wmliu
BMW Lower Control Arm Replacement (E46)
Do-It-Yourself guide for replacing the Lower Control Arms (LCAs) on a E46 2002 BMW 330Ci Convertible.
Blogged HERE.
The LCAs are an important suspension part that controls the position of the front wheels. Each LCA on this car has two ball joints and an end inserted into the bushing. If a play has developed at any of the ball joints, as is the case on the passenger side of my car, the wheel will have a play that can cause uneven wear of the tire (cupping) and the car pulling to the side when going over uneven roads (bump steer). It's easy to test the LCAs. Simply jack up the car so that the front wheels are off the ground. Rock each front wheel back and forth. If there is any play, there is a problem with the LCA or bushing. Replacing just the bushings is much easier.
Apparently the LCAs are a common problem on some model years of the E46 because a nylon lining is used for the ball joints which tends to fail at around 60K miles. Mine started having problems at around 50K miles.
The ball joints are pressed into the LCA and requires a power press to remove and install. DIYers need to replace the entire LCA assemblies. This guide illustrates the steps for replacing them. After the replacement, the car will go back to solid and firm handling, remind us why we got these cars in the first place.
Allocate at least 4 to 5 hours for this job if you're doing this for the first time, even though it can be done in 2 to 3 hours if you're familiar with it. Then again, you wouldn't be reading this if you had done it before.
BMW Lower Control Arm Replacement (E46)
Do-It-Yourself guide for replacing the Lower Control Arms (LCAs) on a E46 2002 BMW 330Ci Convertible.
Blogged HERE.
The LCAs are an important suspension part that controls the position of the front wheels. Each LCA on this car has two ball joints and an end inserted into the bushing. If a play has developed at any of the ball joints, as is the case on the passenger side of my car, the wheel will have a play that can cause uneven wear of the tire (cupping) and the car pulling to the side when going over uneven roads (bump steer). It's easy to test the LCAs. Simply jack up the car so that the front wheels are off the ground. Rock each front wheel back and forth. If there is any play, there is a problem with the LCA or bushing. Replacing just the bushings is much easier.
Apparently the LCAs are a common problem on some model years of the E46 because a nylon lining is used for the ball joints which tends to fail at around 60K miles. Mine started having problems at around 50K miles.
The ball joints are pressed into the LCA and requires a power press to remove and install. DIYers need to replace the entire LCA assemblies. This guide illustrates the steps for replacing them. After the replacement, the car will go back to solid and firm handling, remind us why we got these cars in the first place.
Allocate at least 4 to 5 hours for this job if you're doing this for the first time, even though it can be done in 2 to 3 hours if you're familiar with it. Then again, you wouldn't be reading this if you had done it before.