Parts in - MM XD RLCA's, panhard bar, Roush UCA

[VegasMichael]

Tob: Yes, things are definitely sorted out now.

Thanks for the advice on the fasteners. I'm going to switch the factory ones for the supplied ones. Here is what may have been confusing(to me anyway) when I wrote last night that the factory and BMR bolts were the same length. Even though they are the same length in respect to inches/millimeters the BMR bolt has more threads due to it not being tapered to a point like the factory blue bolt is.

 

[BMR Tech]

Tob is absolutely correct. I need to put him on salary.

I should have been a little more in-depth, when telling you to use the BMR hardware, sorry Michael!

 

[betiwin]

So what's better the bolt in style or weld in style relocation brackets? What hole do you use?

 

[BMR Tech]

So what's better the bolt in style or weld in style relocation brackets? What hole do you use?

Both of your inquiries, really do not have a "set-in-stone" answer.

The one thing that I will lay in stone, is you really want a set that has multiple mounting positions to properly dial-in the Anti-Squat setting that works for you/your combo.

I like the bolt-in style, for several reasons. They are simple, effective, and work. The current version BMR units have not, to our knowledge, ever seen a failure of any kind while being bolted-in....and I rarely, if ever, recommend welding them. They are engineered to withstand some SERIOUS abuse, as long as they are installed properly.

Which hole? I like that question! :banana: Unfortunately, different strokes for different folks, applies here.....as is typical with that question....

You will want to pick the hole that works best for you, and that hole may be different than the next persons choice.

Typically, if you lower the car between 1-2"....you will want to mount the LCA "about" 3" lower than the factory position, which on the BMR units....would be the middle position.

 

[Tob]

Tob is absolutely correct. I need to put him on salary.

Do I have to relocate to Florida or can I stay up here in the land of high taxes, low speed limits, and disgustingly obese women?

 

[VegasMichael]

Tob should definitely be hired with full benefits! And I will gladly be the writer/proofreader and scribe everything in my patented first-grade-easyspeak!

Anyway, I think I got it, but with one final question at the end. I'm also glad I have ALL the directions now because I had a leftover spacer at the end yesterday with nary a clue about where it went(it goes on the driver side between the relocation bracket and OEM bracket before fastening the weight damper through it). I also switched around the panhard bar so everything seems in order. Without further ado, here we go:

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^I wanted to show the difference in the bolts for all who might be curious. Although the blue factory bolt HEAD is larger, the actual length of each bolt sans head is identical. However...

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...you can see above^ there are more threads on the BMR supplied bolt which enables more bolt to be used--a good thing in my book.

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^Here one can see I found a home for the other bolt/washer.

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And here is the supplied hardware used. Note the bottom bolt/nut is not utilized to the degree the one above is. That is because the top bolt/nut goes through both the OEM piece AND the BMR bracket, whereas the bottom bolt goes through ONLY the BMR bracket, which happens to thicker there than the OEM/BMR marriage above it. I'd be interested in knowing why BMR elected to do it that way.

Final question inre the adjustable arms: I made sure that each was set up precisely like the other, but am unsure what to look/feel/listen for while driving so as to know when/how it should be adjusted.

I also want to thank everyone who has advised/cheered/motivated me along the way.:beer:

 

[BMR Tech]

Glad to see you got it resolved. You were quick in taking care of it!

I guess I am slightly confused. What do you mean by this, I honestly do not understand what you are asking, I apologize:

Note the bottom bolt/nut is not utilized to the degree the one above is. That is because the top bolt/nut goes through both the OEM piece AND the BMR bracket, whereas the bottom bolt goes through ONLY the BMR bracket, which happens to thicker there than the OEM/BMR marriage above it. I'd be interested in knowing why BMR elected to do it that way.

"Utilized to the degree" <----I am not sure what that means. Are you referring to the amount of threads that protrude through the nut?

As for the LCA Adjustment, there really isn't anything to look for; if you need to make an adjustment, you will know it immediately, by the direction the car steers/pulls.

Making adjustment, you will want to ensure you get it on an alignment machine....and dial in your thrust angle, as close to "0" as possible.

 

[Tob]

Michael, when the relocation brackets are in place, their outside face width is the same whether at the upper juncture (which slips over the factory bracket ears) or at the lower juncture (where the BMR bracket is doubled via a plate welded to the inside of the bracket on each side). In effect making the inside dimension the same, whether at the original factory location or down lower when you are between the new steel portion(s) of the BMR bracket.

It allows use of the factory width LCA to slip right in. FRPP and others do it pretty much the same way.

 

[cluscher]

Do I have to relocate to Florida or can I stay up here in the land of high taxes, low speed limits, and disgustingly obese women?

LMAO!!!:lol:

 

[VegasMichael]

Kelly: Thanks for the tip on the alignment. And you were correct about what I meant concerning the "utilized to the degree" comment.

Tob: I read your words and they make sense. Yet I can't figure out why one bolt is poking out a touch more than the other unless there was a slight manufacturing difference in the shape/size of the bolt. I went out and took two photos of the area in question:

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I measured the left to right distance of the relocation bracket parallel to the top bolt and then parallel to the bottom bolt. They were both EXACTLY the same: just a hair under three and a quarter inches.

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This just shows how the metal is a bit thicker at the bottom bolt area than the top bolt; but Tob was correct inre how the ACTUAL left to right distances of the relocation bracket at the top bolt area and bottom bolt area are identical.

 

[UnleashedBeast]

Subin for driving impressions from Vegas Michael. He is using the same setup I have. All BMR with adjustable LCAs.

FYI, I did have to weld in the BMR LCA relocation brackets (latest revision). I know they are a weld free design, however, I was experiencing bracket shifting and weird noises while driving. At first, I thought it was the endlink type on the 021 adjustable LCAs, so I removed them and reinstalled the stock arms. The stock arms are quieter, but I still had occational metal shifting clunk noises.

This morning, I welded in both LCA relo brackets, and now it's stock quiet. Soon I will reinstall the adjustable arms to see if I can tolerate the noise from them.

 

[VegasMichael]

Unleashed: Thus far I have only installed the panhard bar and rod, as well as the relocation brackets and lower control arms. (I have NOT yet put on the uca or its mount or the driveshaft.) I connected my lca's to the center hole of the relocation bracket since my car sits somewhat below stock ride height. I took the car for a spin around the neighborhood and did some circles in the cul-de-sac as well as some slaloms on the empty street. Not much noise that I could decipher on turns but I did note some new noises when driving over uneven pavement. When I did an inspection beneath the car I saw that my brass spacer pieces on the relocation brackets had some room to move--meaning the bracket had not been tightened enough by yours truly--further meaning that I will need to use a longer handled tool to get it tightened up more--and further meaning that my earlier question about why one bolt was a bit longer than the other has likely been answered; however, I have not yet addressed the spacer issue because I am currently sitting 2000+ miles from home in precisely the spot pictured below at my parents' house on one of the Finger Lakes, wondering for the umpteenth time why it was I ever left my birthplace....:shrug:

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[Tob]

You are only about two/two and a half hours away from me Michael. Sure is beautiful there this time of year.

 

[VegasMichael]

You are only about two/two and a half hours away from me Michael. Sure is beautiful there this time of year.

Without a single doubt. Temps were high 60s and low 70s.

Unfortunately, I am back home again to 110 degrees. However, UPS Tracking tells me my driveshaft will be here Tuesday. Then I can start beginning to contemplate about cogitating about pondering the install of said DS, safety loop and uca/mount.

 

[UnleashedBeast]

UPDATE:

After welding in BMR LCA relocation brackets and re-installing their TCA021 adjustable LCAs, they drive noise free. I really can't tell the difference between them and stock concerning NVH. This is excellent.

 

[VegasMichael]

UPDATE:

After welding in BMR LCA relocation brackets and re-installing their TCA021 adjustable LCAs, they drive noise free. I really can't tell the difference between them and stock concerning NVH. This is excellent.

Good to hear. If you can, could you post a pic of your installed lca's? I'm curious about what setting you adjusted them to.

 

[UnleashedBeast]

Good to hear. If you can, could you post a pic of your installed lca's? I'm curious about what setting you adjusted them to.

I do not have any pictures, but here is what I did.

Adjusted the passenger side to be EXACTLY the same length as stock. I used the stock LCA with bolts through the holes and a tape measure to make sure it was right.

I adjusted the drivers side to be close, but not specific. When I put the car on the alignment rack yesterday, I only adjusted the drivers side LCA, as I knew the passenger side was perfect. I adjust to zero thrust angle at 0.00, however, when rolling the car back and forth on the alignment rack, thrust angle would bounce between -.01 to -.03

No point in hassling over that small of measurement, so I left it alone.

 

[VegasMichael]

Not precise enough. You state 10:21 AM but do not include seconds or tenths of seconds. oke:

Looks/reads good. I'm planning on an alignment once I get the rest of the items installed. I did make sure my lca's lined up with the stockers. Today I'm going to tighten up the bolts to eliminate the spacer play.

 

[UnleashedBeast]

Not precise enough. You state 10:21 AM but do not include seconds or tenths of seconds. oke:

The machine was slacking in the reporting department.

 

[VegasMichael]

Update: Tightened things up a little while ago and took it for a spin. The noise I had been hearing over uneven pavement is officially gone! However, I was hearing a clunking while shifting from first to second and started to get worried. Then, stupid me, finally realized I was dumping the clutch on the shift. I promptly switched to smooth clutch release and PRESTO CHANGO no more clunking.