BMW Control Arm Replacements & Upgrades for BMW 2 Series F22 (2014+)

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.

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.

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 separately here if you would prefer that option.

This item is an upgrade to the following rear wheel drive BMWs: 
2014+ F22 BMW 228i 230i M235i M240i - Coupe
2014+ F23 BMW 228i 230i M235i M240i - Convertible
2012+ F30 BMW 320i 328i 328d 335i 340i - Sedan 
2014+ F32 BMW 428i 435i 440i - Coupe 
2014+ F33 BMW 428i 435i 440i - Convertible 
2014+ F36 BMW 428i 435i 440i - Gran Coupe

The SPL BMW F2X/F3X Front Lower Control Arms (FLCA) provide roll center, camber, and track width adjustment for the rear wheel drive (RWD) F2X/F3X BMWs while eliminating bushing deflection resulting in sharpened steering response and driving precision.

Negative Camber Benefits

The ability to run more negative camber greatly improves the peak lateral grip available. Adding negative camber results in the tire having an optimal contact patch as the body rolls due to cornering forces. This is especially important with better tires and a must-have for anyone looking to prevent excessive outer shoulder wear (and heating) on their tires due to a lack of camber.

Wider Front Track Width Benefits

Further handling improvements can be had by increasing the front track width from the factory 60.5" (F3X) or 59.9" (F2X) to be closer to the M3's 62.2". If you applied the M3's width to the M340i it would reduce the outer front tire loading by roughly 20 lbs and apply it to the inner front tire. The result would be greater peak grip (~0.04G), improved stability, and faster lap times.

Roll Center Correction Benefits

Lowering the F2X/F3X results in a greater distance between the front roll center and the center of gravity. This acts like a longer lever, creating more body roll, bumpsteer, and requiring additional static camber angle to maintain the same handling. The SPL front lower control arms allow the roll center to be corrected for a wide range of ride heights to improve handling and stability.

The lower control arms come with a ride height sensor bracket to maintain the factory ride height sensor location, regardless of length of the arm to keep those finicky BMW chassis electronics happy.

Benefits

Adjustable Camber, Roll Center, and Track Width

Eliminates Bushing Deflection

Improved Tire Life with Ideal Camber Settings

Lightweight, High-Strength Construction

Stackable 304SS Roll Center Spacers in 1/8" and 1/4" Sizes

US Made, PTFE Lined FK Rod Ends 

Materials

6061-T6 aluminum black anodized arm, clamps, and spacers

4130 CrMo electroless nickel-plated double adjuster

Ti6Al4V titanium socket head cap screws

304 stainless steel roll center and knuckle spacers

5/8" 4140 CrMo stud

FK PTFE-lined spherical bearings (F1 spec, self-cleaning)

Suitable for all uses, from daily driver to race car.