projectresto83

Aftermarket LCA obviously are lighter, boxed, and have poly bushings but which of these is the biggest benefit?
Truly I know all 3 work together but for the budget racer wouldn't boxing the stock ones and getting a poly bushing kit do the same thing basicly (minus the hassle of doing the bushings)? This is not including adjustables.

What do you guys think????? Please someone have an answer that explains their insight as well.

Tony71502

The squishy bushings on LCA's are the reason there are lateral shocks. Upgrading these bushings will help prevent wheelhop if you don't have lateral shocks.

Lighter weight? Maybe if you go aluminum. My Max Motorsports extreme duty LCA's are heavier than stock. Less unsprung weight(suspension weight) will improve handling, although only a lb or two from lca's doesn't make a huge difference.

Boxing essentially does the same thing as having tubular arms. Alot of people weld in a piece of metal to box the LCA's, especially in older muscle cars like chevelles.

I, however, do prefer the adjustable LCA's that you excluded, because you can easily tune ride height via adjustable spring perches.

projectresto83

When I do upgrade to an aftermarket set I am getting MM's. Adjustable spring perches would be great but I won't spend the money on them when the time comes.
I know the advantages with having boxed control arms with poly bushings but I just really wondered the advantage over doing it to stock ones over buying aftermarket.

But still if anyone else has any other insight that no one would normally think about on this subject?

Tony71502

Well, the tubular aftermarket kind have a larger moment of inertia than stock control arms, even after having been boxed. This larger moment of intertia requires alot more force to make it bend. But honestly how often do you hear of guys bending their control arms... Other than that its a matter of labor, do you want to weld up stock arms and install new bushings or just pay for it.

NotchAbove

I would have to say once boxed the strength/flexing issue is taken care of, part 2 would be the bushings. If you see how the stock ones work, and how flexible they are, how old they are by now as well.

Many control arms now have spherical bushing on the end, which essentially are solid bushing. I feel these should only be run on the axel side, otherwise your torque boxes will take a pounding and more than likely crack or rip.

I'm running the adjustable UMI's and like them.

projectresto83

Yea, I personally would pay the $30-$60 and do the labor. But thats just me. I guess I will just wait till its time to go to the track and see what kind of results I can get from just modifying the stocks.

jkrum10238

by the time you do all this a full set is like 150 bucks thats cheap enough to just go that route, im a budget guy too but lets face it 150 is cheap as far as parts go

projectresto83

This is true but I have this thing about buying cheap parts like that. Those $150 kits sound nice but I have heard alot of people having wheel hop issues afterwards.

302army187

im going to bolt up cheap crap. ill let you know how they work out

AdderMk2

I have the Summit control arms in my car. They aren't bad for a rather stock car, or for DD driving. Once I started making some power and racing the car a little bit. the bushings quickly deteriorated. I now need to either replace the bushings.... or get new control arms.


Im probably going to buy some new arms. MM Extreme duty adjustable lowers, and baseline uppers