Original vs Meyle HD, Poly & Z4m LCA Bushings - Install & Review E46

Here i test front Lower Control Arm bushings to see if there is any difference between the bushings
Spoiler Alert. Theres a big differences between them
OE/Lemforder vs Meyle HD vs Powerflex Polyurethane vs E85 Z4M bushings
Parts used
2x PFF54601 Powerflex Poly
1x 31126783376 or LF1797801 for lemforder
1x 3003112604HD Meyle
1x 31107838575 (Z4M bushing set)

[@kimsk1101]

Thank you very much for taking all the troubles to make a great report. My hat is off to show the respect to you!

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Np bro

[@leored79]

Yes, i second that. Great Videos..

[@OEMplusRESTO]

@leored79 warms my heart to have likeminded people to share the hobby with. Thank you for the support

[@Barnone_]

Really enjoy this as an E46 owner. Great to see your dad helping,its one of my favorite things about working on cars when mine shows me how to do things smarter instead of harder! I currently run B14s with poly lca bushings but i find them quite harsh. i think ill try the Z4 bushings after watching this. thanks again

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Thank you. Im happy you could use it. With a little luck i will work with him again soon for a video about echaust! You just cant beat experience! I do have a separate video where he schools me too lol. The one called ilæ never be as good as my father.

[@MrCrunchyEGGROLL]

Your dad is awesome. Glad to have someone like that to help ya out.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Thank you. He’s the one that taught me all i know about cars

[@justfasial01]

I couldn't get Lemforder so I got Meyle HD, about 8 years ago and they are still solid with no play or cracks in them.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

They do seem rather sturdy. Im glad they serve alot of people well. Id rather just go poly at that point. Those are also easy and cheap to replace when needed. No special tools needed

[@Residew]

Awesome video! Thank you! Your dad is a great addition to this video! Very practical man.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

He absolutely schools me in working on cars on a regular basis. I owe him alot. And thank you for the kind words

[@Residew]

@@OEMplusRESTO you and I can certainly relate on that. Just did a full front end job that I couldn't have done without my dad's passed along knowoedge.

[@eddielstrong4318]

Thank you for taking the time to do it right. I look forward to seeing more Z4m content. Once again thank you Ed

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Thank you for the support:) do you have any ideas for more z4m content?

[@eddielstrong4318]

@@OEMplusRESTO I’m doing the back now. Then a stage 3 clutch. I’ve seen you videos. You should continue. You have a way of inspiring others to take on big jobs. And your videos show the way. Great job thanks

[@maxmurphy8052]

You're an absolute legend for doing this. Im putting z4m bushings on my e46 tomorow. Thanks for the information

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Thank you. I hope you will find them equally as good as i did👌

[@Harry244ful]

When your dad stepped in and absolutely smashed the job! So cute to see and me and my dad have similar experiences 🥺

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Thank you:) yes thats something to kot take for granted. Hope you and your dad gets many more experiences💪

[@funsummerwatches]

@@OEMplusRESTO Love it, made me smile. Experience is everything in situations like this and your dad clearly has an abundance of it. Well done to your dad!

[@MrBFH4life]

Apparently powerflex also creates Z4M polyurethane bushings for in E46's. Would be cool to see 😉

[@billycupid7762]

Good content. Also, nice to see your dad involved. Experience matters!

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Btw.. heres my dad teaching me a few tricks I’ll Never Out-wrench my dad kzbin.info/www/bejne/in2uqa1uaNGagsk

[@mannypacbeloud5786]

You're the man when these meyle hd wear out I'll be getting poly ones

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Thank you, can reccomend yes

[@MDEV-86x86]

​@@OEMplusRESTO No good idea. Polyurethane bushings show problems with use. Better rubbish bushings ( For example, Hardrace brand ).

[@dsmblaircom]

Thanks for the review. I've just purchased the Z4M bushes before I saw this and you've confirmed what I was thinking might be the case. I'd previously fitted the Meyle HDs and quite liked them, however I'd only compared them to worn originals. I didn't notice the tramlining that was attributed to the FCABs, though. I did have tramlining on the run-flat tyres (and wheels) from an E90 but the was totally fixed when I fitted Michelin PS4 tyres.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Thank you. Im happy it was usable. I think im going back to stock when i change the arms. Then i will find out if i miss them 😅

[@daveolliemetalhead]

Thank you for the wonderful video. I just installed the polyurethane bushing Saturday. I replaced the original ones with 158.000 miles. Are so much better is a Bmw 323 ci no more noise

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Very cool:)

[@tiitsaul9036]

Well done. Good to see someone actually test and compare not just repeating propaganda. This video must've been a lot of work and time. Cheers.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Thank you. It was really fun so i dont mind. Hadnt guessed at all it would matter what bushing one went with so i learned something new

[@katyaever8700]

It's a great explanation. Many thanks

[@ron8566]

Fabulous video. I need to do this on my 04’ BMW Z4. I think I will go with the OEM LEM’s…

[@Feuerbasis]

Got the Meyle ones. Direct as all hell and will last for ever.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

I think im gonna go bck to oem. If you have seen my lates community post on my page notice how the front wheels are pushed foreward due to the z4m bushings. I love those bushings but i think id like the wheels centered better

[@TwanEngels]

Really interesting as I used to go for Meyle as well. OE seems to fit better for my use. Thanks!

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Thank you. Youre welcome

[@user-yb2tp4qf1r]

I like Meyle HD as an upgrade to OE, they are little more stiff/solid and they last a long time. Most OE bushing on newer BMW are soft due to the use of RFT tires.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Did not know that (rft tires).

[@anidiotinaracingcar4874]

I wish I had a dad like yours. Very interesting video too!

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Thank you for the continued support bro. Youll might find this interesting then.. my lowest view video lol I Will Never Be As GOOD As My Father kzbin.info/www/bejne/in2uqa1uaNGagsk

[@anidiotinaracingcar4874]

@@OEMplusRESTO I'll add it to my watch list!

[@sgreenfield4]

Thanks for the reviews! I recently installed Meyle HD on my 330ci. After trying various methods in my garage to fit them onto the LCA, I found that using Dawn dish soap worked best. The bushings slipped right on.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Thanks for the tip:)

I really like your content, thank you for making them.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Again,. Thank you sir

[@robertjackson7377]

Great information Tim! Thank you for doing this and all of your videos. Can you do a video explaining how to do an alignment and what those tools were you used? Possibly where to get them? Keep up the excellent work and thank you so much! Also what an amazing garage you have. 👍🙂 Robert

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Hi. I used a toe in/out alignment checker tool. Not sure what exactly its called as its my dad and it is older than me. Its pretry oldschool and stems from a time people did alignments mostly by measuring tape. I’ll see if i can find out exactly what it is, but eorher way i only rarely see them pop up.. One crude way to do it without tools is simply getting on your knees and with one eye gauge there the front tire sits. If you draw a horizontal line from 3 and 9 clock positions, you can see where the tire is pointing, in or out, and then try and match that after the repair. But its only good enough to let you drive to the real alignment olace without wearing youe tires out:) hope that helps. Thank you for the kind words:)

[@robertjackson7377]

Thank you so much! You have helped so many people and really do videos that give results to us! Your Dad seems so cool and I can see where you got your mechanical enthusiasm from. True Old School

[@OEMplusRESTO]

@@robertjackson7377 thats very kind of you:)

[@sergiupavlov9953]

Great knowledge

[@24hourgmtchannel64]

I believe the manual calls for soapy water not grease to aid in sliding the bushing on. Reason being is to allow to dry in other words rubber to aluminum with no continued slip. It even states not to drive the car until the soapy solution evaporates.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

I think newtis states that a special bmw lubricant should be used but i could be wrong. Either way, i take this car apart like theres no tommorow. Soon it will have brand new arms in the front im sure lol. Thank you for the tip too

[@johnfisher142]

at my shop we work on alot of e46, for that style lower control arm we put a little layer of silicone rtv, the slide right on with minimal effort.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Thanks for the tip:)

[@sherifgamal3265]

Great video ❤

[@cheeseburgerbeefcake]

Powerflex also offer an offset castor option which sounds like it would cover as an Z4m alternative (to save pressing in a new bushing). Interesting and useful!

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Aha.. wish i had tester that one as well then

[@MDEV-86x86]

Polyurethane is no solution.

[@imnota]

Your dad still got it, the clamp was a great idea

[@madoushi1634]

Respect bro 👏🏽 Cheer's from Algeria 🇩🇿

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Cheers from denmark bro👌

[@TOTALdAk1nG]

ive always gone with the meyle bushings and control arms but ive also had to buy the entire piece with the control arms as a set last time so i wont bother installing them. also after upgrading my strut bearings and even before the handling was super unstable. After installing the e90 strut bearings it got even worse after this video ill definitely try the lemforder or the solid/pu ones! also great video as always was instantly hooked after the upload :)

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Thank you for the great feedback it is much appreciated. Was is the e46 you installed the e90 mounts on? And was it to lower it as well?

[@TOTALdAk1nG]

youre welcome :)!@@OEMplusRESTO yes it was to lower the car and since there are no Alignement pins on the e90 strut bearings you can adjust the camber a bit (atleast on my 323ci body)

[@OEMplusRESTO]

@@TOTALdAk1nGinteresting. Maybe have the alignment checked? Im on stock alignment, then the z4m bushings now with toe corrected. Dont know what the camber and caster is since doing this but it drives extremely well now.

[@AdamAdam-nc2ep]

Great video , great test, thank you 👍

[@TOTALdAk1nG]

@@OEMplusRESTO great to hear! Mine does aswell sortoff just the meyle bushings arent as great had issued with them in the past and now too. Always thought the other ones are just as bad :)

[@CatalinaAVX]

Good old Dad with his G-Clamp and F-Clamp, don't think I've managed much on my running gear without those! I have the Z4 rear control arm bushes on my 2001 330i on 17s and I really like them. Because I have Bilstein B4s as well, the track rods being in slightly different alignment have caused a bit of extra wear on the steering rack and it's starting to mist oil a tiny bit and it has some play anyway. I'm now wondering what it would be like to have a fast ratio purple label rack replacement, as they are some of the lower costing refurbed options.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

My yellow tag rack is by far the best rack i have ever had. Maybe in part due to the alignment and setup of the rest of the car. But the steering is phenomenal either way! And as soon as i have done the b12 vs b14 comparison ill be going back to the b4’s as well. Theyre just such a good compromise between sport and comfort imo. And i also run the 17” setup because of this. Really good compromise between performance and comfort too. I use this car for testing stuff and going for ice cream with the wife and kids. The later part is nicer when its still a comfy car

[@CatalinaAVX]

@@OEMplusRESTO That is great to hear, I will investigate the yellow tag options here in the UK. I have known nothing different to a stock rack so far. My 330i is my main car to drive so despite wanting the fun of good performance on the back roads every day, it's no fun wasting ice cream or having grumpy passengers! Thanks to your video I'll save my money instead of trying any other Bilstein options.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

@@CatalinaAVX youre welcome. I think the purple tag and yellow tag are very similar. Correct me if im wrong. Suspension is very subjective but i really like the b4’s with eibch springs despite im currently running a b12 setup! Even for spirited driving they did really well

[@imnota]

@@OEMplusRESTO Same ratio but normally yellow tag is stiffer. You see them lots on 320d's which makes it easier for us europeans compared to americans, where the yellow tags are rarer

[@straight6604]

I had those poly bushings and after 1 or 2 years they would make a lot of noise (squeak and creak). Probably okay if you can take them off once or twice a year and lube them, but I live in an apartment and not able to do that myself. I heard you only had them for 5000 km, so may not have noticed. I had Meyle HD installed and it's been quite a few years and still fine.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Thanks for the insight. Yeah poly tend to creak. And im not a fan of poly in suspension parts in general. But in this case they worked really well imo

[@nickg4135]

you can get a rogue engineering housing that has a grease nipple built into it which would help out

[@alexp.3102]

You're not supposed to use any lubricants or grease which does not dry out after installation. Either use soap water or the BMW installation grease which dries out.

Teşekkürler.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Thank you so much.. im grateful for the contribution sir. Let me know if there is anyyhing i can help with💪

[@FELIPE8226M]

Just replaced my LCA bushings with the lemforder and I’m happy with them, installed Turner Motorsport front and rear sway bars with power flex poly bushings 0 body roll haha

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Thanks for the insight. Maybe i should try that.. poly sway bar bushings

[@FELIPE8226M]

@@OEMplusRESTO The poly sway bar bushings are a stiffer ride for street driving that’s the downside though

[@OEMplusRESTO]

@253tactown6 didnt know they had such an impact in regular driving.. what size are the turner ones?? ive heard the z4 has sway bars that fit. Maybe one could add those and experiment with bushings as well:)

[@FELIPE8226M]

@@OEMplusRESTO 27mm front and 21mm rear, yeah you can try the z4 ones also I know some people run sway bars from a M3 I think

[@FELIPE8226M]

@@OEMplusRESTO Yeah that would be cool to see a video comparison 👍🏼

[@youseffaisal6458]

What are your suggestions to minimize tramlining as much as possible. I run 18 inch style 135 square setup and have yet to replace the control arm bushings. Does a staggered setup help remove tramlining for example?

[@aor3200]

Great video! I am process of refreshing front control arms + rear bushings. What is your recommendation, TRW or lemförder for parts? I think there is big risk to get made in china lemförders :/

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Hi. Thank you. Literally today i received new front control arms, as im doing a video on wheels(wheel weight) and want the car aligned and i perfect shape. And the control arms are old as are the tie rods But. The oe ones i just payed a fortune for is lemforder. So to answer your question. Bmw still use lemforder. So k will always recommend lemforder over other brands. I dont know if theyre better but i always buy lemforder. In this case i wanted the best so i ordered oe and got… lemforder

[@moneyshifters]

We run offset poly bushing LCAs because we had the exact same results

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Thats good to know. I didnt know you could get poly offset ones. Id imagine doing so you get the best parts of the z4 bushings coupled with the best parts of poly. A win/win then. Thank you for the tip

[@moneyshifters]

@@OEMplusRESTO100%!! Although I stand by you - running poly bushings for engine and transmission in anything you might drive on the street is (in our experience) outright stupid and not worth the discomfort. E21 oe transmission mounts and m3 engine mounts are perfect for daily sporty use on e46 and I believe e36 !

[@OEMplusRESTO]

@moneyshifters hmm.. havent heard of the e21 trans mounts.. what upside do the mounts you mention have? If you dont have the time to answer ill look it up myself so no worries. But sounds interesting

[@moneyshifters]

@@OEMplusRESTO the stock ones tend to pancake and then split, they're stiffer and more durable without being poly. I've never had an e21 transmount need to be replaced because of use. You'll need to expand the mounting holes to accommodate the slightly larger threads on the e21 mounts. easy with a file or drill.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

@@moneyshifters thank you for the tip

[@alexmeier3538]

My Experience: even the very cheap chinese oil filled bushings are ok, but for better performance and durability i would choose PU Bushings from stronglflex

[@OEMplusRESTO]

PU are good i agree. How will the chinesium ones hold up? Theyre easy to change so its no biggie if they fail early imo

[@alexmeier3538]

@@OEMplusRESTO right, I installed them on a daily 318i with new whishbones all from a 100€ ebay package. After 3,5 Years and 30tkm still fine

[@OEMplusRESTO]

@alexmeier3538 not bad.. oe ones can fail at thay mileage too

[@v.s.727]

I haven't made good experiance with meyleparts. I ibstalled a new meyle coolant hose and after a few 1000 kms it started to leak, where the plastic fitting and the rubber hose joins on them. Crap!

[@OEMplusRESTO]

I havemt been that unlucky myself bit thanks for the input

[@adamyearsley1204]

Would you mind sharing what type of alignment tool you’re using to check toe etc?

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Its my dads. I dont know what it is called honestly. Been searching the classifieds for one for a long time.

[@oscararnesen699]

Fed video som altid! Har også monteret powerflex, men har også læst mig til at Z bøsninger skulle være et lækkert upgrade. Men der er også ny undervogn på listen, da jeg stadig har monteret en ret så dårlig gevind undervogn. Bare hård og kan sænkes, intet andet. Har du noget du kan anbefale til under 8000-10000kr? Ps. Jeg må snart få en tur i din, vil gerne mærke hvordan den føles på 17”, har selv tænkt på noget 17” med lidt mere dæk!

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Kæmpe tak. Jeg prøver at spare sammen til en bilstein b14 da de kan fåes til en 7k ca hvilket er en fin pris ifht til feks st eller kw. De sku dog være lidt blødere i det en ovenstående. Så måske st er bedre? Min kardan er vist stået af men ja klart. Kom og prøv den snart. Med lidt held er det “bare” midterlejet men har ikke nået at kigge på det da det begyndte forleden😢 Selv med de elendige dæk kører den fandme godt efterhånden. De Z bøsninger virker bedre end man sku tro!!

[@oscararnesen699]

@@OEMplusRESTOJeg kunne også godt blive fristet til en B14. De ligger i samme pris klasse. Bilstein kan man vidst ikke gå galt i byen med. Heldigvis er midterleje/Hardyskive ikke svært at skifte eller specielt tidskrævende. Vi må lige snakkes ved inden det begynder at blive koldt!

[@M54ftw]

Hi there! I want to get the offset Bushings too but im scared the tires are gonna rub on the housing then. Do you have any problems with it? Also could you name me your wheel specs? Greetings from Switzerland✌️

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Hi. Im running the original wheels 7.5x17 et 42 up front. 225/45/17 No issues with rubbing anywhere here

[@M54ftw]

@@OEMplusRESTO hi again thank you for the quick response offsets are being ordered right now. :)

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Np.. i just googled it.. its et41 up front

[@user-sf7kl9uh7k]

I've never been impressed well by Meyle

[@joao87961]

Hi great vídeo mate, I have mount new arms and and meyle hd buchings ,4 new tires and i have traimline It’s possible the cause be this bushings ? O running 18’’ wheels ,thank you

[@OEMplusRESTO]

18” wheels with low profile tires Can be very prime to tramlining. Some tire males are worse tham otters though

[@joao87961]

@@OEMplusRESTO i think is the new meyle hd bushings, you experience the same with this bushings right ? at 11:40 in video

[@mlgmounted9599]

bmw e61 front arms bushings meyle hd almost a year on our roads so far good, mechanic told me lemforder started producing their bushings in china and they are not any different to cheap ones

[@OEMplusRESTO]

I havent heard this before but i will check the boxes they came in and return if i can find a country of manufacture on them

[@anidiotinaracingcar4874]

@@OEMplusRESTO Did you?

[@leored79]

Wonder if the m3 hydrolager make a difference. If they fit. Rubber tends to have a differnt shore hardness...

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Hmm.. e46 m3? I’ll have to look into that. Sounds interesting

[@OEMplusRESTO]

The z4m ones are really good though. Im a fan

[@leored79]

@@OEMplusRESTO if i have time, ill look at the drawing tomorrow, see if the Rubber specs are different

[@erikl7714]

I've tried the OE, meyle, and poly LCA bushings on my e46 over the years. the meyle are not any harder to install or remove than the OEs. all you need for removal for either is a 3" C-clamp, which you can buy at any hardware store for a few dollars, and some dish soap for lube during installation which allows the bushing to slide right on by hand. I think you have missed the main reason for going meyle over oe. meyle's are intended to have similar performance and comfort to oe, but will last a lot longer than the oe. i'm currently running meyle on my e46 and even after 50-60K miles, the bushings still do not have any noticeable noise or play. The OE's would had failed and felt sloppy a long time ago. as for the poly's, they offer quicker steering response and maybe more predictable handling, but the ride is way too harsh for daily driving, unless you drive on glass smooth roads all the time, and they are prone to bump steer due to their stiffness. some people don't mind those tradeoffs, but for me it was annoying and tiresome on a daily driver. I've never tried the z4m bushings and am curious to give it a try the next time round, but between oe and meyle, i would choose meyle everytime due to their better durability and slightly greater stiffness.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Hi. Thanks for the insight. Clearly you know more about the fca bushings than me. I did end up using a big c clamp to remove them with. Im not gonna pretend it was my idea though😀. I think alot of it also comes down to what wheels youre running. On my 17” wheels the poly ones didnt have any big downsides like you mention. Its possible the meyles will last longer than oe but for me personally id just swap the bushings more often. But im a weirdo that spends all my money on car parts so ymmv I can definitely recommend the z4 ones. They do need a alignment afterwards. I settled for a toe adjustment but a full alignment would obviouly be better to some degree.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Are there any other parts you find really good for an e46? Maybe i could try them

[@fungames24]

Replacement OE is sh*t in durability on bad city roads. The factory ones might be a little better.

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Ive heard the lemforders have gone down in quality but i have yet to experience it myself. But if you watch the videoes you will see i rarely have anything fitted very long🤣

[@kaspersvendsen8510]

Hej Tim super kanal jeg har lige abonneret - hvis du mangler indhold har jeg en E46 M3 fra 04 med SMG som jeg tænker på at lave en manuel conversion og rod bearings på - det ligger lidt over min DIY comfort zone - lad mig høre om du kunne være interesseret - jeg betaler selvfølgelig det hele - lad mig høre om det kunne have din interesse 😊

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Mange tak Kasper. Der er værdssat. Jeg er lidt presset for tid så jeg tror ikke det er noget jeg kan nå som tingene ser ud ligenu. Mellem familie, job , venner og min bil hobby, så har jeg ikke så meget tid som jeg plejede. Jeg har en bror der måske ku være frisk på opgaven. Han er også lidt af en bmw freak og mindst ligeså dygtig

[@GK-Greece]

Yes but Meyle costs 1/4 prices of oem and it’s better 😅

[@OEMplusRESTO]

Its 2/3rd the price of lemforder(oem) and 6/10ths the price of oe (bmw) 👌

[@GK-Greece]

@@OEMplusRESTO I meant this 😉 I had the z4m and I put the meyle..the difference I felt…the z4m it s for sport drive and it’s harder steering ,the meyle is softer and you feel the steering more lighter,I can’t tell about quality but more people said that meyle hd control arms and bushings are better from lemforder

[@OEMplusRESTO]

@GK-Greece youre probably be right! I didnt longevity test them for obvious reasons but yes they probably will last longer than oe/oem and maybe also z4m ones. So thank you for the input. I appreciate it

[@240grey4]

GREAT INFORMATION