BMW E36 Front Lower Control Arm Bushing - swap

Here's a few pictures of McCall removing his E36 M3's front lower control arm (LCA) bushings from the factory bushing housing (aka: lollipop). Getting them out can be a struggle but with a careful cut and some hammer swinging they come out. Reinstallation is easiest with a press but he managed to get the replacement bushings in and even centered in the lollipop with only a vice and a calibrated eyeball. Worked great!

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vorshlag > Left: Stock replacement 1996-1999 E36 M3 replacement bushing. Solid rubber design.
Right: non-M bushing in the lollipop has less rubber (more "void") and failed after onkly one year of use.

vorshlag > We tried to push it out but the rubber was too pliable to press against and we didn't have the proper size round insert for the press to push against. After drilling an access hole for the blade we used an air powered reciprocating saw and carefully cut through the steel ring that encapsulates the rubber bushing.

vorshlag > Here the air saw is used to cut through the steel ring around the rubber bushing.

vorshlag > Once the ring is cut through we used a punch and hammered the round ring away from the outer cast steel lollipop.

vorshlag > The bushing halfway through its extraction...

vorshlag > Note the cut in the steel ring of the bushing. After a bit of hammering we made another cut - Two cuts made removed all of the tension from the bushing and it essentially fell out.

vorshlag > The vice was used as a makeshift press and the new bushing was pressed in place. Shown here it is not yet cenetered fore-aft into the lollipop.

vorshlag > After opening the vice wide enough to support the lollipop but not touch the ring for the bushing we tapped around the perimeter of one side of the bushing until it pushed through the lollipop a bit and was centered. Again, the proper press and fixtures makes this an easier job.

To install this back onto the front Lower Control Arm apply a liberal amount of liquid soap (Dawn) to the end of the control arm and just push the lollipop assembly back onto the control arm. Once the soap dries it won't come off.

Left: Stock replacement 1996-1999 E36 M3 replacement bushing. Solid rubber design.
Right: non-M bushing in the lollipop has less rubber (more "void") and failed after onkly one year of use.