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Lower control arm stiffening plates?

A brief intermission to add pictures. I like pictures. :D

mancini-racing-lower-control-arm-box-plates-91.png
mancini-racing-lower-control-arm-box-plates-103.png


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Carry on...
:)
 
Guys I have a question regarding the stiffening plates. The center hole is for center access to the bumper.

What are the two other slotted holes for if anything? Are these for clearance for something or just to lighten them up?

Edit: Ok they are for the adjuster! I see that now!!

Thanks,
MF

IMG_4980.png
 
The hole closest to the wheel is for the adjuster bolt, inner hole just for weight saving.
 
Or one could just have one single large whole and not add any weight at all, couldn't hurt, right?:luvplace:
 
If the stock control arm is fine, why does this abomination exist?
Well, I'm getting mixed signals here, some want me to drop the discussion for reasons unclear and your question here I believe deserves a fair accurate response.

First, I consider the description "abomination" here strictly personal opinion, and you have shared nothing engineering wise to support that claim, but I support 100% that you have every right to share it. Seems a few here do not feel the same towards me. Oh Well.
Next, I find it an interesting offering from a reputable established vendor in that in this day of computers, FEA, CNC, product liability lawyers, millions of Mopar OEM LCA's, driven likely billions of miles etc this offering is now available 60 years after the original LCAs appeared that are the topic of this discussion.

In light of above, I also cannot imagine in any way, even if the round main member pictured is a solid rod, this aftermarket LCA is stiffer than the stock OEM.
If like many you are mesmerized by the use of "real slick" round tubing as a holy grail solution in this application thinking that adds stffness on the LCA, you need to go back to school.
My conclusion is, it does not need to be, and nobody has shown it needs to be.
Actually, it appears with this expensive IMO new aftermarket LCA, it certainly does not need to be, and the world is still turning just fine.

But circling back to your description of looks, it should also be noted, it appears the whole seed that got planted that might have started this LCA "stiffening" craze was by an early well respected Mopar guru RE commenting in 1992 on something "Mopar Pro Rally" cars did in the 60's. I have no idea exactly what a pro rally car is, how they compare to anything we drive or what they were doing that required a LCA "stiffening" plate. Since the RE comment was made about mods made 30 years earlier, I am not sure he did either.
Here we are now reflecting 30+ years after his comment of a "real slick" mod noting he would incorporate them sometime in the future of his current 10-year-old project at that time the Green Brick.

"Real slick" is indeed often a useful pervasive marketing description.

My position from day 2 is nobody has made the case yet a Mopar OEM LCA needs to be "stiffer" (exception being maybe concrete wall contact at over 100 mph? :rolleyes: ) and this modern-day iteration LCA "abomination" here seems to me to support rather well a less "stiff" LCA (and lighter?) is entirely acceptable and might have some advantages.

Whether the "stiffening plates" make anything stiffer here is frankly irrelevant as no need has ever been warranted and it seems the opposite may be the case.
 
Last edited:
The youtube video below by Jim Lusk shows some "interesting" slop at the torsion bar socket and how he reduced it before welding in the aftermarket stiffening plate.


***
Ran across the above video on FABO:
Post in thread 'LCA stiffener plates-why not?' LCA stiffener plates-why not?
 
The youtube video below by Jim Lusk shows some "interesting" slop at the torsion bar socket and how he reduced it before welding in the aftermarket stiffening plate.


***
Ran across the above video on FABO:
Post in thread 'LCA stiffener plates-why not?' LCA stiffener plates-why not?

I just did this 3 days ago as one of my LCA had about a 1/4” slop in it on the driver side. The passenger side was fine. See here:
1970 Plymouth Sport Satellite from Junk to......
 
So for me the question is: Does the stiffening plate help reduce the deflection that causes this wear? The wear is real.

IMG_4985.png
 
Well, I'm getting mixed signals here, some want me to drop the discussion for reasons unclear and your question here I believe deserves a fair accurate response.

First, I consider the description "abomination" here strictly personal opinion, and you have shared nothing engineering wise to support that claim, but I support 100% that you have every right to share it. Seems a few here do not feel the same towards me. Oh Well.
Next, I find it an interesting offering from a reputable established vendor in that in this day of computers, FEA, CNC, product liability lawyers, millions of Mopar OEM LCA's, driven likely billions of miles etc this offering is now available 60 years after the original LCAs appeared that are the topic of this discussion.

In light of above, I also cannot imagine in any way, even if the round main member pictured is a solid rod, this aftermarket LCA is stiffer than the stock OEM.
If like many you are mesmerized by the use of "real slick" round tubing as a holy grail solution in this application thinking that adds stffness on the LCA, you need to go back to school.
My conclusion is, it does not need to be, and nobody has shown it needs to be.
Actually, it appears with this expensive IMO new aftermarket LCA, it certainly does not need to be, and the world is still turning just fine.

But circling back to your description of looks, it should also be noted, it appears the whole seed that got planted that might have started this LCA "stiffening" craze was by an early well respected Mopar guru RE commenting in 1992 on something "Mopar Pro Rally" cars did in the 60's. I have no idea exactly what a pro rally car is, how they compare to anything we drive or what they were doing that required a LCA "stiffening" plate. Since the RE comment was made about mods made 30 years earlier, I am not sure he did either.
Here we are now reflecting 30+ years after his comment of a "real slick" mod noting he would incorporate them sometime in the future of his current 10-year-old project at that time the Green Brick.

"Real slick" is indeed often a useful pervasive marketing description.

My position from day 2 is nobody has made the case yet a Mopar OEM LCA needs to be "stiffer" (exception being maybe concrete wall contact at over 100 mph? :rolleyes: ) and this modern-day iteration LCA "abomination" here seems to me to support rather well a less "stiff" LCA (and lighter?) is entirely acceptable and might have some advantages.

Whether the "stiffening plates" make anything stiffer here is frankly irrelevant as no need has ever been warranted and it seems the opposite may be the case.
All opinions, no facts. Thank you.
 
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