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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-

UCA Upper Control Arms

  • Thread starter Thread starter rednotch88
  • Start date Start date Mar 4, 2009
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rednotch88

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Sep 6, 2008
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Mar 4, 2009
#1
  • Mar 4, 2009
  • #1
I have a set of MM LCA's. I have heard a-lot about keeping a rather stock upper control arm,but I would hate to do that.Spread some light on the matter.Maybe some adj uppers?Tubular?opinion on brand...? I have 28x10.5 rear slicks and will be removing the quads.Doing that I know there will be some wheel hop,and I can't have that.Car has battle boxes(upper/lowers)fully welded.I have upper and lower torque boxes reinforced and welded.Also whole back half of car is seam welded.
I know there will be no problem with running an aggressive set of UCA's.J ust don't want the h o p===p==pp===p=p.

KJ
 

cenok is family

15 Year Member
Jun 25, 2003
1,409
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Norman, Ok
Mar 4, 2009
#2
  • Mar 4, 2009
  • #2
what do you have as far as shocks/struts and springs? as long as those are decent, you shouldn't have any hop. I have upr uppers and lowers with urethane on both ends of both, tokico hp (blues) shocks and struts and cheap maxspeed springs and I have no wheel hop
 

cenok is family

15 Year Member
Jun 25, 2003
1,409
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Mar 4, 2009
#3
  • Mar 4, 2009
  • #3
btw, I don't have quad shocks either
 
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rednotch88

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#4
  • Mar 4, 2009
  • #4
I'm keeping it a little "rugged" I'm going with the stock spring location(pro drags)and some Lakewood 50/50's.I kinda want to keep the violent launch,but going to try to tame it with the TRZ anti roll bar.Should be fun.

you have the urethane ends that keeps it from binding so it can flex that's probably why you don't have hop.I would like to keep the spherical bearing type control arms,and not the urethane bushing type.

KJ
 

90lxcoupe

20+ Year Stangneter
Oct 7, 2003
3,596
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Mar 4, 2009
#5
  • Mar 4, 2009
  • #5
this is why everyone says not to use solid bushings...

Quoted from my progress thread
90lxcoupe said:
So i brought the car to the Chassis shop last saturday and here's what im having done

-Through the floor subframes
-Adjust Pinion angle
-Fix Torque box damage
-Driveshaft Safetey Loop
-Custom 8-point roll bar tied directly into the upper torque boxes

So last night i get a phone call and an e-mail... here are the pics, the upper passenger side box is ripped about 2 inches from the body, he said its close to the worst tq box tear on the upper that he's seen in a while.

enjoy




the white blur is actually a Quarter, he put that in so i can guage how bad the tear is.


Pics are kinda ****ty quality, but he's gonna try and send me some more tonight or tommorow i think. He hasnt started the bar yet, but the frame connecters are mocked in and ready to be welded and it should be all done by sunday
Click to expand...
 
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rednotch88

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#6
  • Mar 4, 2009
  • #6
My boxes are bullet proof. they are totally seam welded,battle boxed uppers/lowers,and I have a custom lower reinforcement.They are not going to rip like that.

I will send pictures soon.

KJ
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,160
17,854
224
Massachusetts
Mar 4, 2009
#7
  • Mar 4, 2009
  • #7
It has to do with the pitch of the rear end when you whack the throttle. The idea of using stock uppers is to keep rubber bushings with some "give" in the top so that the rear end can have some movement and absorb the shock of the blow.

It's the same idea with a 15" wheel and 17" wheel. The shorter profile tire doesn't absorb the launch as well so you get spin easier.

I am going to run MM adjustable LCA's, but run the steeda UCA's with Ford OEM bushings in the axle housing.
 
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rednotch88

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Mar 5, 2009
#8
  • Mar 5, 2009
  • #8
Really....?can I get away with some tubular UCA's and keep the urethane bushing,and replace the factory rubber bushings on the diff with the Spherical Housing Bearings from Wolf or TRZ ect....?

KJ
 

90lxcoupe

20+ Year Stangneter
Oct 7, 2003
3,596
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Mar 5, 2009
#9
  • Mar 5, 2009
  • #9
rednotch88 said:
My boxes are bullet proof. they are totally seam welded,battle boxed uppers/lowers,and I have a custom lower reinforcement.They are not going to rip like that.

I will send pictures soon.

KJ
Click to expand...

I didnt see this in the original post, if you dont mind the harsh ride then solid bushings will work ok. I have edelbrock UCA's with the factory rubber bushings with MM weight jacker lowers and have no wheelhop issues. My pinion angle is set to 3 degrees, if your stock bushings are in good shape there isnt really a reason to get rid of them, as long as they arent dry rotted or cracking you will be ok.
 
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rednotch88

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Mar 5, 2009
#10
  • Mar 5, 2009
  • #10
90lxcoupe said:
I didnt see this in the original post, if you dont mind the harsh ride then solid bushings will work ok. I have edelbrock UCA's with the factory rubber bushings with MM weight jacker lowers and have no wheelhop issues. My pinion angle is set to 3 degrees, if your stock bushings are in good shape there isnt really a reason to get rid of them, as long as they arent dry rotted or cracking you will be ok.
Click to expand...

Those Edelbrock UCAs are they adjustable?will I have a noticeably harsh ride?How do I go about adj them things?

KJ
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,160
17,854
224
Massachusetts
Mar 5, 2009
#11
  • Mar 5, 2009
  • #11
It really all depends on what you want to do with your car. Is it a drag car? Corner carver? Weekend cruiser? etc?
 

DocG

5th graders > me. They're not bant
Sep 25, 2005
8,297
1,358
194
Cincinnati area
Mar 5, 2009
#12
  • Mar 5, 2009
  • #12
That's what I was thinking.

I'm not sure how a drag setup should be.....but on mine built more for corners get a panhard bar and ditch the UCA's all together.

 

SVT32VDOHC

waiting for the next hack atta
Founding Member
Nov 22, 2001
3,501
28
119
Motor City
Mar 5, 2009
#13
  • Mar 5, 2009
  • #13
Put the uppers on and don't worry about it. I have put uppers on all my Mustangs except my 96 Cobra. And that is only because that is the lowest mileage car I've ever had. They were still in good shape unlike all my fox bodies.
 
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rednotch88

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Mar 5, 2009
#14
  • Mar 5, 2009
  • #14
The car is a weekend warrior and will see a-lot of the track as well as a grocery getter,but may be only car in the parking lot that everyone will hate to hear start up.

anyways its just for a straight shot no cornering what so ever it has a Detroit locker so its hard to just turn corners in the neighborhood.
I just don't want the wheel hop I have 28x10.5-15 tires I'm guessing they won't even let loose so won't have to worry about hopping.correct?

send me opinions on upper control arms.pros/cons what I should buy... I will give you guys an opportunity and a way of having a hand in this build while spending another mans money hah

KJ
 

Dino Dino Bambino

15 Year Member
Jun 13, 2007
1,670
87
79
Cyprus
Mar 6, 2009
#15
  • Mar 6, 2009
  • #15
In addition to the MM rear LCA's, you could go for a pair of Edelbrock 5255 - Edelbrock Adjustable Rear Upper Trailing Arms - summitracing.com and a Panhard bar to positively locate the rear axle without binding problems, and have the ability to adjust the pinion angle.
 
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rednotch88

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Sep 6, 2008
151
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Mar 6, 2009
#16
  • Mar 6, 2009
  • #16
Isn't Panhard bar for "corner carving"?

KJ
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,160
17,854
224
Massachusetts
Mar 6, 2009
#17
  • Mar 6, 2009
  • #17
rednotch88 said:
send me opinions on upper control arms.pros/cons what I should buy... I will give you guys an opportunity and a way of having a hand in this build while spending another mans money hah

KJ
Click to expand...


My setup

MM Extreme duty adjustable LCA's
Ford OEM axle bushings
Steeda HD upper control arms
 
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rednotch88

Member
Sep 6, 2008
151
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Mar 7, 2009
#18
  • Mar 7, 2009
  • #18
What you guys think I have MM LCS's,and use those Edelbrock UCA's with Solid Bearing type bushings on the axle end.Only urethane bushing I will have is on one side of the LCA. seem ok?

KJ
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,160
17,854
224
Massachusetts
Mar 7, 2009
#19
  • Mar 7, 2009
  • #19
I wouldn't, but that's just me.
 

Beasty306GT

Active Member
Dec 19, 2002
671
4
28
Oxford,Mass
Mar 7, 2009
#20
  • Mar 7, 2009
  • #20
you want factory axle bushings....get the oem bushings from autozone 10 bux each
 
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