Boxing the Stock Control Arms. Worth it?

5LugFoxFanatic

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Arctic Tundra Hell, Twin Cites, Minnesota, USA

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#1

• Apr 4, 2005

• #1

I bought all poly bushing and am toying around with boxing the control arms. Is it worth it? I auto X my car so I am looking for handling without breaking the bank. Here's what I was reading. http://www.oldwestracing.com/index.html?http://www.oldwestracing.com/articles/armsbox/BCAwo.htm

 

trevnut

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Apr 4, 2005

#2

• Apr 4, 2005

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i did it to mine made a big difference

as long as you put poly bushings in them you be ok

 

rd

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Ocean Springs MS

Apr 4, 2005

#3

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I welded up both a set of uppers and lowers, but I still have 1980 vintage rubber bushings in them because I want the torque boxes to live a bit more.

I am getting high 1.80 sixty foots, with old Lakewood traction bars.

If you put poly bushings in, I am sure you could tell a difference.

If the geometry is what you want, I recommend it.

 

5LugFoxFanatic

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how much harder is it on the torque boxes if I do not drag race, and drive it on the street and use t for autocross twice a year?

 

Mavrick

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Hard poly urethane bushings on both ends of your controls arms is BAD for autox. The rear end can not move around as it is forced through corners etc. This is bad. Can cause snap oversteer and other unwanted characteristics. Do a search on MFE over on the Corral and you should find all the info you need.

Do not box the upper arms, but boxing the lowers should prove to be beneficial.

 

RED92VERT

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Id just replace the stock control arms with some aftermarket control arms.

 

5LugFoxFanatic

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Mavrick said:

Hard poly urethane bushings on both ends of your controls arms is BAD for autox. The rear end can not move around as it is forced through corners etc. This is bad. Can cause snap oversteer and other unwanted characteristics. Do a search on MFE over on the Corral and you should find all the info you need.

Do not box the upper arms, but boxing the lowers should prove to be beneficial.

Click to expand...

I did a search and didn't find anything on the Corral. Well if it is bad to use poly bushings in the rear, I might have to think twice. But keep in mind, this is a car that sees track time 2-3 times per year.

Why not box the uppers? I have seen many tech articles outlining this. Is there a disadvantage to boxing them, other than a waste of time if they serve no benefit by boxing.

Aftermarket control arms? I wish, my budget is almsot gone for this year on my car, so that is not really an option.

 

hotrodnut

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#8

• Apr 5, 2005

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Yes, boxing the control arms will help, when I replaced mine I could twist the stock ones by hand that is how flimsy they are.
As far as hard bushings go, I have the poly bushings in the lowers on both ends but rubber in both ends of the uppers. You should run a stock style rubber bushing at least in one end of the uppers to prevent binding while it travels through its up and down extremes.
I also use a panhard bar which limits side to side movement helping limit control arm binding so it is not as critical for the upper bushings to be as solid for supporting lateral movement.

 

5LugFoxFanatic

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So....

Box both upper and lower arms,
Use poly on the lower arms on both ends
Use rubber in one end of the uppers and poly on the other end.

Sound good?

 

hotrodnut

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#10

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5LugFoxFanatic said:

So....

Box both upper and lower arms,
Use poly on the lower arms on both ends
Use rubber in one end of the uppers and poly on the other end.

Sound good?

Click to expand...

Yes
Yes
Yes

Yes Sounds like a good plan to me.

 

millhouse

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Apr 6, 2005

#11

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Go here and read this Mustang Suspension Basics

And then go here and read this Maximum Lowers

And then this Maximum Uppers

 

04sleeper

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#12

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millhouse said:

Go here and read this Mustang Suspension Basics

And then go here and read this Maximum Lowers

And then this Maximum Uppers

Click to expand...

Good info there millhouse.

 

westridez

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Apr 6, 2005

#13

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what would be the best thing to do if you want your car to handle good in corners leave the control arms stock

 

millhouse

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#14

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westridez said:

what would be the best thing to do if you want your car to handle good in corners leave the control arms stock

Click to expand...

Read the links in my previous posts.