E46 Front Arm & ARB Swap - Advice Please

[Alan_M77]

My recent MOT picked up on play on inner ball-joints on the front control arms on my E46 Coupe. Annoyingly, I only replaced these about two years ago and only covered about 8k. They are TRW ones. I have now read in a few places that TRW E46 arms aren't the greatest. Was going to go Lemforder next, but have read they are going downhill too. I'm reluctant to try Meyle as they appear to be hit & miss. BMW sell a wishbone repair kit (31122341297 & 31122341828) that are around £170 each and am tempted. BMW or risk Lemforder?

If the front control arms need changing, I'll need the lollipops too. Anyone got experience of fitting poly or the Z4 ones? Again BMW or Lemforder?

Whilst here, another MOT advisory was the front ARB bushes. Don't think it's the bush, rather the ARB has wasted away under the bush from rust. I'm concerned a second hand ARB will be the same so might look at an upgrade. I know M3 ones fit, but will increasing front end to 26mm promote understeer and change balance between front & rear without changing the rear? Or M3 front and possibly E46 Cab rear?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[helix402]

I have one Lemforder sport control arm and one gen BMW sport one on my 330d with gen BMW control arm rear bushes. The arms are identical, even down to the blue sport sticker. You’ll need new nuts for the control arms and 4 bolts for the brackets. (60Nm for the bracket bolts)

I don’t fit Lemforder rear bushes any more as I’ve seen too many fail prematurely. Re poly the internet is full of for/against so I won’t repeat it.

I have a 27mm front M3 Conv bar with a 328Ci 19mm rear bar. This combination works a treat. No understeer.
The 20s are hard to come by used. I have used a 21mm Eibach rear bar which decreased ride quality slightly. The current set up doesn’t.

[Jakg]

I went for the Meyle HD ones for my Z4 as the ball joints are replaceable separately (admittedly they are £30!).

[LanceRS]

I have not had the arms on long enough to comment but my poly bushes on the lollipops have done 60k Miles with no issues.

[8Tech]

Purple poly bushes are certainly the way to go for the rear bushes. As for the arms, Lemforder are a good chouce.