Maier control arms

Jimmys66 · Apr 6, 2006

What is different from stock on maier control arms? Do they have the same mods as opentrackers? Do they use the stock mounting points?

The bottoms sound stock other than being boxed.

I talked myself out of a set of coilovers for something more budget. Are the uppers worth $400 over say a simple shelby drop?

DukeGnarley · Apr 6, 2006

as far as i know they are basically just like open tracker's. nothing you can't do at home with a decent welder and some stock arms. i'm sure the maier ones come with moog balljoints though. I think the standard shelby drop is fine for the street, however i've never driven a car with arms lowered more than 1", so i can't say if those would be any better on the street or not.

Jester67 · Apr 6, 2006

you might wont to look at the arms from global west if you would better than stock style UCA's

Jimmys66 · Apr 6, 2006

I've got some money set aside for suspension parts. When I did the math using Global uppers and lowers (with springs, struts rods and shocks) I was pretty darn close money wise to a coilover system.

The car will be used primarilly on the street but I'd like to do some racing with it when I can. I lack welding tools and skills so this needs to be a bolt on project.

The car has always been a budget build, but there is money for the Maiers if they are worth the money over the stock components.

180 Out · Apr 6, 2006

LCA: the diff between stock and Maier is a plate welded to the bottoms to box them in. Otherwise they're stock, including the rubber bushing. They start with all new parts and that's why they're painted, not powdercoated, because you can't unbolt the ball joint from the lowers like with the uppers.

UCA: They start with a used arm, preferably a 4-bolt, and recondition with new ball joint, pivot, bushings and pivot nuts. The pivot nuts have 90 degree grease zerks. They're powder coated a medium gloss black. The big mod is that they weld boxing strips down each leg of the "A". This is something Opentracker does not do, because he wants a stock appearance. Maier doesn't do the center reinforcing plate like Opentracker and Cobra Automotive.

Also, there are two kinds of Maier UCA's, "re-aligned" and not. Re-aligned means to cut the ball joint pad and bend it down, so you can do a 1.5" - 1.75" Shelby drop without a Negative Wedge kit. Opentracker does this mod too.

Opentracker is also experimenting with spring perch relocation. Maier does not do this.

If you go tubular, go Total Control, because they use rod ends and Global West uses delrin bushings. Rod ends are better.

If you want to go cheap, recondition your stock UCA's (I've been reading too many bad things about new aftermarket units to trust them), run a 1" drop, and get the Opentracker rollerized spring perches and the Street or Track strut rods.

2bav8 · Apr 7, 2006

If you want to go cheap, recondition your stock UCA's (I've been reading too many bad things about new aftermarket units to trust them), run a 1" drop, and get the Opentracker rollerized spring perches and the Street or Track strut rods.

I agree with this 100%
The Shelby drop with ORP roller perches and strut rods with a heim joint will be more than enough for most users.

DukeGnarley · Apr 7, 2006

i'm going to suggest that if you've got the cash for the maier uppers, then hold onto your $$ and get yourself a welder. it's a much better investment in my opinnion.

Jester67 · Apr 7, 2006

180 Out said:
Automotive.

If you go tubular, go Total Control, because they use rod ends and Global West uses delrin bushings. Rod ends are better.

I have to disagree the del-alum bushing will last longer than the rod ends. I also do not like the fact the TC arms are not a fixed length and that can lead to a very big problem it miss applied.

As far as my recommendation for the GW UCA I still am using a stock LCA and the ST strut arms are a good and cheaper alternative to the GW ones. I would have gone that way if I had not gotten a great deal on the GW ones I have. So you can have a upgrades front end for GW UCA = 550 ST strut arms = 270 I think and moog LCA = 50 total of $ 870 for a much improved front end and I would also recommend the opentracker spring perches no matter what you do. Just my .02 cents

Jimmys66 · Apr 7, 2006

DukeGnarley said:
i'm going to suggest that if you've got the cash for the maier uppers, then hold onto your $$ and get yourself a welder. it's a much better investment in my opinnion.

It sounds like you had a bad experience with Maier. A welder is in the future but, I don't want to use my front end as "learning experience" if you know what I mean.

So far for a budget front end I'm going to use S&T strut rods(even though they are $319 now ), Edlelbrock IAS shocks, open tracker roller perches, and a progresive spring from Pro-Motorsports. It's when I get into the control arms that things get fuzzy and expensive.

My ball joints and stock arms are in great shape, so the lowers other than the boxing are extra money spent. If I use the Maier uppers it will be only for the re-aligned set.

Opentracker doesn't sell reworked uppers or this would be a done deal. Can anyone vouch for the Cobras?

BornInAFord · Apr 7, 2006

actually, Opentracker does sell his arms now. I think that you might even get a $45 discount if you mention stangnet. :SNSign:
Daniel

Jester67 · Apr 7, 2006

Jimmys66 said:
So far for a budget front end I'm going to use S&T strut rods(even though they are $319 now ), Edlelbrock IAS shocks, open tracker roller perches, and a progresive spring from Pro-Motorsports. It's when I get into the control arms that things get fuzzy and expensive.

Dang I just rechecked and that is over the top you can get GW for less than that try dallas mustang

Jimmys66 · Apr 8, 2006

BornInAFord said:
actually, Opentracker does sell his arms now. I think that you might even get a $45 discount if you mention stangnet. :SNSign:
Daniel

Wow, that is great news! I'd rather buy from someone that hangs out here and actually has personally track tested the products he sells.

180 Out · Apr 10, 2006

Jimmys66 said:
Wow, that is great news! I'd rather buy from someone that hangs out here and actually has personally track tested the products he sells.

That's a good rule, but that rule sure doesn't exclude Maier Racing. Here's Bill Maier (the dad) in an actual Trans Am race, '74 or '75:

See http://www.ponysite.de/transam_news2.htm and http://www.ponysite.de/transam_tope.htm

Mike Maier (the son) is one of the best in the nation in SCCA Autocross (in a '93 "Mustang"), including winning the national championship in C Prepared in 2004. Not long ago a Stangnet thread suggested that each tuner shop put together a classic Mustang for a head to head comparo. Someone said Maier would win, just because Mike would be the driver. I agree.

DukeGnarley · Apr 10, 2006

i didn't mean to imply that maier makes a bad product, but a welder will open up a lot more opportunities for fabricating your own parts. you could run some stock arms while you learn to weld, then make your own re-angled uppers and box in your lowers.

Jimmys66 · Apr 10, 2006

180 Out said:
That's a good rule, but that rule sure doesn't exclude Maier Racing. Here's Bill Maier (the dad) in an actual Trans Am race, '74 or '75:

See http://www.ponysite.de/transam_news2.htm and http://www.ponysite.de/transam_tope.htm

Mike Maier (the son) is one of the best in the nation in SCCA Autocross (in a '93 "Mustang"), including winning the national championship in C Prepared in 2004. Not long ago a Stangnet thread suggested that each tuner shop put together a classic Mustang for a head to head comparo. Someone said Maier would win, just because Mike would be the driver. I agree.

I've don't have anything against Maier either. They are my next choice after Opentracker. I like the fact that I can reach Opentracker more personally and I'm already buying rollor perches anyway.

If you think Maiers UCA's are better than Opentracker's please say, that's the whole reason for this post. I'm without knowledge and am going out for info. Really vice versa for that matter. If you know why Opentracker's are better I'd like to know that also.....

Jimmys66 · Apr 10, 2006

DukeGnarley said:
i didn't mean to imply that maier makes a bad product, but a welder will open up a lot more opportunities for fabricating your own parts. you could run some stock arms while you learn to weld, then make your own re-angled uppers and box in your lowers.

Trust me I agree. I'd love to learn to weld. I'm in a hobby that I almost can't avoid it.

The only time I'd weld is on this car, so it leaves little room to perfect my skills. I'm thinking about taking a college course this winter that would let me hack up someone else's metal until I learned.

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