Question on BMW 3-Series E36 /BMW/techarticles/JF Tech/E36_Control_Arm_Replacement?utm_source=pelican_bmw newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20140108

You make it sound so easy to get to the inner ball joint nuts on the control arms! This is the one thing that prevented me from doing this myself. You need a very long socket extension to reach them, because you they are near the bottom of the engine compartment and lots of stuff blocks your access from the top of the engine. And there is very limited space & awkward angles if you try to access them from below. I don't know of any easier methods to get these off, but this issue should absolutely be mentioned in the article so people don't get in over their heads. It sounds like this technical article is a one-size-fits-all general article for cars, has the author even tried this on an E36? This is definitely not a 3 job, more like a 5.

And there are pullers made specifically for removing AND installing control arm bushings, I tried the three-jaw puller and it did not work well, it kept slipping off. And it could not do anything for installing the new ones.

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[Nick at Pelican Parts]

There are tools for removing and installing the bushings. However a shop press works quite well when needed.

The inner nuts I use a long wrench to break it free from below, then remove the nit slowly. Once off, a swift blow from a hammer on the control arm breaks the connection to the vehicle.



- Nick

[jereisluke]

Originally Posted by Nick at Pelican Parts

There are tools for removing and installing the bushings. However a shop press works quite well when needed.

The inner nuts I use a long wrench to break it free from below, then remove the nit slowly. Once off, a swift blow from a hammer on the control arm breaks the connection to the vehicle.

So you can get the nut off from below with a long wrench, but how do you get a torque wrench on it to tighten the new nut to the specified torque? I'm assuming the long wrench is an open end wrench, but a torque wrench uses a socket which is harder to fit in that area.