31121132353 UCA Alternative
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eyelykeknives
- Posts: 237
- Joined: Aug 04, 2011
- Location: Pasadena, CA
31121132353 UCA Alternative
What is everyone using now since Meyle/Lemforder are NLA? Looks like the only options are Uro, HT, & TRW.
Re: 31121132353 UCA Alternative
Of those three, TRW seems like a no brainer to me. OE BMW is still available, at a stratospheric price also. But there's more, there's a boatload on Amazon, hard to tell if they're any good or not, most probably aren't. There's JP group on Schiedmanns, which appears to be a Danish firm. There's Delphi on Rockauto, which says lower, but looks like upper and the P/N interchange works with uppers.
Now, are any of them any good? Dunno, but I'd steer well clear of URO, Hamburg Techniquie and MEVOTECH. TRW seems to be getting a good reputation in the E39 crowd, I've got a set waiting to go on but still in the box.
Now, are any of them any good? Dunno, but I'd steer well clear of URO, Hamburg Techniquie and MEVOTECH. TRW seems to be getting a good reputation in the E39 crowd, I've got a set waiting to go on but still in the box.
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eyelykeknives
- Posts: 237
- Joined: Aug 04, 2011
- Location: Pasadena, CA
Re: 31121132353 UCA Alternative
Thanks for the feedback! TRW is definitely top on the list, then Delphi, then not sure what. Will order the TRW and pair with Powerflex bushings and see how they go!
Re: 31121132353 UCA Alternative
I don't frequent forums too often but had to chime in since I'm also in desperate need of a front suspension/steering refresh. Delphi claims to do "100% crack detection and ultrasonic flaw detection" for what that's worth, although the ball joints are definitely the key factor here. @eyelykeknives did you end up going with Powerflex? Love my rear subframe/trailing arm Powerflex setup with the IE adjustable camber/caster plates but heard poly isn't a good idea for the front due to multi-axis rotation/flexing of the control arms. Planning to do Moosehead upper and Turner lower spherical bearings with e34 aluminum arms myself (now that E31 arms with OEM spherical bearings are also all but NLA) but curious to hear how Powerflex is treating ya.
UCA Bushing Feedback
Thoughts on Powerflex UCA bushings:
My 535is came to me with Powerflex UCA bushings when I bought it in 2011. I think they have been on the car since about 2006-2007, so quite a few years, but only about 15-20k miles in total. I've done about 8-9K miles on the car myself. No complaints about them. The ride quality is not objectionable and the car is running 17" wheels. If they went bad or my other cars were in need of new bushings it is a product I'd purchase.
Moosehead Spherical Bearing UCAs:
My 528e on the other hand has Moosehead bushings/bearing UCAs that the PO installed a few years before I bought it in 2018. The car had a front end shimmy that was hard to eliminate even with all fresh parts up front, so I think this is why he tried out the spherical bearing UCA product and no more shimmy. I do think they have a positive steering response/directional change improvement (granted, my wealth of E28 road experience is nearly all M30/S38 cars). So the lighter M20 engine is probably contributing to the feel, too.
With that said, definitely consider if you are OK with a significant ride quality penalty over sharp, high amplitude bumps. Things like reflectors, rail road crossings that aren't level, expansion joints or seams, spalling asphalt or concrete roads, etc. that hit fast and hard. It's quite severe even on stock 14" wheels compared to an E28 with regular bushings. Sends a shake up the steering column and through the body you'd swear will make the car fall apart. Outside of the above, they otherwise don't seem to stand out as being objectionably harsh on my otherwise stock suspension 528e. They remind me a lot of the Grunts poly UCA bushings that used to be popular many years ago, as the ride quality was impacted in the same situations.
I don't think the Moosehead bearings are a bad product nor am I bashing it. Just consider your application, road surface, and ride quality expectations. Replacing a chunk of rubber that allows a fair amount of compliance is not without trade-offs. Many people seem OK with the swap, but for me it's too out of character after driving these cars for nearly 25 years to tolerate in a casual weekend fun or daily driver application given the roads locally (which aren't awful, but there is a lot of tired, poor quality asphalt if it's not a major thoroughfare).
My 535is came to me with Powerflex UCA bushings when I bought it in 2011. I think they have been on the car since about 2006-2007, so quite a few years, but only about 15-20k miles in total. I've done about 8-9K miles on the car myself. No complaints about them. The ride quality is not objectionable and the car is running 17" wheels. If they went bad or my other cars were in need of new bushings it is a product I'd purchase.
Moosehead Spherical Bearing UCAs:
My 528e on the other hand has Moosehead bushings/bearing UCAs that the PO installed a few years before I bought it in 2018. The car had a front end shimmy that was hard to eliminate even with all fresh parts up front, so I think this is why he tried out the spherical bearing UCA product and no more shimmy. I do think they have a positive steering response/directional change improvement (granted, my wealth of E28 road experience is nearly all M30/S38 cars). So the lighter M20 engine is probably contributing to the feel, too.
With that said, definitely consider if you are OK with a significant ride quality penalty over sharp, high amplitude bumps. Things like reflectors, rail road crossings that aren't level, expansion joints or seams, spalling asphalt or concrete roads, etc. that hit fast and hard. It's quite severe even on stock 14" wheels compared to an E28 with regular bushings. Sends a shake up the steering column and through the body you'd swear will make the car fall apart. Outside of the above, they otherwise don't seem to stand out as being objectionably harsh on my otherwise stock suspension 528e. They remind me a lot of the Grunts poly UCA bushings that used to be popular many years ago, as the ride quality was impacted in the same situations.
I don't think the Moosehead bearings are a bad product nor am I bashing it. Just consider your application, road surface, and ride quality expectations. Replacing a chunk of rubber that allows a fair amount of compliance is not without trade-offs. Many people seem OK with the swap, but for me it's too out of character after driving these cars for nearly 25 years to tolerate in a casual weekend fun or daily driver application given the roads locally (which aren't awful, but there is a lot of tired, poor quality asphalt if it's not a major thoroughfare).