RWHEELS

I'm considering getting lower control arms and relocation brackets for my 2011 mustang gt, the only suspension mod I currently have is eibach pro kit springs. My question is, do they improve handling or just straight line acceleration/wheel hop? Most of the reviews focus on those improvements rather than better handling. I wouldn't mind but my main focus is on better handling for autocross and track days on road courses, also any specific brand recommendations would be appreciated

thanks
Rob

artdohc

Hi Rob,

I noticed during hard acceleration out of tight corners that required 1st or 2nd gear that I had wheel hop issues, new LCAs fixed that. The LCA did not address any sort of "handling" improvement, but they did address corner exit speed issues.

In contrast, lowering my car did affect the pinion angle on my driveshaft and my driveshaft began emitting more noise than it did prior to lowering. It was not instantaneous after I lowered it, but after about 2k miles it started and has only gotten louder. I wish I had installed an adj UCA at the same time. I don't believe the UCA improves handling, it just corrects the geometry of the suspension and the driveline. Honestly, Ford said I could continue driving the car as is without worrying about issues.

I'm going to have Ford replace the DS under warranty and once the new one is in I'm installing the UCA to correct the pinion angle issue.

If you are concerned about handling and the only thing you have done is install lower springs I'd suggest better tires, shocks & struts, an adj pan hard bar, and maybe caster/camber plates. Once those are on I'd start looking at LCAs and UCAs.

audioAl

I disagree with the above post, when I did just rear springs, I did relocation brackets. I'm
waiting until my shocks and struts wear to do the front springs. You need brackets & adjustable panhard bar.

UPRSharad

LCAs do improve handling because the soft rubber bushings let the rear axle basically flop around under load. (like hard cornering) When you upgrade the control arms, the rear end feels more stable, making it easier to push the car harder.

In professional roadracing, the Mustang teams do use LCA Relo Brackets, but not to add anti squat. They do it to make the LCAs parallel to the ground, thus correcting the suspension geometry after the drop.

Here are the LCAs and Relo Brackets I would recommend. They are Made in America and they carry a Lifetime Guarantee:

http://www.uprproducts.com/mustang-c...ushing-05.html

http://www.uprproducts.com/mustang-l...et-kit-05.html

Allupinya

This is completely wrong, you want some articulation going in and out of corners when running a solid rear axle. LCA's don't "flop around" also, you'll see more benefit from a UCA and mount and upgraded shocks. Your LCA's are primarily used for lateral movement..... not the other way around .

MustangVixenGT

So I really don't know anything about what exactly everything does. But as you can see from my signature I have had a lot of suspension work done. When I first got the car it use to drive me nuts how when I would turn and hit one of those round bump turtle like things in the road the whole dang rear end would bounce in the opposite direction.

Car was lowered, sway bars, panhard bar, comber bolts, upper and lower control arms and relocation brackets.

I can tell you one thing the rear wheels stay firm on the ground when hitting bumps no bouncing around. And it can pull those 35 mile an hour turns at 60 if I really want to push it that hard but its kinda scary.

That's my 2 cents.....

Norm Peterson

'Articulation' is not the same thing as bushing compliance. If you've ever seen the video of how badly the UCA axle end bounces around during wheel hop, "flopping around" is indeed an accurate description.

Yes, you need to provide some flexibility somewhere in the LCAs and UCA to allow the chassis to roll without binding all up and getting the tail too anxious to run wide. But there are at least two basic ways to get this job done.

One is the OE way with soft, squishy, compliant rubber bushings that distort without developing a whole lot of rear lateral load transfer (which is what too much of will make the tail tailhappy).

Then you have the approach that uses a spherical pivot in at least one end of each control arm that doesn't resist roll at all except by whatever ball to socket friction exists.


Sharad has it right about how and when the use of relo brackets can help handling. LCA inclination affects more than just the SVIC location and anti-squat, and when you're discussing handling axle steer gets involved in addition to the typical drag racer's need for resistance to wheelspin/wheel hop and nothing else. Basically you're trying to tune a little improvement into both without screwing up either.


Wrong. LCAs are primarily used for control of longitudinal (fore-aft) movement and rear axle roll steer. The amount of lateral control is almost but not quite zero point zero.


Norm

UPRSharad

Thanks for backing me up Norm. In addition to Norm's excellent scientific explanation, I can add some of my own personal experience. I once upgraded my LCAs between HPDE sessions at Sebring International Raceway. It was a true A-B test. Stock LCAs for the first two sessions, then pulled into the pits, installed aftermarket LCAs, and went back out for another session. I can personally attest that the upgraded LCAs improved rear end stability which allowed me to push the car harder in the corners on the racetrack.

RWHEELS

thanks for all of the help guys, I think I will upgrade the shocks first, and then the upper and lower control arms and relo brackets.

Sam Strano

I disagree with the above post here. Just because you changed springs doesn't mean you need the other things, that's patently untrue. You might want them, you don't need them. I've won lots of Championships in lowered, solid axle cars on stock LCA's and no brackets.

And it's not true you need an adjustable PHB either. Might want one, not a problem to do one, not required. See also every Shelby GT every built that had all stock rear suspension (and that I won a lot of events in), including the LCA's, no brackets, and a stock PHB.