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Adjustable Upper control arm set up? #1280201
08/05/12 11:43 PM
08/05/12 11:43 PM
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 957
Heart of Ohio
4boxers4 Offline OP
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Heart of Ohio
Any one using the adjustable upper control arms? I bought a set but am struggling a bit with the the initial set up as I am installing them. How did you do it...from start to setup? I was thinking of buying an adjustable camber/caster gauge to help but I could use some of the experience other members have had. Thanks!


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Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? [Re: 4boxers4] #1280202
08/06/12 09:43 AM
08/06/12 09:43 AM
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,746
Ontario, Canada
Dodgem Offline
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Ontario, Canada
Which ones did you buy?
How do they look?

Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? [Re: 4boxers4] #1280203
08/06/12 09:25 PM
08/06/12 09:25 PM
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,746
Ontario, Canada
Dodgem Offline
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Ontario, Canada
Ok I asked a fiend (member DaveS)

He has these ones


He said
"Used the stock bolts and cams. Get them in the ballpark with the rod ends, and use the cams for the final adjustment"

I think I'm getting the same ones!
I will back torsion bars right off after I get ball joint split then raise and lower with jack till I'm somewhat happy! with cam bolts centered then likely over to alignment for final tweeks.




Canadian

Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? [Re: Dodgem] #1280204
08/06/12 09:32 PM
08/06/12 09:32 PM
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
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RapidRobert Offline
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Lincoln Nebraska
Quote:

Get them in the ballpark with the rod ends, and use the cams for the final adjustment"
I think I'm getting the same ones!


Good plan, they do look solid. I'd get the ride height where you want it ahead of time with your weight in barbells in the dr seat & keep the weights there when it's on the alignment rack


live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? [Re: RapidRobert] #1280205
08/06/12 09:38 PM
08/06/12 09:38 PM
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,746
Ontario, Canada
Dodgem Offline
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Good Idea on ride height and weight for final adjustments I use water softener salt 20 and 25 kl or 44 and 55 lb in english and 10 kl/ 22 lb drive way salts to round off! LOL!!!
I'm a bigga boy I need a few bags! LOL!

Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? [Re: Dodgem] #1280206
08/06/12 11:23 PM
08/06/12 11:23 PM
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 957
Heart of Ohio
4boxers4 Offline OP
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Those are exactly the ones that I have! Thanks for the info

Quote:

Ok I asked a fiend (member DaveS)

He has these ones


He said
"Used the stock bolts and cams. Get them in the ballpark with the rod ends, and use the cams for the final adjustment"

I think I'm getting the same ones!
I will back torsion bars right off after I get ball joint split then raise and lower with jack till I'm somewhat happy! with cam bolts centered then likely over to alignment for final tweeks.




Canadian




Persistance is omnipotent Durability Engineer, Chair and Couch division...
Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? [Re: Dodgem] #1280207
08/15/12 07:30 PM
08/15/12 07:30 PM
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 957
Heart of Ohio
4boxers4 Offline OP
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I also got some spacers with these arms they don't quite fit both sides of the bushings. Does anyone have this set up installed with those spacers, please? Thanks!


Persistance is omnipotent Durability Engineer, Chair and Couch division...
Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? [Re: 4boxers4] #1280208
08/15/12 09:47 PM
08/15/12 09:47 PM
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Benton, IL.
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DaveRS23 Offline
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Quote:

I also got some spacers with these arms they don't quite fit both sides of the bushings. Does anyone have this set up installed with those spacers, please? Thanks!




Are the spacers the tapered ones? I just put a set on my A body. Kind of a PITA! Those are the CAP con arms but CAP got gobbled up by QA1 or somebody.

The small ends of the spacers go against the con arm. The spacers and arms were way too wide for the openings on my car. I had to beat and spread the upper con arm mounts on the car and had to grind down the spacers in order to get it together. Then had to grind some of the frame ledge that hit the jam nut.

The manufacturer's response to all this; They are after-market parts and some modifications should be expected. He used the example of dinging hedders to get them to fit. I told him I was used to dinging hedders, but I did not even like the idea of beating and banging on my suspension mounts.

Did I mention that one of the con arms was too narrow and I had to spread it a substantial amount? Overall, it looks like they will work out okay, but I certainly would not recommend them.



Master, again and still
Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? [Re: DaveRS23] #1280209
08/15/12 10:55 PM
08/15/12 10:55 PM
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 957
Heart of Ohio
4boxers4 Offline OP
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holy crikey! I was afraid of that. I got them from Mancini and they usually have good stuff. Do you have any pics of yours? Did you grind the tapered end of the spacer or the big end? Thanks for all your help!


Persistance is omnipotent Durability Engineer, Chair and Couch division...
Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? [Re: 4boxers4] #1280210
08/16/12 10:23 PM
08/16/12 10:23 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,096
Benton, IL.
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DaveRS23 Offline
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Here is my installation. The area marked A only required a modest amount of grinding to get the jam nut to clear. But B needed the whole edge cut down and is still maybe too close.

If you look at the C area you can see that I had to move it so much that it is no longer straight with the other side. All 4 openings (both on both sides) had to be spread AND I had to grind the big end of the bushings. The manufacturer said that the small end of the spacers needed to contact the metal sleeve, not the bushing, so I did not touch the small end.

If I had it to do over again, I think it would be better to turn the spacers down more rather than spread the frame mounts. But the problem is that the arms do not center in the openings, so they would all need to be shortened different amounts get it to work. And then wouldn't that change the top ball position a little?

And remember, to take full advantage of the adjustability of these arms, they must be removed from the cam bolts in order to make the initial adjustments. I really dread that! I actually run them out a little farther than the instructions call for hoping to avoid a dis-assembly.


Master, again and still
Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? [Re: DaveRS23] #1280211
08/16/12 11:28 PM
08/16/12 11:28 PM
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 957
Heart of Ohio
4boxers4 Offline OP
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Heart of Ohio
Dave,
That is awesome information thanks! Pics are worth 1000 words. I figured the small end went against the bushing. I was also curious how far to spin those out ahead of time. I did not get instructions so it really helps.


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