BMW Control Arm Replacements & Upgrades for BMW 3 Series E30 (1984-1991)

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Control arms, and their integrated ball joints, are some of the most crucial components on a BMW suspension. The control arms literally control the wheel and suspension as they go through their range of motions. They do more than just keep the alignment in a constant spec - they are a vital locating component for the suspension itself. A faulty or worn control arm or ball joint is a very dangerous and potentially life-threatening problem so make sure they are inspected and replaced at regular intervals.

Most control arms for BMWs consist of an inner and outer ball joint made of plastic, rubber, Delrin, or metal and covered in grease with a rubber boot to seal it from the outside. The ball joint rotates and spins as the control arm goes through its movements and that will wear the ball joint and make it loose. The grease inside the housing can also get used up, evaporate, or become contaminated from moisture and foreign particles. As the ball joint becomes worn it can result in excess movement within the housing. Your steering and handling will become less precise and there is usually a light clunking or clicking sound. In rare and extreme cases the ball joint can separate from the control arm completely, leading to a total loss of suspension and steering control. You should have the ball joint play checked annually and replace them every 3-4 years. Most track organizations will not allow a car if they are older than three years.

Control arms also take abuse from impacts and handling forces. Aluminum control arms will generally bend and prevent an accurate alignment. Steel control arms will crack and fracture and require close inspection annually and replacement every 3-4 years.

We sell OE BMW, OEM, and performance upgrade control arms from proven manufacturers. The control arm is so important to a BMW suspension that we insist on only top quality brands and designs and will never sell a control arm based on price alone. We also have upgrade packages with superior designs and better bushing options and we have bundled these together with valuable package savings.

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IRP - Individual Racing Parts - Corporate Logo
T#:39025510
Part#: IRPDTM-30B
Ships on Aug 31, 2026
$ 542.99 USD
Free Shipping on orders $49 and up
Upgrade your rear trailing arms with this DTM-style adjustment kit from IRP. This kit replaces the stock bushing side of the rear trailing arm - requires cutting of the rear trailing arm and welding of the new bushings in place. Professional installation is highly recommended.
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Condor Speed Shop - Corporate Logo
T#:578349
Part#: ADJRTAB
Ships in 3 Business Days
$ 209.99 USD
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$ 209.99 USD
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Designed specifically for those of you who prefer not to weld in toe and camber adjustment plates. If you have a lowered or track prepped BMW then you need this adjustable bushing kit. Condor's bushings feature in-car adjustability for camber and toe of up to +/- 1 degree. Their simple design allows for easy and accurate adjustment using the included stainless steel spanner wrench. Once adjusted, trailing arm bolts lock down the CNC machined center cores firmly in place. Condor's UHMW bushings and hard-coat anodized aluminum center cores will stiffen the rear trailing arms while giving you the benefit of adjustable suspension geometry.
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Condor Speed Shop - Corporate Logo
T#:583280
Part#: S-CON-CAM-23
Ships on Aug 11, 2026
$ 184.99 USD
Free Shipping
$ 184.99 USD
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Swapping in E46 control arms into your E30 or E36 significantly increases negative camber by widening the track width and also gives you more clearance for more steering angle. Condor's CNC machined control arm brackets are made from solid steel and are fitted with a solid hex-shaped bushing. Designed for the street or the track, they hold the control arm steady and eliminate "shimmy" caused by stock bushings. They sharpen steering and improve overall driving feel. Comparable to the NLA Treehouse E36 & E30 Eyeball Arms.

Easiest install of any aftermarket solution
Allow clearance for E30 M50 Conversion exhaust
Street Approved, marginal increase in NVH
Easy Installation, no need for a press
CNC machined steel construction
Solid design without the maintenance of spherical bearings
Heavy-Duty replaceable UHMW insert. Don't be misinformed, UHMW is the best material for these inserts. Delrin is not self-lubricating and will crack and degrade over time.
Powder coated white for corrosion resistance
Improve caster with M3 offset geometry
Keep proper steering geometry under high loads
Made in the U.S.A.
Fitment:
E30 84-91 3 Series
E36 92-98 3 series & Z3

Note that you will need to use E36 outer tie rods and E90 inner tie rods when installing in an E30 or E36

Be sure to measure your control arms to determine if you need 21mm or 23mm. Meyle makes a standard e46 control arm and a Heavy Duty control arm. Most HD arms have a hex that is larger in size (23mm). Lifetime Warranty

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Condor Speed Shop - Corporate Logo
T#:583278
Part#: CON-CAB-P
Ships in 2 Business Days
$ 195.99 USD
Free Shipping
$ 195.99 USD
Free Shipping

Swapping in E46 control arms into your E30 or E36 will significantly increase negative camber by widening the track width and will also give you more clearance for more steering angle. Condor's conversion bushings are machined from UHMW due to its high rigidity and low coefficient of friction allowing for minimal suspension bushing deflection (geometry change). They've designed them offset to re-center the wheel and give your e30/e36 the correct caster. They will include a stainless-steel insert that tightly presses over the hex pattern on the E46 control arms. You do not need to grind down your control arms or make any other modifications to your chassis. Please note that you will need to use E36 outer tie rods and E90 inner tie rods when installing in an E30 or E36.

Fitment:
Fits the following Meyle and Lemforder arms with 21-22MM Hex.

LEMFORDER ZHP - 31122282121 & 31122282122
LEMFORDER - 31126777851 & 31126777852
MEYLE HD - 31126777851 & 31126777852
*Please note that Meyle makes a standard e46 control arm and a Heavy Duty control arm. SOME HD arms have a hex that is larger in size. These HD control arms may need to be shaved 1-2 mm for proper fitment.

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IRP - Individual Racing Parts - Corporate Logo
T#:401483
Part#: IRPDK30-1
Special Order: No Guaranteed ETA
$ 1,209.99 USD
$ 1,209.99 USD

Looking to upgrade your front suspension to increase the strength and your steering angle for the track? IRP has you covered with their BMW Lock Kit. This kit includes new control arms that are stronger than stock and have monoball ball joints, new tie rod ends that feature steel monoball ball joints as well, new offset control arm bushings, fully adjustable camber plates, roll center/bump steer correction plates, and all new hardware. This enables this kit to be fully plug and play, giving you a much more adjustable front suspension, and increases the total amount of steering angle up to 65 degrees.

This kit is perfect for those looking to build a drift car and ensure their suspension is ready to take on the challenge.

Kit features:

  • CNC Laser Cut Components
  • Plug & Play - includes all needed hardware
  • Increase to 65 Degree (or more) steering angle
  • Includes Camber Plates
  • Stiffer offset control arm bushings
  • Roll Center and Bump Steer Correction Plates
  • High strength control arms with steel monoball ball joints
  • Increased length steering tie rods with steel monoball ball joints
  • DriftAllstar- & EEDC-Tested
  • Total weight of all components included: 13.5 kg / 29.8 lbs

Fits the following BMWs:
1982-1991 E30 BMW All RWD Submodels

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IRP - Individual Racing Parts - Corporate Logo
T#:401477
Part#: IRPDK30-2
Special Order: No Guaranteed ETA
$ 1,567.99 USD
Free Shipping
$ 1,567.99 USD
Free Shipping

Looking to upgrade your front suspension to increase the strength and your steering angle for the track? IRP has you covered with their BMW Lock Kit. This kit includes new control arms that are stronger than stock, are a chromolon tubular system, and have monoball ball joints, new tie rod ends that feature steel monoball ball joints as well, new offset control arm bushings, fully adjustable camber plates, roll center/bump steer correction plates, and all new hardware. This enables this kit to be fully plug and play, giving you a much more adjustable front suspension, and increases the total amount of steering angle up to 70 degrees.

This kit is perfect for those looking to build a drift car and ensure their suspension is ready to take on the challenge.

*This Pro kit offers reduced weight control arms that help this kit shed 2.9 lbs from the standard kit while still remaining just as strong thanks to their chromolon tubular design.*

Kit features:

  • CNC Laser Cut Components
  • Plug & Play - includes all needed hardware
  • Increase to 70 Degree (or more) steering angle (5 degrees more than standard version)
  • Includes Camber Plates
  • Stiffer offset control arm bushings
  • Roll Center and Bump Steer Correction Plates
  • High Strength chromolon tubular control arms with steel monoball ball joints (2cm wider than standard version)
  • Increased length steering tie rods with steel monoball ball joints
  • DriftAllstar- & EEDC-Tested
  • Total weight of all components included: 12.2kg / 26.9lbs (1.3kg / 2.9lbs lighter that standard version)

Fits the following BMWs:
1982-1991 E30 BMW All RWD Submodels

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