RTAB Monoball Bushings Experience

[maupineda]

Hi, I am strongly thinking about installing a monoball bearing ILO the OE RTAB, I have read mixed comments about NVH or noises. Some say they don't hear anything and is like the OE rubber bushings, and others say they can be pretty bad. I would like to hear your comments for those who have them on M3's or even Z4M, which is my car.

[Tbonem3]

A good bearing won't make noise. Harsher sure. I love the sdws but would also rock cmp or turner or dinan. Otherwise, stick with oe bmw or lemforder. Skip poly as they're noisiest and harshest IME.

[T.J.]

I noticed the slightest amount harshness on a prior M3 with powerflex bushings. Really haven’t noticed my current Dinan monoball ones at all.

[STAATS]

+1 positive experience with SDWs. I would have got CMP if I had my time over just due to local availability. no notice in increase of NVH vs the improvement in driver feel.

[Daniel]

I have Turner V2 rtabs... I noticed a bit more harshness over potholes/cracks but since they are in the rear of the car, you don't feel much through the steering wheel. It's definitely worth the performance upgrade versus the slight 'NVH' you'll experience.

[maupineda]

Thanks! In my case I may feel it more as in the Z we seat almost on the rear axle.

it seems to me Turner, SDW and Bimmerworld use the OE ball joint. Any reason behind preference if the insert is the same?

[Tbonem3]

SDW is now sold at FCPeuro so lifetime replacement, but might not matter as you can disassemble them and pop in a new OEM bearing for pretty cheap. I don't like Turner much any more after acquisition. Bimmerworlds' has the worst reputation, but that was from earlier years iirc. I like supporting smaller guys like CMP and SDW when I can. Dinan's very nice but too much $ these days.

[S14]

SDW is now sold at FCPeuro so lifetime replacement, but might not matter as you can disassemble them and pop in a new OEM bearing for pretty cheap. I don't like Turner much any more after acquisition. Bimmerworlds' has the worst reputation, but that was from earlier years iirc. I like supporting smaller guys like CMP and SDW when I can. Dinan's very nice but too much $ these days.

Interesting, I've had nothing but excellent experience with bimmerworld. Do you have a link to the SDW stuff sold at FCP, I've never seen it listed before.

I have the bimmerworld RTAB's and street/track lower control arms that use the same style sealed balljoint and I am totally happy with the way they feel. I only notice a slight increase in NVH when the rear seats are removed, but I'm guessing that is more from teh solid subframe bushings than the RTAB's.

[terra]

Thanks! In my case I may feel it more as in the Z we seat almost on the rear axle.

it seems to me Turner, SDW and Bimmerworld use the OE ball joint. Any reason behind preference if the insert is the same?

Turner uses a Mercedes ball joint that's about the right width, but uses a larger bolt (so they also throw in an M12 to M14 adapter)

SDW uses the OE E46 rear ball joints, but these are too wide for the RTAB pocket, so they're milled down to fit.

Bimmerworld uses a knock-off (non-OE) of an E9x ball joint that is the correct width.

CMP uses the lemforder version of the balljoint that the Bimmerworld piece uses.

I have Turner's on my car and have no complaints. If I were buying again today, I'd probably go with CMP.

I don't really feel any true NVH increase, but I had so much suspension work done to my car at the same time that it's hard to say for sure.


For the cost this might be worth experimenting with: https://www.e46fanatics.com/threads/...shing.1227852/

I did note some complaints of NVH in that thread, but I do wonder how much of it is because non-Ms are much more isolated than M3s before modification.

[ZHPizza]

^ I was the one on that e46f thread that didn't like the harshness of the Moog bearings. I'm going to try again with the Bimmerworld design and see if it's any better.

[ZHPizza]

^ I was the one on that e46f thread that didn't like the harshness of the Moog bearings. The performance was phenomenal, though. I'm going to try again with the Bimmerworld design and see if it's any better.

[maupineda]

Thanks! I had read that thread, and prompted me to post here as most feedback there is from non-Ms

I will look into CMP and SDW. Not liking the idea of a knock off part that may not last as much.

[George Hill]

I've installed a bunch of CMP and SDW ball joints. IMO there is no downside and am pretty particular with added NVH.

[Obioban]

^ I was the one on that e46f thread that didn't like the harshness of the Moog bearings. The performance was phenomenal, though. I'm going to try again with the Bimmerworld design and see if it's any better.

Bimmerworld is the most likely to make noise, as they use the crapiest bearing.

[ZHPizza]

Bimmerworld is the most likely to make noise, as they use the crapiest bearing.

Oh yeah I saw that they were using some cheap Indian made bearing that was trash out of the box, but I saw in another thread that someone called back in April of this year and confirmed that they had gone back to an OEM (Lemforder maybe?) bearing. Their website has this now:

European-manufactured OEM bearing insert.

I bought mine in May so hopefully they're the good version.


Also, it was never bearing noise that was a problem with the Moogs, it was the crashing force transferred to the frame whenever the tire hit a leading edge (think the transition onto a bridge, a steel plate covering a hole, etc). It could be worse with the Moogs since they're in a solid steel housing instead of softer aluminum. We'll find out!