Factory vs. Aftermarket, upper control arms

[RITTER]

So, the rear end that I pulled from the '78 El Camino has nice rectangle aftermarket lower control arms with a sway bar. Someone also boxed the upper control arms ... Should I just use the factory upper control arms, that have been boxed in, or is it worth it to get an aftermarket tubular arm :?:
The Regal is a primary street car, with maybe 1-2 trips to the local 1/8 mile drag strip a year. I am planning on replacing all the suspension bushings with the Energy Suspension Hyper-Flex System polyurethane bushings. I also planned on getting the tubular braces that tie the rear control arms together. A larger front sway bar is in the plans along with the jounce bars I pulled off the El Camino as well.

Other frame modifications include ... removing the center C-channel sections and replacing the sides with rectangular tubing and adding some cross bracing and a redesigned transmission crossmember 8)

 

[pontiacgp]

The upper control arms should never be boxed unless one end has a spherical bearing or a Roto joint. The stock uppers are fabricated to twist when in a binding position. With them boxed it puts extra strain on the bolts and will end up tearing the upper control arm at the ears on the rear end. I have UMI uppers on mine with the Roto joint and they work great.

 

[RITTER]

Those are actually the ones I was looking at :idea:

So whoever boxed these should have never done it, huh :?:

 

[84cutspreme]

Agreed, only lower control arms can be boxed. I have a spherical type joint on my uppers, and they are double adjustable type. I have to say I went to poly bushings on lowers and the spherical on top and would never go back...also I highly recommend the control arm mount braces as well that connect upper control arm mount to lower control arm mount.

 

[pontiacgp]

Those are actually the ones I was looking at :idea:

So whoever boxed these should have never done it, huh :?:

I have seen uppers that were boxed. The hole on the upper for the 1/2" bolt at the ears was elongated to 3/4"