E36 Control Arms

[dj10]

Anyone racing a E36 325 having problems with control arms or other suspension parts?
Thanks
dj

[dj10]

Originally posted by dj10@Sep 26 2005, 01:08 PM
Anyone racing a E36 325 having problems with control arms or other suspension parts?
Thanks
dj

61188


A simple yes or no will suffice. :D
dj

[mlytle]

Originally posted by dj10@Sep 26 2005, 01:08 PM
Anyone racing a E36 325 having problems with control arms or other suspension parts?
Thanks
dj

61188

hi dj,
front control arms are common failure part on e36's. there is a bmwcr safety notice out on them. the bolt on the inner ball joint snaps. they are a regular maint item, not a wait untill it breaks kind of thing.

the rear lower control arms are another weak spot. cheap c-channel construction. easily bent if you hop a curb. once they are bent, the strength is seriously compromised and they can just fold up. bmw cr allows them to be reinforced into a box section or completely replaced with stronger aftermarket part. scca allows neither solution.

marshall

[BMW RACER]

DJ
I've broken an inner ball joint on my E30, luckily it was while scrubing tires on a pace lap! E36 control arms are almost identical I've got 2 years on mine, I'll change them for next season. So far no problem with the rears.

[Z3_GoCar]

Originally posted by mlytle@Sep 26 2005, 01:40 PM
hi dj,
front control arms are common failure part on e36's. there is a bmwcr safety notice out on them. the bolt on the inner ball joint snaps. they are a regular maint item, not a wait untill it breaks kind of thing.

the rear lower control arms are another weak spot. cheap c-channel construction. easily bent if you hop a curb. once they are bent, the strength is seriously compromised and they can just fold up. bmw cr allows them to be reinforced into a box section or completely replaced with stronger aftermarket part. scca allows neither solution.

marshall

61226


I assume this includes the e36/7 too with the front control arm. Funny I've not heard more on this on the Z3 boards, but maybe their still new enough and not driven like the sedans. I've heard of the sway bar mount breaking off the trailing arm on M roadsters and coupes, and of course the diff mount tearing off the bottom of the trunk. I wonder are the front arms interchangeable with the e-30? I'd sure love to swap in a set of Al control arms from an M.

James

[JoelG]

Originally posted by Z3_GoCar@Sep 27 2005, 02:10 AM
I wonder are the front arms interchangeable with the e-30? I'd sure love to swap in a set of Al control arms from an M.


I think 84 e30 thru 95 e36 m3 arms interchange. After that they made some changes to the upright and bushing lollipop that make it so they aren't completely interchangeable. The 96+ E36 M3 doesn't use the offset bushing for extra castor anymore -- they get it some other way. E46 may have introduced some more changes. I know for a fact (the hard way) the E46 rear arms are a little different than the E36 arms :(

It sure would be nice to have a reliable table of what interchanges and what doesn't :(

[dj10]

Originally posted by mlytle@Sep 26 2005, 08:40 PM
hi dj,
front control arms are common failure part on e36's. there is a bmwcr safety notice out on them. the bolt on the inner ball joint snaps. they are a regular maint item, not a wait untill it breaks kind of thing.

the rear lower control arms are another weak spot. cheap c-channel construction. easily bent if you hop a curb. once they are bent, the strength is seriously compromised and they can just fold up. bmw cr allows them to be reinforced into a box section or completely replaced with stronger aftermarket part. scca allows neither solution.

marshall

61226


thanks guys. Marshall if you have a link or just a site to that saftey notice I would appriciate it.
dj

[mlytle]

Originally posted by Z3_GoCar@Sep 27 2005, 02:10 AM
I assume this includes the e36/7 too with the front control arm. Funny I've not heard more on this on the Z3 boards, but maybe their still new enough and not driven like the sedans. I've heard of the sway bar mount breaking off the trailing arm on M roadsters and coupes, and of course the diff mount tearing off the bottom of the trunk. I wonder are the front arms interchangeable with the e-30? I'd sure love to swap in a set of Al control arms from an M.

James

61259


they are interchangeable from e30 to 95 e36 range, including the m3 models of both generations. of course they are not the same part number, so it is not legal to do this in improved touring.

i believe the casting of the arm is the same across all subj models, differences being in what bushing is installed in the outer ball joint. e36 m3 and normal e30's have a non-replaceable outer joint that is supposedly stiffer. normal e36's have a replaceable outer ball joint. e30 m3's have alum arms that are same geometry, but different material.

here is the bmw cr bulletin... http://www.bmwccaclubracing.com/static/200...letins/0202.htm (http://www.bmwccaclubracing.com/static/2005Series/bulletins/0202.htm)

[dj10]

[quote]
they are interchangeable from e30 to 95 e36 range, including the m3 models of both generations. of course they are not the same part number, so it is not legal to do this in improved touring.

i believe the casting of the arm is the same across all subj models, differences being in what bushing is installed in the outer ball joint. e36 m3 and normal e30's have a non-replaceable outer joint that is supposedly stiffer. normal e36's have a replaceable outer ball joint. e30 m3's have alum arms that are same geometry, but different material.

Guys, I have found out today the entire control arm is rebuildable. When you price it out, it will cost about 1/2 of what a new control arm will cost without the labor to remove and press in the new ball joints. So to me I'll get the new arm and not have to worry.
dj