Feedback on Meyle HD CAs and CABs wanted

Engine support bar from Harbor Freight is about $60 + $7 s/h, maybe less if you can find the 20% off coupon.

I didn't use the engine support and just unbolted the CA's individually. The outer ball joint nuts are easy to get to. The driver side inner ball joint nut is easy to get to from the top of the engine bay with a long extension. That leaves just one tricky nut to undo -- inner ball joint on the pass. side.

For ball joint separation don't use the pickle fork. This is what you want, and it makes the job stress-free:
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-qua...tor-99849.html

I am thinking of switching the CABs back to Lemforders to get back the smooth feel of the ride; Meyle HD CABs are just way too jarring for my taste.

^what he said about the engine support bar. I have a 20% off coupon, if you want it. I also have a brand new, never used engine support bar that you are welcome to use, but the shipping back and forth would be about what you would pay for the Harbor Freight bar, with 20% off. Of course, if you come to NC....

If your CA's were replaced, they would have put in the 66mm FCAB's, most likely. I seem to remember that BMW was replacing the smaller FCAB' with the larger 66mm ones as part of a service bulletin. Maybe I am wrong about that though. But yours would have had the 60mm bushings from the factory.

Love the hds made the car feel right.

I never tried the arms, but I didn't like the bushings. They transmitted more vibrations that I was willing to accept. Felt like I had an unbalanced wheel (I didn't). Unfortunately the value line kit for the ZHP/M-Sport II arms + bushings had a major price increase.

SLOtown's method is great, no doubt, but is unnecessary, really. Trust me the inner balljoint is child's play. just need extensions. don't even think about it.

As for Meyle's being too stiff, don't forget the stock e36 m3 bushing is solid rubber. probably even stiffer due to having much less rubber. in my opinion there's really no concern with the extra feel you get. i like it. still feels well damped while being direct. just keep in mind the OE bushings are also great will be less durable and you might be in there changing them out fairly soon.

I keep going back and forth on my thinking...my oe cabs did seem to fail within a couple of years...so that's a vote for the HDs...though I'm thinking of sticking OE lemforder arms...can't go wrong with them...they've been good to me!

The Lemforders are great, they just don't last long enough. I wish someone made an FCAB with poly-like durability and OE levels of vibration.

I have Meyle on my vert. They definitely transmit more road feel back to the wheel, but steering is tighter. Not sure I like the added vibration, though.

Dmax, if you don't want to change the way your car handles/feels from factory, then stay OEM Lemforder and OE/OEM bushings. If you don't mind a little more feel/feedback and more durability and serviceability, go Meyle HD/Meyle HD.

Originally Posted by E46Mango

SLOtown's method is great, no doubt, but is unnecessary, really. Trust me the inner balljoint is child's play. just need extensions. don't even think about it.

As for Meyle's being too stiff, don't forget the stock e36 m3 bushing is solid rubber. probably even stiffer due to having much less rubber. in my opinion there's really no concern with the extra feel you get. i like it. still feels well damped while being direct. just keep in mind the OE bushings are also great will be less durable and you might be in there changing them out fairly soon.

Idk. E46 M3's is also solid rubber, and I don't get near the same steering vibrations as I did with the Meyle's on my 330

Originally Posted by E46Mango

Dmax, if you don't want to change the way your car handles/feels from factory, then stay OEM Lemforder and OE/OEM bushings. If you don't mind a little more feel/feedback and more durability and serviceability, go Meyle HD/Meyle HD.

I feeling the Lemmie CAs, but wondering about the cabs. It's funny, because I'd think that the variation in play is still very slight. If it's a 1/4" more 'play' in the OE bushings, I'd be surprised, but that might be all it takes to get a cushy ride.

We have lots of potholes around, and I get to NYC often enough where the car gets even more of a beating. Then, the question is back to my original one...is there any issue with the hd bushings on Lemforder CAs...the pin size is the same...drop of the lollipop the same?

Buy them. Stop typing.

Originally Posted by Sweetness

Buy them you old hoot!

PS Love you Douglas Maximus

Coming soon to a green bimmer near you! I'll probably wait until Spring. The guys in the shop work hard, particularly in the winter, so I won't bug them if I don't need to.

Thank you Sweetness! (I never told you this, but back in the day I used to call my wife sweetness. Now, I have another term for her!)

Ninja edit: I'm a very fast typist! Sorry!

you will have no problems with Meyle HD cabs on OE arms. thats what they're made for

Originally Posted by dmax

We have lots of potholes around, and I get to NYC often enough where the car gets even more of a beating. Then, the question is back to my original one...is there any issue with the hd bushings on Lemforder CAs...the pin size is the same...drop of the lollipop the same?

It's made for the same 66mm spec.

I think you should be asking the question which ca bushing to go with on the Meyle HD ca's. Softer, more forgiving oe (that can fail premsturely) or less forgiving (longer lasting) Meyle HDs?

Been searching and reading and, with 62,000 on the clock, I know i will be looking at CAB replacement soon even though all seems solid so far. Why or when would the control arm itself need replaced? Not wanting to cheap-out, I just don't understand how this triangle of aluminum would wear out. I want to the keep the car solid but don't want to replace things just for ish and giggles. Looking at this because I will, in the near future, be tackling the suspension components (sport suspension).

I lurked on the site for a long time after buying the car last year about this time and have learned a lot from researching and reading posts about PM (thanks Mango and Jfoj, another Max [Dmax], and many others). I have already replaced cooling system because I had a thermostat problem, the fuel filter, disa, lower intake hoses, trans fluid/filter, diff fluid, oil and filter, battery.

First day driving on them went well. I still need to get the car aligned but it feels more responsive. They are a good compromise between polly and stock

Originally Posted by Alex323Ci

It's made for the same 66mm spec.

I think you should be asking the question which ca bushing to go with on the Meyle HD ca's. Softer, more forgiving oe (that can fail premsturely) or less forgiving (longer lasting) Meyle HDs?

^^ This!

Originally Posted by Alex323Ci

It's made for the same 66mm spec.

I think you should be asking the question which ca bushing to go with on the Meyle HD ca's. Softer, more forgiving oe (that can fail premsturely) or less forgiving (longer lasting) Meyle HDs?

Alex, I've been on my Lemforders myself for 100K miles...before, I don't know that they'd ever been replaced (will look for date stamp). Whether they had or not, it's at least 100K miles and they're not what you'd think. They're really fine...I'm sure I'll notice an improvement whatever new CA I get.

But, why do you think I should go HD CAs and not Lemforders...if that's what you're saying. Just because they're serviceable or because of something else?

Originally Posted by Max'd out

Been searching and reading and, with 62,000 on the clock, I know i will be looking at CAB replacement soon even though all seems solid so far. Why or when would the control arm itself need replaced? Not wanting to cheap-out, I just don't understand how this triangle of aluminum would wear out. I want to the keep the car solid but don't want to replace things just for ish and giggles. Looking at this because I will, in the near future, be tackling the suspension components (sport suspension).

I lurked on the site for a long time after buying the car last year about this time and have learned a lot from researching and reading posts about PM (thanks Mango and Jfoj, another Max [Dmax], and many others). I have already replaced cooling system because I had a thermostat problem, the fuel filter, disa, lower intake hoses, trans fluid/filter, diff fluid, oil and filter, battery.

The ball joints fail. They'll wobble within the socket. It's not the arm at all.

OE CAs don't have balljoints that can be replaced. The meyle control arms do. They also say that their balljoint is all metal, whereas I believe the socket in a Lemforder may be some sort of plastic/nylon. (It is in the lemforder sway bar endlinks). But, as I said, my CAs have held up a long time, whether serviceable or not.