Why can't you just purchase stiffer bushings for the factory control arms? Seems to me a metal bar is a metal bar- isn't the bushing the thing that most influences the performance of a control arm (and then the mounting point)- right?

Just seems like someone would offer an upgraded bushing kit for the factory arms (unless they aren't replaceable- which is just a case of stupid design).

 

The stock LCA's are not very strong and do have some flex to them. If you changed the bushings and boxed the arms in then you might have something. I can say that I have seen replacement bushings but I am sure they are out there.

 

On Ford Racing Web Page you can by upgraded lower control arms for really cheap. By the time you buy bushings and played around with installing them it is likely cheaper in the long run to ditch the original ones.

 

That was my guess.

Like so many things in our lives today, it's cheaper to just replace than to rework/repair what we already have.

 

Ford and Whiteline sell bushings for the A Arms. If you are talking about the rear LCA's then you might as well just get something from Steeda, Whiteline, or BMR since you will sell some weight and get rid of the giant bone looking arms.

 

I actually have SR Performance LCAs on the way to me (arrive Friday- gotta love AmericanMuscle). Its just while I was installing my springs last weekend I was looking at the rear suspension and thinking "If you just made the bushings better/stiffer, that would probably be all it would take..."

The Coyote is just a fabulous engine, the Brembos are a nice braking set up, and I'm told the Torsen 3.73 is a great rear- but it seems from the flywheel to the rear axle Ford just kinda mailed it in.

Once I cure the wheel hop, I want to fix the shifter. Then the car should be pretty drive-able for now.

 

Here is a good article that we did that will provide you with some good information on the control arms ... along with this video:

http://www.steeda.com/blog/2012/01/t...-control-arms/


http://www.steeda.com/store/steeda-m...arms-555-4405/



Let me know if I can help you with a set.

Best Regards,

TJ

 

I installed a pair of J&M lower control arms and paid $100 dollars for them. Its just easier and more cost effective to purchase better quality LCA's from aftermarket and ditch the factory set.

 

@Steeda... thanks for the article and vid- very educational.

The SR Performance LCAs I have on the way were <$100, so they'll be an inexpensive experiment to see if they reduce wheel hop. If they come apart, I'll know to try stepping up to a more premium priced product.

 

I really like BMR, they're bushings are great and they last.

The stock LCA's are stamped steel that has quite a bit of flex on launch and over bumps but it makes for low NVH.

 

I installed my J&M LCA's a few months ago and they took care of my wheel hop issue. Real happy I got them! I'm sure you will be pleased with your LCA's

 

If you've ever tried to get elastomer-bonded bushings out to replace them with something, you'd not even ask this Q.

The rear LCA bushing sleeves are designed around an elastomer bonded bushing and don't have enough area to support a poly bushing.

People over-estimate the amount of flex here. The rear LCAs (particularly on the BBP, TP and Boss cars) are actually pretty heavy and sturdy. The axle motions are coming from the upper's huge voided bushing in the UCA.

You can drop some unsprung here replacing them and get some more consistent reaction from the rear by replacing these.

 

People over-estimate the amount of flex here. The rear LCAs (particularly on the BBP, TP and Boss cars) are actually pretty heavy and sturdy. The axle motions are coming from the upper's huge voided bushing in the UCA.

Yeah, I've read there is actually a gap in the bushing of the UCA. I notice that some of the solutions (e.g., the Roush anti-hop UCA) involves replacement of the mount and the arm, while others involve just the replacement of the arm (which would seem quite a bit easier to install, since I'm guessing you wouldn't need to remove the rear seats and tackle the megatron bolt under there).

Still others report just "rotating" the stock bushing to make it stiffer somehow.

From a novice perspective, it would seem making either the LCA or UCA should reduce hop (since either way you are controlling the amount of rotation the rear axle housing can generate.

 

I have the anti hop Roush kit and it's brilliant. No noise, easy install (even the big bolt, if you have a rattlegun), pretty close to full cure.

I don't see any way to rotate the bonded bushing in the factory arm. Not gonna happen.

Trust, lcas are a bandaid. The real bleeder lies up top.

 

I installed the LCAs this afternoon (but won't get to try them out till tomorrow- its pouring outside for the first time in, well- since last year).

It seems every time I work on one of the cars, I get a new tool that I don't know how I've done without... This time, I picked up a 1/2" drive breaker bar. This thing is DEFINITELY going to come in handy- should have gotten one long ago!

Pretty easy swap, although I was a bit surprised at how tight the bushings are width-wise at the front mounts. Once I decided it was "just gonna go in," it wasn't too bad- but man its a snug fit. 129 ft/lb is "pretty $#@& tight!" I'd never have gotten there with my big ratchet. I couldn't fit my digital torque gauge in for the front one, so I did the rear then torqued the fronts to the same feel. That stupid plastic guard at the front of the wheel well is a real pain!

Took a comparison pic. If this doesn't take care of the wheel hop, I'll probably order one of the upper arms and just replace the arm leaving the stock mounts. Spending some time looking at the rear axle, it seems to me if you delete movement at the top OR bottom it should resolve most of the unwanted axle rotation, but creating less movement at the LCAs should help more in corners (but I could definitely be wrong).

 

I've been following your install and big Thanks for your info. I'm kinda wondering myself on replacing my LCAs. I've decided to slowly add Whiteline parts. The big install is my Watts Link. I'm hoping with the watts, it might be enough to forgo UCAs and LCAs. But we'll see.

 

Had a chance to try the LCAs out (on the way down to purchase my daughter's first car- an '06 Mustang in Windveil Blue with Pony Package)...

90+% of the wheel hop is gone! The wheels spin now, but no more crazy hopping! Heck, I really got on it in 2nd and did a few fishtails- but no hopping. There were just a few intermittent squeaks on some small highway bumps, but for the most part its just as quiet as ever- just a lot firmer feeling. I am very happy, and can't believe a $99 part could make such a difference!

I also threw Roush chin and side spoilers on the car while I was at it, and took a pic of my '14 (with my daughter's '06) on the way back home (car was over 200 miles from our house- but well worth the drive... its in perfect condition).

Driving home next to that car, I have to say Ford really really nailed it when they introduced the S-197. The car just screams classic Mustang. Sad for me that they're going away from this styling- but hopefully the evolution will work the way Ford wants it...

 

I have a 2014 track pack car like yours but my lower control arms look different, beefier stronger?
If are cars are 2014 track pack cars why are the control arms different?
I just got my car on 3/14 when did you get yours?
Was the wheel hop there before you lowered it?
How much did you lower it?

 

I ordered mine April 2013 (the stock arm looks beefier from the side view, but from the top the metal part's only 1" or so wide). I'd like to see what yours look like- these look like two sheets of metal that have been pressed together.

When it arrived at the dealer in May, the wheel hop wasn't too bad (of course, I wasn't really getting on it the first few months). By September, I was getting on it and still no worries... Then it started getting colder. I don't know if its the Summer Only tires or just the temp in general, but the wheel hop became unbearable!

I lowered the rear about 1.25" on Ford Racing P Springs (left the front alone). The wheel hop was a bit better after installing the lower springs. With the control arms, its almost gone (I punched it getting on the on-ramp this morning, and the back end almost came around on me- this thing really gets up and goes now)!