lower control arm rebuild

[x360x64dart]

i have my whole front end apart and am rebuilding with the "g machine" kit all polyurethane from performance suspension components. while apart i plan to powder coat most components. my k member is already done and looks great. i am now stripping down my lowers and ran across this article http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/tipstricks/155_0306_control_arms/index2.html   It is basically a pre fabricated plate you weld on yourself to box your lowers. So i guess im just wondering if this exta strength is needed with an engine swap, or if their is even a need for it. what aplication would warrant the use of these, or are they not needed and just a waste of a buck and time, even though my lowers will already be srtipped down.

[mopowers]

Or you could just make your own.

[wickedfirefighter]

i built my own for my 71 dart ..  it kinda gonna be a G machine and im building it for handling ..they do flex under hard handling turns and i got the tubular  strut rods from BILL to stop some of the bushing flex..
i would do it ..
its already apart and doesnt cost much ..

[Jim_Lusk]

I made a set for Alan's Barracuda with an integral sway bar tab.

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[Jim_Lusk]

For most applications you would want another hole in the middle for the LCA bumper nut. Alan's car sits so low that the bumper has been removed.

[fourspeed]

Or you could just make your own.

 



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[b569rr]

My turn. I ended up slotting the adjusting nut. forgot that it gets burried inside the LCA. 




I think most of us would recommend the Moog O.E LCA bushings over the Urethane for the lowers. Mancini sells them.

Tom

[ski]

I think most of us would recommend the Moog O.E LCA bushings over the Urethane for the lowers. Mancini sells them.

Tom

Yes use the rubber bushings for the lowers.  Tom, were you drinking domestic beer when you welded those?

ski

[b569rr]

No ski, I had consumed my 5th Belhaven Wee Heavy Scotch Ale when I looked at the hole and thought, "Well that isn't going to work too well".   

[andyf]

Boxing the LCA is a good idea when you run a big anti-sway bar since the force of the anti-sway bar twists the LCA.  The stock LCA is an open U shape and it doesn't resist twisting force nearly as well as a box shape will.

I designed those LCA plates years ago and they have been very popular.  So popular that I see Just Suspensions is selling a knock off.  They put a star in the middle of theirs so it would be a little different than my design.

Mancini Racing sells a lot of those plates and so does GregZ at www.magnumhp.com so either of those places usually have them in stock.

[abodyjoe]

My turn. I ended up slotting the adjusting nut. forgot that it gets burried inside the LCA.




I think most of us would recommend the Moog O.E LCA bushings over the Urethane for the lowers. Mancini sells them.

Tom

  man do you lay down a sweet weld....

[moparrr07]

man do you lay down a sweet weld....

  maybe i will weld like that somday-

do adding those plates really make a big difference? my front end is so stiff a firm i cant imagine if i put another $400 to stiffen it with shocks and sway bars

[Drdodge]

i have my whole front end apart and am rebuilding with the "g machine" kit all polyurethane from performance suspension components. while apart i plan to powder coat most components. my k member is already done and looks great. i am now stripping down my lowers and ran across this article http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/tipstricks/155_0306_control_arms/index2.html   It is basically a pre fabricated plate you weld on yourself to box your lowers. So i guess im just wondering if this exta strength is needed with an engine swap, or if their is even a need for it. what aplication would warrant the use of these, or are they not needed and just a waste of a buck and time, even though my lowers will already be srtipped down.

I have slammed down front ends on Low 9'sec runs with stock lowers ...they do well
Shock towers and inner fender supports on the other hand...Need help~
Dont waste the time or money on "custom" pieces of steel  If you must, just weld a tab at the very ends of the arm nearest the bushing and nearest the balljoint~

[Drdodge]

My turn. I ended up slotting the adjusting nut. forgot that it gets burried inside the LCA. 




I think most of us would recommend the Moog O.E LCA bushings over the Urethane for the lowers. Mancini sells them.

Tom

Not bad but looks like you welded more to the steel plate then to the arm~

[Jim_Lusk]

Drdodge, this is more of a handling improvement than one you would do for drag racing. Reference Andyf's post about the twist applied to the LCAs with a heavy sway bar.

[Jim_Lusk]

And Andy, I still think you need to sell some of your plates with the integral sway bar tabs. Mine are crude compared to yours.

[Drdodge]

Drdodge, this is more of a handling improvement than one you would do for drag racing. Reference Andyf's post about the twist applied to the LCAs with a heavy sway bar.

No Need the tabs/plated in the area I posted will limt the twist as best that can be for a stamped LCA~
By the way jim did your son ever get his vert painted? Was 5 years since I saw it at the spring fling~

[b569rr]

Thanks. I used the 2" flat bar 'cause I had it laying around. Most of the heat was on the arm and I washed the plate in. It isn't going anywhere. 

Tom

[Jim_Lusk]

Nope, still in primer. It's on his wish list, but as long as he's playing college baseball (he's probably gonna hang 'em up after this season) he doesn't have the money to even think about it. Plus, it's just too much fun to drive to tear it apart again. We've actually got four convertibles that really need paint now and two more that kind of need it......

[Drdodge]

Nope, still in primer. It's on his wish list, but as long as he's playing college baseball (he's probably gonna hang 'em up after this season) he doesn't have the money to even think about it. Plus, it's just too much fun to drive to tear it apart again. We've actually got four convertibles that really need paint now and two more that kind of need it......

Jim have you ever considered painting it yourself it's realy not a big deal
and should only take a full weekend~
Prolly under 300.00$ for a single stage ...?

[evstraus]

Why use rubber over urethane 

[Jim_Lusk]

Yeah, I've considered painting it as we've done a couple other cars (the results have been so-so), but there's still too much to do to get it ready and we'd really like to find better fenders. I've already got better doors for it. It's just not real high on the priority list. I'm also working on not having enough time, but enough money to pay somebody else to do it.

[mopowers]

Why use rubber over urethane 

I've heard it's hard to torque down the urethane ones because they just spin within the outer shells. 

[Jim_Lusk]

You can torque down the urethanes, but the LCA likes to walk around on them.