by Isambard

Same happened to me when I did this job last year.. PITFA!

Yeah, wish mine was as easy as civdiv's too! Took me nearly two days with the pressing out of the bushes that seemed to have grown roots into the arms-the 24 ton press started leaking! Then messing about getting the broken external torx bolts out of the hub carrier as you also experienced.

I'm sure if parts weren't seized and broken and grown into place over the 100k+miles since birth it probably would be a 'super easy job' that only take 30 mins each side!

[civdiv99]

I sure wish you hadn't posted that. Now the Karma gods are gonna have my ass in a sling next project for sure.

Yep. Toast . It's about as obvious as a cross-dresser at a tractor pull.

Originally Posted by Isambard

Same happened to me when I did this job last year.. PITFA!

Yeah, wish mine was as easy as civdiv's too! Took me nearly two days with the pressing out of the bushes that seemed to have grown roots into the arms-the 24 ton press started leaking! Then messing about getting the broken external torx bolts out of the hub carrier as you also experienced.

I'm sure if parts weren't seized and broken and grown into place over the 100k+miles since birth it probably would be a 'super easy job' that only take 30 mins each side!

[civdiv99]

Yeah,
I was over 100K mi, but there's usually not much if any corrosion on vehicles around here. I'm not over on the "wet side" of the state.