How-To for upper control arms?

[sirius_GTO]

I've searched and could not find anything informative. Is there a how-to guide to replace the upper control arms? Do I really need a ball joint separator? Can I rent that locally from a rental company? Thanks guys.

[MBXB]

http://www.bmwe34.net/ + Bently's + numerous posts in the archives

[sirius_GTO]

awesome! thank you much.

[Evan]

come back if you have any questions.. i did it a month ago and i can help you out.... 632regal is also someone to talk to

[92E34]

I was able to get mine off with a ball joint pickle fork, 15lb sledge, and air chisel. Took about 30 minutes. Oh and I soaked the piss out of it with Pblaster.

[zhandax]

I got one off with a pickle fork, one with a balljoint puller, one with a sawzall, and the last one required a torch and sledge. Make sure you replace them with Lemforder arms and Boge bushings. You can rent an entire balljoint puller kit from Advance Auto Parts. They charge you for the kit and refund it when you bring it back.

[sirius_GTO]

awesome awesome! thanks a bunch guys. I'll let you know next week. BTW, for the common shimmy problem, do I just need to replace the upper control arms, or the lower as well? thanks

[fkong777]

pickle fork always works for me.. On the 540i I had more problem taking the bolt off the bushing. Boge bushing? I went with M5 bushings.

[zhandax]

On the 540i I had more problem taking the bolt off the bushing. That was the one which required the sawzall.

Boge bushing? I went with M5 bushings. I think someone here posted the part number for the Boge M5 bushings. I had planned to go with the M5, but Patrick's brother told me that people who owned M5s were buying the 750 bushings. From reading here, it sounds like there is a significant difference in expected lifetime between the Sach's and Boge bushings, although they are both the same company.

[Anthony (M5 in Calgary)]

people who owned M5s were buying the 750 bushings

Not that I've heard. The M5 bush is toitest. :D

[632 Regal]

/M5 bushing rocks, dont even need to balance the wheels...or even have round tires any more!

[sirius_GTO]

anyone got answer's to my question about needing to replace the lower control arms? Thanks do i need upper only or lower as well? thanks

[Dave M]

I wouldn't replace the lowers until I replaced the uppers. I did the uppers, still had the shimmy, then replaced a single tie rod end and the shimmy vanished. While control arms are often the culprit, there are other suspension/steering bits that can complicate the matter.

Good luck,

Dave M

[zhandax]

$80 for an alignment, $80 for a lower control arm. I did upper and lower (and tie rods) at the same time to avoid multiple alignment charges. Might change strategies if I got a better deal on alignments.