Tall ball joints, A arms and spindle discussion-trying to find a good combo

[Silent viewer]

I am trying to order the last of my suspension parts to build my frame. I already have spohn arms for everything except the front uppers what I am trying to get ordered asap, I am using blazer spindles with C5 brakes installed. I am getting hung up on the upper arms and ball joint combo. My buddy had a monte SS with the SC&C AFX spindles, stock lower control arm and the SC&C upper arms and I can honestly say that, that car drove like it was riding on rails! But the spindles and upper arm combo alone is 2000 bucks. So to my understanding, and maybe I am incorrect. The AFX spindles shine because they have added 1.4” of height to them to correct geometry issues while lowering the car 7/8”. So from the research I have done I have found that you can order a .9” taller lower ball joint and the .5 upper is commonly used to help out these issues. If I am understanding this right, .9 lower ball joint is roughly the 7/8 that the AFX says to lower the car and then add the .5 upper and we get to the same or very similar place without buying the AFX spindles? If this theory is correct, the ball joint combo alone would be a drastic improvement on handling. The tall lower helps correct the bump steer and the combo of adding 1.4 total with ball joints helps correct the camber curve.



The second part I am confused about, both UMI and Spohn offer a upper control arm for standard spindle and tall spindles. By using taller ball joints, you are doing essentially the same thing as swapping to a tall spindle right? So do you need to use the upper arms for a tall spindle?

 

[fleming442]

That's the way I understand it- either AFX spindles OR the taller ball joints.......
The advantage of the SC&C arms is in the caster and camber adjustability.

 

[Silent viewer]

I just ran across this on SC&Cs sight. they are doing the ball joints reverse of what I stated above with .9 upper and .5 lower. I wonder if the SC&C arm is going to make that big of a difference or if it just makes it easier for a shop to adjust, they are not exactly pretty to me and do not match all of the red spohn parts I already have

http://scandc.com/new/node/47

 

[fleming442]

Also, keep in mind that the SC&C arms are flat, where most others drop down on the BJ end.....

 

[Silent viewer]

Also, keep in mind that the SC&C arms are flat, where most others drop down on the BJ end.....

I saw that, Any idea why? It reminds me of the way the cheap speedway arms look. If the only advantage of the SC&C arms is to get rid of the shims for alignment, I would rather stick with the spoons and add the tall ball joints.

 

[motorheadmike]

I just ran across this on SC&Cs sight. they are doing the ball joints reverse of what I stated above with .9 upper and .5 lower. I wonder if the SC&C arm is going to make that big of a difference or if it just makes it easier for a shop to adjust, they are not exactly pretty to me and do not match all of the red spohn parts I already have

http://scandc.com/new/node/47

$800 for a pair of upper A-arms?! Bahahahaha.

If the SC&C parts are the mecca of A-arms as they claim - why do you care what colour they are? Do you want performance or style.

Also, I am pretty convinced most folks are clueless with respect to what a well set-up and good handling G-body is actually like, nor have the experience driving one at the limit. Because trains don't handle well at all.

 

[fleming442]

Wasn't mc96 developing a set of uppers....?

 

[Silent viewer]

$800 for a pair of upper A-arms?! Bahahahaha.

If the SC&C parts are the mecca of A-arms as they claim - why do you care what colour they are? Do you want performance or style.

Also, I am pretty convinced most folks are clueless with respect to what a well set-up and good handling G-body is actually like, nor have the experience driving one at the limit. Because trains don't handle well at all.

That includes all of the ball joints. The arms themselves are around 400, about the same as the Spohns. Allot of folks would probably be shocked that there is more money in my frame than most pay for their cars lol. I am building this car to handle, not drag race.

 

[81cutlass]

So here is the question.

I thought UMI or similar were using the LOWER arm to add caster? Is there a benefit to adding caster using the upper rather than lower? I guess you can put extra camber in with an upper arm?

 

[Macguyver]

I would check out our Pro Series Stage 2 front setup. This is what you are looking for.



https://southsidemachineperformance.com/t/gm-g-body-1978-1988