Upper control arm / LCA / brackets??????? no traction in 1st and 2nd gear

[corrupt05]

Well I lowered my car a month ago and I just cannot get any traction in 1st and second gear. I've searched the forums and see too much conflicting information. The sad thing is I can't get better then 5.6sec 0-60...

I looked at my lower control arm and they are definitely angled upward towards the axle so I'm thinking atleast relocation brackets are in order.

My budget is about $500 for upgrades to help met get traction.. I was thinking steeda upper control arm (for lowered vehicle). Because then I don't have to measure pinion angle and all that. and then some lower control arms and brackets.

Please give me some suggestions because im completely lost when it gets to this stuff..


oh and on top of that my baby has to go in for service again bc I hear something howling/clunking(thinking driveshaft or diff) when coasting inbetween 40mph down to 30mph (only when I let off the gas or hit the clutch ... hopefully they cover it under warranty due to mods

 

[SteveG@Lethal]

BBR LCA: $182.99
http://www.blowbyracing.com/bbr-0506-001.html


WH Relocation Brackets: $107.00
http://www.blowbyracing.com/20muwhanbr.html

 

[13BremboGT]

Well I lowered my car a month ago and I just cannot get any traction in 1st and second gear. I've searched the forums and see too much conflicting information. The sad thing is I can't get better then 5.6sec 0-60...

I looked at my lower control arm and they are definitely angled upward towards the axle so I'm thinking atleast relocation brackets are in order.

My budget is about $500 for upgrades to help met get traction.. I was thinking steeda upper control arm (for lowered vehicle). Because then I don't have to measure pinion angle and all that. and then some lower control arms and brackets.

Please give me some suggestions because im completely lost when it gets to this stuff..


oh and on top of that my baby has to go in for service again bc I hear something howling/clunking(thinking driveshaft or diff) when coasting inbetween 40mph down to 30mph (only when I let off the gas or hit the clutch ... hopefully they cover it under warranty due to mods

You need LCA brackets if you are lowered. Also, if you are going to do an upper control arm, get an adjustable. It's super simple to adjust pinion angle. I wouldn't even waste the cash on a non-adjustable. Definitely start with brackets though.

 

[CPRsm]

You're on the right track. Steeda makes a really nice one. It requires welding. BMR doesn't need welding, and both have a radius to their adjustments so pinion angle doesn't change like you were thinking.

 

[tj@steeda]

You will need the LCA relocation brackets and an UCA. The adjustable one is preferred, as setting the pinion angle correctly will help his traction more than the non-adjustable one.

Best Regards,

TJ

 

[apex32]

I want to get these items as well, just not sure who to trust to install since I moved to a new area..

 

[NTXRockr]

The install is pretty simple, took me just over an hour to bolt up BMR adjustable lowers and brackets, then took it to a shop to have them welded in permanently (BMR still needs them welded in IF you're planning on tracking it at all or putting down more than stock power).

My $0.02...you get more bang for your buck with the lowers over the upper control arm, as the UCA has cut down wheel hop/spinning in some cars but LCA's work on almost every car to rid them of the spin/hop. And of course, if you're lowered - or want a TON of traction to launch with - relo brackets are a must have.

 

[twistedneck]

Hmm.. the brackets reduce weight transfer, add anti squat and lower instant center and put more leverage on the rear axle tubes. if you are melting down all the way through first and second it could mean you have no weight transfer - look at a Cup car trying to launch out of the pits!

 

[ModularSpeed]

(BMR still needs them welded in IF you're planning on tracking it at all or putting down more than stock power).

I think they are fine bolted in. :beer:

 

[jojobee]

Hmm.. the brackets reduce weight transfer, add anti squat and lower instant center and put more leverage on the rear axle tubes. if you are melting down all the way through first and second it could mean you have no weight transfer - look at a Cup car trying to launch out of the pits!

So what do you suggest in that case ?
I have all that stuff (lca, uca, brackets and panhard) and feel that my weight transfer isnt happening since im spinning like crazy in first and second.

 

[KIXASS]

I installed BMR LCA and I have severe wheel hop and no traction. I just bought Steeda adjustable UCA and mount and have LCA relocation brackets ready to go on as well.
Once I install the LCA relocation brackets, I should weld them????
I also am going to install Strange adj. rear shocks once I get my CJ springs.
Hopefully these items will help with traction and wheel hop.

 

[corrupt05]

Thanks for the replys so far guys. Im definitely going with the bmr relo's, so I don't have to weld them. (Car is mostly DD/street).

Question, is it possible to use stock LCA with the relocation brackets?? What would be the cons, or would it just not fit??

 

[13BremboGT]

Thanks for the replys so far guys. Im definitely going with the bmr relo's, so I don't have to weld them. (Car is mostly DD/street).

Question, is it possible to use stock LCA with the relocation brackets?? What would be the cons, or would it just not fit??

You can use the BMR brackets with the stock control arms as long as you don't try to mount them in the uppermost position....which you wouldn't want to do anyway.

 

[Dave_6]

You can use the BMR brackets with the stock control arms as long as you don't try to mount them in the uppermost position....which you wouldn't want to do anyway.

I was wondering about this myself, thanks!

 

[NTXRockr]

I think they are fine bolted in. :beer:

I asked BMR directly...they highly recommended that the brackets are welded in if the car is going to see hard launches (i.e. drag racing) as the shock will break the bolts and bend the brackets. I've seen this happen personally at the track before, car launched and then shuddered past the tree. He thought they only needed to be bolted in too, but learned his lesson when he had to tow the car home that night LOL

Point is, why risk it? Welding them takes less than an hour of easy work.

 

[kcsvt94l]

After doing hours and hours of research, it pretty much boiled down to, 249 lowering springs basically require 2 grand worth of supporting parts to do it "right" While your there may as well do it all.

So, when I did my drop, I did fully adjustable shocks & struts, adjustable UCA, LCA's, LCA Relocation, Adjustable PHB, and GT500 strut mounts. Basically there nothing left of the stock suspension. But, as new and nice as these cars are why spare any expense ?

 

[nosympathy]

After doing hours and hours of research, it pretty much boiled down to, 249 lowering springs basically require 2 grand worth of supporting parts to do it "right" While your there may as well do it all.

So, when I did my drop, I did fully adjustable shocks & struts, adjustable UCA, LCA's, LCA Relocation, Adjustable PHB, and GT500 strut mounts. Basically there nothing left of the stock suspension. But, as new and nice as these cars are why spare any expense ?

I did it in steps that made sense since I couldn't afford it all at once. When I decided I was going to lower the car it was nearly 2 months later before I even got started. First month was waiting for the money to build up, second month was waiting on backordered parts.

I did springs, shocks and struts, cc plates and panhard bar first. Looked great and killed my traction. I knew it would happen and put up with it. Then did LCA and relo brackets soon as money was available. then again did UCA and bracket as money became available.

would I do it that way again? no way. Was a scary experience driving a super dropped car, H&R SS springs, with stock LCA and no relo brackets. I was loosing traction like it was my cars job.

 

[jymboslice]

After doing hours and hours of research, it pretty much boiled down to, 249 lowering springs basically require 2 grand worth of supporting parts to do it "right" While your there may as well do it all.

So, when I did my drop, I did fully adjustable shocks & struts, adjustable UCA, LCA's, LCA Relocation, Adjustable PHB, and GT500 strut mounts. Basically there nothing left of the stock suspension. But, as new and nice as these cars are why spare any expense ?

True that. You can just get away with lowering springs, however it won't be ideal.

Do everything at the same time, much easier.

 

[86merc]

Hmm.. the brackets reduce weight transfer, add anti squat and lower instant center and put more leverage on the rear axle tubes. if you are melting down all the way through first and second it could mean you have no weight transfer - look at a Cup car trying to launch out of the pits!

They do not reduce weight transfer unless the only reason you have weight transfer is the rear of the body squatting over the rear end housing. But that is not the only way the car should/could transfer weight.

You can buy the best parts on the market. But if you just slap them on and don't tune they they could be as bad, or worse, than stock. You want to make sure the suspension geometry is correct. There are plenty of websites that can show you how to measure and adjust the suspension for different applications. As well as giving you calculators to enter those measurements into as a guide. Because no two cars will react exactly the same.

The way my car is set up at the moment is with a Anti Squat value just over 100%. This means it should just have a little separation between the rear tires and the wheels well lip. BUT my front end still raises where I get much more spereration between the front tires and the wheel wells. This means I have anti squat and weight transfer. Even with the front sway bar still hooked up and the stiff lowering springs. I have only had the car out once with the set up as it is. But so far I have cut 1.53 60' times. Over the next couple times out I plan to play with my launch tecngique and engine RPM to see what the best 60' & 330' times I can get are. Then I plan to change the AS value and see what happens. The effort I have put into setting up my suspension set up has worked well so far. And I hope with some small changes I can even get it to work better.

You guys should check out this website. Check out the top of the page where it has all the links like "Launching a Drag Car", "Baseline Your Suspension", "Set Pinion Angle" and so on. Those links should give you a good understanding of how a suspension works even though it doesn't directly translate to the 3 link set up on these cars. The site also shows you how to measure your suspension to get AS values and so on. Then like I said, some set up and dialing in can go a LONG way in making the money you spend on those parts well worth it. :beer:

 

[Radar Doc]

They do not reduce weight transfer unless the only reason you have weight transfer is the rear of the body squatting over the rear end housing. But that is not the only way the car should/could transfer weight.

You can buy the best parts on the market. But if you just slap them on and don't tune they they could be as bad, or worse, than stock. You want to make sure the suspension geometry is correct. There are plenty of websites that can show you how to measure and adjust the suspension for different applications. As well as giving you calculators to enter those measurements into as a guide. Because no two cars will react exactly the same.

The way my car is set up at the moment is with a Anti Squat value just over 100%. This means it should just have a little separation between the rear tires and the wheels well lip. BUT my front end still raises where I get much more spereration between the front tires and the wheel wells. This means I have anti squat and weight transfer. Even with the front sway bar still hooked up and the stiff lowering springs. I have only had the car out once with the set up as it is. But so far I have cut 1.53 60' times. Over the next couple times out I plan to play with my launch tecngique and engine RPM to see what the best 60' & 330' times I can get are. Then I plan to change the AS value and see what happens. The effort I have put into setting up my suspension set up has worked well so far. And I hope with some small changes I can even get it to work better.

You guys should check out this website. Check out the top of the page where it has all the links like "Launching a Drag Car", "Baseline Your Suspension", "Set Pinion Angle" and so on. Those links should give you a good understanding of how a suspension works even though it doesn't directly translate to the 3 link set up on these cars. The site also shows you how to measure your suspension to get AS values and so on. Then like I said, some set up and dialing in can go a LONG way in making the money you spend on those parts well worth it. :beer:

Well said, Sir. Some sound advice. :thumbsup: