Rear Upper Control Arms

TOOLOW91

If you're the village idiot what's that make me?
Dirt-Old 20+Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
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So i run old school hpm mega bite jr and HPM uppers that are adjustable and heim jointed on both ends. I have the upr sphericals in the rear.

I am looking for something more street duty that will stand up to the abuse and cut down on the NVH a bit. My question is would i be able to leave the heims in my rear carrier and run say a non adjustable upr upper with a poly bushing in so it will still be rigid but have some bushing to it ? Or am i gonna have to do the carrier bushings as well. And before anyone asks the car got the battle boxes the day it got the control arms too keep it all in shape. @Sharad @84Ttop
 
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I like the updated signature Jeff! Now to try and answer your question...
It's almost a bit of a trade off for the situation you're in. You want quality parts that perform well from the performance end of things but also want the BMW ride quality. To me it's a sacrifice for one or the other. It is possible that the heim joints in your older arms are worn and this could be causing some of the noise/vibration so I would look into this first. In my eyes, a good suspension is key and you are making a considerable amount of horse power now. I'm not sure that poly bushings would do you justice with all of your new found power. I know @Sharad will have a lot more to offer to this than I ever could. If it were me I would look to see that the heim joints are in good shape and leave the solid suspension in the car.
 
I like the updated signature Jeff! Now to try and answer your question...
It's almost a bit of a trade off for the situation you're in. You want quality parts that perform well from the performance end of things but also want the BMW ride quality. To me it's a sacrifice for one or the other. It is possible that the heim joints in your older arms are worn and this could be causing some of the noise/vibration so I would look into this first. In my eyes, a good suspension is key and you are making a considerable amount of horse power now. I'm not sure that poly bushings would do you justice with all of your new found power. I know @Sharad will have a lot more to offer to this than I ever could. If it were me I would look to see that the heim joints are in good shape and leave the solid suspension in the car.
I can deal honestly if i have too i have had them in for a while maybe i could just order a new set of uprs or just pick up a new set of heims for the hpms i was just weighing my options out more or less
 
Don't jump the gun just yet. Take a good look to see exactly what condition the arms/heims are in before you do anything drastic
you sir are correct I will . been lazy with this heat to lay on my back in the garage to do anything I haven't even done the tank I just been keeping it under 3/4 lol
 
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This is what I like for a street strip car at your power level. Keep the sphericals in your housing, but with these uppers:

http://www.uprproducts.com/mustang-...table-upper-control-arm-urethane-bushing.html

And then I use the Pro Street adjustable lowers which also have one heim joint and one poly bushing on each arm:

http://www.uprproducts.com/mustang-...e-lower-control-arm-kit-urethane-bushing.html

That way, you have a spherical on each arm to reduce bind, and a poly bushing on each arm to absorb some NVH. Win-win.
 
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My car is all street, makes a bit more power and torque.
I had heim joint uppers with fresh stock rubber bushings on the rear side.
I hated it.

I put ford racing uppers back in. Just feels so much better and i didn't notice any negative effect in taking off or handling.

IMO, leave the heim joints for race cars.
These cars ride bad enough, no reason to make it worse.

If it's adjustability you want, steeda makes (or used to) a set of double adjustable uppers that instead of a heim joint has a poly bushing.
 
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