» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | 1999 M3 Swap 09-07-2023 10:10 PM 05-02-2024 08:18 PM 6 Replies, 342,611 Views | | | | | | 07-08-2008, 10:34 PM | #1 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 699 | Pain in the wallet... well I went to the local alignment shop to see if they could give me a 4-wheel alignment...they called me 30 minutes later saying that I needed to replace my front passenger's side ball joint...and then said they can't do it. Here's the pain in my wallet, after playing phone tag with the lady at the Bimmer shop I finally get a voice mail that says it's gonna cost $190 for the alignment and I didn't even tell them about the ball joint...I just call this my punishment for getting a bimmer...just lube it up and slide it in lol Anyone know a national NON BMW company that can do it? __________________ Steffen, they are F's not V's. Apexcone Projector36 w/ 6000K|ACS Driver's Collection Knob|UUC Ultrasuede boot|20% Tint|TMS CF Wing|Antenna Delete|Rear Wiper Delete|Magnaflow Muffler and Resonator w/ Cat Delete| Extra Tail Light Mod 6" Speaker Mod | | | 07-08-2008, 10:50 PM | #2 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 699 | also, my dad was wondering if the ball joints have to be pressed in. He used to be a mechanic and can do pretty much anything. __________________ Steffen, they are F's not V's. Apexcone Projector36 w/ 6000K|ACS Driver's Collection Knob|UUC Ultrasuede boot|20% Tint|TMS CF Wing|Antenna Delete|Rear Wiper Delete|Magnaflow Muffler and Resonator w/ Cat Delete| Extra Tail Light Mod 6" Speaker Mod | | | 07-08-2008, 10:51 PM | #3 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: OKC, Oklahoma Posts: 387 | thats bull!! go somewere else | | | 07-08-2008, 10:52 PM | #4 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: OKC, Oklahoma Posts: 387 | Quote: Originally Posted by Flametail also, my dad was wondering if the ball joints have to be pressed in. He used to be a mechanic and can do pretty much anything. | yeah u can take on that job it is not to hard to replace them!! | | | 07-08-2008, 10:54 PM | #5 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 699 | do they have to be pressed though? the guys at the shop said that they couldn't do it because of some clip under the ball joint. where else can do it? __________________ Steffen, they are F's not V's. Apexcone Projector36 w/ 6000K|ACS Driver's Collection Knob|UUC Ultrasuede boot|20% Tint|TMS CF Wing|Antenna Delete|Rear Wiper Delete|Magnaflow Muffler and Resonator w/ Cat Delete| Extra Tail Light Mod 6" Speaker Mod | | | 07-08-2008, 11:49 PM | #6 | Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 1,587 | Usually people just buy new control arms which include both new middle (inner) and outer ball joints already attached to the arm. The outer ball joint can be replaced, but I think the middle (inner) can not. Check out this diagram from realoem.com (It's Back!!!!) I'm pretty sure it needs to be pressed in and out. http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...42&hg=31&fg=05 Any-old shop should be able to replace the control arms as a complete unit; it's not very hard at all. One thing to keep in mind is that when you do replace an entire control arm you need to replace the control arm bushing too. It's a pretty cheap part though. | | | 07-09-2008, 12:17 AM | #7 | That's not Millpoint Blue Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: BNA Posts: 3,161 | Was this shop in Dickson by any chance? I was talking to my mechanic today and he said he saw a red 318ti in Dickson a few days ago. I asked if it had a rusty hole in the drivers rear quarter panel and he said it did. Small world, eh? LOL Anyway... you should check with Konrad... he's very knowledgeable about our cars (he has a silver Active), and is affordable. PM me if you want contact info. __________________ Real men know how to SEARCH! THIS IS A MILLPOINT BLUE INTERIOR Mods 'n' stuff: Star Spoke 43 wheels - X-Brace - Mason Engineering front strut brace - CF gauge overlay - ZHP shifter knob - Racing Dynamics cat-back - Doubled brake lights - M-tech rear spoiler From Page 68 of the 1997 Owners Manual: "Vehicles equipped with ASC+T remain subject to the laws of physics." | | | 07-09-2008, 02:07 AM | #8 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Halethorpe, MD Posts: 1,028 | There is a BMW special tool that allows a tech to change the outer ball joint with them still on the car. I had mine done at a dealership a few years ago. I didn't get a good look at the tool, but it would be nice to get my hands on one. I would probably go ahead and get new arms with the Meyle heavy duty ball joints already in them. It's more money now, but they'll last a lot longer. | | | 07-09-2008, 03:01 AM | #9 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 699 | Quote: Originally Posted by roadrash Was this shop in Dickson by any chance? I was talking to my mechanic today and he said he saw a red 318ti in Dickson a few days ago. I asked if it had a rusty hole in the drivers rear quarter panel and he said it did. Small world, eh? LOL | Actually it was Dickson Tire and Oil! Does your mechanic drive a Ti? I saw 2 in dickson around the same place and they were both at the Tater Shack by Autozone. When I pulled in there was a silver one and when I drove back by there was a blue one! __________________ Steffen, they are F's not V's. Apexcone Projector36 w/ 6000K|ACS Driver's Collection Knob|UUC Ultrasuede boot|20% Tint|TMS CF Wing|Antenna Delete|Rear Wiper Delete|Magnaflow Muffler and Resonator w/ Cat Delete| Extra Tail Light Mod 6" Speaker Mod | | | 07-09-2008, 03:19 AM | #10 | That's not Millpoint Blue Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: BNA Posts: 3,161 | LOL... yep... that was Konrad in the silver one (which I helped him find when a friend of mine was selling it), and the blue one was Konrad's daughter. Small world, eh? He's on River Road, which is just off of Charlotte Pike, on the west side of Nashville. __________________ Real men know how to SEARCH! THIS IS A MILLPOINT BLUE INTERIOR Mods 'n' stuff: Star Spoke 43 wheels - X-Brace - Mason Engineering front strut brace - CF gauge overlay - ZHP shifter knob - Racing Dynamics cat-back - Doubled brake lights - M-tech rear spoiler From Page 68 of the 1997 Owners Manual: "Vehicles equipped with ASC+T remain subject to the laws of physics." | | | 07-09-2008, 01:50 PM | #11 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 699 | wow. that's pretty crazy! __________________ Steffen, they are F's not V's. Apexcone Projector36 w/ 6000K|ACS Driver's Collection Knob|UUC Ultrasuede boot|20% Tint|TMS CF Wing|Antenna Delete|Rear Wiper Delete|Magnaflow Muffler and Resonator w/ Cat Delete| Extra Tail Light Mod 6" Speaker Mod | | | 07-09-2008, 02:43 PM | #12 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Saint Paul, MN Posts: 3,244 | Roadrash- ever see my red '96 cali top down there or hear how it's doing? Should have been a solid car for the new owner. Hope she's taking good care of it. __________________ My Former Rides 1999 318ti Alpine White, Cali Roof, Dinan goodies 1996 318ti Hellrot California Edition | | | 07-09-2008, 04:06 PM | #13 | That's not Millpoint Blue Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: BNA Posts: 3,161 | I know I haven't seen it, but it was mentioned just yesterday when we were talking about northern cars and how different parts of the country affect cars in different ways. __________________ Real men know how to SEARCH! THIS IS A MILLPOINT BLUE INTERIOR Mods 'n' stuff: Star Spoke 43 wheels - X-Brace - Mason Engineering front strut brace - CF gauge overlay - ZHP shifter knob - Racing Dynamics cat-back - Doubled brake lights - M-tech rear spoiler From Page 68 of the 1997 Owners Manual: "Vehicles equipped with ASC+T remain subject to the laws of physics." | | | 07-09-2008, 07:46 PM | #14 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Saint Paul, MN Posts: 3,244 | They eat more starchy foods in winter? Nasal whine? __________________ My Former Rides 1999 318ti Alpine White, Cali Roof, Dinan goodies 1996 318ti Hellrot California Edition | | | 07-09-2008, 11:14 PM | #15 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 699 | mine was salt...it was from northern Kentucky and it was wrecked in winter so there's no telling how long it sat in the lot with salt all over it. __________________ Steffen, they are F's not V's. Apexcone Projector36 w/ 6000K|ACS Driver's Collection Knob|UUC Ultrasuede boot|20% Tint|TMS CF Wing|Antenna Delete|Rear Wiper Delete|Magnaflow Muffler and Resonator w/ Cat Delete| Extra Tail Light Mod 6" Speaker Mod | | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | |