[agent_orange]

I replaced the tension arms (including bushings) with new OE ones about a year ago because I wasn't happy with the delay in initial braking response and amount of bushing 'spring-back' when coming to a stop.
However the new stock bushings did very little, which said more about the good condition the low-mileage original ones were still in.

A few months ago I bought the Powerflex polyurethane bushing kit which seems to be one of only very few options for these cars.
The quality and fitment of the Powerflex kit was good, and it delivered on considerably improving braking response and also virtually eliminating whatever tramlining there still was with good stock bushings.
Strangely enough, small, sharp, speed bumps were now better to drive over with none of the OEM 'judder'.
However the downside that was immediately apparent was the NVH increase is substantial.
Driving over cats-eyes (road reflectors) now felt more like driving over a 2x4, and poor roads were much less comfortable and caused rattles from the dash, sunroof, and doors that I'd never heard before.
And then they started squeaking after less than 2,000km despite plenty of grease on install.
For reference, my car has 19" staggered wheels with Michelin Primacy run-flat tyres and S226A sport suspension.
If you have non run-flats and regular suspension it might not be so bad, ymmv.

So I started researching for an upgraded rubber bushing from another BMW model but nothing else has the same 65mm diameter.
A random Polish website with bushing dimensions allowed the search to extend to other makes, and showed that Audi A4 B8 used a 65mm bushing in essentially the equivalent position (compression arm in those), and that Meyle makes an HD option for those.
They have a hole for a 12mm bolt (not 14mm like the X3) and the pin is 4mm shorter.
Bought a pair of the Meyle 1004070095/HD to measure and evaluate.
They have an aluminium shell and pin, which I hadn't seen before.
Turns out that the Audi bushing is slightly smaller than 65mm and the BMW arm bore is slightly larger than 65mm, so the bushing had a clearance fit.
Solution was to use some 0.25mm/0.10" stainless steel shim material to get the interference fit back into the OEM range.
Was a bit tricky to get the shim to slide or not slide as desired, and in the end had to make the shim strip wider than the arm and just peel off the excess from one side afterwards with vice-grips.
Install pressure was around 2T (metric) which is right in line with what I've seen with the stock bushings.
Drilled out the pin to 14mm and used a 12mm/0.5" flat washer either side to make up the 4mm difference.

Result of the Meyle HD Audi bushings:
The luxury is back!
These have 95% of the comfort of stock, but with 60% of the response improvement of the polyurethane, and none of the squeaking.
And speed bumps are just as good as with the polyurethane, which was unexpected.

[Lurcher]

Great job - be sure to check back in with updates once you get some miles on it.

[bradsm87]

agent_orange I'm in exactly the same predicament with the lack of upgraded F25 tension arm bushes.

It looks like E39 540i, E39 M5, E83 X3 and E53 X5 ones have a 66mm outer diameter and 14mm inner which makes it very tempting to try and squeeze a monoball kit designed for them in. NVH is no concern to me (other than squeaking which would drive me crazy. I hate poly bushes with sliding inner tubes). I just need to minimise the forward and backward movement of the front wheels because I put much bigger tyres on for off-roading and they scrub like crazy.

The other one I'm tempted to try is a 200 series LandCruiser rear trailing arm bush. It's listed as 65mm OD. Some sites sat 65.5mm so should be perfect. Also 14mm ID.

https://febest.de/en/details/bushing...ng_arm-tab_480

Did your Powerflex bushes and sleeves come out without damage? I'm a little tempted to try them, at least temporarily, if you still have them and would be willing to sell them cheap? I'm in Hobart.

[Tommy68]

agent_orange what pressing tool you used to replace the bushings?

[bradsm87]

These guys would lose so many sales by not using ANY of the common terminology like tension arm, tension strut, tension link or caster rod. I didn't find them after hours of searching but someone on a facebook group brought them to my attention.

I give you the mighty "front lower front arm bushing"

https://www.hardrace.com/Product_detail.asp?id=4007

[agent_orange]

bradsm87 Nice find on the Hardrace solid rubber bushings, I didn't know about those.
I would definetly have tried those over the Powerflex polyurethane originally if I had known.

I'm still very happy with my Meyle HD Audi A4 bushings though, for what I use the F25 for as a daily on less than perfect Brisbane roads.

Tommy68 I just used a small bench-top 10T hydraulic press with various old bearing races and pipe sockets.

[bradsm87]

The Hardrace Q0131 bushes finally arrived. They pressed in nicely.