Front Control Arm

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 e30, e36, and e46 owners similar levels of handling precision and control for the track and street, but weren’t satisfied with the other options out there.  Instead of a Delrin bushing or unsealed spherical bearing alone, we selected an oversized sealed greaseable spherical monoball to offer unparalleled durability and precision, but designed a Delrin adapter sleeve to help isolate the added noise, vibration, and harshness that a full solid monoball bearing will have. While race-ready, our hybrid Delrin/monoball control arm bearings are more at home on the street than other kits that are advertised as “race-only” bearings. We did extensive street, autocross, and track testing to ensure the spherical bearing used in this bushing design excelled in each setting.

The stock rubber bushings, even those found in the M3, allow significant fore/aft movement of the front wheels to help absorb road impacts, especially when being pushed hard.  This soft flexible design maximizes daily driving comfort, but also allows considerable alignment change.  This unwanted deflection stands between you and a crisp, confidence-inspiring driving experience.  The advantage of a monoball bearing is that it will not deflect under load, eliminating all unwanted deflection while still allowing complete freedom of movement in the desired angles. What you get is superior steering precision with better handling from more consistent alignment and direct braking feedback, with exceptional service life.  Thanks to the Delrin insert and double lip seals, there's none of the extra noise or reduced service life often found on other spherical bearings.

In short, if you're seeking front control arm bushings that offer precise, predictable handling, crisper braking feel, with a long service life free from noise - look no further. We have you covered.

Watch to learn more about Turner Monoball Bushings

Features:

Bearing housing

• Precision CNC machined from 6061-T6 blue anodized aluminum with a pre-installed grease fitting and grease distribution channels making this a serviceable design
• Knurled for smooth press fit in a wide variance in “lollipop” dimensions

Bearing

• A high quality greaseable double lip sealed bearing with Delrin® inserts. Delrin® was chosen for its durability under pressure, while still soft enough to create a perfect play-free fitment on the control arm.
• Replaceable for infinite service life - no need to replace the entire mount in the event a bearing happens to fail.

Includes new hardware. Grease before installation and with each oil service with high quality Moly grease for maximum service life. Need a grease fitting tool?

Installation is relatively easy - see our instructions here. 

This item fits the following BMWs: 
2001-2006 E46 BMW M3 

BMW's are notorious for their failure-prone control arm bushings. The pliable rubber bushings, present even in M performance models, allow substantial movement of the front wheels to enhance everyday driving comfort. However, they also permit significant alignment changes, leading to a disconnected and numb road feel that detracts from a confidence-inspiring driving encounter. Over time, the fluid-filled rubber bushings succumb to fatigue and cracking due to continual deflection and ozone degradation, ultimately resulting in the leakage of damping fluid and 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 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).

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.

Since BMW recommends the control arms be replaced for every other bushing change, we prefer to sell these as a pre-assembled set, and are available (T599476) if you would prefer that option.

Watch to learn more about Turner Monoball Bushings

Design:

OEM sealed, greased ball joint for exceptional durability and service life, even in the most severe operating conditions
6061-T6 anodized housing for excellent corrosion resistance
Turner designed knurled OD to provide the perfect fit for the wide range of thrust arm bore
CNC machined 304ss bearing inserts, providing a precision fit between the ball joint and the subframe
Performance Advantages:

Immediate, precise steering and breaking feedback
Long-lasting performance with minimal maintenance requirements
Enhanced road feedback minus any unnecessary noise, vibration, harshness

Control arms begin to wear over time, leading to sloppy control of your vehicle. Anything from knocking, steering vibration, or even loss of vehicle control could occur. An OEM replacement from Lemförder is the perfect option to restore control and suspension quality.

OEM Lemförder is an engineering company that focuses on high-quality, precision manufacturing of critical suspension and steering components. Providing exceptionally high quality parts directly to BMW, as well as 50+ other big name automotive companies, such as Mercedes and Audi, their history of reliability and variety of offered parts makes them one of the biggest names for a go-to OEM parts provider. Lemförder parts place an important emphasis on design, production, and assembly, ensuring maximum reliability. They even coat all parts possible with corrosion protection for extended longevity.

As a leading source of high performance BMW parts and accessories since 1993, we at Turner Motorsport are honored to be the go-to supplier for tens of thousands of enthusiasts the world over. With over two decades of parts, service, and racing experience under our belt, we provide only quality performance and replacement parts.  All of our performance parts are those we would (and do!) install and run on our own cars, as well as replacement parts that are Genuine BMW or from OEM manufacturers. We only offer parts we know you can trust to perform!

Control arms begin to wear over time, leading to sloppy control of your vehicle. Anything from knocking, steering vibration, or even loss of vehicle control could occur. An OEM replacement from Lemförder is the perfect option to restore control and suspension quality.

OEM Lemförder is an engineering company that focuses on high-quality, precision manufacturing of critical suspension and steering components. Providing exceptionally high quality parts directly to BMW, as well as 50+ other big name automotive companies, such as Mercedes and Audi, their history of reliability and variety of offered parts makes them one of the biggest names for a go-to OEM parts provider. Lemförder parts place an important emphasis on design, production, and assembly, ensuring maximum reliability. They even coat all parts possible with corrosion protection for extended longevity.

As a leading source of high performance BMW parts and accessories since 1993, we at Turner Motorsport are honored to be the go-to supplier for tens of thousands of enthusiasts the world over. With over two decades of parts, service, and racing experience under our belt, we provide only quality performance and replacement parts.  All of our performance parts are those we would (and do!) install and run on our own cars, as well as replacement parts that are Genuine BMW or from OEM manufacturers. We only offer parts we know you can trust to perform!

Control arms begin to wear over time, leading to sloppy control of your vehicle. Anything from knocking, steering vibration, or even loss of vehicle control could occur. An OEM replacement from Lemförder is the perfect option to restore control and suspension quality.

OEM Lemförder is an engineering company that focuses on high-quality, precision manufacturing of critical suspension and steering components. Providing exceptionally high quality parts directly to BMW, as well as 50+ other big name automotive companies, such as Mercedes and Audi, their history of reliability and variety of offered parts makes them one of the biggest names for a go-to OEM parts provider. Lemförder parts place an important emphasis on design, production, and assembly, ensuring maximum reliability. They even coat all parts possible with corrosion protection for extended longevity.

As a leading source of high performance BMW parts and accessories since 1993, we at Turner Motorsport are honored to be the go-to supplier for tens of thousands of enthusiasts the world over. With over two decades of parts, service, and racing experience under our belt, we provide only quality performance and replacement parts.  All of our performance parts are those we would (and do!) install and run on our own cars, as well as replacement parts that are Genuine BMW or from OEM manufacturers. We only offer parts we know you can trust to perform!