What does replacing rubber bushings with pillow-ball joints actually change about how the car feels?

Rubber bushings are compliant by design; they absorb some road noise and vibration but also allow the suspension geometry to move under load. Pillow-ball joints are rigid, so the geometry you align the car to is the geometry it runs under braking rather than deflecting away from it. The Top Secret front pillow-ball joint kit GT-R makes the front lower control arm's body-side connection a fixed point, which tightens steering response and removes the instability that rubber introduces under heavy braking loads.

Is this kit suitable for a street-driven R35 or is it a track-only upgrade?

It works on both but the tradeoff is worth understanding. Pillow-ball joints pass more NVH into the cabin than rubber bushings because there is no compliance to absorb road inputs. On a track-focused or dual-use R35 the stability gain under braking is worth that tradeoff. On a car used exclusively for relaxed street driving where braking loads rarely approach the threshold where rubber deflection becomes an issue, the benefit is less significant and the NVH increase more noticeable.

Does installation require removing the front lower control arm?

Yes. The bushings are on the body-mounting side of the front lower control arm, and press-fitting the pillow-ball joints requires the arm to be removed and taken to a press. This is not an in-car installation and cannot be done without the correct equipment. A workshop experienced with R35 suspension work is the right environment for this job.

Does this kit affect front alignment settings after installation?

Yes, and a full front alignment should be done after fitting. The pillow-ball joints change the compliance behavior of the front lower control arm mounting point, which can shift where the car sits relative to its previous alignment values. Set alignment on a flat surface after installation before driving the car at speed.

Description

Additional Info

Shipping policy

BP PRICING DIFFERENCE

Reviews

Product Inquiry

Description

Top Secret Front Lower Pillow-Ball Joint Kit for R35 Nissan GT-R

The Top Secret front pillow-ball joint kit GT-R front lower control arm upgrade addresses a specific and well-documented problem on the R35 platform; at 1,800kg, the car puts enough load through the front lower control arm bushings under hard braking that the factory rubber deflects, pulling alignment away from its set values at exactly the moment precise geometry matters most. That momentary alignment shift is not hypothetical; it is a measurable change in the front end’s behavior that becomes harder to manage as braking forces increase and contributes to instability in a car that is already at the limit of its tires. This kit replaces the rubber bushings on the body-mounting side of the front lower control arm with pillow-ball joints on both sides, eliminating the compliance that causes the deflection and replacing it with a rigid connection that holds alignment through braking rather than yielding to it. Installation requires press-fitting with a specialized tool; this is not a bolt-on replacement and needs to be done by a workshop equipped for the job.

Features

Replaces factory rubber bushings on the body-mounting side of the front lower control arm
Pillow-ball joints eliminate bushing deflection under braking load
Holds front alignment geometry through hard braking on a 1,800kg platform
Improves front end stability and predictability under braking
Left and right included

Applications

Nissan GT-R: CBA-R35, DBA-R35, EBA-R35, 4BA-R35 | 2008-2025

Notes

Sold as a set (left and right)
Installation requires press-fitting with a specialized tool

Frequently Asked Questions

What does replacing rubber bushings with pillow-ball joints actually change about how the car feels? Rubber bushings are compliant by design; they absorb some road noise and vibration but also allow the suspension geometry to move under load. Pillow-ball joints are rigid, so the geometry you align the car to is the geometry it runs under braking rather than deflecting away from it. The Top Secret front pillow-ball joint kit GT-R makes the front lower control arm’s body-side connection a fixed point, which tightens steering response and removes the instability that rubber introduces under heavy braking loads.
Is this kit suitable for a street-driven R35 or is it a track-only upgrade? It works on both but the tradeoff is worth understanding. Pillow-ball joints pass more NVH into the cabin than rubber bushings because there is no compliance to absorb road inputs. On a track-focused or dual-use R35 the stability gain under braking is worth that tradeoff. On a car used exclusively for relaxed street driving where braking loads rarely approach the threshold where rubber deflection becomes an issue, the benefit is less significant and the NVH increase more noticeable.
Does installation require removing the front lower control arm? Yes. The bushings are on the body-mounting side of the front lower control arm, and press-fitting the pillow-ball joints requires the arm to be removed and taken to a press. This is not an in-car installation and cannot be done without the correct equipment. A workshop experienced with R35 suspension work is the right environment for this job.
Does this kit affect front alignment settings after installation? Yes, and a full front alignment should be done after fitting. The pillow-ball joints change the compliance behavior of the front lower control arm mounting point, which can shift where the car sits relative to its previous alignment values. Set alignment on a flat surface after installation before driving the car at speed.

About Top Secret

Top Secret Co., Ltd. (株式会社トップシークレット, Kabushiki-gaisha Toppu Shīkuretto) is a renowned Japanese automobile tuner and parts manufacturer, founded by automotive engineer and driver Kazuhiko “Smokey” Nagata. The company is widely recognized for its expertise in tuning, aftermarket parts, body kits, and performance engineering. Top Secret’s product range includes aero components, exterior and interior parts, engine upgrades, exhaust systems, chassis, brakes, suspension, and powertrain enhancements. In addition to its products, Top Secret is also famous for its high-speed Wangan runs, as well as its involvement in professional drifting, circuit racing, and drag racing.

Additional Information

The Bulletproof Automotive website contains many thousands of products purchased in multiple different currencies. All of the prices are entered manually and accurately at the time of entry. Due to the consistently fluctuating international exchange rates, at times prices may not be able to be honored at their original intended rate. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, unfortunately our website is unable to compensate dynamically for what can at times be volatile changes in the cost of items due to currency values fluctuating, changes in prices from suppliers, changes in shipping and import duties, and other factors. Rest assured that any order you place on line will be at zero risk to you in this area. If in the event your order cannot be fulfilled at the original intended website price we will offer you a 100% refund, no questions asked. We will continue to do our best to maintain updated prices and we will always continue to offer our price match guarantees as well to ensure our prices are always the best for you. In short, prices may change without notice. It is always advised to give us a call prior to placing your order online to confirm availability and to confirm current pricing.

Shipping Policy

Items that are in stock in the US, either at Bulletproof’s warehouse or at a supplier’s warehouse, are generally delivered within 7-10 days. Special order items from overseas take considerably longer. As a courtesy Bulletproof offers delivery estimates to our customers which take into consideration manufacturer availability and shipping schedule. These estimates represent our best guess based on previous orders from the manufacturer and do not in any way imply a guaranteed delivery window. Many manufacturers work in a “just in time” inventory system and often take 2-20+ weeks to produce an item once an order is submitted. All deliverable items are then sent to our Japanese warehouse. Bulletproof ships a minimum of one full ocean freight container every month from Japan, oftentimes more than one a month. Ocean freight takes an average of 4 weeks. Typically it breaks down to one week in Japan for paperwork and customs, two weeks by boat and one week in US customs/clearance. Due to the wide number of variables between manufacturer and shipping schedules, delivery estimates are simply just that – estimates. We attempt to estimate conservatively and we usually deliver faster than our estimates suggest. It is not Bulletproof’s policy to guarantee delivery time of any special order item, this is impossible for us to do. By ordering you acknowledge that there is no required delivery ETA and an order may not be canceled or altered due to manufacturing or shipping delays, all ETA’s are provided as a best guess only. Please review the full Terms & Conditions here.

BP Pricing Difference

We do pricing a little differently on our JDM brands and we believe in making things simple and clear. No hidden fees or surcharges. Every price you see includes the shipping cost to our office in Los Angeles, California and all the associated taxes/duties/fees for bringing the products into the US. The only shipping you ever pay is from our facility in the US to your location. Be wary of resellers that don’t include the cost of international shipping in their pricing on JDM parts. While we believe we’ll always have the lowest all-in price on JDM products, we offer a price match guarantee for all authentic parts purchased from authorized dealers as well. For many international customers, it’s much more affordable to ship from the USA than from Japan directly, as the air freight and ocean freight costs are typically much less. However, for customers looking to ship directly from Japan outside of North America, or domestically in Japan, we can provide pricing specifically for that scenario. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any pricing questions or concerns. Please email us at sales@bulletproofautomotive.com with any inquiries.

Reviews

Product Inquiry

First Name (*required)

Last Name (*required)

Your E-Mail (*required)

Telephone Number (*required)

Country (*required)

Vehicle Year / Make / Model (*required)

Please Explain What do you want to do with your vehicle

Additional Information (optional)

I agree to the terms & conditions and privacy policy and to have Bulletproof Automotive LLC contact me for promotion, marketing and other purposes via email, phone or SMS message.