are LCA's really worth it?
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
From: northern new jersey
Re: are LCA's really worth it? I have the BMR ones and I used to have bad wheel hop and now that I installed them its gone. It also made the ride a little more sold. I think they are worth the money.
Kyle
Kyle
Launching!
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
From: S.S.F.
Re: are LCA's really worth it? The stock LCA's flex to much. The addition of boxed LCA's helps combat that flex which transends into less wheel hop. You should consider lowering brackets for your new LCA's too.
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Milford, NH
Re: are LCA's really worth it? I put BMR's on mine. The car used to pull to the right on a hard launch and would chip second geat pretty good. Now it launches straight and barely chirps second. Feels more solid. Get em! <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: NRH Texas
Re: are LCA's really worth it? what bad things about lakewood? theyve been making suspension parts for what 30-40 years now?
what if i dont wheen hop? will they help me hook up better?
what if i dont wheen hop? will they help me hook up better?
Re: are LCA's really worth it? </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> what bad things about lakewood? theyve been making suspension parts for what 30-40 years now? </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">It's not the company that's bad, it's the product. (And even then, it's only "bad" in certain situations.)
I used to have a set of Lakewood LCA's. They are good for drag racing, and they do HELP REDUCE wheelhop (though they don't eliminate it all together... trust me! ). The problem is, their bushings are poly/poly, and in hard corners, they can bind (refuse to flex) and actually PREVENT the suspension from doing what it's supposed to do. (In the worst-case scenario, in a VERY HARD AND FAST turn, the poly/poly LCA's could make the car pick up the inside rear wheel. NOT a good thing.) The LCA's NEED to rotate slightly in turns, which is why I switched to the poly/rubber bushings when I got my BMR LCA's. Rod-end bushings do the job even better, but the affordable ones tend to wear out relatively quickly... and drag racing & hard launches can make them wear out even quicker.
In the end, it all depends on what you want to do with the car. (DON'T YOU HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE SAY THAT!?!? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> )
I used to have a set of Lakewood LCA's. They are good for drag racing, and they do HELP REDUCE wheelhop (though they don't eliminate it all together... trust me! ). The problem is, their bushings are poly/poly, and in hard corners, they can bind (refuse to flex) and actually PREVENT the suspension from doing what it's supposed to do. (In the worst-case scenario, in a VERY HARD AND FAST turn, the poly/poly LCA's could make the car pick up the inside rear wheel. NOT a good thing.) The LCA's NEED to rotate slightly in turns, which is why I switched to the poly/rubber bushings when I got my BMR LCA's. Rod-end bushings do the job even better, but the affordable ones tend to wear out relatively quickly... and drag racing & hard launches can make them wear out even quicker.
In the end, it all depends on what you want to do with the car. (DON'T YOU HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE SAY THAT!?!? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> )
Trending Topics
Re: are LCA's really worth it? I have to totally agree with Killer, I had the BMR poly/poly, and i did notice a gain in traction--IN A STRAIGHT LINE ONLY. I did notice that the rear end broke loose in a hard turn.
then I bought the G2 adjustable lca's, with a heim joint on one side-- what everyone said about these things is true!! I say they are easily worth more than twice the BMR's-- but then again, that is because I am an autocrosser, and I want to set up my suspension more for autocrossing over anything.
Find out what you want to do, im not saying the other lca's are junk, they are just purpose built.
I have a video of exactly what Killer said, where I made a right turn in an autocross (over slightly uneven pavement, which doesnt help us live axle guys), and the unloaded rear tire actually picked up and hopped. I'll post the video link when I have access to it (now i am at work).
btw, if you get lcas with heim joints, expect them to wear out sometime, then you'll have to replace the heim joint.
EDIT:, if you look at this video at about 40 seconds, and 1minute and 23 seconds, you will see what I am talking about http://www.big-shoe.net/octbloops.mpg its 28megs
<small>[ May 25, 2002, 05:39 PM: Message edited by: bigshoe ]</small>
then I bought the G2 adjustable lca's, with a heim joint on one side-- what everyone said about these things is true!! I say they are easily worth more than twice the BMR's-- but then again, that is because I am an autocrosser, and I want to set up my suspension more for autocrossing over anything.
Find out what you want to do, im not saying the other lca's are junk, they are just purpose built.
I have a video of exactly what Killer said, where I made a right turn in an autocross (over slightly uneven pavement, which doesnt help us live axle guys), and the unloaded rear tire actually picked up and hopped. I'll post the video link when I have access to it (now i am at work).
btw, if you get lcas with heim joints, expect them to wear out sometime, then you'll have to replace the heim joint.
EDIT:, if you look at this video at about 40 seconds, and 1minute and 23 seconds, you will see what I am talking about http://www.big-shoe.net/octbloops.mpg its 28megs
<small>[ May 25, 2002, 05:39 PM: Message edited by: bigshoe ]</small>
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
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
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 197
Likes: 0
From: Burleson, Texas
Re: are LCA's really worth it? ok guys..
it does NOT matter if you have poly/poly, poly/rubber or rubber/rubber control arms... they are only good for drag racing
trust me, the rubber that BMR uses does not deflect enough to allow the suspension to work... even if it does deflect enough, it still resists deflection
if you're buying stronger tubular or boxed control arms... they MUST have at least one rod-end on them to work with your suspension...
poly/poly or poly/rubber control arms limit body sway
<small>[ May 26, 2002, 03:50 AM: Message edited by: prockbp ]</small>
it does NOT matter if you have poly/poly, poly/rubber or rubber/rubber control arms... they are only good for drag racing
trust me, the rubber that BMR uses does not deflect enough to allow the suspension to work... even if it does deflect enough, it still resists deflection
if you're buying stronger tubular or boxed control arms... they MUST have at least one rod-end on them to work with your suspension...
poly/poly or poly/rubber control arms limit body sway
<small>[ May 26, 2002, 03:50 AM: Message edited by: prockbp ]</small>
