what are my options?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
what are my options? 
Hello all. Going to be replacing front struts soon and I know my front lower control arm bushings/ ball joints are well past their due date. Now I don’t have access to a press, and have heard countless nightmares of just replacing the bushings/ball joints, so going that route isn’t really an option for me. I’m thinking I should just replace the entire control arm but I’m unsure of which ones to get. This is a DD with spirited driving (98 T/A) So I’m asking, what are my options? Which brand or ones should I get? I know tubular is more track Orientated, soooo boxed? Or just some from oriellys? Help a brothe out I've removed/replaced ball joints and control arm bushings on MANY cars. While it isn't all that difficult, a little patience, basic mechanical knowledge, and a good ball joint tool, will get the job done.
If you purchase a good tool, you'll have it for life, and as well as suspension parts, you can also use the tool for R&R of universal joints...I think I bought mine, back in the mid-late 70s. Do you have any knowledgeable friends who could help?
If you purchase a good tool, you'll have it for life, and as well as suspension parts, you can also use the tool for R&R of universal joints...I think I bought mine, back in the mid-late 70s. Do you have any knowledgeable friends who could help?
uh oh, watch the rear bushing on the lower arm. Nothing but trouble with urethane on that one.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Trending Topics
These are the things that people who have been down this road before can help with vs. just buying parts. Don't assume that because something exists that it is automatically better.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 157
Likes: 9
From: Oshawa, ON
What would make them bad for DD? I'm sure depending on the type of bushing they have they might be kind of harsh for DDing, but if they are built to withstand track abuse then they are more than capable for street driving.
If you're worried about ride quality then that's a different story. Just get OEM style replacement arms or rubber replacement bushings then.
I have Mevotech control arms from Rock Auto ready to go on my car, which were a stock-style full replacement arm at a decent price. If you search on here there are a lot of negative feelings towards Mevotech, but not a lot of first-hand experience (although Sam Strano did say he had a customer go through 2 ball joints in a short time period on a BMW). I figured I'd still give them a shot and just hold onto my OEM arms in case I need to put new bushings/ball joints in them later. In the box they look like decent quality - they are the "Supreme" line that supposedly have lifetime warranty, and the ball joints have grease nipples, and the dust covers all look sturdy and well attached. Of course looks don't mean much, and I won't be driving the car again until nice spring weather hits in likely April, so I can't really give much info on how they are yet, unfortunately.
If you're worried about ride quality then that's a different story. Just get OEM style replacement arms or rubber replacement bushings then.
I have Mevotech control arms from Rock Auto ready to go on my car, which were a stock-style full replacement arm at a decent price. If you search on here there are a lot of negative feelings towards Mevotech, but not a lot of first-hand experience (although Sam Strano did say he had a customer go through 2 ball joints in a short time period on a BMW). I figured I'd still give them a shot and just hold onto my OEM arms in case I need to put new bushings/ball joints in them later. In the box they look like decent quality - they are the "Supreme" line that supposedly have lifetime warranty, and the ball joints have grease nipples, and the dust covers all look sturdy and well attached. Of course looks don't mean much, and I won't be driving the car again until nice spring weather hits in likely April, so I can't really give much info on how they are yet, unfortunately.
Originally Posted by nomoneyz
Can you elaborate a bit? I never researched it, just did them because my control arm literally had a half inch of movement from the bushings being garbage.
Originally Posted by Masnart197
aren’t tubular bad for dd?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
What would make them bad for DD? I'm sure depending on the type of bushing they have they might be kind of harsh for DDing, but if they are built to withstand track abuse then they are more than capable for street driving.
If you're worried about ride quality then that's a different story. Just get OEM style replacement arms or rubber replacement bushings then.
I have Mevotech control arms from Rock Auto ready to go on my car, which were a stock-style full replacement arm at a decent price. If you search on here there are a lot of negative feelings towards Mevotech, but not a lot of first-hand experience (although Sam Strano did say he had a customer go through 2 ball joints in a short time period on a BMW). I figured I'd still give them a shot and just hold onto my OEM arms in case I need to put new bushings/ball joints in them later. In the box they look like decent quality - they are the "Supreme" line that supposedly have lifetime warranty, and the ball joints have grease nipples, and the dust covers all look sturdy and well attached. Of course looks don't mean much, and I won't be driving the car again until nice spring weather hits in likely April, so I can't really give much info on how they are yet, unfortunately.
If you're worried about ride quality then that's a different story. Just get OEM style replacement arms or rubber replacement bushings then.
I have Mevotech control arms from Rock Auto ready to go on my car, which were a stock-style full replacement arm at a decent price. If you search on here there are a lot of negative feelings towards Mevotech, but not a lot of first-hand experience (although Sam Strano did say he had a customer go through 2 ball joints in a short time period on a BMW). I figured I'd still give them a shot and just hold onto my OEM arms in case I need to put new bushings/ball joints in them later. In the box they look like decent quality - they are the "Supreme" line that supposedly have lifetime warranty, and the ball joints have grease nipples, and the dust covers all look sturdy and well attached. Of course looks don't mean much, and I won't be driving the car again until nice spring weather hits in likely April, so I can't really give much info on how they are yet, unfortunately.
I have Mevotech lower front ball joints and they have held up well. The boot on one of them has a small tear, but I think this was my fault for letting the upright rest on it when I was pulling the engine and subframe from the car. They are heavy, and it kind of got away from me before I could tie it up, and fell to the side. The inner mechanics are still tight though, after several years of daily use.
Tracks don't have potholes and/or curbs.....things that the OE arms are built to withstand. The heim joints, that many of the aftermarket arms have, DO provide less restrictive movement, as well as less "slop", therefore DO improve handling. However, that also means that on the street, since they have almost zero "give", they transmit more road harshness to the frame of the car, which is not good for the car, and over time, can get really annoying to the driver.
