E30 318iS Ball Joints

[Royalratch]

Hi guys.

Anyopne got any links / articles that would show me how to replace ball joints? I'm well up for trying and do a fair bit of maintenance myself.

Is it a complicated job - any special tools?

Much appreciated.

[Brianmoooore]

Assuming you mean the front control arm ball joints, then the normal way is to replace the whole control arm complete with the two ball joints. Individual ball joints are available, and they can be removed and replaced with a hydraulic press, but it's not normally worth the extra work.
Good quality control arms are Ԛ£30something pounds from GSF/ECP, IIRC, and you will need a control arm bush as well at about Ԛ£8?
Only tool required is a ball joint splitter, but a big hammer can substitute for this if you're not reusing the control arm.
Tracking will need to be set afterwards.

[SGP]

Special tool no. 1. a big hammer !

[DanThe]

I replaced the ball joints on my control arms at a cost of Ԛ£7 per ball joint, also got some E36 M3 eccentric control arm bushes and had the arms and 'lolipops' powder coated before hand



Like said, this job needs a hydraulic press, also the outer ball joints are slotted so they will only work in one direction

[reddevil]

Sorry to steal this thread (like I do so many others....lol), but does anyone know where I can get a set of the actual lollipops???, I know it's daft but I want to try fitting the bushes in a set that's not on my car since I cannot afford to take my car off the road as it's in use everyday.

Thanks

Red D

[Royalratch]

This site is truly awesome.

So if I get 2 x control arms, do they come with the bushes already on/in them?

The big hammer talk, you basically mean slap the bushes into the holes in the control arm right? From beneath or above the arm?

Awesome!

[Chris-W]

new arms come with the two ball-joints fitted (as per Dan's pic above), but you will need to fit new bushes yourself.

Big Hammer would be for smacking the old arms out via the top of the ball joints.

[Royalratch]

Why are offset / eccentric bushes (like the M3 and E36 ones) superior?

[DanThe]

Well they are solid for a start, the eccentric design alters the castor angle to give a better 'turn in' and more feedback from the steering,

Thats what ive found anyway