Polyurethane Front Thrust Arm Bushings

[omodos]

Hi anyone gone for them? @113kmiles current set got flagged during inspection, this will be the 3rd replacement, mechanic happy to fit poly bushes he mentioned the purple ones, but found set on ebay black that have lifetime warranty anyways

[X5chemist]

I like to install poly anytime a bushing wears out. Stiffer and lasts longer.

[Henn28]

Originally Posted by omodos

Hi anyone gone for them? @113kmiles current set got flagged during inspection, this will be the 3rd replacement, mechanic happy to fit poly bushes he mentioned the purple ones, but found set on ebay black that have lifetime warranty anyways

I just put a set of Powerflex thrust arm bushings on my 02. I’ve been going thru bushings every 2 years and the mono ball bushings I tried a couple years ago were no exception. They are black one piece poly bushings that get pressed into the arm bore, after some metal collars get pressed in. I used a local shop to press the old collars out and the new ones in, as they were not budging with my puller.

Initial impressions are good. More quiet than the mon ball, maybe a tiny bit stiffer than stock, but not as stiff as the mono ball pieces. I’ve got to change the ball joints that the tension struts attach to as the right side is super worn out and I think causing most of the low speed clunking I’ve been battling. These have been a huge pain as a torx bolt head is stripped on each side. I’d have your guy change them at the same time…they are cheap and definitely wear out at roughly the same rate as my bushings.

New bushings after installation. They have the metal cylinder gets a coating of grease, and they don’t have to be torqued with the weight on the suspension. There is also a front and back to them, molded into the poly in really small letters, so make sure ur guy looks for this. The instructions are only on line too.

Metal collars get pressed into from each side, and then the poly bushings get pressed into the bore…I did that part as they go in easily with a puller.


Lastly, if you go with polyflex, the kit included a washer/spacer which goes on the forward side of the arm and bushing when installed. We’ll see if they last any longer than the mono ball and OE pieces. I like them so far.

[omodos]

Originally Posted by Henn28

I just put a set of Powerflex thrust arm bushings on my 02. I’ve been going thru bushings every 2 years and the mono ball bushings I tried a couple years ago were no exception. They are black one piece poly bushings that get pressed into the arm bore, after some metal collars get pressed in. I used a local shop to press the old collars out and the new ones in, as they were not budging with my puller.

Initial impressions are good. More quiet than the mon ball, maybe a tiny bit stiffer than stock, but not as stiff as the mono ball pieces. I’ve got to change the ball joints that the tension struts attach to as the right side is super worn out and I think causing most of the low speed clunking I’ve been battling. These have been a huge pain as a torx bolt head is stripped on each side. I’d have your guy change them at the same time…they are cheap and definitely wear out at roughly the same rate as my bushings.

New bushings after installation. They have the metal cylinder gets a coating of grease, and they don’t have to be torqued with the weight on the suspension. There is also a front and back to them, molded into the poly in really small letters, so make sure ur guy looks for this. The instructions are only on line too.

Metal collars get pressed into from each side, and then the poly bushings get pressed into the bore…I did that part as they go in easily with a puller.


Lastly, if you go with polyflex, the kit included a washer/spacer which goes on the forward side of the arm and bushing when installed. We’ll see if they last any longer than the mono ball and OE pieces. I like them so far.

Thanks for feedback gotta get under there and verify what is actually buggered pretty sure its the lower control arm bushings in green in image , not sure you can get em in Polyurethane?

[Henn28]

I think Powerflex sold those too…I actually got mine thru Turner, but it took longer than if I had just gone right to Powerflex, I suspect. Turner may sell the control arms with the poly bushings in them already too. That’s how I bought the monoball arms from them. They are sitting in my storage space now. I thought that they wore out in two years, but the persistent slow speed/under braking knock didn’t go away with the poly bushings, so they may still be good. I’m hopeful that replacing the ball joint on the right side will finally do the trick.

I’m about to update the overland thread with my progress on that project.

[Themoog]

I've had purple powerflex in mine for nearly 10 years without any agro.

[Homerlovesbeer]

Don't these bushes increase NVH and suspension noise? Also I've read a lot of people have regrets as they squeek?

The X5 isn't a sports car for track use, I'm after comfort over harsh but razor sharp handling.

[Henn28]

Originally Posted by Homerlovesbeer

Don't these bushes increase NVH and suspension noise? Also I've read a lot of people have regrets as they squeek?

The X5 isn't a sports car for track use, I'm after comfort over harsh but razor sharp handling.

I’ve had them in for a week or so and they are as quiet as the OE and mono ball bushings…which is to to say, no noise at all. They also deaden the road noise more than the monoball bushings too. I think I had gotten used to them, but now really notice the quiet after swapping them in.

I don’t know if Powerflex had a purple bushing for the thrust arm any longer. I looked for alternatives, but the single piece black ones were all I found on their website. The ride is very comparable to stock in my opinion.

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by omodos

Hi anyone gone for them? @113kmiles current set got flagged during inspection, this will be the 3rd replacement, mechanic happy to fit poly bushes he mentioned the purple ones, but found set on ebay black that have lifetime warranty anyways

I put purple polys on mine. A little stiffer, have the advantage of not needing to have the suspension loaded before torquing them and a lifetime warranty.

[Homerlovesbeer]

How do these have BETTER noise isolation over rubber? I'm really curious as EVERYTHING I've read about Poly bushes usually says harsher ride, more noise but better feel/performance.

??