lower front wishbones 325i touring

[trigger]

heard they are the same as the M series (cast alloy) and cost 230 squids eaches !! does any one know if their is a pattern product on the market or a cheaper alternative i.e steel part or from another model?

[dazleeds]

german swedish or ecp

copys in steel at 38quid each i think

[Simon13]

yes 2.5 tourings came with aluminium wish bones along with later M3s!

there is an alterntive! normal steel ones which all other E30's came with. Genuine complete arms can be had from GSF for about £35 each

hth

i take it the ball joints are shot?!

[Theo]

Standard steel ones will fit fine, my one has them, shame really would have liked the alloy ones!

[trigger]

i take it the ball joints are shot?![/quote]


not sure yet have an anoing judder through the steering which needs looking at properly but thougth id ask to prepare myself for the worst!!

cheers guys, will look into it now im not so scared to look!!!

[trigger]

Standard steel ones will fit fine, my one has them, shame really would have liked the alloy ones!

do you really think there is that much of a weight difference as i think i would prefer steel parts as i dont really feel confident with cast alloy as ive had parts fail on other vehicles before!

[Demlotcrew]

The alloy arms are stronger than the steel ones. Many people who race M3s use them, but the E36 M3 has even stronger ones which are steel.

Andrew

[Morat]

I had to persuade myself with this logic last week when the flash looking yellow shocks came out of my touring and were replaced with pattern shocks. The fact that the old shocks were leaking badly and one was actually bent meant that my car handled like crap nomatter how good the parts had once been....

Whatever you feel about "downgrading" from alloy to steel, steel arms with good balljoints are going to work much better than alloy ones with shot balljoints. You're doing the right thing! Spend the money you save on some waxoyl....

[max_crox]

Sorry to jump in on the thread but I have a question related to this.
I've just had my MOT and it failed on "Offside Front suspension joint has excessive play in lower suspension ball joint [2.5.b.1a]" and I've just taken it to a local BM specialist (which I've never used) and he says I need a new lower arm. I told him that the tourings came with Aluminium wishbones and they are quite rare and expensive. He said he would have a look under the car and he said they look like Steel ones to him. How do I know that they are Steel or Alu and what will be the effect if he replaces the arm with a steel one and the other side stays Alu (or is it recommended to replace both at the same time?
Cheap suggestions please
Is there any noticeable difference between the steel and the Alu ones when driving?

Thanks
Mark

[Project_E30]

Use a magnet to check if its steel

[max_crox]

now that's a bloody good idea!! Now if I had half a brain cell I would be dangerous!!!!
Cheers
Mark

[max_crox]

Just had a quote from a Dealer for a new Alu one £253 including VAT. ummm I hope the one I have is steel!
Mark.

[Project_E30]

Its fine to use steel

[Bob_S]

can you not buy the bushes separate and get them pushed in?

[Dan318-is]

the bushes can be puushed in its ball joints on alloy arms that cannot be replaced. Most tourings run steel arms now anyway simply due to the fact owners dont watn to pay 280ish quid for alloy ones like mentioned above; so steel is fine

[mattG]

took my sport for MOT to day, failed on both ball joints, been quoted 280 quid inc vat for parts & labour is this good or bad, must be steel parts.

[Dan318-is]

how much! i changed both my wishbones in under an hour?!

[mattG]

he said 1.5 hours a side