[LexxxM]

Hi guys, pretty much as the title suggests, ive lowered my car on coilovers, all was fine but I wore through my front lower arms/control arms real quickly after putting the coilovers on..
I thought that's fine, perhaps they were on their way out and the stiffer suspension has highlighted them so I replaced them like for like..
All was well for a few weeks and they started nocking again.. Fine so I uprates them to the m3 control arms...
A few weeks later THEY ARE NOCKING TOO! It's the bush on the subframe end not the balljoint on the hub end. Has so much play in it I feel unsafe to drive it (hey it's a 335 I should be able to push it !)

Any suggestions as to why my car would be chewing through them so quickly? Is there such a thing as being 'too low' for the lower arms to handle? There's plenty of you guys as low or lower than me have you experienced anything similar?

Any help will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks - Alex

[LexxxM]

And I forgot to mention, each time I done suspension work or changed the arms I had whole car re aligned and checked each time

[shadow191]

Did you adjust the bushings on the control arms? When you lower the car, it puts a lot of stress on the bushings since they're now loaded all the time. To fix this, you loosen the bolts while the car is at the lowered drive height then retighten. Basically now the bushings are indexed to your drive height and it relieves the tension.


Don't know if that's the entire cause of your problem, but that could be part of it.

[LexxxM]

Originally Posted by shadow191

Did you adjust the bushings on the control arms? When you lower the car, it puts a lot of stress on the bushings since they're now loaded all the time. To fix this, you loosen the bolts while the car is at the lowered drive height then retighten. Basically now the bushings are indexed to your drive height and it relieves the tension.


Don't know if that's the entire cause of your problem, but that could be part of it.

That may be my problem then! I fitted everything (including the new arms) whilst on a ramp which was holding up the body of the car, so the wheel height would have been way higher than when it's on the ground, if I change out the arms/bushes again and then get it on my buddy's ramp that I can drive onto then loosen and re tighten at the bush end I should be okay?

[LexxxM]

So the weight of the car is actually on it and sitting at the height ive set

[sukutash]

Originally Posted by LexxxM

That may be my problem then! I fitted everything (including the new arms) whilst on a ramp which was holding up the body of the car, so the wheel height would have been way higher than when it's on the ground, if I change out the arms/bushes again and then get it on my buddy's ramp that I can drive onto then loosen and re tighten at the bush end I should be okay?

Yep, that's causing you to prematurely wear the bushings. Just think of how much torsional stress your subjecting those bad boys to.

[LexxxM]

Originally Posted by sukutash

Yep, that's causing you to prematurely wear the bushings. Just think of how much torsional stress your subjecting those bad boys to.

Wow thanks guys I'll try it out, new arms are on the way.. I didn't think from memory that there was loads of room for them to move tbh but worth a shot! And I lowered my previous e92 and didn't seem to get any problems, maybe I was lucky! I'll let you know how I get on.

I'm planning on selling it soon so want to make sure everything is nice for the new owner

[feuer]

Originally Posted by LexxxM

Wow thanks guys I'll try it out, new arms are on the way.. I didn't think from memory that there was loads of room for them to move tbh but worth a shot! And I lowered my previous e92 and didn't seem to get any problems, maybe I was lucky! I'll let you know how I get on.

I'm planning on selling it soon so want to make sure everything is nice for the new owner

I don't think that should be the case with M3 components since the control arm bushings are different design.

[ThatRWD]

Originally Posted by shadow191

Did you adjust the bushings on the control arms? When you lower the car, it puts a lot of stress on the bushings since they're now loaded all the time. To fix this, you loosen the bolts while the car is at the lowered drive height then retighten. Basically now the bushings are indexed to your drive height and it relieves the tension.


Don't know if that's the entire cause of your problem, but that could be part of it.

What else should be done when you lower your car?

[LexxxM]

Originally Posted by feuer

I don't think that should be the case with M3 components since the control arm bushings are different design.

Hmm strange.. do you have any other suggestions mate as to what might cause it?
Thanks!

[feuer]

Originally Posted by LexxxM

Hmm strange.. do you have any other suggestions mate as to what might cause it?
Thanks!

M3 control arms are different design with rotating spherical bushings so technically doesn't really matter whether you tighten them under load or not.
I will look into other components also as is very possible that other components are bad, like: swaybar links, inner and outer tie rods or strut mounts.
I'm yet to see M3 control arm bad on the subframe side, hub yes, but not the subframe side because or the bushing design.
Pretty much is impossible to wear them out in few weeks time unless you drive off road all the time and even then is not plausible.
Additionally, every time you unload the suspension when the car goes of the ground take some time for all the suspension components to settle back where they where.
So even if you don't replace any part the knock might go away for some time until you make that full lock, you hit that pothole drive aggressively or similar and then return.
Very temperamental, like all BMW in general...

[LexxxM]

Hey guys just wanted to follow up on this and let you know how I got on, first of all thanks a lot for all your help! Turns out what I thought was play in the bush turned out to be the bolt had become loosened and the arm was actually loose at that end hence the nocking! I'm guessing because of the tension they were under has cause them to eventually rattle a bit of play in the bolt somehow, I had my guys just undo them, let the car settle and re-tighten and it seems to have done the trick so the m3 arms are staying thanks again guys

[ThatRWD]

Do you need to readjust the bushings if your raising your car? Also why wouldn't the ramps have worked for Lex?

[simon]

Originally Posted by feuer

I don't think that should be the case with M3 components since the control arm bushings are different design.

The lower arm bushing is more like a bearing and you are correct. The M3 upper arm still needs to be tightened at ride height.