Front Lower Control Arms

[slider86]

Hi all,

Looking to replace my front control arms and/or bushings as there is significant play in the lower arms at 55k miles. Figured I'd do both the thrust bearings while I'm in there. Been looking at GAS bushings for the thrust arms, but they don't seem to have a product for the control arms. Any recommendations for lower arms to go with GAS thrust arm bushings? Thank you!

[Bubbles]

Originally Posted by slider86

Hi all,

Looking to replace my front control arms and/or bushings as there is significant play in the lower arms at 55k miles. Figured I'd do both the thrust bearings while I'm in there. Been looking at GAS bushings for the thrust arms, but they don't seem to have a product for the control arms. Any recommendations for lower arms to go with GAS thrust arm bushings? Thank you!

Go with the GAS monoballs installed by GAS and you won’t be disappointed. I’ve been running them for a few hundred miles and they are terrific. Significant increase in control with high speed sweepers.

Went with TRW control arms (OEM) and front end is planted.

[BenW]

Has anyone used the millway uni balls? They seem to be very well priced.

[M43S7RO]

The control arms are already a sealed monoball so if you need to replace I'd just go with new arms.

[BenW]

Originally Posted by M43S7RO

The control arms are already a sealed monoball so if you need to replace I'd just go with new arms.

Standard arms have a rubber bushing, it’s one of the few bushes in the standard setup which is not monoball.

[M43S7RO]

Originally Posted by BenW

Standard arms have a rubber bushing, it’s one of the few bushes in the standard setup which is not monoball.

Are you referring to these?
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-trw-part...102283577~trw/

My understanding is these are monoballs. Only the ones closer to the front of the car (thrust arms) are rubber. OP is asking about the control arms.

[cmichaelo]

Wow, I had no idea the wishbone control arm bushing were of the monoball design. Can anyone confirm this?

[Redd]

Originally Posted by cmichaelo

Wow, I had no idea the wishbone control arm bushing were of the monoball design. Can anyone confirm this?

E9x M3 all front arms are monoball except for the big end of the tension arm (curvy one) which uses a rubber bushing. Replacing that with a monoball (like the GAS one) makes the front end arms free of rubber.

[cmichaelo]

Originally Posted by slider86

Hi all,

Looking to replace my front control arms and/or bushings as there is significant play in the lower arms at 55k miles. Figured I'd do both the thrust bearings while I'm in there. Been looking at GAS bushings for the thrust arms, but they don't seem to have a product for the control arms. Any recommendations for lower arms to go with GAS thrust arm bushings? Thank you!

Just installed GAS's pre-installed monoball thrust arms. Even though my existing bushings were in reasonably good condition, w/only 40k miles and 10y on them, the monoball bearings make a noticeable improvement in the steering response without increasing NRV at all, except when hitting cracks in the road. The car now "floats" noticeably less when going >80mph and rapidly moving the steering wheel left and right. There's still a bit of floating but which I think I can probably further reduce by replacing the rear trailing arm bushings with monoball bearings as well.