How to Lower Control Arm Bushings on a BMW

1. Loosen the lug nuts on the front wheels. Place a chock or a piece of wood behind one of the rear tires to prevent the car from rolling. Raise the front of the car with a floor jack and lower it securely onto jack stands. Remove the front wheels and set them out of the way.
2. Remove the two bolts that hold the control arm bushing bracket to the chassis with a 17 mm socket. The control arm bushing bracket and control arm will now be detached from the chassis at this end.
3. Press out the control arm bushing with a gear puller. It may help to make a small indentation with a punch and a hammer so that the gear puller has something to seat against. Press the bushing out by tightening the gear puller. The bushing will likely tear while removing it, with one piece coming out and the inner portion staying in. Use the gear puller to press the rest of the bushing out.
4. Cut two slots across from each other in the outer ring of the old bushing that will still be inside of the bushing bracket. Use a small, air-powered cutting tool that can fit inside the bracket to make the two cuts. Try not to cut into the bracket.
5. Force the bushing ring out by tapping a chisel onto it with a hammer. The ring should collapse from the two cuts and come out of the bracket.
6. Place the new bushing on the bracket, lining up the raised dot on the bushing with the arrow on the bracket. Tap the bushing to get it started into the bracket then use a bench vise to press the bushing the rest of the way in. Center the bushing in the bracket so it sticks out the same amount on either side. Repeat for the other side. At this point, the bushing and bracket need to be installed as quickly as possible. The bushings start to set up inside the bracket, and the BMW should be sitting on its wheels when this occurs.
7. Soak the bushing where it fastens to the control arm with dish soap and water to facilitate installation. Press the bushing onto the control arm by hand or with a gear puller. The bushing can be installed by hand; it just takes some elbow grease.
8. Line the L-shaped bushing bracket up to the holes in the chassis and thread on the bolts. Tighten them with a socket and a ratchet or an impact wrench.
9. Replace the wheels and lower the car to the ground. Do not drive the car for several hours to allow the bushings to stick properly to the control arms.