Adjusting UCA's

JDwhite98gt · Nov 19, 2008

ok posted in the suspension thread but it seems that it takes a while to get a response there and I'm trying to do this today. Anyway, I installed adjustable UCA's last week. The car was on jackstands that supported the chassis and the rear was hanging freely. I measured the bolt holes of the stock arm and adjusted the UCA's to that length. When I went to install them they were too short or the rearend was too far towards the rear or the car so I had to lengthen the arms accordingly and I'm sure they are not even the same length now. So, how do I adjust them while on the car? Does the rear have to hang freely or can I back up onto my ramps and do this? Can the rear have the load of the weight of the car while I adjust? I'm just going to measure the stockers again and see if I can adjust them while they are on the car and see if I can get them the right length.

GDTrumbo · Nov 20, 2008

OK. First, The car should be jacked up by the diff. housing and jack stands placed under the axle. So the axle is level but is not hanging free.
Adjust the new UCA's to stock length and change out the UCA's one at a time.

If you removed both UCA's at the same time, the axle was free to droop too far and probably did rock back toward the fuel tank. Hence the incorrect fit. Did the axle shift when the UCA's were removed?? To re-establish the stock pinion angle you'll have to:

1. Lift the car as stated before.
2. Remove both aftermarket UCA's and re-adjust back to stock length.
3. Get help to wrestle the axle back into position to install the UCA's back in at that length. That would be very difficult with the axle at full droop.

I'm preparing to do this to mine Friday but with Ford FFRP UCA's as Maximum Motorsports recommends for road course type suspension.

Good Luck,

GT

JDwhite98gt · Nov 20, 2008

Thanks. I actually called my mechanic who owns a mustang only shop and he said that the ramps will be fine. I backed up on those and of course did one at a time. The arms were only about an 1/8 of inch too long but I adjusted them to stock length and they went in smooth as butter. I hate them though...the spherical bushings on the chassis side make so much noise and every bump or imperfection in the road translates to a chattering sound. When I get the finances settled I'm going with all MM uppers and lowers and all poly bushings for sure.

GDTrumbo · Nov 20, 2008

MM does not have there own upper control arms.... They sell the FFRP uppers as they are the only ones they have found that provide the axle
articulation they are looking for for road racing. Any other UCA's are primarily for drag racing.

Be forewarned, the LCA's from MM are gonna add some axle noise as does the Panhard Rod Kit. I installed both myself and I tell ya what, the cars high speed stability and handling is greatly improved. Tracks like it's on rails. I haven't even got to the CC plates or the springs yet.

Go to Maximum Motorsports website and do some reading. Lots of info on each and every product they sell. You might even want to go to some improved FFRP UCA's as I did. I bought mine from StangSuspension for $69/set.

GT