Discuss Lower Control Arms here

[CobraRed_96_GT]

I need lower control arms for some future traction planting and it seems everywhere i turn there are problems with sets. most of the ebay ones are even fake to the name they advertise. I guess im stuck with MM, which i suppose isn't a bad thing.
So is it XD or HD series i should get? Opinions on others and how they work compared to a hemmed/spherical joint and opposing urethane bushing are welcome.

 

[fobra559]

I was having the same issue about the ebay ones. Winters told me that the ones on there might be fake Don't want to take a chance at that. I was also looking into MM and steeda, but the price was a little too much for me I need adjustable ones because my car is lowered. What do you think about the UPR Pro-Series ones?

 

[Winters98GT]

chris,

thanks for the pm about the control arms. Here is a couple threads for some info
http://forums.modulardepot.com/suspension-wheels-tires/106549-best-upper-lower-control-arms.html
http://forums.modulardepot.com/susp...drag-racers-whats-good-upper-control-arm.html

lots of good reviews on the pro series stuff. The quality seems to be much better than the non adjustables.

 

[fobra559]

chris,

thanks for the pm about the control arms. Here is a couple threads for some info
http://forums.modulardepot.com/suspension-wheels-tires/106549-best-upper-lower-control-arms.html
http://forums.modulardepot.com/susp...drag-racers-whats-good-upper-control-arm.html

lots of good reviews on the pro series stuff. The quality seems to be much better than the non adjustables.

Cool, thanks for sharing.

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

yeah i hear mostly good things about the adjustable UPR UCA's, just the solid UCA's by them haven't turned out well:

Ah, you gotta make me search for it!

I could care less if he had 300hp or 600hp Why buy someting this cheap for a limited rate by upr when they said it's only good for 300??

From upr's site:

Looks like the weld never mated with the tube, that's a chinese welding craft

Why are you going UCA's anyway? That will take a lot away from your daily driving and isn't often needed

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

This is what i sent Winters, from MM:

In the stock four-link design, the rear upper control arms are trying to do two jobs at once. One is to control axle wind-up, the other is to locate the axle side to side. When pushed to the performance limit, the upper control arms don’t do either job very well.
When retaining the original four-link suspension, the best compromise between resistance to suspension bind, best control of axle position, best ride quality, and least potential damage to the chassis, is to retain rubber bushings in the rear upper control arms. This is especially important when adding a Panhard Bar. The compliance of a rubber-bushed upper control arm is required when a Panhard bar is added to the Mustang four-link suspension.
Most aftermarket rear control arms use hard 2-piece urethane bushings, Delrin bushings, or steel bushings. Those types of bushings do not allow the angularity needed for the Mustang’s suspension to articulate freely. The resulting suspension bind causes the rear tires to break loose very easily. Suspension bind not only causes poor handling and poor traction, but it also causes damage to the torque-boxes. As the attachment points on the chassis for the rear control arms, the torque-boxes can suffer greatly from the abuse of poorly designed control arm bushings. After all, the torque boxes are only made of folded sheet metal.

 

[san~man]

I run the regular HD version, and installed them before the car was a year old. Zero problems with them, although they probably do transmit a good deal more NVH as opposed to the stockers. I don't do any drag racing, so I didn't find the need to run the XD's (they weren't available at the time anyway).

As per MM's site, the XD's are for cars that are drag raced, where the HD's are not:

"
The difference between the two is the bushing configuration. The Heavy-Duty arms are suitable for cars with moderate horsepower levels that are not drag raced. We recommend the Extreme-Duty control arms for any car that is drag raced, and any car with the higher horsepower levels that come with superchargers, larger displacement engines, etc.

The MM Extreme-Duty Rear Lower Control Arms should be used for any form of drag racing. Repeated standing-start launches will eventually damage urethane bushings"

You can't go wrong with MM's items, and the choice you make will depend on your driving. If you're purely into drag racing and don't care about your handling in the turns, then a set of UPR may do you fine. Me personally, those wouldn't come within 10 feet of my car, but the decision is yours.

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

yeah im going to proly put down 10-18 runs with them total. But im not putting our huge hp, just a good amount of rubber

 

[Winters98GT]

not really a hp issue, more a matter of how hard you launch the car. Im proboly gonna have my shop recommend a setup for me.

 

[blackfang]

I am running MM lowers and very pleased with them.

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

not really a hp issue, more a matter of how hard you launch the car. Im proboly gonna have my shop recommend a setup for me.

well im going to be launching pretty hard. I think not having FL SFC's is going to be a problem for me, but i cant fit them with the side exhaust

 

[fobra559]

I just saw the UPR adjustable pro-series upper and lower control arms in a package deal for $299. I thought that was a good deal. How bad does it affect drive-ability?

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

for that price i'd just go MM lower XD and call it a day. What are you trying to achieve with UCA's?

 

[Winters98GT]

this a good thread. Not the ordinary, same old exhuast, gear, pully thread. Lets gather as much info on this and keep it going.

 

[EPIK]

I havent had any issues with MM's parts except, I was unaware of the XD's when I bought my 1st set of LCA's a couple of years ago so I went with HD's & the poly bushing has blown out twice on the driver side....I replaced it the 1st time it happened & it blew out again after going to the track only one time, & with 295 street tires at that. I have a set of XD's going in soon....MM will tell u that the HD's arent for anything but street use too & its true, but even hard launching on street tires will blow them out....IMO, why even buy lca's if your not driving your car hard though?

 

[fobra559]

My car is lowered. So I think I need them for the right proper pinion angle don't I? or is it fine with just the LCA's?

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

My car is lowered. So I think I need them for the right proper pinion angle don't I? or is it fine with just the LCA's?

the MM LCA's end opposing the urethane bushing has a spherical end that flexes/rotates to some degree if i read it right. They should be fine, who doesn't have a lowered car that puts this kind of suspension in?

Plus i know where yo can get the XD's $309 shipped

 

[fobra559]

the MM LCA's end opposing the urethane bushing has a spherical end that flexes/rotates to some degree if i read it right. They should be fine, who doesn't have a lowered car that puts this kind of suspension in?

Plus i know where yo can get the XD's $309 shipped

Just wasn't sure, that's why I always ask you guys That sounds like a good deal, where from?

 

[40oz]

"The MM Extreme-Duty Rear Lower Control Arms should be used for any form of drag racing. Repeated standing-start launches will eventually damage urethane bushings"

I think that is funny. What do people do at the start of autocross races? Drag racing is hard on a car only at the start. Road racing/DE/autocrossing is hard on a car all the time. I'm not knocking MM parts, but

"IMO, why even buy lca's if your not driving your car hard though?"

Why sell parts for a street Mustang that can't take repeated hard standing starts? If it can't take what the stockers can take, why should I buy it? For the bushings?

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

Just wasn't sure, that's why I always ask you guys That sounds like a good deal, where from?

pm'd, but i forgot you'll need the 99+ ones - which might be a diff price. You need the MMRLCA-31 ones