**Referred to as a "tension strut by BMW, a common wear item on high mileage vehicles** The tension strut on your BMW is responsible for locating the entire strut assembly. It maintains suspension geometry and keeps everything in place. With high mileage the inner bushing is a common wear item which when it fails will create a lot of racket as well as handling problems. The bushing can be replaced separately but we recommend replacing the entire arm that comes with the new bushing to save time and to avoid the use of specialty tools. It is always recommended to replace controls arms in matching pairs for the best service life and performance.