off set upper control arm bushings worth it???

-
C

chubsgts

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2010
Messages
433
Reaction score
0
Location
mi
i bought stock ones then came across some off set ones that help like 3 degrees???
any one ever us these or see them do they work or are they problems
i looked again found moog ones with off set holes but cant find them to give me details now so i can make sure there the off set ones just shows a pic
if any one has that part number or info on running these please pass on
 
Lots of guys run them, but I don't like the thin side of the bushing, although the reality is that the bushing would probably last longer if they were that thin all the way around.
 
I have them in my '73 Dart. They were originally intended for installation on collision-damaged or sagged-out cars to bring the camber back within normal range. They can also be installed so as to provide more positive caster on a car in good condition, and that's how I have them in mine. They work fine and are a low-cost way of getting extra positive caster; guys have been doing this for many years.
 
well when i take the car into the tire shop for alignment
will they use specs from factory call out???
this is a GOOD friend of mine so if i tell him i have them bushings im sure he can go to the max use of them
will a normal guy like me who just drives the car around and on high way even notice a difference with cornering and steering
i know my car sucked at them before i tore it apart alignment was way off and bushings blown out
 
Most alignment machine have the specs loaded in their software.
Those may be factory specs or may be updated specs that take radial tires into consideration. Bottom line If as much as 3 degrees positive caster is recommended or called for, you cant get it from the OEM parts.
 
RedFish said:
Most alignment machine have the specs loaded in their software.
Those may be factory specs or may be updated specs that take radial tires into consideration. Bottom line If as much as 3 degrees positive caster is recommended or called for, you cant get it from the OEM parts.
Click to expand...

i don't know about that. i know for a fact djvcuda got 4* caster out of his front end after rebuilding it without offset bushings. he used a poly kit from just suspension i believe. depends totally on the car .

most machines have the stock settings loaded in them. unless you have an alignment guy that ignores those settings and really knows what he is doing it just won't be right.
 
will a normal guy like me who just drives the car around and on high way even notice a difference with cornering and steering
Click to expand...


most guys seem to notice the car wants to stay straight and not wander with more caster in the alignment.
 
I`ve got almost 4* on my Barracuda without the offset bushings but it is much easier to get that with the offset bushings. For the money it's a decent upgrade.
 
Yeah but I took my stock arms off years ago, cleaned them up, had my local shop press new bushings in and I put new ball joints in, painted it all up. Cost me over $50 a piece. 1 year later one arm crack and almost rip the ball joint right out, now a few years later the other stock arm has play somewhere--top of the wheel moves a good 1/4 inch. The spc arm on the other side is still tight as new. Has grease fits also that allow you to re-grease them.

Stock arms are cheaper but if you drive your car hard they seem not to work so great.

I know costs add up but looking back sometimes doing things the cheapest way doesn't always pay. Unlike putting in a Chinese stroker crank, these tubular arms are better every way over the stock arms. Stronger, last longer, are easier to adjust. Its like using electronic ignition over points.

But yeah back in the early 80's many people were still using points cause in the short term it was cheaper.
 
slantsixdan said:
Why not? Well, how about "Because the universe stubbornly refuses to stuff wads of money under my door" for a reason? I think it's a pretty good one.
Click to expand...



i second that if money was no issue altercation would be the answer with a 5.7

and i want to keep the car stock not updated to much maybe later on i will but for now i would like to run stock control arms just because of what the car is GTS
and what i plan to do with it
 
dodge freak said:
Yeah but I took my stock arms off years ago, cleaned them up, had my local shop press new bushings in and I put new ball joints in, painted it all up. Cost me over $50 a piece. 1 year later one arm crack and almost rip the ball joint right out
Click to expand...

Your experience is sad but not typical; most A-bodies have stock control arms…without cracks or other problems.

if you drive your car hard
Click to expand...

I don't abuse my car.

I know costs add up but looking back sometimes doing things the cheapest way doesn't always pay.
Click to expand...

You're going to lecture me on the differences among price, cost, and cost-effectiveness? Er-ruh…thanks, but no thanks. :lol: :error:
 
My 74 had bad sag in the upper control arm mounts but I totally corrected the problem with moog offset camber bushings. Was able to bring alignment back to spec.
 
dodge freak said:
Yeah but I took my stock arms off years ago, cleaned them up, had my local shop press new bushings in and I put new ball joints in, painted it all up. Cost me over $50 a piece. 1 year later one arm crack and almost rip the ball joint right out, now a few years later the other stock arm has play somewhere--top of the wheel moves a good 1/4 inch. The spc arm on the other side is still tight as new. Has grease fits also that allow you to re-grease them.

Stock arms are cheaper but if you drive your car hard they seem not to work so great.

I know costs add up but looking back sometimes doing things the cheapest way doesn't always pay. Unlike putting in a Chinese stroker crank, these tubular arms are better every way over the stock arms. Stronger, last longer, are easier to adjust. Its like using electronic ignition over points.

But yeah back in the early 80's many people were still using points cause in the short term it was cheaper.
Click to expand...


If you have rusty used up upper control arms, yes find a better condition one or tubular. Clean your parts up and inspect them real close. Inspect the threads in the ball joint sockets. If they've been changed many times or put in by some heavy handed meatball the threads will be all boogered up.
 
slantsixdan said:
if you drive your car hard
Click to expand...

I don't abuse my car.
Click to expand...

I ABUSE MY CAR. :wave:

And I've run offset bushing with stock A-arms for 17 years. I've overloaded my car to 5600 lbs and broke the K-member, run many autocross, track days at Willow Springs, 80K miles on nearly double spring rate 1" torsion bars, jumped curbs doing stupid stuff.

Last thing I bent the center of a steel 15x8 rim, bent lower valence, and dimpled up the shock tower going off course at Willow Springs and went into a mountain of gravel...

All my stock lower and upper control arms were fine when I took them off 9 months ago.
 

Attachments

  • CopySFSF08Pics056.JPG
    40.1 KB · Views: 283
  • CopySFSF08Pics058.JPG
    65.9 KB · Views: 290
  • RicGustoSFSF08Cuda1a.jpg
    52.7 KB · Views: 293
I keep forgetting its the A body forum and not the heavier B bodies. So yes A bodies the control arms likely hold up better cause of the lighter weights. I got a B body..I tried signing up on B bodies but could not?
 
dodge freak said:
I keep forgetting its the A body forum and not the heavier B bodies. So yes A bodies the control arms likely hold up better cause of the lighter weights. I got a B body..I tried signing up on B bodies but could not?
Click to expand...

It's just the ball joint sockets have a strange interference thread that sort of self destructs them if they get changed a lot. And some places are awful rough in replacing them. And you can forcefully install one cross threaded that we be fine for it's life span but when you take it out the threads are toasted for the next install.

Same for bushings too. I've seen gnarly gouges in LCA's from people chiseling the hell out of them trying to get them out.
 
autoxcuda said:
It's just the ball joint sockets have a strange interference thread that sort of self destructs them if they get changed a lot. And some places are awful rough in replacing them. And you can forcefully install one cross threaded that we be fine for it's life span but when you take it out the threads are toasted for the next install.

Same for bushings too. I've seen gnarly gouges in LCA's from people chiseling the hell out of them trying to get them out.
Click to expand...

They should have looked at the homemade tool thread first,lol!! Super good tool there for removing the bushings.

I agree with you on the durability of stock susp components. I remember a story about Dodge taking thier new t bar susp car out to a farmers freshly plowed field and driving it across the furrows at 70+ mph. Not a thing broke in that susp. I think that story might have been printed in an old chrysler power mag. It took place in the 1930's.
 
im not worried about the control arms i know all the details on what and when and where they mess up

im asking just about the bushings should i just run the stock replacements with my new tires and take it for alignment
OR
do i put the off sets in so they can zero or get positive camber my control arms are great so is my frame so what should i put in there noting is sloppy and cracked

i just need a good answer so i can order these or install what i have
 
chubsgts said:
im not worried about the control arms i know all the details on what and when and where they mess up

im asking just about the bushings should i just run the stock replacements with my new tires and take it for alignment
OR
do i put the off sets in so they can zero or get positive camber my control arms are great so is my frame so what should i put in there noting is sloppy and cracked

i just need a good answer so i can order these or install what i have
Click to expand...

Yes, run the offsets and get the 3-4 degrees of postive caster.

Cheaper than getting the alignment and THEN finding out you can't get those numbers and have to go back and replace the upper bushings.
 
so i did some research with part numbers found some guys saying to install these
a few different ways some saying front one faced out rear faced in others saying both facing out

any one have input on witch is best way i would fig both facing outwards towards the ball joint
 
This is the way you install them to add positive caster for your car. You do not follow the instructions in the box. Some people get confused and install them wrong.

Follow these instructions.
 

Attachments

  • Moog7103InstallInstructions.jpg
    74.3 KB · Views: 1,565
needsaresto said:
They should have looked at the homemade tool thread first,lol!! Super good tool there for removing the bushings.

I agree with you on the durability of stock susp components. I remember a story about Dodge taking thier new t bar susp car out to a farmers freshly plowed field and driving it across the furrows at 70+ mph. Not a thing broke in that susp. I think that story might have been printed in an old chrysler power mag. It took place in the 1930's.
Click to expand...


I wanna see these new sport cars pull that off, in fact any new cars.

My arm rip open. I do recall the car doing a high speed U turn on a freeway, car dug in to the dirt turn around great--dirt turn arounds can take higher speeds cause the tires wedge in to the dirt..like everything seem fine but then I notice a little pull, was shock seeing the arm rip almost open ....now 2 year later my other rebuild control arm has some play--not sure in the bushings or ball joint but the SPC arm is tight and smooth bouncing up and down.

High speed braking can kill those stock arms also--but yeah maybe not with a lightweight A body--unless U had 6 high school buddies in the car with U like back when the cars were new..but then they were 100 rust and stress free..these parts are getting old guys, just like us. Steel can lose its strength from the minor flexing over 30-40 years.

I do hear U about rough handling, I never trusted that shop again with any of my stuff. I don't know how they got the bushings and ball joint out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top