Control arms on a budget?

Gearbanger 101 said:

Don't we all???

I often wonder what the ratio of having big plans and actually following through with them are in most cases though.

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That's half the fun though isn't it? To dream of making the car better over time. I forget the user name, but the guy had a Silver Saleen new edge mustang with a procharger and 750+ RWHP. He said he finally had everything done to the car he ever wanted and lost interest. IIRC he now drives a blue 2012 GT.

It's probably safe to say that I may never have 500 RWHP, and frankly perhaps I wouldn't want it anyways. With a measely 240 rwhp, I still find my car rewarding and enjoyable to drive. I certainly don't see myself selling it anytime soon because I really do love almost everything about my car.

After reading through most of this thread, seems that many of you guys are worried just about how much power a part will hold. IMO that's only a small part of the equation.

Ride quality is important, ya, maybe not when you are 21 but as time goes on it gets more important. Screw heim joints and bearings, they suck on a street car, i don't care what some say what is tolerable, they are horrible, metal on metal isn't exactly timeless either.

Longevity is important too, the beautiful thing about the stock parts is that they last damn near forever. Pot holes, bumps, wheel hop take a toll on suspension parts, so it's not just the power that kills the suspension. So guys that have 250hp may not need to have arms that will put up with a wheel stand, but they damn well better put up with 10,000 miles a year.

Finding a happy medium of parts that handle power, ride good enough and last long is paramount.

My time in buying mediocre suspension stuff is over. Everything budget friendly i have ever purchased has had some type of failure.

I believe gus said it right a page or so ago, for what the difference in price is between the more reputable companies and the knock offs, why not just buy from the more reputable place?

I use the lighweight steeda lowers with motorsport uppers, which have been great so far, countless miles of my abuse.
Next time (if there is one) for stance and leveling's sake, i'd like to have the MM weight jackers or equivalent.

I read this entire post and wanted to offer my experience. A ways back I sprang for southside upper and lowers on a mild mannered street strip car 375 rwhp. Less then a year later Im at the track at launch one side twisted destroyed my torque boxes obviously the lower control arm was garbage. When I was doing the repairs money was tight so I bought the Macs and I got years of track use, street use and they're still on the car with the current owner.

My point is in some cases you don't have to go all out, the SVE's, or UPR's will do. If you manage your expectations no doubt you could use the cheeper kind if that's where your budget falls. IMO I'm going to try and save a bit longer to get the best set up and do it once. Sometimes crap happens and a bad weld sneaks by QA realize how many are sold and how many go bad, don't condem a brand because of a few negative blogs.