F-Body Lower Control Arm Question

[wagner]

Well since ti looks like I need to replace the lower's on the rear of my car I might as well upgrade.

 

My question is to the guys who drive their cars a good amount and race them what do you use? I am torn between the UMI double adjustable or the single adjustable.

 

The concern I have is with the double adjustable and having 2 rod ends how noise/rough is that to drive on the street?

 

My car won't be a full on race car for a very long time so I want to make sure I get something that I can get good street use out of and still get some good performance gains.

[MrMeanGreen]

You don't need adjustables right now for what you want out of the car. I use nons as well, which all I do is drag race.

[wagner]

You don't need adjustables right now for what you want out of the car. I use nons as well, which all I do is drag race.

 

Hmm I did not really think of that. Do you know how much adjustability would actually help?

 

What about an adjustable pan hard rod?

 

I really want to get rid of my wheel hop and traction issues for next year.

[MrMeanGreen]

For the LCAs, go with nons but use the relocation brackets so you can adjust the height when needed for track or street duty.

 

If I could do it again, I'd go with the adjustable PHR (I'm running a non) to help center the rear end.

[twistedfocus1647545489]

These seem to be a good compromise between improved handling/traction and decent road manners. Control arm lowering brackets might offer some benefit for drag racing as well. If it negatively affects handling/braking you can always put them back in the stock position when you're not racing.

http://www.hotpart.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=47

 

Even well built double rod end arms will need the ends replaced occasionally as they slack up because they can get really noisy. They're great for a race car but everyone I know that has run them on the street gets sick of dealing with them after a while.

 

Edit: Or just read above post. Anthony types faster...

Edited September 15, 2009 by twistedfocus
Sleeping at the tree

[MrMeanGreen]

Lol, with the quickness.

 

But Jason has good points as well that I didn't mention. Basically all manufacturers are the same, so go with who you want and has the best pricing.

[wagner]

For the LCAs, go with nons but use the relocation brackets so you can adjust the height when needed for track or street duty.

 

If I could do it again, I'd go with the adjustable PHR (I'm running a non) to help center the rear end.

 

I was looking at the price and I can get a set of nons and the relocation brakets for the same price as the adjustables. This would be a pretty good compromise then.

 

The adjustable PHR was looking good to me for the reason you gave. The car is getting new tires this winter and an allignment so that should help there.

 

Now what about Torque arms? I did the sphon adjustable and relocated one on my 94 but lost a TON of ground clearance.

 

Since I don't have a blistering fast car is just the standard adjustable worth it then?

[MrMeanGreen]

I run the BMR adjustable TA and did not lose any ground clearance, although I'm still mounted to the tailshaft. I don't see why relocating the mount to the tranny tunnel would cause a ground clearance loss, though.

 

However, I would go with the adjustable TA at all costs. This will help with a stock or modified car, and once you start making more power, you'll want the ability to plant the rear more. Most guys run a -2 pinion angle as I do, and that is good for most applications.

[Guest Removed]

For the LCAs, go with nons but use the relocation brackets so you can adjust the height when needed for track or street duty.

 

this

[Cordell]

I sure wouldn't put rod ends on a street/daily driven car, absolutly no need. I bought all double adjustable LCAs and panhard bar with poly ends. This might be thought of as overkill, but it works great and I know my rear is dead nuts centered both ways. I also have a trans mounted adjustable torque arm and LCA relocation brackets, my car will be able to do anything I have planned with these parts.

[Mattsv8]

the idea is to get zero deflection. so rod end. but on the street they where veryfast and are noisy. i would recomend you go with a adj type lower with poly ends. stiffer than a stock rubber but not loud like a rod end. if you do a ajd tq arm you need the adj lowers. a small pinion angle change can do wonders. I have spohn adj tq arm and tranny mount, adj panhard bar for my 89 camaro and im plannin on getting the ajd lowers offset. all with rod ends. i want the full drag race suspension noise dont matter, it has no sound deadner either just carpet.

[flippy1974]

I'm running lakewood lift bars (or trackion bars whatever u want to call them)and jegs adj tourqe arm and does great. So far best 60 ft 1.40 and it will pull both front tires on a unpreped road.

[RUTAN TA1647545492]

I sure wouldn't put rod ends on a street/daily driven car, absolutly no need. I bought all double adjustable LCAs and panhard bar with poly ends. This might be thought of as overkill, but it works great and I know my rear is dead nuts centered both ways. I also have a trans mounted adjustable torque arm and LCA relocation brackets, my car will be able to do anything I have planned with these parts.

 

I run rod ends on my car on the street and have no complaints but m also trying to lighten up my street car. i got mine from trackbird on here. i run aluminum lca's and chromoly panhard bar and i use a body mounted spohn tq arm.

[gillbot]

go for an on car adjustable PHR, F taking that thing off repeatedly to make small adjustments.

[Cordell]

I run rod ends on my car on the street and have no complaints but m also trying to lighten up my street car. i got mine from trackbird on here. i run aluminum lca's and chromoly panhard bar and i use a body mounted spohn tq arm.

 

Are you using double rod ends or a rod end/poly combo? I would think rod ends would wear out prematurely on a car that sees a lot of street driving, and I've been in a car with rod ends that induces a little more noise. This may or may not be important to some people, but is why different options are out there.

go for an on car adjustable PHR, F taking that thing off repeatedly to make small adjustments.

+1 on this, if you're going to get adjustable, make it adjustable on the car.

[RUTAN TA1647545492]

I run rod ends on both ends and you can ask anyone that I drive my car alot and year round(18,000 miles in 2 years). I've had them on my car for a year and a half with no additional noise over the Hotchkis arms I took off. LS1Plus has the same lca's that I run and his ends needed replaced after about 2.5 years of hard use.

[wagner]

Here are is what I am looking at:

 

Control Arms

http://www.umiperformance.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_138_101&products_id=109

 

Pan Hard Rod

http://www.umiperformance.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_138_106&products_id=111

 

Relocation Brackets

http://www.umiperformance.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_138_108&products_id=116

 

SFC's

http://www.umiperformance.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_113&products_id=192

 

I am going to hold off on the Torque arm until I get my headers since it seems that it impacts the type of unit I would get.

 

Thoughts on these?

[Cordell]

Not sure why you would want poly ends on the LCAs and a rod end on the panhard, but look like a cool set-up. I have the BMR (same shit) versions of the same parts.

 

As for the sub-frame connectors, there is nothing wrong with tubular. Boxed tubing is only marginally stiffer, but if you ever think you may want to run a sub-frame mounted torque arm I'd get boxed.

 

I'd buy this if I had it to do over for a torque arm, just a thought.

http://www.bmrfabrication.com/torque%20arm/trakpak.jpg

[MrMeanGreen]

I have that one. I like it.

[Cordell]

I have that one. I like it.

 

No you don't, look again.

[wagner]

Not sure why you would want poly ends on the LCAs and a rod end on the panhard, but look like a cool set-up. I have the BMR (same shit) versions of the same parts.

 

As for the sub-frame connectors, there is nothing wrong with tubular. Boxed tubing is only marginally stiffer, but if you ever think you may want to run a sub-frame mounted torque arm I'd get boxed.

 

I'd buy this if I had it to do over for a torque arm, just a thought.

http://www.bmrfabrication.com/torque%20arm/trakpak.jpg

 

The panhard rod is the on car adjustable one so that is why I am looking at that.

 

I was looking at the tubular sfc's because they give me the ground clearance I will need for street use.

 

Is that flawed logic? I really want to make sure I do this right the first time and not get stuff that won't work toward my goals.

 

What is the goal? A street car that I can drive to work and perform well at the track.

 

Now I know I am giving up performance with going non-rod ends and keeping the stock torque arm for now.

[Cordell]

Here you go and it's a little cheaper, I personally don't think you'll give up enough to notice with the poly ends.

http://www.umiperformance.com/catalog/images/large/2029a_LRG.jpg

 

Plus you should look at Anthony's or my car, the boxed sub-frames don't eat up hardly any ground clearance.

[wagner]

^^ Like that better lol did not see it on the site

[V8 Beast]

I have the umi 3 point tubular sfc's and my exhaust hangs down an inch and a half lower than it does.

 

Just have an f-body meet, drive a few of our cars around, look at the ground clearance etc, then make a list of what you want

[Cordell]

Just have an f-body meet, drive a few of our cars around, look at the ground clearance etc, then make a list of what you want

 

This is a good idea, the cruise to mod Wagner's car. Whats everyone doing saturday?