Is there market for monoball rear upper control arm monoball? SyncroDesignWerks

[pawa_k2001]

If anyone is interested, please send Syncro Design Works a email, FB or Instagram message. I would love to see these come to market and it seems like SDW started prototypes but I haven't heard back from them as of late. Redoing my suspension over the winter and would lave to install these at the same time.

[bigjae46]

I’m not sure that a bearing is going to improve anything. The OE rubber lasts a long time. I guess it might free up the arm to rotate when the spring compresses to prevent spring bind?

Not sure what’s being fixed here other than getting rid of all the rubber.

I see value in replacing the entire arm with something that addresses the weakness of spring land areas and provides something similar to a weight jacking spring perch.


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[pawa_k2001]

I’m not sure that a bearing is going to improve anything. The OE rubber lasts a long time. I guess it might free up the arm to rotate when the spring compresses to prevent spring bind?

Not sure what’s being fixed here other than getting rid of all the rubber.

I see value in replacing the entire arm with something that addresses the weakness of spring land areas and provides something similar to a weight jacking spring perch.


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For some of us that went with solid mounted subframe and monoballs, this is the last rubber bushing which has alot more deflection because its rubber. Since most of us have street cars, we want a sealed monoball since all race products are exposed heim joints.

[Cronenberged]

If anyone is interested, please send Syncro Design Works a email, FB or Instagram message. I would love to see these come to market and it seems like SDW started prototypes but I haven't heard back from them as of late. Redoing my suspension over the winter and would lave to install these at the same time.

I'm game to support but you'd be better off starting a threat with running interest post to get a solid number.

[bigjae46]

For some of us that went with solid mounted subframe and monoballs, this is the last rubber bushing which has alot more deflection because its rubber. Since most of us have street cars, we want a sealed monoball since all race products are exposed heim joints.

I have solid subframe mounts and a monoball RTABs. I run the TMS arm with a rubber bushing, switched from a rod end. I don’t think there is really a difference.

The other thing to consider is you have a decent chance of cracking the control arm. There’s no flat surface which makes using a press difficult and it’s cheap cast aluminum. I cracked one doing a preventive replacement…definitely wasn’t worth it.

I don’t see it worth the risk to replace with something that you won’t even notice.

Just my $0.02.


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[pawa_k2001]

Seems like SDW will not be making them.

Hey man, the sealed bearings we were planning to use require too much modification to work well at this point.

Not sure how viable of a product it will be.

[terra]

get the GC adj. LCA's with sealed bearing

https://groundcontrolstore.com/colle...h-bearing-pair

Those are the ones I'm running. Though they came with Delphi ball joints rather than the lemforder pieces. So far running fine a few years alter.

What would probably make Obioban not want them is that they're steel instead of aluminum.

[terra]

I’m not sure that a bearing is going to improve anything. The OE rubber lasts a long time. I guess it might free up the arm to rotate when the spring compresses to prevent spring bind?

Not sure what’s being fixed here other than getting rid of all the rubber.

I see value in replacing the entire arm with something that addresses the weakness of spring land areas and provides something similar to a weight jacking spring perch.


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Unclear if they're the same dimensions, but the E89 Z4 and E83 X3 upper control arms might be worth looking into

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=LM13-USA-07-2016-E89-BMW-Z4_35is&diagId=33_1478

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=PC93-USA-03_2006_E83N_BMW_X3_30si&diagId=33_1200

[eacmen]

Those are the ones I'm running. Though they came with Delphi ball joints rather than the lemforder pieces. So far running fine a few years alter.

What would probably make Obioban not want them is that they're steel instead of aluminum.

My GC arms bearings just failed. They used some kind of bearing that was neither delphi nor lemforder. The replacement bearings from GC were delphi.


Be aware that replacement bearings for the GC arms are OE BMW bearings but with a flat spot machined in them for a set screw to prevent bearing rotation.

[Mpower04]

I have solid subframe mounts and a monoball RTABs. I run the TMS arm with a rubber bushing, switched from a rod end. I don’t think there is really a difference.

The other thing to consider is you have a decent chance of cracking the control arm. There’s no flat surface which makes using a press difficult and it’s cheap cast aluminum. I cracked one doing a preventive replacement…definitely wasn’t worth it.

I don’t see it worth the risk to replace with something that you won’t even notice.

Just my $0.02.


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How apparent was the crack when you pressed the new upper inner bushings in? I have the TMS monoballs there and makes me want to double check them to ensure nothing is happening.

I would also be very interested in a revised arm.

[bigjae46]

How apparent was the crack when you pressed the new upper inner bushings in? I have the TMS monoballs there and makes me want to double check them to ensure nothing is happening.

I would also be very interested in a revised arm.

It happened while I was pressing the bushing in on a hydraulic press so pretty easy to find.

It’s a PIA to replace because the eyelet isn’t 90 degrees with the arm and there is not a lot of lip on the eyelet to press against.

You can use an adjustable lower control arm in place of the upper control arm. The problem is the sway bar and spring. You can do a rear coilover - creates other complications with the rear shock mounting. The one I’m worried about is the lower bolt.

I’ve deleted the rear sway bar so that’s not an issue for me. You can fabricate a clamp that provides a mounting for the end link. Probably would need to use a steel control arm.


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[Mpower04]

It happened while I was pressing the bushing in on a hydraulic press so pretty easy to find.

It’s a PIA to replace because the eyelet isn’t 90 degrees with the arm and there is not a lot of lip on the eyelet to press against.

You can use an adjustable lower control arm in place of the upper control arm. The problem is the sway bar and spring. You can do a rear coilover - creates other complications with the rear shock mounting. The one I’m worried about is the lower bolt.

I’ve deleted the rear sway bar so that’s not an issue for me. You can fabricate a clamp that provides a mounting for the end link. Probably would need to use a steel control arm.


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Ah, I don't have access to an actual press so I just use the regular "hand tool" press kits.

[George Hill]

The other thing to consider is you have a decent chance of cracking the control arm. There’s no flat surface which makes using a press difficult and it’s cheap cast aluminum. I cracked one doing a preventive replacement…definitely wasn’t worth it.

Never had an issue with cracking one of the uppers. I use a couple sockets and an E39 subframe bushing fixture (E46 would work to, I just don't have one) and my hydraulic ram, but you could do it with a spindle and nuts.

[eacmen]

Okay so our car is dedicated track use but not full race spec.

Has anyone run the RE or GC or TMS unsealed bearing for upper inner control arm bushing replacement?

Is it a worthwhile upgrade?

My (uniformed and anecdotal) concern is that the unsealed bearing may exert more stress on the cast aluminum lollipop.

[George Hill]

My (uniformed and anecdotal) concern is that the unsealed bearing may exert more stress on the cast aluminum lollipop.

Can you expand on that idea?