4PCS Rear Lower Control Arm Sway Bar Kit For BMW 525i BMW 528i BMW 530i BMW 540i Fits select: 2002-2003 BMW 530 I AUTOMATIC, 2003 BMW 525 I AUTOMATIC

Suspension Control Arm

Control arms are installed in pairs on the front and rear axle and connect the chassis to the wheels as part of the suspension. Therefore, they have a significant influence on the driving characteristics of the vehicle

A dynamic or a comfortable driving style? The control arms are individually adjusted to the vehicle depending on the desired characteristics. They also absorb lateral movements and forces resulting from driving off and braking

Suspension Control Arm Replacement Guideline:

A defective control arm can manifest in the following ways:

(1).Noise (squeaking, creaking, rumbling)

(2).Deteriorating driveability

(3).Increasingly woolly and imprecise steering

(4).Uneven tyre wear

Tip:If the control arm is in working order, it is possible to only replace the defective bearings and joints. However, replacing bearings, control arm bushings and ball joints can be very complex and costly

1.First lift the vehicle using a car lift, ideally a wheel-free four-post car lift. This makes it easier to correctly tighten the control arm fixing screws

WARNING:Depending on the axle design, the control arm may need to be secured against falling with a suitable device, e.g. a transmission lifter

2.Treat the fixing screws and nuts of the control arm with rust solvent and leave it to work for a few minutes so that they are easier to loosen

3.On vehicles with automatic headlight levelling, it may be necessary to detach the leveling sensor from the control arm

4.If the stabilizer is connected to the control arm, the next step is to loosen and remove the corresponding stabiliser fixing screws

5.Loosen and remove the control arm fixing screws

6.Loosen the ball joint at the steering knuckle with a suitable special tool (e.g. a puller)

7.Remove the old control arm

8.Clean the mounting flange of the ball joint pin on the steering knuckle with sandpaper and then with brake cleaner. Otherwise single rust particles can enter the new control arm joint via the ball pin, potentially leading to premature failure of the joint

9.Fit the new control arm with the supplied accessories and attach new fixing screws and nuts

10.Reattach the stabilizer and, if applicable, the leveling sensor for headlight leveling to the control arm

NOTE:Do not tighten the fixing screws and nuts in this step, otherwise the rubber mounts will twist when the suspension compresses. This would lead to undesired preloading on the mounts

12.Tighten the fixing screws with the torque stipulated by the vehicle manufacturer

13.Lower the vehicle all the way

14.Measure the chassis and adjust if necessary

15.Check and, if necessary, adjust the headlight settings on vehicles with automatic headlight leveling where the leveling sensor is attached to the control arm

16.To conclude, test-drive the vehicle

Sway Bar

Some control arm bushings can be replaced with the arm still on the vehicle; others require removal of the arm. On a few applications, control arm bushings are threaded into the control arm, but most are press fitted
Press fitted bushings can be removed and installed with a bushing driver. Some may be removed with an air chisel, and some may be pressed into the arm with the retaining nut. This method can require periodic vibration of the control arm to coax the bushing into place