[kolopn]

Hi All!

Due to the fact, that TRW (OEM supplier for M3 arms) moved production of those tension arms to Malaysia, and the fact that through one year I had two pairs of those tensions arms installed and both failed (Ball joint issue - After 10 000km I started to hear knocking) - I started looking for an alternative. There are plenty of other suppliers, but I wanted to keep arms as OEM as possible. What is more, M3 arms from Lemforder (Same ZF group as TRW) are also made in Malaysia (same factory, basically M3 TRW and Lemforder are the same parts with almost no markings).

Solution and parts needed:
- Normal non-M arms form Lemforder (Made in Slovakia) (30332-01, 30333-01),
- M3 Lemforder Bushing (Made in Germany) (35701-01) - 2x,

Tools needed:
- Some kind of bushing pressing tool - I made mine from big hex socket 50mm, threaded rod (strength 8.8 class), and 80mm concrete hole cutter - It worked pretty well,
- T-Clamps - Mine was 68mm-74mm range,

1. You have to press out the factory oil bushing. There are two solutions:
a) Pressing whole bushing at once - A lot of force is needed, and I didn't have such tools,
b) You can press out inner rubber bushing (watch out for oil coming from that bushing) and then you need to cut steel bushing sleeve in half, and than it can be easily removed from wishbone,

Non-M Lemforder Arm with bushing already removed


Hole without oil bushing


Inner diameter is around 69.7mm


Pressed out rubber bushing, and cutted out steel sleeve


2. Next you have to compress M3 bushing to close that gap that exist with T-Clamp. If T-Clamp is high quality it will not be an issue. Good advice - Compress it in the middle, so it will compress evenly on both sides. After that, put that in the arm by pushing in with bare hand (One side of arm hole has little chamfer to make that easier).

NOTE: TIS describe that bushing have to be pressed in evenly by both side, and cut in bushing has to be angled by A=30DEG +/- 5DEG



M3 Bushing from Lemforder part number:


M3 Bushing decompressed:


Finished DIY Europe Made Lemforder M3 Arm:



Cheers!