[TheTallJS]

Aluminum control arm ball joints seems like a doable mod. Have a shop press, press out old, press in new. Wondering what it will actually do, and how long one set will last. Can't help but imagine front end clunking after 2 months.

[gunnerxq]

I believe the m3 versions are Aluminum

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by TheTallJS

Aluminum control arm ball joints seems like a doable mod. Have a shop press, press out old, press in new. Wondering what it will actually do, and how long one set will last. Can't help but imagine front end clunking after 2 months.

Just get the TRW version of the M3 arms. Cheap, and very easy to replace.

[feuer]

Originally Posted by gunnerxq

I believe the m3 versions are Aluminum

That's not what OP is talking about. All no XI front control arms are aluminum. OP is asking about the bushings:
http://www.bimmsport.com/shop/bmw-ak...82-e88-e89-z4/

[justpete]

Originally Posted by TheTallJS

Aluminum control arm ball joints seems like a doable mod. Have a shop press, press out old, press in new. Wondering what it will actually do, and how long one set will last. Can't help but imagine front end clunking after 2 months.

Used the BimmerWorld sealed bearing instead, the AKG is for use on the track. Great part judging from AKG's other parts I'm using but it's probably not a good idea under street conditions.

[TheTallJS]

yep, I was mostly referring to AKG. I'd like to try it even though it's track parts. Rogue also has their own for the M series not sure if they fit universally.

[justpete]

Originally Posted by TheTallJS

yep, I was mostly referring to AKG. I'd like to try it even though it's track parts. Rogue also has their own for the M series not sure if they fit universally.

You won't be able to tell the difference on the street and you would be very hard pressed to tell the difference between any variant of this type of bearing on the track. And without camber plates and M3 control arms it's totally pointless.

[justpete]

Originally Posted by TheTallJS

Can't help but imagine front end clunking after 2 months.

Probably not. The BW part in my car has been there for more than 10K miles and a bunch of track weekends. No noise at all, still tight, works great. No idea what a track-specific version would be like after that many miles on the street.

[feuer]

Originally Posted by justpete

Probably not. The BW part in my car has been there for more than 10K miles and a bunch of track weekends. No noise at all, still tight, works great. No idea what a track-specific version would be like after that many miles on the street.

Aren't all of these track specific? I can imagine these or similar to be made, advertised and sold for street daily use. Is not only that will not last as long a classical rubber bushings but will cause other components to fail prematurely. No?

[feuer]

Originally Posted by TheTallJS

yep, I was mostly referring to AKG. I'd like to try it even though it's track parts. Rogue also has their own for the M series not sure if they fit universally.

They fit all, M and non M.

[justpete]

Originally Posted by feuer

Aren't all of these track specific? I can imagine these or similar to be made, advertised and sold for street daily use. Is not only that will not last as long a classical rubber bushings but will cause other components to fail prematurely. No?

Absolutely in every aspect of your reply, no argument at all.

[justpete]

Originally Posted by feuer

Aren't all of these track specific? I can imagine these or similar to be made, advertised and sold for street daily use. Is not only that will not last as long a classical rubber bushings but will cause other components to fail prematurely. No?

To clarify, by track-specific I meant an unsealed version. The BW part is sealed so it's more likely to survive on the street a longer time than others. But I'm not looking for a part that will last as long as OEM bushings.

[feuer]

Originally Posted by justpete

To clarify, by track-specific I meant an unsealed version. The BW part is sealed so it's more likely to survive on the street a longer time than others. But I'm not looking for a part that will last as long as OEM bushings.

All of the sealed I have seen, like from Rogue or Tuner, look like modified version of the stock M3 lower control arm bushing. Looks like they just milled down bulky aluminum slive, ring to go around it in order to fit into the larger opening of the upper control arm. For that reason I believe the performance and longevity on those would be as oem.

[justpete]

Originally Posted by feuer

All of the sealed I have seen, like from Rogue or Tuner, look like modified version of the stock M3 lower control arm bushing. Looks like they just milled down bulky aluminum slive, ring to go around it in order to fit into the larger opening of the upper control arm. For that reason I believe the performance and longevity on those would be as oem.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's why BW refers to theirs as a bearing for the lower control arm when really it's for the upper control arm.