Delphi UCA's are in, looking pretty good

[turbodan]

I used some Febi bushings, looked like a heavy duty version of the stock item.

[HayekFan]

This will be my first time with the urethane bushings. Powerflex has two grades of urethane -- one that's harder for track use and one that's softer for street.I got the softer one. They claim the NHV is on par with the original rubber bushings but we'll see. At this point I'd be willing to put up with a little extra harshness to avoid replacing UCA's every 3 or 4 years, especially now that sourcing them is getting tricky. I've had the Meyle HDs with the 750 style bushing before and they did seem to last longer than the regular style, but not by a lot. They failed prematurely too. I'm really hoping these urethane bushings solve the problem once and for all.

[BMWCCA2]

Would y'all mind sharing what suppliers you're using that you are satisfied with? Thanks

[HayekFan]

I ordered the bushings directly from Powerflex at powerflexusa.com

There are a bunch of vendors on eBay selling the Delphi control arms. I ordered from a place called vnhm_exchange but they haven't arrived yet so I can't say whether they're on the up and up.

[HayekFan]

Well, my Delphi UCAs arrived and look good. The boxes say Made in Turkey. My non-expert impression is that the casting, machining, and balljoints seem on par with the Meyles and Lemforders I've gotten before but I guess time will tell.

[BMWCCA2]

Just received my Delphi UCA from FCP Euro today ordered under their part #KIT-E28THRUSTKITD which shows in the on-line photo to be two arms complete with bushings installed. What came was two arms without bushings. Did the Delphis you got have bushings installed? Delphi part # are TC513 and TC514. Made in Turkey. FCP is trying to figure out what to do. They say as individual arms, the catalog shows the arms and the bushings separate but the kit I ordered does not. At first they offered to send bushings but I don't have a press. They're trying to figure out what to do and get back to me.

$112.98 seemed very reasonable . . . now I know why!

[turbodan]

112 is a great price. They do not come with bushings, but on the bright side you get to pick the type and quality you prefer. Should be easy to find a place to press them in.

[BMWCCA2]

Since every picture FCP shows is the Delphi with bushings, I'd rather they supply them that way. It makes it a lot easier under their LIfetime warranty when they eventually fail again.

[turbodan]

All I'm saying is that Delphi doesn't sell them with bushings. No idea why FCP has them pictured that way, must be a generic image.

[HayekFan]

Those are the same part numbers as my Delphi UCA's and they did not have bushings, only the ball joints. I wanted them that way since I was going to install my own urethane bushings. BTW, the urethane bushings have arrived and seem like they'll work well. They're pretty pliable, like stiff rubber rather than hard plastic, which makes me think they're not going to be too harsh.

[BMWCCA2]

This is what I ordered:

[HayekFan]

Yep, looks like a listing mistake on their part. I guess the upside, if you decide to keep them, is that you can be selective about the kind of bushing you install.

[BMWCCA2]

There response was to send me a link to Bimmerworld which was the only parts house they could find that sold arms with bushings. I called them and they had one in stock but could drop-ship me a pair. They're in VA, like me, so that means tax and they do not offer free shipping so the total for two delivered was still only $150. Then I asked them what band they were, since they only use the BMW OE part number and he told me he thinks they are URO. Is that still a it hell-no on URO? When I asked him he said they don't have problems with their hard-parts, just their electrical stuff.

[turbodan]

I would find some bushings and have them pressed in before I put in Uro arms.

[Foonfer]

Funny to see this thread pop up - I just purchased FCP Euro's kit of front suspension parts, and those same control arms as on BMWCCA2's photo, which are part of the kit, were Delphi and came... without bushings, despite a be-bushinged group photo on FCP's website.

I haven't done the front in perhaps 8 years, and the car has had some form of the dreaded "shimmy" for a while now.

What's the recommendation for those bushings, what have your experiences been? (Part #31129058817)

[BMWCCA2]

I would find some bushings and have them pressed in before I put in Uro arms.

When the UROs arrive, I will have both Delphi and URO here to compare both.

[HayekFan]

What's the recommendation for those bushings, what have your experiences been? (Part #31129058817)

If you're wanting rubber bushings, I'd probably go with Meyle HD's. They're a heavier duty design modeled on the 7 series bushings and IME will last a little longer than the stock type bushings. I've redone my front suspension twice, once with Meyle HD's and once with stock type bushings. My recollection is that the HD's lasted a year or two longer before the shimmy returned.

[austin8753]

This is what I ordered:

if you look closely, you can see the Lemforder's logo cast into the arm. definitely a generic stock photo they stole from something else. sucks because it's misleading, but what do you do...

i will probably buy a pair of the Delphi to keep on the shelf. my pair of used/replacement control arms with old (but functional) 750i bushings seem to be holding up decently at the moment, but i know replacement is imminent.

[BMWCCA2]

if you look closely, you can see the Lemforder's logo cast into the arm. definitely a generic stock photo they stole from something else. sucks because it's misleading, but what do you do...

i will probably buy a pair of the Delphi to keep on the shelf. my pair of used/replacement control arms with old (but functional) 750i bushings seem to be holding up decently at the moment, but i know replacement is imminent.

Oh no question it was a stock photo error. The only makings on the Delphi arms is the "Delphi" stamped into the cap on the ball-joint. The Delphi I received also came with a new castle nut on the joint end which is also not in the photo. Details matter.

[BMWCCA2]

Got the UCA I ordered from Bimmerworld drop-shipped directly from URO Parts in California. Bushings came installed.

URO part has BMW part number cast into the arm with "R" or "L" appended to the cast-in p/n. Ordered from Bimmerworld on Friday and arrived on Wednesday from California to VA. Total cost including shipping charge of $10.44 and VA state tax of $6.04 was $130.46.
Here are both of them, not that you can tell much from a photo.

[turbodan]

Will be interesting to see how they hold up. If the ball joints are good then I'm happy. I suspect the Uro bushing is made cheaply but we can replace bushings.

[Kerrvillian]

Will be interesting to see how they hold up. If the ball joints are good then I'm happy. I suspect the Uro bushing is made cheaply but we can replace bushings.

If Uro's BMW garbage is anything like the utter CRAP they sell for Mercedes, I give it 6 months before that bushing is clapped and/or the boot fails on the ball joint. I wouldn't put Uro parts on my worst enemy's car. Plastic parts? Ok, I can kinda sorta accept a Uro part if there's no alternative. Rubber? ABSOLUTELY NOT.

[turbodan]

Yeah, I'm pretty much right there with you on that. I'd be surprised if the bushings hold up, but if the ball joint and boot are decent it could be a good option.

Did they spend the extra 19 cents on a ball joint boot that won't dry rot in five months? We shall see. That's pretty much all I require, a decent ball joint.

[Kerrvillian]

Did they spend the extra 19 cents on a ball joint boot that won't dry rot in five months? We shall see. That's pretty much all I require, a decent ball joint.

If the Uro brand tie rod end I used ONCE in a pinch on W126 is anything to go by, NO. No, they didn't. Lasted 4 months. Never saw rain, was installed in the spring, so it wasn't even hot yet, and never went to the city, so no ozone pollution. Just typical Chinese crap. Don't even get me started about the lies they told me when they used me as a guinea pig for their W126/124/140 sunroof seal. Long story short, after 3 different redesigns and nearly 2 years of back and forth and warranty claims for it not even being CLOSE to fitting or functioning right, the MB ones came back into stock and I shelled out for one. Fit perfect the first time. Told Uro to go Eff themselves and gave them the quickest way to get to it.

Full disclaimer, I do have a Uro branded ignition lock cylinder in my R107 because they offered it when I was going through the BS with the sunroof seal. There are no other options for lock cylinders for those cars and mine was a crappy aftermarket from the 90s that was already on its way out. So far it's held up fine, so they can do alright WHEN they try, at least for hard parts. Rubber? Just run.

[williamtii]

I was actually on the phone with FCP Monday asking about the Delphi kit showing the bushings pressed in. They said they didn't come with the bushings and said they would have someone work on it since its misleading.

Looking at the site I see they took the 2 piece kit down so it looks like they are on top of it. However I dont think they grasped that all of their kits show the bushings pressed in, oops.