Tubular Upper Control Arms

I am thinking of going with tubular upper control arms on my 71 BEE and have a question or two on what to expect. I know I should be able to get 3 degrees or more of caster and my car is a street strip car, mostly street. For you who have done this, is this mod worth doing? Any problems with that much caster on the street? How much steering effort at speed?
thanks for the help!

Dallas

I went from 2.5 degrees caster to 6 degrees for my drag car. The steering effort increase was dramatic at 6, would be much less and tolerable at 3 degrees. Be sure and check bumpsteer after increasing caster, as it will change and you will need to raise the outer tierod ends slightly or lower the inner ones to compensate. With 6 degree move, mine needed about a 3/8 inch change. Yours will be much less, might be OK as is. My point is don't go beyond what you need for proper steering return to center. That will help keep you from needing major changes in the tie rod locations.
Do you have any room to increase caster with the stock A arms? Go by the side with the least range left as they have to be the same side to side in degrees.

You should be able to get 3 degrees + caster by using the Moog offset control arm bushings in your stock UCAs.

I got 4 out of my stockers, with std poly bushings.

Every car is different - I have manual steering and only notice it when i am turning lock to lock - other then that I like the improved tracking alot!

I run poly bushings and the car is set a bit lower than stock in front. I can only get about 3/4 degree caster and it is at max. All things considered, the car tracks ok but does not have a strong centering action. (I have a new steer-n-gear box, coupling, etc so those items are in good shape) I like the idea of moogs offsets but not the idea of rubber bushings since I like the polys.

How did you know to correct for bumpsteer and how did you do so? Any downside to this much caster on the street?

Dallas

Assuming your running radial tires, the increase in caster will improve the overall street handling of the car. Radial tires want that much caster. That much caster might be an issue with Bias plies except for straight line driving conditions.

I wouldn't be afraid of the rubber bushings. Lots of factory ones have lasted 20+ years.

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I am thinking of going with tubular upper control arms on my 71 BEE and have a question or two on what to expect. I know I should be able to get 3 degrees or more of caster and my car is a street strip car, mostly street. For you who have done this, is this mod worth doing? Any problems with that much caster on the street? How much steering effort at speed?
thanks for the help!

Dallas

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Depending which tubular UCA's you go with can determine the max caster you can expect. I installed the RMS adjustable UCA's here: http://www.reillymotorsports.com/store/product_image.php?imageid=50

I ended up with 6 degrees caster and the car tracks beautiful. I'm only trapping at 125mph but the difference in adding the caster is noticeable.