BMW’s are known to have failure prone front thrust arm bushings. The flexible rubber bushings, even those found in M performance models, allow significant movement of the front wheels to maximize daily driving comfort, but also allow considerable alignment change. This results in a disconnected and numb road feel, standing between you and a confidence inspiring driving experience. Eventually the fluid filled rubber bushings fatigue and crack due to continual deflection and ozone degradation, and eventually the damping fluid leaks out resulting in complete failure.
For the enthusiast looking for superior performance and longevity with a crisp, confidence-inspiring driving experience, our sealed ball joint monoballs are the best solution available! Our experience with spherical front control arm ball joints go back to those we designed and used in our IMSA E90 328i and E92 M3 racecars (GS class Champions in 2011). We wanted to offer E31, E32, E34, E38, E39, E53, E60, E63, E64, and E83 owners similar levels of handling precision and control for the track and street.
The bearing housing is precision CNC machined from 6061-T6 anodized aluminum and features a knurled OD to ensure a perfect press fit, and utilize a sealed OEM BMW ball joint for exceptional quality and durability, making them completely at home on both the street and track with no compromise. We have done extensive street, autocross, and track testing to ensure the ball joint used in this bushing design excels in each setting. The advantage of a sealed ball joint is that it eliminates all unwanted deflection while still allowing complete bind-free movement throughout suspension travel, resulting in exceptional control of wheel alignment. What you get is superior steering precision, turn-in response, direct braking feedback, and better handling.
In short, if you're seeking the ultimate in precise, predictable handling and control, with crisp braking response and a long service life that’s equally at home on the street or track - look no further. We have you covered.
We offer these thrust arms with the monoball bushings pre-installed for your convenience. Since BMW recommends the control arms be replaced for every other bushing change, we prefer to sell these as a pre-assembled set. The bushings are also available separately if you wish to source your own control arms. Features:
Bearing housing
- Precision CNC machined from 6061-T6 blue anodized aluminum
- Knurled OD to provide the perfect fit for the wide range of thrust arm bore diameters among brands.
- CNC machined 304ss ball joint sleeve inserts, providing a precision fit between the ball joint and the subframe.
Bearing
- OEM BMW sealed and greased ball joint for exceptional durability and service life.
Performance
- Nearly instantaneous, crisp steering and braking response.
- Maintenance free, long lasting performance.
- Improved road feel without undesirable NVH.
This item is an upgrade to the following BMWs:
2004-2010 E83 X3 X3 2.5i, X3 3.0i, X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i
2000-2006 E53 X5 X5 3.0I, X5 4.4i, X5 4.6is, X5 4.8is
1997-2003 E39 5 series 540i, 540iT (sedans and touring wagon)
2000-2003 E39 M5 sedan
1995-2001 E38 7 series 740i, 740iL
1995-2001 E38 7 series 750i, 750iL
