Ball joint

[demq]

Ppl is it possible to replace the balljoint on the control arm or I should change the control arm?
Some of the mechanicks in here told me that all the arm should be changed, although one(who I suspect is a well qualified one) told me that it is possible to change the balljoint only.

By the way if the balljoint is shattered, as I have been told this morning, is it hard to identify visually? I looked at it afterwards and didn't see anything wrong, although I was looking when the car was on the ground and not ona jackstand.
Should I allign te whells after the change???
Sorry for doumb questions.. [8)]

By the way does anybody know a good BMW mechanick in/(or around) Newport News VA, cause I am new in here and don't know the shops much.
Would appreciate any contribution.

 

[equate]

nope, happened to me, just replace the whole arm

 

[OreoGaborio]

um... pretty sure u can do just the ball joints... but it IS a pain in the ass

here's probably the easiest way to do it, copied & pasted from a post by Randy Walters, himself

Get a long piece of pipe or a long jackhandle - something to use as a prybar.

Remove the balljoint's clamp bolt completely.

Place a small floorjack under the steering knuckle and raise it up a couple-three inches (compressing the spring a bit).

Get a 3lb hammer ready, from the front jam your pipe over the control arm and rearward beyond the control arm bushing area.

Put your weight on the lever which will exert a downward force on the control arm then lightly pound the impact boss on the steering knuckle harder and harder and that should eventually pop the balljoint loose after a number of hits.

This is how i do it and it works every time, and it doesn't ruin the grease boot like you would if you used a pickle fork. I don't let one of those things anywhere near my cars !

 

[equate]

im sure it could be done but I would say Just get a new arm there not that expensive if you do it yourself.

 

[Inline_6]

Ball Joints

I found some forged aluminum lower control arms in BMP's catalog, whatever they cost, I had to have them. They weigh about half what the original's weigh and come with new ball joints. There are offset lower control arm bushings also. These add more caster I think. The offset lowers the back of the control arm, adds to steering effort & makes the car turn better & more stable at high speeds.

Now if only someone would be so kind and put all this stuff on my car while I was out....geez I have a box full of new stuff to put on this car.

 

[OreoGaborio]

aluminum control arms cost about 3 to 4 times as much as the stock ones... i know I'M not gonna pay that

 

[demq]

Yeah, ther r some aluminum ones on the bavauto.com, they r stock for M3s, but fit regular e30s too, and they r about 2 times more expensive than the stock ones. Anyway I already changed the whole control arm with stock ones(have to go cheap will need to change the clutch soon ,and just spent about 1k on the car...), both sides not to take the trouble later and to avoid 2x alignment. Anyway thanks a lot guys...