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question on LCA's

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Old 06-06-2005, 10:30 PM
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Question question on LCA's

Alright, I know lower control arms are a good mod for a track car, but I wouldnt mind hearing peoples opinions on if they figure it will forsure give me any kind of noticeable gain at the strip. Will they forsure lower my 60foot? How about with a set of LCA relocation brackets. The brackets help that much more, would you find them necissary? My car has not been lowered, but Im just looking for the best possible increase in 60foot times. Before I install them on my car, I will have some new times/numbers in the next couple weeks from the track. Thanks for the input.
Old 06-18-2005, 10:09 PM
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I'm not too familiar with drag strip specifics, but no one has replied to your post in so long, so I felt bad no is helping out. I'll tell you what I know.

Almost everyone agrees that aftermarket LCA's help in launching. The rubber bushings and flexing sheetmetal factory arms flex under launch and then want to snap back causing the tires to spin. Solid arms and poly or rod bushings get rid of the flex and prevents that kickback that the factory parts cause.

The only reason people use relocation brackets is to make the LCA's level with the ground. When you lower the rear the arms get tilted and the brackets make them level again. So if your arms are already level, you don't need them.
Old 06-19-2005, 03:27 AM
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I also don't have any proof on paper type stuff. I'll put in my $0.02

When I first bought my Camaro, I could literaly spin them up into third, I also had a bad knocking in the back end. I replaced my stock LCA's w/ Hotchkis ones and my traction improved greatly!!! They do help to prevent wheel hop and wheel spin on a launch. I HAVE noticed that. I also added a BMR ADJ TQ arm to the mix so......It plants the power quite nicely now!!! I would recoment the LCA's as a first to do, along w/ the lid and a filter. I think they make a huge difference.. It'll just be another part you'd wind up replacing anyway, right?

Besides, w/ autocross, IMO, I'd upgrade the complete suspension sys. Just to get optimum traction.
Old 06-19-2005, 10:23 AM
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Thanks for the replies. Thats what I think Im going to do first, is get the brackets, then get some control arms for it later.
Old 06-19-2005, 10:24 AM
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Originally Posted by aNuBiS
Thanks for the replies. Thats what I think Im going to do first, is get the brackets, then get some control arms for it later.
So your LCA's are not level with the ground?
Old 06-19-2005, 10:26 AM
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By not level with the ground I assume you mean they arent perfectly parallel?
Old 06-19-2005, 12:07 PM
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Originally Posted by aNuBiS
By not level with the ground I assume you mean they arent perfectly parallel?
Yeah, you want them to be parallel to the ground with weight on the suspension and on level ground. As Jason pointed out, its most common to use the brackets on lowered cars because in that scenario the forward LCA attach point (body-side) drops in relation to the aft attach point (axle-side). This causes the LCA to be non-parallel with respect to the ground. Dropping the axle-side attach point down with the relo brackets alleviates this problem.
Old 06-19-2005, 12:35 PM
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I'll have a look and see. So basically if its level to the ground I shouldnt even bother with the brackets?
Old 06-19-2005, 01:00 PM
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Originally Posted by aNuBiS
I'll have a look and see. So basically if its level to the ground I shouldnt even bother with the brackets?
I would say yes, but for a purely drag racing application you may gain a bit by using the relo brackets even if the LCA's are level right now. The theory is that if you drop the axle side a bit beyond level then you're going to induce/increase a "traction bar" effect that should help traction (by "planting" the rear better) some amount. Is it a measurable amount? I don't know. The problem is that under braking you're now going to have the reverse effect and this may induce brake hop.

Personally, I'd just shoot for level with the LCA's and call it good.

If you pick up a set of bolt-in brackets like the BMR's you can always see what you think and remove them if you don't like the results.
Old 06-19-2005, 01:24 PM
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Thanks, ya I think I'll just opt for some tubular LCA's and see what happens.



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