How hard, How much, How far

[stx133]

Looking at doing a front end bush replacement on the 94 540, currently original rubber bushings. getting the 80kph/50mph shimmy (ot the wheel balance, have repeatedly checked). have worn tie rod ends and old bushes throughout.

Do i go Nolethane or OEM or aftermarket equivalent.

Do i replace everything while it is apart. or is replacing half enough.

How much are the bushes worth. have been told OEM is about $800 plus install and Nolethane is about $200 cheaper.

[Zeuk in Oz]

Contact Patrick at BMA ( www.bmaparts.com ) and order Lemfoerder parts and the thrust arms with either 750 or M5 bushings.

[stx133]

it this my parts list or am i missing bits.


Ball Joint lower 2 13.49 26.98
Ball joint upper 2 21.6 43.2
Front low left 1 88 88
front low right 1 0
Front upper left 1 92 92
Front Upper Right 1 92 92
Thrust arms 1 105 105
Tie rods 1 56.19 56.19
Idlet arm Bushing 1 16.63 16.63
USD $520 - AUD $700 + freight

[stx133]

Do i go for the alluminium control arms?

[genphreak]

it this my parts list or am i missing bits.


Ball Joint lower 2 13.49 26.98
Ball joint upper 2 21.6 43.2
Front low left 1 88 88
front low right 1 0
Front upper left 1 92 92
Front Upper Right 1 92 92
Thrust arms 1 105 105
Tie rods 1 56.19 56.19
Idlet arm Bushing 1 16.63 16.63
USD $520 - AUD $700 + freight

Perhaps enquire about e31 aluminum arms, they have sperical bearings in them. The arms should come as joint, arm and bush pre-assembled from Lemfoerder. I'd request M5 bushes as they get a better rap than the 750. ones. Otherwise www.noltec.com.au will give you polyurethane ones which I thought were good (I don't track my car) but be warned as many say are not... they do Green ones (Grunts bushings) and Blue ones (Noltec) which they claim are softer. I had the Green ones.

If you have the arms sent less the bush you will save a kg of frieght. The alloy arms are lighter (but not much). Alloy is stock on your car, but the steel may even be stronger. Tie rods are cheap as chips and easy to change so you might try cheapies if you are game, you also need swaybar links only get Lemforder. Idler arm bushing won't need changing but you can, if DIY buy the whole arm they are cheap and non-Lemfoerder is ok as there are no moving parts, just the pre-pressed bush- again this is easy to change.

Nick

[stu1]

I had aluminium control arms, now have steel ones. Can't tell any difference.

[zhandax]

I just did mine and Patrick's brother talked me into getting Moog swaybar links. I was thinking of putting in the M5 thrust arm bushings and he said that people who owned M5s were ordering the 750 bushings. He did mention that they now use the Boge 750 bushings, so I got those. I didn't look before I ordered the parts, and found out I had the alumnium arms in mine. I now have steel.

It went pretty well from the driver's side; arms, swaybar links/bushings and the tie rods/drag link/idler. I sprained my ankle (hope its not broken) coming out into the garage and lay down for a bit. When I limped back out my buddy told me he could not get the control arms off the passenger steering knuckle (even using the recommended puller). I got a sawzall and cut the nut off one of them and it popped out. I hit the other one with the sawzall for about 15 minutes and could not cut through it. He took it home with him and got it cherry red with a torch and managed to smack it out. Now I have to try to get it aligned before work Monday.

[Jehu]

Contact Patrick at BMA ( www.bmaparts.com ) and order Lemfoerder parts and the thrust arms with either 750 or M5 bushings.

I contacted them, they quoted me $200.00 plus shipping for two Lemforder Upper Control Arms with OEM 750i bushings pressed in. I wish i had bought them. I chose to assume my Indy wouldn't charge me much more than that when he ordered his OEM parts but he charged me about $300.00 more. I could have declined to have him to the work , bought the arms from BMA then brought it back but there would have been another 3-4 weeks wait before i could have him put them in.I would if you can afford to have everything done at the same time.I'm thinking i need struts and shocks but i also think i want to get bigger brakes like the 850 i calipers and larger rotors so it seems sensible to do them together.I may garage the car thru winter and do it all next Spring , God willing and if i live.If you can find a reputable shop who will install parts you supply the BMA Lemforder with sachs 750i bushings pressed in or the M5 bushings seem best. I chose the 750i bushings because that is what BMW advised be used to replace the original 540 bushings.Some i think have said the M5 bushies are more durable, will last longer and i didn't pick up on that before i decided.