Gents,

My 1.9 Z3 has been pulling to the left. The garage checked it and replaced the rear bushes on both front arms. This has made the steering tighter, but not cured the pull to the left.

The tracking has been checked and the wheels swapped over to check for buckled alloys etc, but the problem still exists.

As a last resort, me and the garage have decided that it could be ball joint or other bushes that have play in them, but not sufficient enough yet to see it visually, and so decided it may be worth changing the

complete control arm?

This doesn't cause me too much concern as i know they are a weak point on most 3 series variants and would likely go at some point anyway.

I intend to replace with Meyle HD parts (as i did on the back shock mounts) but should i replace both front control arms at the same time, i.e. as you would when changing springs??


Your thoughts appreciated,

Regards,
Rhys

Hi Rhys, I always try and change both sides at the same time if funds allow if only to save a trip back to the garage at a later date. I used the Meyle HD control arms, bushes and drop links on my old E36, they where definitely better quality than the standard, slight improvement on the road (this may just be because they were new), didn't keep the car long enough to test the warrantee :(

If the ball-joints were at fault they would notice whilst still on the car and if the wishbones aren't bent then it could be something else like tyres, cambers, toe or shocks etc... Just a thought !

Thanks both.

JD you may indeed be correct, I think it will be just a process of elimination tbh.

Also, the control arms appear to be the originals!!! So I think they are probably due a change lol

If your uprating bushes do both sides mate

Thanks Gav,

I have now ordered the Meyle HD control arms for both sides (believe these come with the ball joints etc) and also x2 new track rod ends.

Anything else i may need?

p.s the rear bushes have just been changed anyway