spacer plate on UCA?

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sc0ttiej

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Jan 9, 2006

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Feb 18, 2006

#1

• Feb 18, 2006

• #1

I've been upgrading the suspension on my '70, and i've done the "shelby drop." I'm using stock UCAs, being this is going to be a daily driver (and i'm on a budget). I'm also using granada spindles. I've noticed that the GW tubular UCAs come with a spacer plate that goes between the arm and the tower. Does anyone know if this plate is useful in conjunction with the shelby drop? If so does anyone know the thickness of the plate, so i can fab one up? thanks

 

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gjz30075

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Aug 30, 2004

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Roswell, Ga

Feb 18, 2006

#2

• Feb 18, 2006

• #2

Are you sure it's not the template for drilling the holes for the Shelby drop?

 

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sc0ttiej

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Jan 9, 2006

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Feb 19, 2006

#3

• Feb 19, 2006

• #3

i'm sure, the shelby template is just a thin piece of metal with 4 holes for alignment. The spacer plate i've seen looks to be about .25 inches thick and only has the two holes for mounting. You can see what i'm talking about in this picture. It must move the pivot point away from the tower, but without the negative wedge kit, is it a good idea?

 

2bav8

Founding Member

Nov 30, 1998

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Mesa, AZ

Feb 19, 2006

#4

• Feb 19, 2006

• #4

That's how they are changing the camber curve.
The shorter arm creates more negative camber through suspension movement.

 

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gjz30075

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Aug 30, 2004

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Roswell, Ga

Feb 19, 2006

#5

• Feb 19, 2006

• #5

2bav8, are you saying that with the spacer plate, you have a shorter arm, or without?

 

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sc0ttiej

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Jan 9, 2006

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Feb 21, 2006

#6

• Feb 21, 2006

• #6

2bav8-
i understand what you mean about the global west UCA, but my question is aimed at the stock UCA. The shelby drop potentially causes the upper ball joint to bind with enough suspension travel. A negative wedge kit or Opentracker's UCA mod will correct this potential problem, but would a spacer plate behind the stock UCA be benefitial or would it make the problem worse? I'm just taking shots in the dark, being that i don't fully understand suspension geometry. My hope is that one you might.

 

2bav8

Founding Member

Nov 30, 1998

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Mesa, AZ

Feb 21, 2006

#7

• Feb 21, 2006

• #7

sc0ttiej,

Adding a spacer plate behind the stock upper control arm would do nothing helpful. It would create more positive camber though, and that's not desirable.

 

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66HertzClone

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Aug 24, 2004

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Central New Jersey

Feb 21, 2006

#8

• Feb 21, 2006

• #8

The 1" Shelby drop is the maximum drop before UCA ball joint binding will occur. Using a spacer plate with the stock arm might make it difficult to set camber correctly. I have G/West arms on my car, the spacer plate had to be removed on the right side in order to get the camber set correctly. By the way, the G/West drop is more like 1 3/8".

 

1

180 Out

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Jul 23, 2005

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Feb 21, 2006

#9

• Feb 21, 2006

• #9

Global West has long claimed that it has an industry exclusive on NEGATIVE roll geometry. According to GW, there's is the only product that produces actual negative camber in extreme body roll situations; all other versions of the Shelby drop transition into positive camber on the outside wheel. The key to that claim is a shorter upper control arm than all the others. However, the only way to use a shorter upper control arm while maintaining a more or less standard track and a standard length lower control arm, and while also have something close to zero camber at ride height, is to move the inner pivot point of the upper control arm out from the shock tower. That's what the spacers are for. They would have no benefit with standard length upper control arms, and would probably make it impossible to achieve zero camber at ride height. They would also change your track. This would be a problem if you're already down to the last quarter inch of fender-tire clearance.

 

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sc0ttiej

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Jan 9, 2006

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Feb 21, 2006

#10

• Feb 21, 2006

• #10

thanks for all the useful info. it's nice to be on a forum where ideas can be tossed around, rather than slammed to the ground, kicked and then pissed on.

 

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Cliff Yates

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Jun 25, 2004

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n. ca.

Feb 22, 2006

#11

• Feb 22, 2006

• #11

sc0ttiej said:

I've been upgrading the suspension on my '70, and i've done the "shelby drop." I'm using stock UCAs, being this is going to be a daily driver (and i'm on a budget). I'm also using granada spindles. I've noticed that the GW tubular UCAs come with a spacer plate that goes between the arm and the tower. Does anyone know if this plate is useful in conjunction with the shelby drop? If so does anyone know the thickness of the plate, so i can fab one up? thanks

Click to expand...

You will not need the plate with the stock arms and a 1in drop, the plate is 3/16

Which forum did you get pissed on ??