1550GT

Would LCA relocation brackets be helpful on a non-lowered car?

mygt500

IMO no they help to correct the angles of a lowered car so the LCA's do their job the way they are supposed to. If you plan on going with lowering the car I would get them..if not just get the LCAs

Norm Peterson

Relo brackets give you a more aggressive amount of anti-squat, which generally helps out at launch. The origin of the LCAs themselves (OE/aftermarket) does not matter as far as this is concerned, as aftermarket LCAs are intended to correct other things.

They also tend to change the amount of rear axle steer in the corners, so you can expect a change in the handling as well (generally in the less understeer/oversteer direction).

I can't be any more specific than that without a lot of measurements and some idea of whether this is for straight-line or cornering purposes.


Norm

1550GT

My car is not lowered and I do not plan to lower it in the future. I have changed out the LCA's , panhard bar, and rear sway bar. I am planning on changing out the UCA soon. I was just wondering if relocation brackets would be helpful for added traction, or are they not necessary on a non lowered car.

Norm, if I am reading your response correctly it appears that adding them would help with straight line launches as well as improve cornering, is that correct?

Norm Peterson

I would expect some help with wheelspin, but the effect on cornering is less clear. Among other things, that depends on how much (if any) plan view convergence there is in the LCAs as you go from axle to chassis. If there is no plan view convergence, or only a tiny bit, there is a distinct possibility of running the axle steer into a mild to moderatevehicle oversteer condition. How much so depends on the measurements/geometry (and can be calculated for the sake of comparison). Not that a mild case of vehicle roll oversteer will make the car immediately undriveable, though it's best to at least be aware of changes in this "side effect" before you start probing the limits of lateral grip.

Note that as far as axle steer is concerned, there isn't any real difference between the S197's 3-link/PHB arrangement and the 3rd/4th gen F-body LCA/torque arm/PHB approach unless the S197 has more plan view convergence of the LCAs. Relo brackets are a fairly common mod for those GM cars, although the serious corner-carvers only use them after any lowering has been done (and with any applicable competition rules involving suspension pivot point locations permitting, of course).


Norm

1550GT

OK, thanks. Sounds to me like I don't need them.