Best Drag Racing Lower Control Arms?

NOTCH306 · 12-20-2005, 04:01 PM

What are the best lower control arms for drag racing?
Brian

Jeff Chambers · 12-20-2005, 09:41 PM

Personally I like the UPR Pro-Series double adjustables. I've got their entire Pro-Series rear suspension (front too for that matter) and my car has sixty-footed a best of 1.35 on the M/T 26x10.5 tires.

Capri306 · 12-22-2005, 03:53 PM

Hey Jeff, not to threadjack but for clarification, but do those UPRs have Hiem joints with opposing thread directions on either end? Think it'd be cheaper to fab some?

NOTCH306 · 12-22-2005, 08:31 PM

What kind of rear springs are you running Jeff? I got a set of drag launch springs and i didn't like them at all I actually took them out.

Jeff Chambers · 12-23-2005, 08:19 AM

The UPR lowers just have heims at the front (body side) point. The rear (axle side) is a solid aluminum bushing. The uppers are double adjustable with left & right threads so there's no need to take the control arms down to adjust them. The anti-roll bar links also have left/right threads for on-the-car adjustment.

I'm running a four-cylinder spring in the rear with about 1-1/2 coils chopped off. I've got 10-way AVO shocks on the rear too.

fiveohpatrol · 12-23-2005, 04:54 PM

I've got Metco's on mine, and has 60 ft'd 1.46 the only time out on them, looking for some low 1.4's with adjustable shocks/struts next season. The UPR stuff is nice too though, and the complete kit is a pretty good price.

NOTCH306 · 12-25-2005, 05:57 PM

On the double adjustable control arms i'm assuming that you start off adjusting them to the length of the factory controls, but where do you go from there?
Brian

Jeff Chambers · 12-25-2005, 07:46 PM

Ideally, you want to adjust the pinion angle so that its completely nuetral under launch/squat. The pinion rotates upward under acceleration. The more soft points in the suspension, the more negative you set the initial pinion angle so as to wind up neutral under launch.

fiveohpatrol · 12-25-2005, 10:27 PM

to add to what jeff mentioned, typically you set the unloaded pinion angle to about 3-4 degrees down for rubber bushings, 2-3 for urethane, and 1-2 for solid/spherical bushings.

12-20-2005, 04:01 PM	#1
NOTCH306 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: York, PA Posts: 46	Best Drag Racing Lower Control Arms? What are the best lower control arms for drag racing? Brian __________________ 1990 Notch, 306, T-56 trans, 3:73 gears, zex 100 shot, gt-40,z-303 cam, roush 200 heads, powerdyne on the way

12-20-2005, 09:41 PM	#2
Jeff Chambers Moderator Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Milan, OH Posts: 2,699	Re: Best Drag Racing Lower Control Arms? Personally I like the UPR Pro-Series double adjustables. I've got their entire Pro-Series rear suspension (front too for that matter) and my car has sixty-footed a best of 1.35 on the M/T 26x10.5 tires. __________________ Jeff Chambers 1990 Mustang GT 10.032 Seconds / 137.5 MPH 14-time Street Warrior World Record Setter CRT Performance 2001 Tropic Green Mustang GT - 12.181 / 113.2 MPH 2002 Ford F-250 Crew Cab 7.3l Power Stroke - 17.41@77.2 "There's nothing boring about a small block automatic shifting gears at 9400 rpm!"

12-22-2005, 03:53 PM	#3
Capri306 Moderator Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA Posts: 1,001	Re: Best Drag Racing Lower Control Arms? Hey Jeff, not to threadjack but for clarification, but do those UPRs have Hiem joints with opposing thread directions on either end? Think it'd be cheaper to fab some? __________________ Capri306, Moderator The Mustang Works Online 1979 Mercury Capri 1987 5.0L Mustang LX Notchback 1993 5.8L Eddie Bauer Bronco

12-22-2005, 08:31 PM	#4
NOTCH306 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: York, PA Posts: 46	Re: Best Drag Racing Lower Control Arms? What kind of rear springs are you running Jeff? I got a set of drag launch springs and i didn't like them at all I actually took them out. __________________ 1990 Notch, 306, T-56 trans, 3:73 gears, zex 100 shot, gt-40,z-303 cam, roush 200 heads, powerdyne on the way

12-23-2005, 08:19 AM	#5
Jeff Chambers Moderator Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Milan, OH Posts: 2,699	Re: Best Drag Racing Lower Control Arms? The UPR lowers just have heims at the front (body side) point. The rear (axle side) is a solid aluminum bushing. The uppers are double adjustable with left & right threads so there's no need to take the control arms down to adjust them. The anti-roll bar links also have left/right threads for on-the-car adjustment. I'm running a four-cylinder spring in the rear with about 1-1/2 coils chopped off. I've got 10-way AVO shocks on the rear too. __________________ Jeff Chambers 1990 Mustang GT 10.032 Seconds / 137.5 MPH 14-time Street Warrior World Record Setter CRT Performance 2001 Tropic Green Mustang GT - 12.181 / 113.2 MPH 2002 Ford F-250 Crew Cab 7.3l Power Stroke - 17.41@77.2 "There's nothing boring about a small block automatic shifting gears at 9400 rpm!"

12-23-2005, 04:54 PM	#6
fiveohpatrol I'd rather be basketweaving Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,551	Re: Best Drag Racing Lower Control Arms? I've got Metco's on mine, and has 60 ft'd 1.46 the only time out on them, looking for some low 1.4's with adjustable shocks/struts next season. The UPR stuff is nice too though, and the complete kit is a pretty good price. __________________ NMRA O/C 9516 NA pumpgas stickshift 347 10.65@125.6, 6.73@100, 1.41 60ft

12-25-2005, 05:57 PM	#7
NOTCH306 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: York, PA Posts: 46	Re: Best Drag Racing Lower Control Arms? On the double adjustable control arms i'm assuming that you start off adjusting them to the length of the factory controls, but where do you go from there? Brian __________________ 1990 Notch, 306, T-56 trans, 3:73 gears, zex 100 shot, gt-40,z-303 cam, roush 200 heads, powerdyne on the way

12-25-2005, 07:46 PM	#8
Jeff Chambers Moderator Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Milan, OH Posts: 2,699	Re: Best Drag Racing Lower Control Arms? Ideally, you want to adjust the pinion angle so that its completely nuetral under launch/squat. The pinion rotates upward under acceleration. The more soft points in the suspension, the more negative you set the initial pinion angle so as to wind up neutral under launch. __________________ Jeff Chambers 1990 Mustang GT 10.032 Seconds / 137.5 MPH 14-time Street Warrior World Record Setter CRT Performance 2001 Tropic Green Mustang GT - 12.181 / 113.2 MPH 2002 Ford F-250 Crew Cab 7.3l Power Stroke - 17.41@77.2 "There's nothing boring about a small block automatic shifting gears at 9400 rpm!"

12-25-2005, 10:27 PM	#9
fiveohpatrol I'd rather be basketweaving Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,551	Re: Best Drag Racing Lower Control Arms? to add to what jeff mentioned, typically you set the unloaded pinion angle to about 3-4 degrees down for rubber bushings, 2-3 for urethane, and 1-2 for solid/spherical bushings. __________________ NMRA O/C 9516 NA pumpgas stickshift 347 10.65@125.6, 6.73@100, 1.41 60ft

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