Bilstein Pro Upper Control Arms Update and Applications

Bilstein updated the B8 Pro upper control arm and left the chromoly structure and the geometry largely alone, then went after the two components that decide whether you like the arm two years from now: the ball joint and the frame-side bushings.

For anybody building a 2024+ Tacoma, a 2025+ 4Runner, a Land Cruiser 250, or 2022+ Tundra, that's a far more useful update than a new finish.

What Bilstein Left Alone, and Why That's Fine

The bones of the arm carry over, and they should. An upper control arm has a narrow job: correct the geometry a lift pulled out of spec, clear the coilover through full travel, and use joints that don't turn into a science experiment after a winter of dirt and road salt. 

What carries over:

• Heavy-duty DOM chromoly tube construction, welded
• No radical geometry rework from the previous design
• Direct-fit, factory-level integration on Toyota's newest platforms

The Sealed Ball Joint Is the Big Upgrade

The old B8 Arms ran a Moog Problem Solver ball joint. While they were a bit better than a factory joint, at this price point there are better answers, and Bilstein went and found one. The new arm uses a sealed, maintenance-free hardened steel ball joint, non-greaseable by design.

That matters more than it sounds. Plenty of aftermarket control arms are excellent for the first 10,000 miles. Then the squeak shows up, and the fix is grease it, clean it, grease it again, and eventually replace something. On a dedicated desert truck that's an acceptable tax. On a Tacoma running 15,000 street miles a year with dirt on the weekends, it's a chore none of us ever sign up for. Sealed means install it and forget it.

The Bushings Fix the Other Half of the Squeak Problem

The second change is at the chassis mount. Polyurethane bushings are durable and they control movement well, which is why they keep showing up on performance arms. They also have a reputation for binding, squeaking, and demanding grease. Bilstein's new design uses a freer-pivoting polyurethane-style bushing arrangement meant to cut that resistance without giving up the tight, precise feel.

$950 a Pair: What the Money Buys

No way around it, these are more expensive than the first version. Pricing at the time of writing runs roughly $950 per pair, and you can absolutely buy upper control arms for less. But the real question isn't whether cheaper exists, it's what the extra money is actually doing. With the new B8 Pro you're paying for:

• Corrected caster and camber range for a lifted front end
• Heavy-duty chromoly construction
• A premium sealed ball joint with no service interval
• Reduced bind and quieter street manners
• Off-road durability that holds up at desert speeds
• Direct fitment with no fabrication

Most Tacomas and 4Runners aren't trophy trucks. They commute Monday through Friday, haul kids (or dirt bikes) Saturday morning, or packs up camp and hit the trails back to pavement on Sunday. For that truck, an arm that performs without demanding attention is worth more than a race-style setup that needs a rebuild schedule.

Application List

• 2025+ Toyota 4Runner: MPN - 51-333416
  
• 2003-2024 Toyota 4Runner: MPN - 51-353087
  
• 2024+ Toyota Tacoma: MPN - 51-333416
  
• 2005-2023 Toyota Tacoma: MPN - 51-353070
  
• 2022+ Toyota Tundra: MPN - 51-332334
• 2007-2021 Toyota Tundra: MPN - 51-353032
  
• 2024+ Toyota Land Cruiser: MPN - 51-333416
• 2007-2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser: MPN - 51-353087
  
• 2003-2023 Lexus GX460/470: MPN - 51-353087
  
• 2009-2026 Ram 1500: MPN - 51-353094
  
• 2019-2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500: MPN - 51-322335
• 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500: MPN - 51-304676
• 2019-2026 GMC Sierra 1500: MPN - 51-322335
• 2014-2018 GMC Sierra 1500: MPN - 51-304676

Do You Actually Need UCAs After a Lift?

Not automatically, and Shock Surplus will tell customers that. New shocks alone don't require new arms. The case gets stronger as ride height climbs and the front suspension moves further from where Toyota designed it to operate. Depending on lift height, wheel offset, and tire size, aftermarket UCAs help with:

• Alignment range. Getting caster back into spec after lifting the front
• Ball joint angle. Keeping the joint working in a healthier part of its travel
• Suspension travel. Making sure the arm isn't the thing limiting uptravel
• Tire clearance. Added caster can pull the tire forward in the wheel well

Blanket rules like "you need UCAs with every 2-inch lift" are lazy. Sometimes you do, sometimes you don't, and not two applications are identical. 

One More Thing Hiding in Bilstein's Product Photos

Heads up for the people watching this platform closely. In Bilstein's B8 Pro imagery for the newer Toyota applications, there's a very production-looking Bilstein coilover sitting in frame. Springs, adjusters, Bilstein hardware, what looks like production part number labeling, and a piece of tape covering another number.

This is speculation, not confirmation. But most modern truck and SUV owners lift things, that's basically part of the purchase agreement, and Bilstein knows it. If those coilovers turn into full 8112 systems; complete Bilstein packages for these trucks may be closer than most people think.