Tell me this is a bad plan.

[BennyM]

I need a new lower control arm. The ones that came with the car were aluminum, so I figure there's a reason BMW went with those over steel. The lemforder replacement is really expensive. For the same price I could get two Karlyn aluminum arms (which also weigh exactly the same) and add reinforced BMP boots, since that's the only difference between the two that I've been able to find. The bushings don't seem to take as much of a pounding as those on the upper thrust arm, and I've read no complaints about the chinese bushings. So, tell me Karlyn and BMP is a bad plan before I call Patrick at BMA.

[BMW4LIFE]

I need a new lower control arm. The ones that came with the car were aluminum, so I figure there's a reason BMW went with those over steel. The lemforder replacement is really expensive. For the same price I could get two Karlyn aluminum arms (which also weigh exactly the same) and add reinforced BMP boots, since that's the only difference between the two that I've been able to find. The bushings don't seem to take as much of a pounding as those on the upper thrust arm, and I've read no complaints about the chinese bushings. So, tell me Karlyn and BMP is a bad plan before I call Patrick at BMA.

k im gonna give it to you straight!

Karyln...sucks! Lemmies are AMAZING!

You drive a 525i with 175K so I dont think you would be tracking that bad boy and the extra weight of steel might wont hurt

The alum are nice cause i imagine that you lose weight...but the reliability of the lemmies are well worth it...especially because you wont have to change them out as often as the Karyln

my 2 cents

[BigKriss]

if the balljoint seals dont break I dont see while the new arms wont last for a while

[BennyM]

That's what I'm sayin' ! Perhaps I'll do this as an experiment for everyone's general benefit.....

[632 Regal]

That's what I'm sayin' ! Perhaps I'll do this as an experiment for everyone's general benefit.....

I would probably think about spending the cheap money 2x then consider the benefits when you need to do it again (3rd time). I have traveled this road as many others and we all come back to the Lemmis... upper bushes M5, not sure if the lowers have M5 but that's what I ordered and they still work. The upgrade of 750 bushings allowed me an extra 20 seconds to destroy them. China bushings??? Probably break for me right off the ramps.

Just sayin.

[BennyM]

Yes, but you're talking about the thrust arm bushings. I would definitely only buy lemforder thrust arms with the toughest bushings imaginable. I know those are finicky. But, the lower control arms, in my experience, fail at the ball joint end before they go at the bushing end. I know this isn't a new debate, but I have yet to find anyone who can say that their chinese/italian/turkish lower control arm died because of something other than the ball joint. If anyone has ever had a cheapy one and had it die some other way, let me know.

I would probably think about spending the cheap money 2x then consider the benefits when you need to do it again (3rd time). I have traveled this road as many others and we all come back to the Lemmis... upper bushes M5, not sure if the lowers have M5 but that's what I ordered and they still work. The upgrade of 750 bushings allowed me an extra 20 seconds to destroy them. China bushings??? Probably break for me right off the ramps.

Just sayin.

[Bill R.]

I can't speak for the chinese rubber on the bmw thrust arms since i only use lemforder on customers cars, but i can speak for the chinese rubber on other cars, such as motor mounts and control arms.... absolute junk, Dodge caravan motor mounts don't even last 1 month, same with nissan quest. Control arms the same story.
Easy to spot the chinese mounts even without
a country of origin sticker on them. The rubber stinks really bad right out of the box. Even the indian rubber doesn't smell as bad as the chinese.
We've learned our lesson on chinese motor mounts and now convince customers to spend the extra on dealer mounts for ford,chevy,dodge,nissan, honda etc.

Yes, but you're talking about the thrust arm bushings. I would definitely only buy lemforder thrust arms with the toughest bushings imaginable. I know those are finicky. But, the lower control arms, in my experience, fail at the ball joint end before they go at the bushing end. I know this isn't a new debate, but I have yet to find anyone who can say that their chinese/italian/turkish lower control arm died because of something other than the ball joint. If anyone has ever had a cheapy one and had it die some other way, let me know.

[Ferret]

Another point is that actually it's the lower arms that do most of the work... they're doing work constantly as you're driving along as the bushings are in constant compression from the toe in of the front wheels.

Every time you go around a corner/correct the direction of the car these bushings take a beating - why'd you think they have a much sturdier rubber bush in than the thrust arms? In the E31 they did away with rubber totally and replaced it with a bearing!

Sure the thrust arms get hammered under occasional braking, but I dont think it's anything like the constant work done by the lower arms!

[ryan roopnarine]

The BMP balljoint boots don't make up for an inherently crappy balljoint. The boots themselves could probably last for hundreds of thousands of miles, but that doesn't mean that the joint won't fail first.

[BennyM]

That is a very good point, Ferret. I still haven't found any actual accounts of premature LCA bushing failure, but to avoid being ostracized from the board, I'm going to compromise and go with the lemforder steel and replace both LCAs.

Also, this E30 forum had some good points about aluminum vs. steel:
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum.../t-310690.html

Sorry to beat a dead horse with this topic. It's just so tempting when you see an opportunity to "beat the system."

Another point is that actually it's the lower arms that do most of the work... they're doing work constantly as you're driving along as the bushings are in constant compression from the toe in of the front wheels.

Every time you go around a corner/correct the direction of the car these bushings take a beating - why'd you think they have a much sturdier rubber bush in than the thrust arms? In the E31 they did away with rubber totally and replaced it with a bearing!

Sure the thrust arms get hammered under occasional braking, but I dont think it's anything like the constant work done by the lower arms!