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

What's the best choice for upper/lower control arms?

  • Thread starter Thread starter No.11
  • Start date Start date Dec 30, 2009
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No.11

10 Year Member
Oct 13, 2009
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Dec 30, 2009
#1
  • Dec 30, 2009
  • #1
I'm in the market for some U/L control arms. Currently I have my eye on the following sets from latemodelrestoration.com

BBK $309.99


UPR $214.99


LRS $149.99

It will mostly be a street application with little track use (once a year?), but I want it to be durable because I'm constantly hitting potholes and railroads in disrepair. Plus I like to do some spirited driving every now and then. I don't want to have to replace these for a long, long time and I want the best bang for the buck. In that case, would the UPR ones be the best option? Or is BBK's quality that much better? Or are they all the same and I should just go for the cheapest ones from LRS? Thanks!
 

Tanus

New Member
Dec 11, 2009
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A to the Z
Dec 30, 2009
#2
  • Dec 30, 2009
  • #2
definatly get the dbl adj uppers. as for the lowers, I personally like the SSM lift bars.my car hook real consistant and rides great too
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,275
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Dec 30, 2009
#3
  • Dec 30, 2009
  • #3
You are gonna get a MILLION different opinions on this. Do you want a road race type of setup, or a drag race setup?


For me, my Max Motorsports adjustables and Ford HD uppers is the best combo i decided to run. Others will disagree
 

No.11

10 Year Member
Oct 13, 2009
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Dec 30, 2009
#4
  • Dec 30, 2009
  • #4
Mustang5L5 said:
You are gonna get a MILLION different opinions on this. Do you want a road race type of setup, or a drag race setup?


For me, my Max Motorsports adjustables and Ford HD uppers is the best combo i decided to run. Others will disagree
Click to expand...

Probably more of a road race setup. Are any of the three I listed good?
 

stang&2Birds

Founding Member
May 4, 2000
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Dec 31, 2009
#5
  • Dec 31, 2009
  • #5
No.11 said:
Probably more of a road race setup. Are any of the three I listed good?
Click to expand...
Depends?
UPR "has a reputation". Enough said.

As stated, especially for road racing, go with MM.
Or, please, please list me in your will!

IMHO, UPR and road racing, and me listed in that person's will means a guaranteed payout in the future. Gee, and many people don't have anything nice to say about UPR. Heck, UPR helps reduce the surface population, and provide more work to hospitals and funeral homes. In short, UPR is helping to spur the economy.


BTW:
Check out the first search result on the following search:
UPR A-arm = GARBAGE - Google Search

That's all *I* will say about UPR and their products.

FWIW, I go with MM stuff.
Gee, I guess I'm not into my giving additional work to hospitals and funeral homes.
 

No.11

10 Year Member
Oct 13, 2009
614
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Dec 31, 2009
#6
  • Dec 31, 2009
  • #6
Hmmm ok...I won't really be doing any road racing. Will a cheaper set suffice for me? I doubt I'll ever really take it to the track. It'll be my only daily driver.

Plus I'm looking to save some money
 

No.11

10 Year Member
Oct 13, 2009
614
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Dec 31, 2009
#7
  • Dec 31, 2009
  • #7
So this set would suffice for my street setup?

Mustang 79-98 Lower Control Arm, Rear Non-Adjustable With Spring Perch & Sway Bar Mount by Maximum Motorsports




Mustang 79-98 Upper Control Arms, Heavy Duty by Ford Racing


And they would be a direct fit?
 

No.11

10 Year Member
Oct 13, 2009
614
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Dec 31, 2009
#8
  • Dec 31, 2009
  • #8
The MM lowers says 'control arm' (singular)... I do get both of them though, right? Or are they THAT expensive. /noob question
 
1

1dark92gt

New Member
Aug 21, 2004
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toms river nj
Dec 31, 2009
#9
  • Dec 31, 2009
  • #9
i have had great luck with steeda upper and lowers
 

aar0s

Founding Member
Dec 20, 1998
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69
Dec 31, 2009
#10
  • Dec 31, 2009
  • #10
i got a set of steeda alum. lca's off of ebay for about half of what they cost new and have nothing but good things to say about them.
 

skunk21

Active Member
May 22, 2007
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Dec 31, 2009
#11
  • Dec 31, 2009
  • #11
No.11 said:
The MM lowers says 'control arm' (singular)... I do get both of them though, right? Or are they THAT expensive. /noob question
Click to expand...

You get both of them. I'm running the same mms arms you have in the pick + the FRPP uppers and couldn't be more happy. MMS is top notch for all of thier products and well proven, next would be griggs. If you don't all ready have them make sure to put the MMS sub frame connectors on your list..a must have. All the others are pretty much sub par IMHO and all follow the same formula, at that point just go in the frpp catalog and by a set of thier lower arms..they are all pretty much the same. look at the mms arms in the pic you have and then look at the others..nuff said.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,275
17,965
224
Massachusetts
Dec 31, 2009
#12
  • Dec 31, 2009
  • #12
PS don't ditch the quads either. It's hit or miss if you need them.

With my MM arms and Ford uppers...i had wheel hop and had to keep them
 

EPIK

Member
Jul 3, 2004
796
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Dec 31, 2009
#13
  • Dec 31, 2009
  • #13
Another vote for MM, not just for the superior handling, but for the quality & durability of the construction. Control arms are NOT parts you want to fail when driving on the street, & MM parts are the most durable on the market. PLUS, the spherical bearing on the axle side of the LCA allows for proper articulation, while LCA's with all poly bushings cause binding. On a street & handling application, stock uppers are the way to go because once again, poly bushings will cause bind. For drag racing, poly bushings are fine though...
 

Shaolin Crane

Banned
Oct 6, 2008
2,627
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Kommiefornia
Dec 31, 2009
#14
  • Dec 31, 2009
  • #14
Mustang5L5 said:
PS don't ditch the quads either. It's hit or miss if you need them.

With my MM arms and Ford uppers...i had wheel hop and had to keep them
Click to expand...

i say he tries it, i didnt have any wheel hop when i had JUST the lowers on the car
 

SVT32VDOHC

waiting for the next hack atta
Founding Member
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119
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Dec 31, 2009
#15
  • Dec 31, 2009
  • #15
EPIK said:
Another vote for MM, not just for the superior handling, but for the quality & durability of the construction. Control arms are NOT parts you want to fail when driving on the street, & MM parts are the most durable on the market. PLUS, the spherical bearing on the axle side of the LCA allows for proper articulation, while LCA's with all poly bushings cause binding. On a street & handling application, stock uppers are the way to go because once again, poly bushings will cause bind. For drag racing, poly bushings are fine though...
Click to expand...

I thought you made a thread about the bushings in your MM LCA's failing?


Anyways, I'd go with the LRS for 149.99. I had a similar off-brand on my black notch and they made all my wheel hop go away. I spent the big money on Mega Bite Jr's for my Cobra and Hack Job. What a waste...didn't notice anything better than my black notch.

I just went with Brentech's from Brothers Performance for my current modfox swap. 139.95 shipped for LCA's. I went with stock uppers. I've said this many times....my tuner runs stock UCA's on his notch and run's 9.00's @ 158MPH.
 

Shaolin Crane

Banned
Oct 6, 2008
2,627
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Kommiefornia
Dec 31, 2009
#16
  • Dec 31, 2009
  • #16
SVT32VDOHC said:
I thought you made a thread about the bushings in your MM LCA's failing?


Anyways, I'd go with the LRS for 149.99. I had a similar off-brand on my black notch and they made all my wheel hop go away. I spent the big money on Mega Bite Jr's for my Cobra and Hack Job. What a waste...didn't notice anything better than my black notch.

I just went with Brentech's from Brothers Performance for my current modfox swap. 139.95 shipped for LCA's. I went with stock uppers. I've said this many times....my tuner runs stock UCA's on his notch and run's 9.00's @ 158MPH.
Click to expand...

Yeah its also to do with hes got pretty much everything needed to run a TA setup but doesnt have his TA on, so they are gonna bind when you start to push the car hard on the street, combine that with how far his car is lowered and you'll get bind no matter what
 

EPIK

Member
Jul 3, 2004
796
1
16
LEFT COAST
Dec 31, 2009
#17
  • Dec 31, 2009
  • #17
SVT32VDOHC said:
I thought you made a thread about the bushings in your MM LCA's failing?


Anyways, I'd go with the LRS for 149.99. I had a similar off-brand on my black notch and they made all my wheel hop go away. I spent the big money on Mega Bite Jr's for my Cobra and Hack Job. What a waste...didn't notice anything better than my black notch.

I just went with Brentech's from Brothers Performance for my current modfox swap. 139.95 shipped for LCA's. I went with stock uppers. I've said this many times....my tuner runs stock UCA's on his notch and run's 9.00's @ 158MPH.
Click to expand...


I did, & yes my poly bushings did fail more than once, BUT, my car is too low, with stiff coilover springs in the rear & a panhard bar. All of this combined with not having the TA installed caused my rear suspension to bind, thus causing bushing failure. For what its worth, my stock rubber diff bushings were also shot, which is more evidence that my car was experiencing suspension bind in the rear. But I would rather have a bushing fail than a weld... My car was over 2" lower than stock BTW. With the TA installed, or the PHB removed with the stock 4 link, none of this wouldve happened.
 

Shaolin Crane

Banned
Oct 6, 2008
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Dec 31, 2009
#18
  • Dec 31, 2009
  • #18
EPIK said:
I did, & yes my poly bushings did fail more than once, BUT, my car is too low, with stiff coilover springs in the rear & a panhard bar. All of this combined with not having the TA installed caused my rear suspension to bind, thus causing bushing failure. For what its worth, my stock rubber diff bushings were also shot, which is more evidence that my car was experiencing suspension bind in the rear. But I would rather have a bushing fail than a weld... My car was over 2" lower than stock BTW. With the TA installed, or the PHB removed with the stock 4 link, none of this wouldve happened.
Click to expand...

thats fine cause April you'll be down here right, we'll get that thing installed
 

EPIK

Member
Jul 3, 2004
796
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LEFT COAST
Dec 31, 2009
#19
  • Dec 31, 2009
  • #19
Shaolin Crane said:
thats fine cause April you'll be down here right, we'll get that thing installed
Click to expand...

I WILL be there, but I will get it installed before then. Can't stand to drive the car down there without it...
 

Shaolin Crane

Banned
Oct 6, 2008
2,627
7
0
Kommiefornia
Dec 31, 2009
#20
  • Dec 31, 2009
  • #20
EPIK said:
I WILL be there, but I will get it installed before then. Can't stand to drive the car down there without it...
Click to expand...

oh right on then, we'll hit up the canyons while you're here
 
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