Wanted HELP - trailing arms required

[AnneC]

Hi guys - thanks for the add.


Could anyone tell me where I could source 2 x rear suspension arms for 2001, 2.2i Z3 Roadster, manual gearbox. Based in UK.

 

[mrscalex]

You just have to keep your eyes peeled basically. They are in fairly significant demand. Here is a good start point. But message anyone breaking one on ebay. Look on Facebook marketplace and join the UK Z3 groups to ask. Gumtree too.

Any arms from a facelift car or 2.8 pre-facelift arms will fit. Don't accidentally buy pre-facelift 1.9 arms which are fairly plentiful as they are the wrong part.

You may also want to look at having the existing arms welded if not to far gone/damaged. And shotblast/powdercoat.

 

[AnneC]

You just have to keep your eyes peeled basically. They are in fairly significant demand. Here is a good start point. But message anyone breaking one on ebay. Look on Facebook marketplace and join the UK Z3 groups to ask. Gumtree too.

Any arms from a facelift car or 2.8 pre-facelift arms will fit. Don't accidentally buy pre-facelift 1.9 arms which are fairly plentiful as they are the wrong part.

You may also want to look at having the existing arms welded if not to far gone/damaged. And shotblast/powdercoat.

Thank you for advice. There is a hole in at least one - is that too far gone for repair? As you can guess I know very little about cars.

 

[t-tony]

You will be told that these arms are not repairable which is false info. They are repairable and most holes are made by incorrect MOT testing procedure.

Tony.

 

[ktnez99]

You will be told that these arms are not repairable which is false info. They are repairable and most holes are made by incorrect MOT testing procedure.

Tony.

Do you mean when a tester takes a sledgehammer to the underside of the car Tony?

 

[t-tony]

Usually poking around with a sharp instrument.

Tony.

 

[mrscalex]

Thank you for advice. There is a hole in at least one - is that too far gone for repair? As you can guess I know very little about cars.

It’s not just saving the expense of the arms which are not usually cheap. £100+ ea.

But there’s quite a lot of labour to swap them out and likely other parts to factor in like wheel bearings unless you buy complete arms from a trusted source. So weld if you can.

 

[AnneC]

It’s not just saving the expense of the arms which are not usually cheap. £100+ ea.

But there’s quite a lot of labour to swap them out and likely other parts to factor in like wheel bearings unless you buy complete arms from a trusted source. So weld if you can.

I have been quoted £1500 each arm from BMW and that’s without labour and they can’t get them here till November.

 

[mrscalex]

I have been quoted £1500 each arm from BMW and that’s without labour and they can’t get them here till November.

No one really buys new ones unless the insurance is paying. You can get them from £100 each second-hand and that's the route most people on here will take. But there's still a lot of labour and additional parts to pay for.

Really your best route is to take it to a welder and see what they can do. Including giving it a really good prod to establish the extent of the rot.

 

[AnneC]

No one really buys new ones unless the insurance is paying. You can get them from £100 each second-hand and that's the route most people on here will take. But there's still a lot of labour and additional parts to pay for.

Really your best route is to take it to a welder and see what they can do. Including giving it a really good prod to establish the extent of the rot.

Thanks for all your help - much appreciated.

 

[Mazza]

@Lee

Tagged Lee as he is looking at repairing and powder coating old trailing arms.

 

[Lee]

Yeah, our powder coater now grit blasts the arms back to bare metal and zinc coats over holes like a patch before re powder coating. I need to drop a pair of arms off I have at the moment to see how nice the final finish is.