Installed BMR LCAs/Wheel Hop
6/5/06, 06:39 PM
#22
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Originally Posted by ttbit
Good to know. Steeda says they have a "patent pending" bushing in their LCAs that reduce NVH. Did you notice a difference in noise in either install? I admit, I can be sensitive to these things, but my friend in the passenger seat noticed the noise immediately also. If someone says, this is how it is, I can live with it. I never thought my TKO was noisy in my '95 (except 5th gear), but one guy who test drove it thought it was really loud. Everyone has different ears. I was very happy with all the Steeda parts I had in my '95.
6/12/06, 08:26 PM
#23
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Thread Starter
Installed Steeda UCA
A little update.
I installed the Steeda adjustable UCA Saturday. I left the BMR LCAs off to test. After getting the pinion angle adjusted and everything tight I took it for some tests. The wheel hop has been drastically reduced. Under moderate launch, there is still a little, but a harder launch leaves nothing but marks on the road. Finally I was able to do a fun launch and leave some marks on my test road without the fear of leaving broken parts behind!! I may go ahead and take it to a track now.
I'll drive it this way for some time and then try adding the BMR lowers again for more testing in the near future.
No new strange noises with this install!! It was much more of a PITA than installing the LCAs. No 30 minute job here! Worth it though!
I installed the Steeda adjustable UCA Saturday. I left the BMR LCAs off to test. After getting the pinion angle adjusted and everything tight I took it for some tests. The wheel hop has been drastically reduced. Under moderate launch, there is still a little, but a harder launch leaves nothing but marks on the road. Finally I was able to do a fun launch and leave some marks on my test road without the fear of leaving broken parts behind!! I may go ahead and take it to a track now.
I'll drive it this way for some time and then try adding the BMR lowers again for more testing in the near future.
No new strange noises with this install!! It was much more of a PITA than installing the LCAs. No 30 minute job here! Worth it though!
6/12/06, 10:09 PM
#24
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Glad to hear it! Makes me feel good that I'm not spewing nonsense.... At least not this time anyway! 
6/12/06, 11:22 PM
#25
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What was the most difficult part about the install. I have BMR's non adjustable Upper and want to install it but after problems with the axle shifting while installing a panhard rod and especially the LCA's I am not so sure I want to try it. Is it difficult to position the axel so the bolt holes line up on the control arm?
6/13/06, 05:02 AM
#26
Legacy TMS Member
Originally Posted by ttbit
A little update.
I installed the Steeda adjustable UCA Saturday. I left the BMR LCAs off to test. After getting the pinion angle adjusted and everything tight I took it for some tests. The wheel hop has been drastically reduced. Under moderate launch, there is still a little, but a harder launch leaves nothing but marks on the road. Finally I was able to do a fun launch and leave some marks on my test road without the fear of leaving broken parts behind!! I may go ahead and take it to a track now.
I'll drive it this way for some time and then try adding the BMR lowers again for more testing in the near future.
No new strange noises with this install!! It was much more of a PITA than installing the LCAs. No 30 minute job here! Worth it though!
I installed the Steeda adjustable UCA Saturday. I left the BMR LCAs off to test. After getting the pinion angle adjusted and everything tight I took it for some tests. The wheel hop has been drastically reduced. Under moderate launch, there is still a little, but a harder launch leaves nothing but marks on the road. Finally I was able to do a fun launch and leave some marks on my test road without the fear of leaving broken parts behind!! I may go ahead and take it to a track now.
I'll drive it this way for some time and then try adding the BMR lowers again for more testing in the near future.
No new strange noises with this install!! It was much more of a PITA than installing the LCAs. No 30 minute job here! Worth it though!
Thanks for the info..........got installation tips/pointers?? How do you adjust the pinion angle properly?
6/13/06, 06:35 AM
#27
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Do a search for that, I remember someone posted how to bit. I did not save it. If you find it and the link is the pre update thing, pm the poster for more info.
Mine is fine after the lowering brackets, so no UCA for now.
Mine is fine after the lowering brackets, so no UCA for now.
6/13/06, 06:49 AM
#28
Legacy TMS Member
I thought I'd ask ttbit since he just did it........
Here's a search result: http://forums.bradbarnett.net/showth...t=pinion+angle on how to adjust pinion angle.
Tom
Here's a search result: http://forums.bradbarnett.net/showth...t=pinion+angle on how to adjust pinion angle.
Tom
6/13/06, 09:45 PM
#29
Legacy TMS Member
Thread Starter
Hey all,
The rear seat comes out without sockets for one thing.
Just two places on the bottom of the seat where you push and lift. You need to do this to get to the front most bolt of the UCA bracket which you remove from inside the car.
On the removal of the old UCA, you will find the UCA bracket will not come out without lowering the gas tank. You don't necessarily have to remove the bracket though. Most people pull down on the the bracket after removing the 18mm headed bolts and can get that front bolt pulled out. I decided to take the extra 10 minutes to lower and raise the tank so I could get the bracket out. I wanted to make sure I had that front bolt/nut on tight, do some measurements, and have it lubed properly, so it was worth the time for me. Plus I was tired of laying on my back trying to get that thing torqued off.
Upon re-install, I found that getting the holes lined up for the upper was easier than on the LCAs. I used the jack to raise and lower the rear while moving the UCA into position (rear bolt and nut) to get the right alignment for the holes. NO problem with that. On the LCAs I had to put a little weight into the rear to get the holes lines up just right.
You'll need an 18 mm and 13/16"(21 mm ?) socket. If you want to lower the tank, you'll need a Torx 50 bit. I removed the right bolt, and loosened the left to lower the tank just enough to get the bracket out. Have a jack under the tank just in case. The bolts aren't that long.
As for pinion angle, I measured the stock length bolt center to bolt center, adjusted the Steeda to the same and then shortened just slightly (about 3 mm) as per Steeda recommendation. I need to go get an angle finder to do an actual reading before I adjust any further.
Hope this helps!
Don
The rear seat comes out without sockets for one thing.
Just two places on the bottom of the seat where you push and lift. You need to do this to get to the front most bolt of the UCA bracket which you remove from inside the car.On the removal of the old UCA, you will find the UCA bracket will not come out without lowering the gas tank. You don't necessarily have to remove the bracket though. Most people pull down on the the bracket after removing the 18mm headed bolts and can get that front bolt pulled out. I decided to take the extra 10 minutes to lower and raise the tank so I could get the bracket out. I wanted to make sure I had that front bolt/nut on tight, do some measurements, and have it lubed properly, so it was worth the time for me. Plus I was tired of laying on my back trying to get that thing torqued off.
Upon re-install, I found that getting the holes lined up for the upper was easier than on the LCAs. I used the jack to raise and lower the rear while moving the UCA into position (rear bolt and nut) to get the right alignment for the holes. NO problem with that. On the LCAs I had to put a little weight into the rear to get the holes lines up just right.
You'll need an 18 mm and 13/16"(21 mm ?) socket. If you want to lower the tank, you'll need a Torx 50 bit. I removed the right bolt, and loosened the left to lower the tank just enough to get the bracket out. Have a jack under the tank just in case. The bolts aren't that long.
As for pinion angle, I measured the stock length bolt center to bolt center, adjusted the Steeda to the same and then shortened just slightly (about 3 mm) as per Steeda recommendation. I need to go get an angle finder to do an actual reading before I adjust any further.
Hope this helps!
Don
6/14/06, 04:37 AM
#31
Legacy TMS Member
Originally Posted by ttbit
Hey all,
The rear seat comes out without sockets for one thing. Just two places on the bottom of the seat where you push and lift. You need to do this to get to the front most bolt of the UCA bracket which you remove from inside the car.
On the removal of the old UCA, you will find the UCA bracket will not come out without lowering the gas tank. You don't necessarily have to remove the bracket though. Most people pull down on the the bracket after removing the 18mm headed bolts and can get that front bolt pulled out. I decided to take the extra 10 minutes to lower and raise the tank so I could get the bracket out. I wanted to make sure I had that front bolt/nut on tight, do some measurements, and have it lubed properly, so it was worth the time for me. Plus I was tired of laying on my back trying to get that thing torqued off.
Upon re-install, I found that getting the holes lined up for the upper was easier than on the LCAs. I used the jack to raise and lower the rear while moving the UCA into position (rear bolt and nut) to get the right alignment for the holes. NO problem with that. On the LCAs I had to put a little weight into the rear to get the holes lines up just right.
You'll need an 18 mm and 13/16"(21 mm ?) socket. If you want to lower the tank, you'll need a Torx 50 bit. I removed the right bolt, and loosened the left to lower the tank just enough to get the bracket out. Have a jack under the tank just in case. The bolts aren't that long.
As for pinion angle, I measured the stock length bolt center to bolt center, adjusted the Steeda to the same and then shortened just slightly (about 3 mm) as per Steeda recommendation. I need to go get an angle finder to do an actual reading before I adjust any further.
Hope this helps!
Don
The rear seat comes out without sockets for one thing.
Just two places on the bottom of the seat where you push and lift. You need to do this to get to the front most bolt of the UCA bracket which you remove from inside the car.On the removal of the old UCA, you will find the UCA bracket will not come out without lowering the gas tank. You don't necessarily have to remove the bracket though. Most people pull down on the the bracket after removing the 18mm headed bolts and can get that front bolt pulled out. I decided to take the extra 10 minutes to lower and raise the tank so I could get the bracket out. I wanted to make sure I had that front bolt/nut on tight, do some measurements, and have it lubed properly, so it was worth the time for me. Plus I was tired of laying on my back trying to get that thing torqued off.
Upon re-install, I found that getting the holes lined up for the upper was easier than on the LCAs. I used the jack to raise and lower the rear while moving the UCA into position (rear bolt and nut) to get the right alignment for the holes. NO problem with that. On the LCAs I had to put a little weight into the rear to get the holes lines up just right.
You'll need an 18 mm and 13/16"(21 mm ?) socket. If you want to lower the tank, you'll need a Torx 50 bit. I removed the right bolt, and loosened the left to lower the tank just enough to get the bracket out. Have a jack under the tank just in case. The bolts aren't that long.
As for pinion angle, I measured the stock length bolt center to bolt center, adjusted the Steeda to the same and then shortened just slightly (about 3 mm) as per Steeda recommendation. I need to go get an angle finder to do an actual reading before I adjust any further.
Hope this helps!
Don
Thanks!
6/17/06, 10:07 PM
#32
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just one note... I had the car up on jackstands and all but it turns out that I'll need at least one more socket... a deep 18mm to get the nut off the rear bolt. And it's **** near impossible to maneuver a torque wrench around under there so some extensions will be handy. Anything else I should be prepared for?
6/17/06, 10:30 PM
#33
Legacy TMS Member
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by nonsensez9
just one note... I had the car up on jackstands and all but it turns out that I'll need at least one more socket... a deep 18mm to get the nut off the rear bolt.
6/18/06, 05:19 AM
#34
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This is good info, thanks!
My experience with BMR LCA: I still have some wheel hop, though they reduced it about 50%. Also seems to transmit more noise. The also seemed to be about 1/4" too short upon install.
I'll probably get the Steeda LCA's and swap them out.
My experience with BMR LCA: I still have some wheel hop, though they reduced it about 50%. Also seems to transmit more noise. The also seemed to be about 1/4" too short upon install.
I'll probably get the Steeda LCA's and swap them out.
6/18/06, 05:48 AM
#35
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Nothing but good things with my BMR parts. Just remember to get back under there in a week or two and re-torque everything. My passenger side LCA started making some noise which I took for NVH, but it kept getting worse. Put her up on a lift and the bolt was loose. Re-tourqued it along with everything else and I'm getting zero NVH. O.K., some H because the ride is stiffer... :-) But I like it....
6/18/06, 06:06 AM
#36
Legacy TMS Member
Originally Posted by Hatchman
This is good info, thanks!
My experience with BMR LCA: I still have some wheel hop, though they reduced it about 50%. Also seems to transmit more noise. The also seemed to be about 1/4" too short upon install.
I'll probably get the Steeda LCA's and swap them out.
My experience with BMR LCA: I still have some wheel hop, though they reduced it about 50%. Also seems to transmit more noise. The also seemed to be about 1/4" too short upon install.
I'll probably get the Steeda LCA's and swap them out.
Tom
6/18/06, 06:38 AM
#37
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Originally Posted by tom281
I installed Steeda LCA's on Thursday night and have had no issues or wheel hop with them since. I'm not knocking the BMR parts, just stating that the Steeda units work very well.
Tom
Tom
6/18/06, 08:13 PM
#38
Legacy TMS Member
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Hatchman
Sounds good. I like the BMR parts as well. Like I said, it helped, but the hop is still there. I'll probably get some uppers as well. For now, I'll just check the torque again.
6/18/06, 08:17 PM
#39
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Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Hatchman
The also seemed to be about 1/4" too short upon install.
6/18/06, 11:44 PM
#40
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The next time you install you BMR's, check the hole distance with the stockers.
I didn't measure mine, but I definitely had to move the axle forward to get the holes to line up. And the axle was on jackstands and the front wheels chocked, so no way could the axle move backwards or the car move forward during the few seconds the stock LCA was off. I can't be sure it was shorter without taking it off and comparing it side by side, but it sure seemed that way at the time.
When I put on the Steeda's one day, I'll take pics and post them up.
I didn't measure mine, but I definitely had to move the axle forward to get the holes to line up. And the axle was on jackstands and the front wheels chocked, so no way could the axle move backwards or the car move forward during the few seconds the stock LCA was off. I can't be sure it was shorter without taking it off and comparing it side by side, but it sure seemed that way at the time.
When I put on the Steeda's one day, I'll take pics and post them up.