What is the option here? I want a replaceable ball joint but can't find one, I want to be able to make use of solid or urethane inner/outer CAB's.

I don't need anything sexy and super adjustable, as I want something suitable for a DD/autox car that is reliable but somewhat harsh. All I want is to not be forced into buying stock control arms, burning out the rubber bushings and hoping I don't ruin a ball joint.

I'm willing to do a LOT of work on the strut housing, casting and tube, to get that end right. I've searched for a replaceable ball joint but have found nothing that has that long of a upper shaft. I'll machine out the bjoint from the CA, but need to find a bjoint solution first.

What else is there? I just want to use a stock configuration for a swaybar, strut housing, control arm, etc.... Anyone else done something that I should look at?

only solution is to buy new control arms. then cast your own urethane into the bushes.

e21parts.net use to sell complete controls arms with urethane bushes. niall from australia is gettin a batch of urethane control arm bushes and "d" bushes for sway bars made up for $65AUD, but i dont really know of anybody else that makes them.

Top End Performance sells new control arms for $79/ea, I'd look at a pair of those & cast your own bushings like I did. Unless you are building a dedicated track car, then build custom arms with heim joints, otherwise don't overthink it.

I got Meyle control arms from Pelican for about 50 a side about two weeks ago.

You have to be careful though as some, even ones you would think are good, are crap. I wish I knew what kind mine are (that came on the car), the ball joints are still perfect and I've put nearly 100k miles on them, and who knows how much before I got them. All I've done is replece the boots and bushings.

I bought mine from bavauto and they failed within 15k. :(

I'm going for meyle arms from autohaus this time around.


I've looked for replaceable ball joints that could be bolted to a custom control arm and so far have found none. Here was a thread a while back on poly control arm bushings and custom control arms, and there have been many more:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=790500 ("http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=790500)

VAC motorsports sells a custom front suspension that can be seen on dave mcintyre's website (link posted in link). Great for a race car but hiem joints on a street car are a bad idea. I want ball joints with dust boots or I'll stick with stock.

Just buy stock, cast your own poly bushings, and be done with it.