Front Control Arm/Tension Strut Bushing Dimensions?

[davintosh]

A friend has developed some very nice aftermarket upper control arm bushing replacements for a few other BMW models, and I asked him if he was able to produce the same for the e53's tension strut bushings, which seem to be a regular replacement item. He is reasonably sure the e53 bushings are the same size (or at least diameter) as those used in the e38 and e39 V8 cars, but neither of us have access to a bushing that's not mounted on a control arm/tension strut to help him verify the dimensions. So the question:

Does anyone have an old or new bushing sitting around that you could measure so we can verify sizes? Looking for the outside diameter and width of the bushing, and the inside diameter of the ferrule that goes through the middle.

#7 in the diagram below. Part number 31126769715

[Ricky Bobby]

Well shit Dave if I had my old arms I replaced in December I'd send you one! You can probably get a spare bushing from one of those "Made in Cheeeeena" brands for under 20 bucks I'd imagine, ECS sells Uro brand for 17 bucks, maybe a quick search on the 'bay? Thats usually the best place to find the cheapest aftermarket replacement parts lol. Even if the China brands arent good quality I'd imagine the dimensions would have to fit the thrust arms.

BMW E53 X5 M54 3.0L > Suspension > Bushings > ES#2643225 Front Control Arm Bushing - Priced Each - 31126769715


What is he making them out of, poly? Maybe he wants to do more affordable stiffer rear subframe bushings

[davintosh]

I thought of that too; AutohausAZ has a Uro brand bushing for ~$16, and would suit the purpose. My son & I have been working on the left rear corner of the X5 tonight, and I was planning on getting under the front end when we finish up tomorrow to see if I can put a caliper on some parts of it. Should be able to get an idea anyway.

The bearings are spherical; http://mooseheadengineering.com/#!/~...065&id=5697121

The Moosehead Engineering UCAB is sort of a hybrid between the spherical bearing and a polymer bushing. The ball is made of nickel plated steel and the races are made of Nylatron GS, which is a molybdenum impregnated nylon formulated for bearing races. They can be rebuilt for ~$12 each. They can be greased. Once there is wear in the race, the design of the bushing allows the races to be tightened to remove the play. I have had mine in my daily driver wagon for almost a year now and there is no sign of wear. When the ball joint at the wheel end of the arm is used up, the Moosehead UCAB can be easily pressed out of the control arm and pressed back into a replacement arm, which means you don’t have to wait until it is time to replace the control arm to upgrade to these joints. Since this a spherical joint, it has all the advantages of the racing type, but because the races are Nylatron and have a little bit of give, the increase in harshness is not as pronounced, I notice it most when I hit a sharp bump like a manhole cover or a deep pothole. They give razor sharp steering response, especially right on the initial turn in and in transitional esses. They eliminate braking shimmy and greatly reduced tramlining from wide tires. They are suited to performance drivers and are even suitable on the track, so they are great for drivers that autocross and go to HPD events. In addition, if you have adjustable coilovers, these will allow you to adjust ride height up and down without having to worry about the effect on the bushing.

He's had really good reports from people using them on e28s, e34s & e32s; much better longevity than stock bushings and urethane, and just slightly more noise. I haven't tried them myself -- he came out with them about two weeks after I replaced the upper control arms on my e32 -- but I do have his rear shock mounts on the e32. Great product, and far more durable than stock. http://mooseheadengineering.com/#!/~...065&id=5697211