Stock, vs tubular upper control arms

[malex]

I'm wondering what you guys are doing for upper control arm upgrades. I'm running stock uppers with the offset bushings in mine, but I'm concerned about them not moving freely enough to allow optimum weight transfer. What's working for you guys. And is there anyone running the QA-1 52305 tubular uppers and how are those?

 

[dvw]

Don't worry about it. You usually have to slow the front transfer with the shocks anyway.
Doug

 

[malex]

Don't worry about it. You usually have to slow the front transfer with the shocks anyway.
Doug

Excellent advise. With that I'll leave things alone and see what it does as it is.
Thanks Doug.

 

[Mike Gaines]

I RUN THE CAL TRAC 90/10 FRONT SHOCKS AND I LET MY TORSION BARS "SAG" DOWN SO I GET THE 6" OF FRONT WHEEL TRAVEL THAT THE CAL TRAC TECHS WANT YOU TO HAVE...TIED WITH MY COMPLETE CAL TRAC REAR SETUP. CAL TRAC MONO LEAFS, CAL TRAC BARS AND CAL TRAC 9 WAY ADJ SHOCKS (SET ON 9 FOR FOOT BRAKE AND SET ON 5 FOR TRANS BRAKE)

 

[malex]

I RUN THE CAL TRAC 90/10 FRONT SHOCKS AND I LET MY TORSION BARS "SAG" DOWN SO I GET THE 6" OF FRONT WHEEL TRAVEL THAT THE CAL TRAC TECHS WANT YOU TO HAVE...TIED WITH MY COMPLETE CAL TRAC REAR SETUP. CAL TRAC MONO LEAFS, CAL TRAC BARS AND CAL TRAC 9 WAY ADJ SHOCKS (SET ON 9 FOR FOOT BRAKE AND SET ON 5 FOR TRANS BRAKE)

Mike I find it interesting how the shocks are set differently between the foot brake and trans brake. It must have to do with the hit, so you soften the shocks up when using the trans brake?
I've got a full 6" of travel also. Thinking about the upper arms I separated the upper ball joint on one side and found the upper control arm quite stiff, which is what got this thread going. Mike if you don't mind, what are you doing for upper control arms and bushings?

 

[69 GTX]

Malex, I put all new suspension on my car and made sure to lube everything to help with movement. Seemed to help. I also think the adjustable front link helped too. It has a swivel at the one end instead of just the rubber bushing.

 

[69 GTX]

 

[malex]

View attachment 421487

That's good info, good pic, thanks. Who makes that front link? It looks like you have rubber upper bushings in your GTX? If so, did you notice any resistance when taking it through it's travel?

 

[69 GTX]

Rod was a PST part, I think. Yes there is some resistance but not as much as when I put it together dry. I wasn't to worried about the compression resistance as much as the extension resistance. Actually the torsion bar will help with that. Usually for race set ups you want a 90/10 for the front anyway. (frontend up easy, compression down, slow). BTW I used the PST poly bushing kit for the front suspension.

 

[69 GTX]

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[malex]

Rod was a PST part, I think. Yes there is some resistance but not as much as when I put it together dry. I wasn't to worried about the compression resistance as much as the extension resistance. Actually the torsion bar will help with that. Usually for race set ups you want a 90/10 for the front anyway. (frontend up easy, compression down, slow). BTW I used the PST poly bushing kit for the front suspension.

Thanks again for the information. My front suspension is new except rubber offset upper control arm bushings. The resistance in the control arm when moving it through it's travel had me wondering if that could be an issue.

 

[Mike Gaines]

My upper control arms are stock but I did rebuilt the front end with new stuff. Like I said, I had only about 4" of travel but then I let the torsion bars "sag" to get me the 6".
I measure the height that the lip of the front fender is off the ground (with a yardstick) then I jack up the car under the K Member until the front tires barely lift off the ground....and the fender goes up a full 6" before the tire lifts off the ground.
Cal Trac told me to set my 9 Way Cal Trac Adjustable RR shocks on full stiff at the 9 setting for foot brake launch. They then said to set them of 5 for Trans Brake Launching...Call them up....they are quite helpful with info.

 

[69 GTX]

Nice chassis Malex!

 

[ChargerM440]

I'm running the QA-1 52305 tubular uppers. They're designed to increase caster by 3 degrees, so that's nice. Overall very high quality fit & finish. I'd highly recommended.

 

[malex]

I'm running the QA-1 52305 tubular uppers. They're designed to increase caster by 3 degrees, so that's nice. Overall very high quality fit & finish. I'd highly recommended.

Thanks, How about resistance. Did you happen to notice if they were stiff to move When bolted in place before hooked to the ball joint?

 

[ChargerM440]

Thanks, How about resistance. Did you happen to notice if they were stiff to move When bolted in place before hooked to the ball joint?

Hmm, good question. They moved easily when lifted/manipulated by hand with just a moderate amount of resistance. I raised and lowered them a few times moving them throughout their range of motion both before and after lubing and didn't notice any binding or excessive resistance.

Edit: Honestly I didn't do any real measurements of resistance. It's been a bout a year and I don't remember noticing anything out of the ordinary as far as tightness. They would drop under their own weight after being torqued.

 

[malex]

Nice chassis Malex!

Hmm, good question. They moved easily when lifted/manipulated by hand with just a moderate amount of resistance. I raised and lowered them a few times moving them throughout their range of motion both before and after lubing and didn't notice any binding or excessive resistance.

Edit: Honestly I didn't do any real measurements of resistance. It's been a bout a year and I don't remember noticing anything out of the ordinary as far as tightness. They would drop under their own weight after being torqued.

ChargerM440, thanks for your information, very helpful and appreciated.

 

[Jeremiah]

IMO the benefit of tubular control arms is positive caster and maybe some weight savings.

If you want things to move easily use greasable LCA pins and poly bushings with some adjustable strut rods (no rubber bushings to bind).

 

[KENTON]

I would think the torsion bars would easily over come the slight amount of drag you feel by hand. As stated above.
A loose shock is more important.