[lowrydr310]

I installed a pair of Delphi brand thrust arms on my car, replacing the original arms with 240K miles on them. The creaking/crunching sound when cold and going over bumps is now gone, as is the thud sound when I quickly hit the brakes. I didn't have any obvious free play or slop and couldn't see any cracks, but sure enough after removing them I can see the rubber bushings are shot with obvious cracks.

They produly say they're engineered in the UK and made in China. They seem fine and the price was right ($60 each) however I'm not happy with the included nut for the ball joint. it's just a thin nut with no washer. Without using a deep well socket, the ball joint stud starts to touch the bottom of the socket before the nut can be fully tightened.

The original nut is much thicker and has an integrated washer. I got the passenger side installed and torqued just fine but when I did the driver's side, I couldn't torque the nut on the ball joint. It just kept spinning. I tried jacking the hub to load it, then tried an impact, and nothing, the stud kept spinning. I ended up reusing the old nut with integrated washer which allowed me to torque it properly to the 120ft-lb. I added some blue loctite and torqued it for now, but I'm going to order new OEM nuts for both sides.

In hindsight, the Lemforder thrust arms would have been a better choice for the extra $30 per side.

[juld0zer]

There is two versions of the nut available. One has a castellated top with a thin washer that has 3 circles. The later version has a nylon lockring at the top threads and a slightly thicker washer that freespins.

Not sure what the supplied Delphi one looks like but I have always counterheld the stud using the correct tool (T40 socket or some manufacturers use an inhex) and use a ring spanner to tighten until it is firm, then torque wrench. By the time it is tight by spanner, it should be tight enough to reach the specified torque without counterholding.

[mecheng77]

I couldn't help think of the oem vs aftermarket post. Lemforder stuff I find to be very good

[ryan stewart]

Originally Posted by mecheng77

I couldn't help think of the oem vs aftermarket post. Lemforder stuff I find to be very good

If Lemfoerder makes the part, get it from them. Just do it. Been messing with BMWs for 20 years and the long-term difference between them and their competitors is well worth the small upcharge.

I mean, its only the parts keeping your wheels attached to you car.

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by juld0zer

Not sure what the supplied Delphi one looks like but I have always counterheld the stud using the correct tool (T40 socket or some manufacturers use an inhex) and use a ring spanner to tighten until it is firm, then torque wrench. By the time it is tight by spanner, it should be tight enough to reach the specified torque without counterholding.

The stud on the Delphi ball joint has the T40 female just like the original BMW/TRW arm, and I used the bit to hold it while I tightened with my boxed end wrench. The problem is that I got it as tight as I could, then when I used the torque wrench I could only get it to 70ft-lb before the stud would start to spin, and that particular nut needs 120ft-lb. I could have used a cheater pipe on the spanner wrench, but I still didn't like how small the included nut was compared to the original, and the fact that there was no washer. When I get a chance I'll post a picture to show the difference.

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by mecheng77

I couldn't help think of the oem vs aftermarket post. Lemforder stuff I find to be very good

Delphi makes good stuff too, but the benefit of Lemforder (and all the other OE suppliers) is that you typically get all original equivalent hardware like nuts of the proper style and size.

I installed new swaybar end links last year, I think I went with Moog and while they're a quality part, the nuts were a different size than the ones I removed.