Bent rear lower control arm

[WAMz4]

Long story sort - If a buddy is helping you change your brake pads, make sure he knows where to put the jack. While I was un-boxing pads and collecting tools together my friend started jacking up the car. I new I should have done it but figured he knows what he's doing since he changed hundreds of brake pads. Turns out, he thought the lower control arm on the rear drivers side was a good place to jack up the car.

On the plus side I found a great source for BMW parts, http://www.rmeuropean.com/

Centrally located in Colorado so shipping is never from coast to coast. And because I am in Colorado, shipping is free. I searched Realoem for the part number, they have original price of $125. I paid $53.80.

Now my question is, How hard is this to replace. It looks pretty straight forward, just 2 bolts as far as I can see.

Has anyone here replaced or changed out the lower control arms? Is it as easy as it looks?

This is the part that bent, You can see where the paint chipped off. We actually had to straighten it with a crow bar.


Here is one of the bolts that needs to be removed in the highlight -


And the other bolt -


Any info would be appreciated greatly.

[Vanne]

I've changed a few on Nissans, never on a z4, if its like most control arms it would have a conical friction lock, which can be persuaded with a persuader. ; )

But wait for someone to chime in who's done it on a z4 mate.

[Smurfskier]

not as easy as it looks. It is just the two bolts on the control arm ..... but to get the inner bolt out you need to move the differential since that bolt hits on the housing. Here is a link that explains the procedure.

http://blog.bavauto.com/11278/bmw-re...e36-e46-z4-x3/

[WAMz4]

Originally Posted by Smurfskier

not as easy as it looks. It is just the two bolts on the control arm ..... but to get the inner bolt out you need to move the differential since that bolt hits on the housing. Here is a link that explains the procedure.

http://blog.bavauto.com/11278/bmw-re...e36-e46-z4-x3/

Great info. Thanks!