Moparts

Adjustable Upper control arm set up?

Posted By: 4boxers4

Adjustable Upper control arm set up? - 08/06/12 03:43 AM

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!
Posted By: Dodgem

Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? - 08/06/12 01:43 PM

Which ones did you buy?
How do they look?
Posted By: Dodgem

Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? - 08/07/12 01:25 AM

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
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? - 08/07/12 01:32 AM

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
Posted By: Dodgem

Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? - 08/07/12 01:38 AM

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!
Posted By: 4boxers4

Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? - 08/07/12 03:23 AM

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


Posted By: 4boxers4

Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? - 08/15/12 11:30 PM

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!
Posted By: DaveRS23

Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? - 08/16/12 01:47 AM

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.

Posted By: 4boxers4

Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? - 08/16/12 02:55 AM

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!
Posted By: DaveRS23

Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? - 08/17/12 02:23 AM



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.
Posted By: 4boxers4

Re: Adjustable Upper control arm set up? - 08/17/12 03:28 AM

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.
© 2024 Moparts Forums