Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

There has to be 4 million LCAs out there and I'm sure some of you have used a few different manufacturers yourselves. I'd also like to discuss some information on Relocation Brackets.

I personally have only tried BMR tubular with the poly/poly ends and the were more of a replacement mod since my stockers had 80,000 miles on them.

I've heard people swear by Metcos, other say BMR with the poly/rubber ends and some say adjustable.

Also, does anyone use relocation brackets on a car that's not lowered or only on lowered cars.

<img src="images/icons/smile.gif" border="0">

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

Box style for drag racing and tube style for the street or road racing. Who knows what brand though. It looks like they all get their bushings from the same place. Chrommolly ones would be cool.

Relocation brackets do work on non lowered cars. Or at least the GW ones that I have do. There are two sets of holes to put the bolts through. One for stock height and one for lowered cars. I am not sure what the effect is on stock height cars but they help a ton on loweres cars.

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

It all depends on what you want to do. If you want to take your car to the limit in corners then poly ends will not work at all. They will bind. Rubber is good for cornering and poly is good for drag racing. So why don't you start with saying for what application you want to use them for and then I can get more technical on this.

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

I've got the Alston setup since I got a deal on everything at Vettefest a few years back. No complaints <img src="images/icons/smile.gif" border="0">

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

I had Lakewood poly/poly. I don’t recommend poly/poly on the street anymore though. I was a user of this LCA on so many F-bodies for so many years until a post on the “other” site got me to try a switch to the BMR poly/rubber. The poly/rubber is SO much better on the street. I did some VERY extensive testing on my old poly/poly vs. the rubber/poly in about 8 different categories, some of you might remember my huge post on that about 3 months ago on the other site. It corners much better (no binding causing loss of control in the rear during high speed braking and cornering), it doesn’t “thud” over hard bumps, it doesn’t squeak, and it still keeps the wheel hop that I had with the stockers away.

I have been converted <img src="images/icons/wink.gif" border="0"> It poly/rubber for me from now on <img src="images/icons/grin.gif" border="0">

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

Have you tried 1LE control arms? Hard rubber on both sides.

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

I have Sphoon LCA and LCA relocation brackets (RLB). My car is not lowered. The purpose of the LCA-RLB is to give your car a better bite of the line. It is even better if you have an adjustable Torque arm and an aftermarket pan hard rod. I went with chrome molly spherical rod ends on everything. They are noisy but I really don't hear them over my exhaust with my cut outs open (as I always have them open). When I lived in Alaska I would take everything off for the winter and I really could tell the difference the car was really sloppy on turns and I had REAL BAD wheel hop. If you can put up with the noise and drag race more than drive on the street then go for it. I have never regretted the money I spent on Sphoon parts they are top quality and if you call you will even talk to the man himself and he is another great wealth of knowledge.

[ November 15, 2001: Message edited by: 2000 Camaro SS ]</p>

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

Shooter....

just get any aftermarket LCA you want

the TORQUE ARM plays the biggest role in the rear suspension, LCAs come 2nd

any LCA whether tubed or boxed will work fine, just for example:

Tom Guellich uses Hotckis boxed LCA's with poly bushings and he goes 9.80s on motor. So it is your choice

--LCA relocation brackets lower the mounting point of the LCA and therefore doesn't have to move as much when the suspension loads, getting it to "bite" more like the other guy said

So get any aftermarket LCA's you want and some relocation brackets and the car will get some better traction

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

[quote]Originally posted by JimmyKash:
<strong>Shooter....

just get any aftermarket LCA you want

the TORQUE ARM plays the biggest role in the rear suspension, LCAs come 2nd

any LCA whether tubed or boxed will work fine, just for example:

Tom Guellich uses Hotckis boxed LCA's with poly bushings and he goes 9.80s on motor. So it is your choice

--LCA relocation brackets lower the mounting point of the LCA and therefore doesn't have to move as much when the suspension loads, getting it to "bite" more like the other guy said

So get any aftermarket LCA's you want and some relocation brackets and the car will get some better traction</strong><hr></blockquote>


As far as drag racing only car goes, yeah. But on a street car there is a huge difference. Boxed ones(Metcos, etc) are drag race only. They have negative impact during cornering. You will lose the rear end much sooner with them then with stock ones when cornering. The tire will be the only thing holding your rear end in place.

Control arm needs to twist as it was designed to do or the suspension won't work. Stock ones allow quite a bit of fore/aft deflection. Poly bushings eliminate most of this fore/aft deflection, but they will resist the torsional movement with a much larger force. This is called bind. The bushings themselves will resist the deflection with a large force. Under a lot of body roll, they will resist with enough force that the body of the LCA itself and/or the mounting brackets will be twisted.

The primary result of boxing the LCAs or using a tubular LCA is additional resistance to twist, which only hurts and it does not resist to fore/aft motion, which is what the control arm is for.

You could go with spherical/rod ends. The advantage is that there is no measurable bind. The disadvantage is that they are very noisy and wear out. You can just replace the rod ends in the Spohn units. BTW, they last lot longer then BMR rod ends. Even rod ends on one end and poly on the other will get rid of over 85% of the bind when compared to poly/poly unit.

If you don't mind the noise, get rod ends, otherwise get 1LEs.

Remember, drag race only, when buying those stiff poly/poly LCAs.

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

So BMR's are good for all around??

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

[quote]Originally posted by Dom:
<strong>


As far as drag racing only car goes, yeah. But on a street car there is a huge difference. Boxed ones(Metcos, etc) are drag race only.</strong><hr></blockquote>

metcos are SOLID.....thats why they are meant for drag racing

also rod ends are for drag racing not street driving....because there is no binding in the launch

for some more in depth explaination go to the www.bmrfabrication.com

and check out the FAQ for LCA's...they have some good ones overthere

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

Yes rod ends are not for street driving, but that's ONLY cause they are noisy. If you were deaf, then they would be the best thing for street racing as there is 0 measurable bind with them. Metcos are the biggest pieces of shit on this planet. Only use them on drag queens that never see street use. As far as FAQ on BMRs site, you should put * at the end.

*when car is going straight ONLY

When you're cornering, it's totally a different story.

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

[quote]Originally posted by BIGBOS:
<strong>So BMR's are good for all around??</strong><hr></blockquote>

If you're not going to push your car in corners, sure. Why don't you look into 1LEs also and compare what people have to say.

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

Hmm, I have the 1LEs stock so I cant really say anything to contribute, other than the McLaren F1 has all metal bushings and rod ends (noisey).

This should be archived IMO.

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

i have hotchkis lca's with no lca relocation brackets and made a night/day difference in wheel hop, im debating getting relocation brackets or not??? <img src="images/icons/confused.gif" border="0">

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

Anyone have a part number for the 1LE RLCA bushings?

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

Shooter... I had relocation brackets and BMR control arms on the 97.

I didn`t notice any improvement in traction or anything else with either one.

waste of $$ IMO.

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

I have BMR tubular with poly/rubber. I noticed an immediate improvement in traction. I did the PHB at the same time too. I give BMR a big thumbs up and a fluffy dance. <img src="graemlins/fluffy.gif" border="0" alt="[Fluffy]" />

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

i'm running LG poly/rod LCA's for about 2000 miles now. even after 150 miles on a road course, i have no noise issues with them. so dont count out the rodends due to noise. from what i've heard, the noisy ones are the cheap ones (rodends).

Re: Let's talk LCAs... INSIDE!
 

I have BMR LCA's,SFC's,STB, and the adjustable rod. HUGE improvement in cornering,hop, firmness etc. i highly recommend them

i want to get relocation brackets. i'm curious if that will also help my tire hop problems as the lca's helped it but didn't take it away COMPLETELY