Best Control Arms for 2007-2013 BMW 335i & 328i (E90)

If your 2007–2013 BMW 335i or 328i shimmies under braking, clunks over expansion joints, or chews the inner edge off its front tires, worn control arms are the usual suspect. The E90, E92, and E93 chassis (and the 128i/135i that share the same front end) load their front tension struts harder than almost any other suspension part, and BMW’s factory arms bake the ball joints and bushings into one assembly that typically wears out around 70,000 miles. The good news: whether you want a quiet, OE-style street fix or a fully adjustable, track-ready setup, the right control arms transform how a 335i tracks, turns in, and holds an alignment. Below we compare the four arms we stock most for the N54/N55 and N52 cars — Whiteline’s value-leading front arm and SPL Parts’ adjustable front and rear pieces — with real fitment, honest drivetrain notes, and pricing.

Why 2007–2013 BMW 335i & 328i Control Arms Wear Out

BMW control arms on the E90-generation 3 Series wear out because the front suspension uses two separate arms per side — a rearward lower control arm and a forward tension strut (also called the thrust arm) — and the tension strut absorbs most of the fore-aft braking and acceleration load. That constant loading cracks and tears the factory rubber bushing first, and on many BMW arms the bushing is hydraulically filled, so once the rubber splits the fluid leaks and the slop gets worse fast.

Most E90/E92 owners first notice a steering-wheel shimmy around 50–62 mph (roughly 80–100 km/h), especially under light braking, plus clicks or clunks on acceleration and deceleration and cupping on the inner edges of the front tires. Because BMW built the ball joint and bushing into a single pressed assembly, the factory fix is to replace the whole arm rather than press a new bushing — which is exactly why an aftermarket upgrade arm costs about the same labor but delivers far better feel and durability. Plan on new arms somewhere around 70,000 miles, or sooner on cars that see track days or rough roads.

Front vs Rear: Which Control Arms Does Your E90 Need?

Front lower control arms are the first upgrade for a 335i or 328i with vague steering, braking shimmy, or an alignment that will not hold. They correct camber and caster at the front axle and restore a tight, planted feel. If you have lowered the car on springs or coilovers, you also want the rear addressed: the stock rear upper links and lower trailing arms are soft, non-adjustable, and leave a dropped E90 with too much negative camber and rear toe that eats tires.

Here is the simple rule we give Tampa customers at NLP Performance: a stock-height daily that just needs the shimmy gone is a front-arm job; a lowered or track-driven car that needs to dial in alignment is a front-and-rear job. The four arms below cover both scenarios, in order from street-focused value to fully adjustable race hardware.

The Best Control Arms for the 2007–2013 335i & 328i

1. Whiteline KTA255 Front Lower Control Arm — Top Pick & Best Value

The Whiteline KTA255 is a complete front lower control arm that replaces the worn factory unit with a fresh premium ball joint and a durable synthetic-elastomer bushing. Rather than offer loose adjustment, Whiteline engineers a fixed geometry change into the arm that optimizes camber and adds caster — and caster is the trick here, because it dials in dynamic negative camber on the outside wheel as you turn, adding grip without the static camber that wears tires on the daily commute. It is the only arm in this guide that officially fits both RWD and xDrive 325i/328i/330i/335i and the 128i/135i, which makes it our default recommendation for all-wheel-drive winter cars running through a Florida–to–mountains road trip.

2. SPL Parts E9X/E8X Front Lower Control Arms — Best for Track

When you want to set your geometry rather than accept a fixed change, SPL Parts is the answer. The E9X/E8X front lower control arms use FK rod ends and high-misalignment, Teflon-lined spherical bearings to erase the flex and binding of the stock rubber arms, and the main arm is slotted with pinch bolts plus SPL’s rotating-clamp Double Adjuster so you can lock in camber, roll center, and track width. That is exactly what a lowered, track-driven 335i needs to run real negative camber and still hold the setting lap after lap. The honest trade-offs: spherical bearings transmit more road noise and harshness than Whiteline’s bushing, and this street version (with its headlight-level adjusting rod) is RWD only — it does not fit xDrive cars.

3. SPL Parts E9X/E8X Rear Upper Arm Links — Best for Lowered Rear Alignment

Drop an E90 or E92 on springs or coilovers and the rear gains too much negative camber and uncontrolled toe — the classic recipe for scrubbed inner rear tires. SPL’s rear upper arm links replace the fixed factory links with fully adjustable, spherical-jointed pieces so an alignment shop can bring rear camber and toe back into spec on a lowered car. They pair naturally with the SPL front arms for a corner-balanced track build, and because the rear of the E9X does not use an xDrive-specific layout here, they suit the common RWD 328i/335i project.

4. SPL Parts E8X/E9X Rear Lower Trailing Arms — Budget Pick

At around $330, the SPL rear lower trailing arms are the most affordable upgrade in this guide and a smart first rear piece for a budget-minded 335i or 128i/135i owner. They swap the soft, failure-prone factory rear lower arm for a stronger anodized unit that firms up rear-end response and gives the suspension a solid, consistent pivot — a worthwhile fix on any high-mileage E9X whose rear bushings are past their prime, and an easy stepping stone before committing to the full adjustable rear.

Control Arm Comparison: Whiteline vs SPL Parts

Here is how the four arms stack up for the E90/E92 335i and 328i. The quick read: Whiteline wins on value, quiet daily manners, and the only xDrive-friendly fit; SPL wins when you want to set and hold an aggressive alignment on a RWD track car.

Installation, Alignment & What to Expect

Front control arm replacement on a 335i or 328i is a straightforward 2–3 hour job per axle with hand tools, a ball-joint press, and a BMW-specific bushing tool. The one step owners get wrong: torque the bushing-to-subframe end with the car at ride height, not at full droop on a lift — tightening a loaded rubber or elastomer bushing at full droop pre-stresses it and tears it early. That rule does not apply to SPL’s spherical arms, which have no bushing to preload.

Always get a four-wheel alignment afterward. BMW recommends an alignment any time you touch suspension components, and with adjustable SPL arms the alignment is where you actually set your camber, caster, and toe targets. For a street daily, a mild alignment with a touch of negative camber keeps tire wear sane; for a track 335i, your shop can dial the SPL arms to the aggressive numbers the spherical joints are designed to hold. One more fitment check before you buy: confirm whether your car is RWD or xDrive — the Whiteline arm covers both, while the SPL front arms are RWD only.