Upper control arm bracing?

[RGAZ]

73 duster. I’m totally rebuilding stock suspension and braced the lower control arm using methods on here, but is there a method for the upper an arm? Thinking I could just box the underneath pretty easy, anyone have any suggestions? Start point here…

I could easily weld in 1/8” steel to triangulate to the center like this…

I could get it to flow right into the ball joint area too. Anyone try this and have suggestions?

Rgaz

 

[junkyardhero]

i wouldn't bother. the benefits that you *might* see would be so minuscule and mostly negated by the stock rubber or poly arm bushings due to their flex.

if it's something of concern, then i'd go tubular with heim joints.

but honestly unless you've got massive tires that are transmitting a ton of load and the rest of the components to back that up: t-bars, shocks and bracing and the car is designed to be pushed i wouldn't bother.

 

[72bluNblu]

The lower control arm benefits from bracing because it's supporting the entire weight of the car, all the spring and suspension force is carried by the LCA.

The upper control arm is more "along for the ride". Obviously it does have force exerted on it especially when turning, braking etc but it's primary function is to locate the top of the spindle, not carry the weight of the car. So it's seeing change of direction forces, not weight of the car type forces.

If I was going to modify the UCA, I'd do it to add more caster not just strengthen it. The lack of caster from the factory parts is more of an issue than the strength of the UCA's. Not saying there isn't some flex there, but if you solve the caster issue with tubular UCA's you improve the strength too.

i wouldn't bother. the benefits that you *might* see would be so minuscule and mostly negated by the stock rubber or poly arm bushings due to their flex.

if it's something of concern, then i'd go tubular with heim joints.

but honestly unless you've got massive tires that are transmitting a ton of load and the rest of the components to back that up: t-bars, shocks and bracing and the car is designed to be pushed i wouldn't bother.

Heims on the street are completely overrated. Only way I'd ever run heims on the street again is if they came with free replacements and free labor to install them every 7k miles, because that's about all they last.

With delrin bushings available now heims on the street are just a lot of work for pretty much no added benefit over delrin.

 

[MV8]

Not worth the effort or weight increase for normal use. The stamped arms are well made considering the space they must fit. I'd fit eccentric adjusters for the flexibility.

 

[RGAZ]

Great, Thanks guys.