Advice on Control arm bushing and ball joints...

#1

Well I looked under the car yersterday and saw some play in my ball joints.
I’m looking for advice mainly on the control arm bushings…I plan to run spec e30 and I see a lot of guys using the M3 offset bushings. What exactly are these and how are they superior to the regular bushings? I am changing the ball joints because of excessive play. Any good options here? Delrin, Urethane, Aluminum? Any advice is welcome. I’m trying to get this Spec E30 right the first time. thanks.

#2

bimmerfreaks wrote:

[quote]Well I looked under the car yersterday and saw some play in my ball joints.
I’m looking for advice mainly on the control arm bushings…I plan to run spec e30 and I see a lot of guys using the M3 offset bushings. What exactly are these and how are they superior to the regular bushings? I am changing the ball joints because of excessive play. Any good options here? Delrin, Urethane, Aluminum? Any advice is welcome. I’m trying to get this Spec E30 right the first time. thanks.[/quote] the offset bushings increase caster. Replace the whole control arm since pressing in new ball joints will cost as much as the whole arm.

Post edited by: nasaregistrar, at: 2006/08/30 11:23

#3

nasaregistrar wrote:

[quote]bimmerfreaks wrote:

[quote]Well I looked under the car yersterday and saw some play in my ball joints.
I’m looking for advice mainly on the control arm bushings…I plan to run spec e30 and I see a lot of guys using the M3 offset bushings. What exactly are these and how are they superior to the regular bushings? I am changing the ball joints because of excessive play. Any good options here? Delrin, Urethane, Aluminum? Any advice is welcome. I’m trying to get this Spec E30 right the first time. thanks.[/quote] the offset bushings increase caster. Replace the whole control arm since pressing in new ball joints will coas as much as the whole arm.[/quote]

Thanks for the advice.

So you suggest purchasing M3 offset bushings? or some other aftermarket brand? Do you know what most people are running?

Also if you have camber and caster plates, why do I need these offset bushings if the plates will be able to adjust it?

Sorry about all the questions, just trying to understand the whole situation. thanks again

#4

nasaregistrar wrote:

[quote]bimmerfreaks wrote:

[quote]Well I looked under the car yersterday and saw some play in my ball joints.
I’m looking for advice mainly on the control arm bushings…I plan to run spec e30 and I see a lot of guys using the M3 offset bushings. What exactly are these and how are they superior to the regular bushings? I am changing the ball joints because of excessive play. Any good options here? Delrin, Urethane, Aluminum? Any advice is welcome. I’m trying to get this Spec E30 right the first time. thanks.[/quote] the offset bushings increase caster. Replace the whole control arm since pressing in new ball joints will coas as much as the whole arm.[/quote]

Thanks for the advice.

So you suggest purchasing M3 offset bushings? or some other aftermarket brand? Do you know what most people are running?

Also if you have camber and caster plates, why do I need these offset bushings if the plates will be able to adjust it?

Sorry about all the questions, just trying to understand the whole situation. thanks again

#5

bimmerfreaks wrote:

[quote]nasaregistrar wrote:

[quote]bimmerfreaks wrote:

[quote]Well I looked under the car yersterday and saw some play in my ball joints.
I’m looking for advice mainly on the control arm bushings…I plan to run spec e30 and I see a lot of guys using the M3 offset bushings. What exactly are these and how are they superior to the regular bushings? I am changing the ball joints because of excessive play. Any good options here? Delrin, Urethane, Aluminum? Any advice is welcome. I’m trying to get this Spec E30 right the first time. thanks.[/quote] the offset bushings increase caster. Replace the whole control arm since pressing in new ball joints will coas as much as the whole arm.[/quote]

Thanks for the advice.

So you suggest purchasing M3 offset bushings? or some other aftermarket brand? Do you know what most people are running?

Also if you have camber and caster plates, why do I need these offset bushings if the plates will be able to adjust it?

Sorry about all the questions, just trying to understand the whole situation. thanks again[/quote] I would be surprised if anyone is NOT running offset CA bushings.Some are probably running delrin or urethane. Some simply the stock M3 rubber one.
Whose camber plate also has a caster adjustment?

#6

If you elect to go other than solid rubber M3 type, there is a thread I started about control arm bushings. There is a link in there for AGK Performance (or something like that). They offer both urethane and delrin bushings, standard or offset, best price I found though the $9 shipping I thought was rather much. I just ordered mine yesterday so can’t give you a ‘product review’ yet.

#7

AKG ships everything in that USPS box that is a fixed price

#8

Here is the link to the e30 page, just call if you don’t see the bushing type and or material you want.

http://www.akgmotorsport.com/e30products.html

#9

I tried AKGs delrin front CA bushing and it didn’t work out. They were too thick. Don’t know if just had a bad set or what, but i ended up going with the delrin offset ones from bimmerworld.

#10

DMoses wrote:

How did the bimmerworld delrin bushings work out for you? and are they too much for the street? It’s funny because I read a couple of posts about people saying that the bimmerworld one fit with some modifications. Did you have any problem getting them in?

Also how did people like the AKG ones?

Thanks again everyone for your help from a true rookie over here.

#11

[/quote] I would be surprised if anyone is NOT running offset CA bushings.Some are probably running delrin or urethane. Some simply the stock M3 rubber one.
Whose camber plate also has a caster adjustment?[/quote]

I thought ground control or Ireland engineering offer a camber/caster adjustment plate thet you can put at the top of the spring toewer. or maybe even RRT? I know somebody makes them and actually I’m not sure if that is legal for spec e30.

#12

bimmerfreaks wrote:

[quote]DMoses wrote:

How did the bimmerworld delrin bushings work out for you? and are they too much for the street? It’s funny because I read a couple of posts about people saying that the bimmerworld one fit with some modifications. Did you have any problem getting them in?

Also how did people like the AKG ones?

Thanks again everyone for your help from a true rookie over here.[/quote]

No problem at all. I tapped them and put two screws through each one to keep them from rotating

#13

bimmerfreaks wrote:

[quote]DMoses wrote:

How did the bimmerworld delrin bushings work out for you? and are they too much for the street? It’s funny because I read a couple of posts about people saying that the bimmerworld one fit with some modifications. Did you have any problem getting them in?

Also how did people like the AKG ones?

Thanks again everyone for your help from a true rookie over here.[/quote]

No problem at all. I tapped them and put two screws through each one to keep them from rotating