Suspension for a Street Car
12-27-2010, 08:27 PM
#1
Suspension for a Street Car Im looking to order a panhard rod as well as some LCA's in the near future for my SS. I use the car primarily on the street with the ocasional trip to the track. Thus, i want LCA's and a panhard rod that are going to give me the quietest possible ride. What kind of rod ends should I go with. Also, hopw important is single adjustable vs. double adjustable when it comes to the LCA's and panhard rod? Thanks guys
12-27-2010, 09:08 PM
#2
For a street car you should avoid rod ends like they're herpes. They will make noise as they're a metal ball on a thin race, they will transfer road noise, and they will transfer energy into the chassis, unlike rubber which has a spring rate and will diffuse it. They will also wear out quick on a street car, driven in inclement weather. The ride will be unpleasant and noisy, not meeting one of your requirements "the quietest possible ride".
Poly is also another no-no, I don't care what people on here say. They squeak, and bind like crazy, that is their nature. They don't flex well, cold flow over time, and won't allow lca's to articulate right. If you want a quiet ride, that performs well on the street, stick with rubber.
Rubber is not the sexy choice, nor does it come with bragging rights, cool looking boxed or tubular steel, with nifty powder coating, it also doesn't come with "pound my seat up into my ***" ride quality.
Poly is also another no-no, I don't care what people on here say. They squeak, and bind like crazy, that is their nature. They don't flex well, cold flow over time, and won't allow lca's to articulate right. If you want a quiet ride, that performs well on the street, stick with rubber.
Rubber is not the sexy choice, nor does it come with bragging rights, cool looking boxed or tubular steel, with nifty powder coating, it also doesn't come with "pound my seat up into my ***" ride quality.
Last edited by lees02WS6; 12-27-2010 at 09:15 PM. Reason: grammar
12-27-2010, 10:04 PM
#4
There's a thread on here about just that topic, actually several. Roto-joints, johnny joints, and del-sphere are all the same thing. The provide greater articulation, in terms of degrees of movement over rod ends (28⁰ vs 22⁰), the material that is used for the race maybe different between the options, del a lum, nylon, or poly. However, in the earlier thread, it's mentioned they make noise, just like rod ends. They have to be greased, but not over greased as too much will damage them, and tightened as they wear.
12-27-2010, 10:08 PM
#5
I have been looking into this as well. The only disadvantage I see with the roto joints is you have to retighten the joint as it wears over time. Delrin is a relatively hard material so I don't think its going to do too much to dampen the vibration transmitted from the road into the car. Having a poly bushing on one end of the control arm will help, but it will still have some noise/vibration transmitted. Pretty much inevitable since both materials are designed not to deform/flex much, if any at all, when under pressure. From what I've read, it seems that 1LE bushings installed in the factory LCA's are the best option for improving your rear suspension without sacrificing ride quality. If you want to strengthen them, you can always have them boxed.
Has anyone installed just an aftermarket panhard rod, without LCAs, and noticed a difference in ride quality?
Has anyone installed just an aftermarket panhard rod, without LCAs, and noticed a difference in ride quality?
12-27-2010, 11:52 PM
#7
You guys are panzies. lmao My SS is my DD and I'm running rod ends on the entire rear end, dumped TDs, whiny *** 12 bolt, and 4.10s and don't complain. lol These things will never ride like a Caddy, so why try to make it? Just do something like rotojoints on one end and poly on the other (poly on the body will result in less noise and vibrations). I'm gonna go with rotojoints all around to make it a little less noisey and so they don't wear out so fast, but I'm far from complaining like it is.
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12-28-2010, 09:33 AM
#9
Rod ends are great...on a race car. If you're pulling those kinds of G's on the street, Mayhem got in your way, and I hope you have Allstate, or I look forward to seeing you on the next episode of World's Scariest Police Chases.
The OP said "i want LCA's and a panhard rod that are going to give me the quietest possible ride". I had rod end in all those parts, LG aluminum LCA's, and a UMI Panhard rod, with rod ends on both sides. I tightened the jam nuts, and torqued the bolts to the reguired spec, and used silicone lube. They make tons of noise, and because they don't resist movement you notice that live rear axle a lot more. You'll feel every bump in the road. Great for feed back on a race track, where there aren't lots of bumps. But do you really want your car telling you "Hey there's a huge bump right here!" every few inches?
The OP said "i want LCA's and a panhard rod that are going to give me the quietest possible ride". I had rod end in all those parts, LG aluminum LCA's, and a UMI Panhard rod, with rod ends on both sides. I tightened the jam nuts, and torqued the bolts to the reguired spec, and used silicone lube. They make tons of noise, and because they don't resist movement you notice that live rear axle a lot more. You'll feel every bump in the road. Great for feed back on a race track, where there aren't lots of bumps. But do you really want your car telling you "Hey there's a huge bump right here!" every few inches?
Last edited by lees02WS6; 12-28-2010 at 09:39 AM.
12-28-2010, 09:46 AM
#10
OP, if this were a lowered car, I'd get replacement moog bushings for the existing LCA's. I wouldn't box them, it's unnecessary. The loads there are longitudinal, and the twisting helps when one wheel is moving over a bump. I'd also get relocation brakcets to keep the arms parallel with the ground. Then get a panhard bar with johnny joints one either end. If the car is not lowered, skip the getting a new panhard bar, and just get new rubber bushings for it.
12-28-2010, 10:14 AM
#12
BMR will sell you aftermarket LCA's with rubber in them if you ask. I just don't see the advantage to the boxed arms, but I can see the disadvantage. As for the panhard, no one that I'm aware of does. If you can, weld and fabricate your own adjustable panhard bar with rubber. Short of that, I think you're stuck with the stocker if you want rubber.
12-28-2010, 10:31 AM
#14
Adjustable LCA's aren't necessary, only an adjustable panhard is. What you should get, regarding LCA's, are relocation brackets. Lowering the car raises the rear mounting point of your LCA's. Being able to lengthen or shorten them, as you can with an adjustable, won't help you. The relocation brackets will get the arms parallel with the ground again, which will get you back the traction you lost when you lowered the car.
Adjustable LCA's are handy when you have big tires, and need to move them around, front to rear, in the wheel well to get clearance.
Adjustable LCA's are handy when you have big tires, and need to move them around, front to rear, in the wheel well to get clearance.
12-28-2010, 07:32 PM
#15
12-28-2010, 08:05 PM
#16
Im looking to order a panhard rod as well as some LCA's in the near future for my SS. I use the car primarily on the street with the ocasional trip to the track. Thus, i want LCA's and a panhard rod that are going to give me the quietest possible ride. What kind of rod ends should I go with. Also, hopw important is single adjustable vs. double adjustable when it comes to the LCA's and panhard rod? Thanks guys
My car runs silent, I have absolutely no noise. Its like stock. I have NO poly stuff, just rubber. Every single one of my friends that went poly and ends.....they hate it.
Its a street car.......just get the parts and go normal mounts. You'll be happy.
I don't know why people put things on their cars that CANNOT be used to there potential "on the street" with "street tires." Waste of money....but cool to tell people about.
.
12-29-2010, 10:06 AM
#17
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Adjustable LCA's aren't necessary, only an adjustable panhard is. What you should get, regarding LCA's, are relocation brackets. Lowering the car raises the rear mounting point of your LCA's. Being able to lengthen or shorten them, as you can with an adjustable, won't help you. The relocation brackets will get the arms parallel with the ground again, which will get you back the traction you lost when you lowered the car.
For street use and handling you can run the LC arms angled lower toward the front. The neutral postion will work also. Running them in the lower postion in the relocation bracket will cause bad handling but better traction. The adjustable arms also allow you to center the axle fore and aft.
Adjustable LCA's are handy when you have big tires, and need to move them around, front to rear, in the wheel well to get clearance.
Adjustable LCA's aren't necessary, only an adjustable panhard is. What you should get, regarding LCA's, are relocation brackets. Lowering the car raises the rear mounting point of your LCA's. Being able to lengthen or shorten them, as you can with an adjustable, won't help you. The relocation brackets will get the arms parallel with the ground again, which will get you back the traction you lost when you lowered the car.
For street use and handling you can run the LC arms angled lower toward the front. The neutral postion will work also. Running them in the lower postion in the relocation bracket will cause bad handling but better traction. The adjustable arms also allow you to center the axle fore and aft.
Adjustable LCA's are handy when you have big tires, and need to move them around, front to rear, in the wheel well to get clearance.
12-29-2010, 09:52 PM
#20
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Yea I agree with the earlier statements about noise and rod ends. When I started to build I wanted to retain all the stock like ride qualitys. So I decided to stay away from rod ends. Just to much metal on metal. Every bump and twitch they will sound off. Go with all the stuff that has the poly bushings. You get a little better feel but none of all that harsh banging around. I'm even going with the transmission crossmember torque arm relocation kit. It reatains the poly bushings for quieter operation. The only thing I havn't put on the car yet is the Torque arm Set up. And all the mods Ive made have the poly bushings and have only made good changes with no harshness at all. You will be disapointed with the rod end peices. But I live down south and roads are not as bad so poly might be to hard for northern roads. Nothing against you guys I used to live in Ohio. But those roads up there suck donkey dick.