View Poll Results: What brand?
UMI
252
39.81%
BMR
176
27.80%
Spohn
84
13.27%
Hotchkis
11
1.74%
Other
110
17.38%
Voters: 633. You may not vote on this poll
Best Lower Control Arms?
#21
Those do look interesting, and are probably not as noisey as heim joints/rod ends threaded into the rest of the LCA tubing.
Here's on for ya Bret, 3 years ago there was a HUGE debate over which end goes where...(with poly/heim)
Here's on for ya Bret, 3 years ago there was a HUGE debate over which end goes where...(with poly/heim)
#22
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,824
Likes: 27
From: Central Indiana Honors: 4th grade spelling bee contestant
Originally Posted by Viper
Good deal. You will hate them for any cornering, but if that's not a concern you're good to go.
#26
As asked in another thread.. but realize that thread was a month old
Would the poly/poly lca hinder cornering any worse than the stock lca's?
Another thread alluded to the poly/rod still having the rattling noises.. though just slightly less...
Would the poly/poly lca hinder cornering any worse than the stock lca's?
Another thread alluded to the poly/rod still having the rattling noises.. though just slightly less...
#28
Originally Posted by Dentalguy
As asked in another thread.. but realize that thread was a month old
Would the poly/poly lca hinder cornering any worse than the stock lca's?
Would the poly/poly lca hinder cornering any worse than the stock lca's?
I don't like the fact of adding much more bind than necessary. For drag racing, the bind is quite useful, for any type of handling activity where optimal handling is required, the bind will frustrate handling.
FWIW, I use a modified version of what several of the FRRAX guys use as well.
A modified Howe racing rubber bushing on one end and a QA1 rod end on the other with a 15.5" Coleman racing aluminum arm between. On my street vehicle I mount the rubber end on the body and the spherical end on the axle itself, since the rod end is designed to handle much of the loads. Either way I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter much, however I decided to do that in order to have the rubber joint serve as a sort of "noise reducer." On my track car, I use double rod ends with a 16" Coleman racing aluminum arm.
I have had this setup for over 2 years with no dust boots and an occasional spray of SuperLube's multi-purpose PTFE lube, they're still going strong and no signs of bending on the LCA shafts themselves. They're also very road worthy for AX and RR (rules allowing).
#30
Two questions, since I think a set of LCAs and SFCs are next on my list. Will a set of LCAs like the Edelbrocks posted earlier in this thread require any sort of modifications to bolt up? Also, are they offered in an adjustable setup? My other question is on the relocation brackets - are bolt-ins "less" beneficial than weld-ins? I'm probably going with a 12 bolt within a few months, so I don't want to waste the money on a set of weld-ons (especially with the lack of good welders in the area) if the bolt-ons offer a similar performance gain.
I was thinking about a set of UMI's tubular adjustables, since I'm ordering the SFCs from there, but not 100% sure now.
I was thinking about a set of UMI's tubular adjustables, since I'm ordering the SFCs from there, but not 100% sure now.
#31
Originally Posted by 96SweetTA
This is not really a good poll considering there are very few of us who have tried all the different kinds of LCA's. We are all going to be partial and biased towards the ones we are running right now.
As for me, I got a good deal on a set of Metco Billet LCA's with relo brackets and they have been great. No noise, and I felt an immediate diffence in grip with no change in ride comfort.
As for me, I got a good deal on a set of Metco Billet LCA's with relo brackets and they have been great. No noise, and I felt an immediate diffence in grip with no change in ride comfort.
John
#32
haha any diff in the umi tubular poly/poly lca's vs bmr or spohn? is it some difference in thickness or material at the ends?
Nothing seemed to stand out that made one seem better than the other
Nothing seemed to stand out that made one seem better than the other
#33
Originally Posted by 96SweetTA
This is not really a good poll considering there are very few of us who have tried all the different kinds of LCA's. We are all going to be partial and biased towards the ones we are running right now.
I've used:
BMR poly/poly - junk. I cracked the housing the bushing is in and broke and identical bushing mount on a BMR PHB. They also only used 1/2" shanks for the mounts.
LG poly/poly - much better than BMRs, but still bound in the mounts when cornering. You straight line guys should consider bushing bind. When you launch crooked and are trying to save the car, binding LCAs add effective rear spring rate and will make the car over-steer badly. I think you guys call it a "tank-slapper".
LG poly/rod - Changed ends on the LG units to give the spherical bering on one end. HUGE difference. LG uses (used) 3/4" Aurora ends, probably the best avaialble at the time.
LG aluminum rod/rod - super light weight and extremely stong. Very nice and suprisingly strong. Only downside is that the LCA shaft was smooth and difficult to grip when tightening jam nuts.
Trackbird aluminum rod/rod LCAs - identical to LGM aluminum LCAs except there is a hex machined into one end that allows a 1 1/4" open end wrench to grip the shaft and allow a solid tightening of the jam nuts.
UMI rod/rod LCAs - recently installed UMI rord/rod LCAs on a road racing car. No complaints. They are chrome moly and substantially heavier than the aluminum versions. Very well made and excellent quality.
Now, all these components were spread out over 3 different road racing cars. But I have maintained and driven all 3.
#34
Originally Posted by mitchntx
Excellent point ...
I've used:
LG poly/rod - Changed ends on the LG units to give the spherical bering on one end. HUGE difference. LG uses (used) 3/4" Aurora ends, probably the best avaialble at the time.
LG aluminum rod/rod - super light weight and extremely stong. Very nice and suprisingly strong. Only downside is that the LCA shaft was smooth and difficult to grip when tightening jam nuts.
Trackbird aluminum rod/rod LCAs - identical to LGM aluminum LCAs except there is a hex machined into one end that allows a 1 1/4" open end wrench to grip the shaft and allow a solid tightening of the jam nuts.
I've used:
LG poly/rod - Changed ends on the LG units to give the spherical bering on one end. HUGE difference. LG uses (used) 3/4" Aurora ends, probably the best avaialble at the time.
LG aluminum rod/rod - super light weight and extremely stong. Very nice and suprisingly strong. Only downside is that the LCA shaft was smooth and difficult to grip when tightening jam nuts.
Trackbird aluminum rod/rod LCAs - identical to LGM aluminum LCAs except there is a hex machined into one end that allows a 1 1/4" open end wrench to grip the shaft and allow a solid tightening of the jam nuts.
Jon
#36
The Aurora rod ends/spherical bearings that are used in the LG arms are of very high quality. I with the exception of my LCA's and PHB, I use them everywhere else I have rod ends. They're not initially cheap to purchase, however I noticed that they last much longer than previously cheap ones, though with equivalent QA1's I have never had a problem with either.
#38
Originally Posted by Element
Two questions, since I think a set of LCAs and SFCs are next on my list. Will a set of LCAs like the Edelbrocks posted earlier in this thread require any sort of modifications to bolt up? Also, are they offered in an adjustable setup? My other question is on the relocation brackets - are bolt-ins "less" beneficial than weld-ins? I'm probably going with a 12 bolt within a few months, so I don't want to waste the money on a set of weld-ons (especially with the lack of good welders in the area) if the bolt-ons offer a similar performance gain.
I was thinking about a set of UMI's tubular adjustables, since I'm ordering the SFCs from there, but not 100% sure now.
I was thinking about a set of UMI's tubular adjustables, since I'm ordering the SFCs from there, but not 100% sure now.
For your setup wait to have weld ons for your 12 bolt.
Bret
#39
I have the GM factory 1LE rear control arms. I don't have a quarter mile time with them yet, but all I can say is this: they don't use polyurethane that will eventually get bent out of shape and never go back to its original form (called coldflow) and don't use spherical bushings that will eventually make squeaking noises and last for only 20,000 miles. What do they use? Good old rubber. Really hard rubber. They don't bind and coldflow like polyurethane, won't make any noises like spherical bushings, and they last several thousand miles. Best of all, there was very little to no additional NVH by going to the 1LE control arms from the factory control arms. Now, if I can just get some track time with them and see some 60 foot time improvements, then I'll laugh at how silly it is to buy aftermarket control arms.
#40
Actually, my spherical bearings haven't worn out, and it's been like over 60K on them, but then again, I don't reside in a climate that would erode them quickly. AFA noise, still not noisy, and this is with a street vehicle that has 13 spherical bearings on them (replaced where they're applicable).
But yes, for the street damon_Z is correct about the 1LE arms. For the street and some AX, they're really hard to beat. It's more about the bushings ability not to overbind. The only reason I use a similar "homemade coleman" setup for the street is mainly because my factory arms on the street vehicle were victims of the dreaded factory tolernace lottery, otherwise I wouldn't need to replace them with what I have now.
EDIT: I am curious to see how 1LE arms would do with some high HP drag racing.
But yes, for the street damon_Z is correct about the 1LE arms. For the street and some AX, they're really hard to beat. It's more about the bushings ability not to overbind. The only reason I use a similar "homemade coleman" setup for the street is mainly because my factory arms on the street vehicle were victims of the dreaded factory tolernace lottery, otherwise I wouldn't need to replace them with what I have now.
EDIT: I am curious to see how 1LE arms would do with some high HP drag racing.