MM lower control arms

[97stanger]

i honestly think the only true test to say one company is "better" than the other is to take the same car, put all "X" suspension parts on it and run it at the track. Now use the same driver, and swap in "Y" suspension parts. This way, the testing will be done on the same car, with the same mods, with the same driver.

Until that happens... Steeda = MM = UPR in my eyes. end of story

 

[GDTrumbo]

Well, since you all are still wearing this subject out, I thought I would let you in on this. As I still have a small amount of creaking going on from my right upper control arm, I called my Ford parts guy yesterday about buying a pair of the factory UCA's. As of 5/08 the Ford OEM replacements for the '98 and previous years are DISCONTINUED. :tickedoff: So now the closest thing available is the FRPP pieces. I have also seen a version w/ reinforcement plates welded to them.($65 + ship)

I read on the MM website that these FRPP arm's bushings are stiffer than the '79 t0 '93 bushings but are found to be no stiffer than the '94 to '98 parts. So here's my question. Do all the FRPP parts have the arm "boxed in" to reinforce it? Or are there 2 different part numbers.

Another question. Could the OEM arms be removed and the "teeth" ground off of the ends of the bushing sleeves to reduce some of the creaking? This would let the sleeves freely rotate with the bushing.

Anyone have any experience with this or is this just a bad idea and a waste of time?? GT

 

[Dalamar]

this is a well worn subject, but MM does engineer and test all the stuff they build. I respect that.

on the uppers, if they're discontinuing the stockers, the FFRP's are the only realy choice.
i havn't heard seen anyone grind off the tabs, why not try them and see if it still squeaks.

I have read of other parts creaking, like the shock mount on the driver side is prone to creaking on these cars.

other than that, have you thought of adding a panhard rod?
with good LCA's and a panhard, your axle will stay nice and centered.

 

[GDTrumbo]

this is a well worn subject, but MM does engineer and test all the stuff they build. I respect that.

on the uppers, if they're discontinuing the stockers, the FFRP's are the only realy choice.
i havn't heard seen anyone grind off the tabs, why not try them and see if it still squeaks.

I have read of other parts creaking, like the shock mount on the driver side is prone to creaking on these cars.

other than that, have you thought of adding a panhard rod?
with good LCA's and a panhard, your axle will stay nice and centered.

Oh! I have the MM Panhard Rod Kit. It was my first suspension add-on.(11 hrs. work by myself) I disliked the fact there was never one factory installed from '79 on. The ass end doesn't follow the front very well without one.

I had a creaking from the chassis mount of the right factory LCA that I could readily feel in the joint when jounced. So later, I purchased the MM LCA set and installed them. The rear feels even better now.

But I still have a light creaking from the right rear during frame twists like backing out of a driveway. Sounds like it's right behind the RR seat. Must have had more than 1 joint creaking at the same time.

The upper factory shock bushings were enhanced w/ the addition of an extra rubber ring as they were starting to dry out but the factory shocks are nowhere near worn out. I lubed them with a little lithium grease for good measure. So I don't think it's them creaking.
But I will check them again.

So that's what's led me to the idea of grinding of the "teeth" of the bushing sleeves. I removed the left upper arm last Friday. The bushings and the hardware look good/free of corrosion. Figured there was something going on between the bushing rubber and the sleeve or the outer steel ring of the bushing. Who knows. Then I found I couldn't get the factory UCA's from Ford like MM recommends. :dunno: I'm certainly not buying the UCA's with poly bushings.

GT

 

[g_dogg]

stupid question:
when you install the LCA's and adjust the ride height,
do you need to align the car?
don't think so but just making sure ( new tires)

 

[Dalamar]

Oh! I have the MM Panhard Rod Kit. It was my first suspension add-on.(11 hrs. work by myself) I disliked the fact there was never one factory installed from '79 on.

sounds like you've got a good start!! it is a pretty involved install, but I sure loved how it looked all done. Piece of cake to adjust and wow it keep the rear axle in place.

The ass end doesn't follow the front very well without one.

I can second that!!

But I still have a light creaking from the right rear during frame twists like backing out of a driveway. Sounds like it's right behind the RR seat.

it sounds like the shock tower I was thinking about.
Check out this thread:
http://forums.corral.net/forums/showthread.php?t=443264

 

[Dalamar]

stupid question:
when you install the LCA's and adjust the ride height,
do you need to align the car?
don't think so but just making sure ( new tires)

LCA"s and lowering the rear, no

lowering the front - Yes.

 

[Pennywise2]

xploder17s, what you need to understand is that everything MM makes is like Gold..... Its obviously superior to every other brand LCA.

MM Copys nobody....they do all the hard work and research to make there products. Other company dont wanna spend alot of money on R&D so they rip off MM because they know theye did all the R&D and have the best design.

^ Like it or not but this is the dead truth.

 

[Venom351R]

I decided to get these, just need to find someone that can weld them in.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=CEE-8015&FROM=MG


Also can you run a panhard bar w/ a regular exhaust set up or do you need to run dumps?

 

[GDTrumbo]

stupid question:
when you install the LCA's and adjust the ride height,
do you need to align the car?
don't think so but just making sure ( new tires)

The version I bought are non-adjustable so, No

I decided to get these, just need to find someone that can weld them in.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=CEE-8015&FROM=MG


Also can you run a panhard bar w/ a regular exhaust set up or do you need to run dumps?

Yes, It is designed to fit w/ the factory pipes and most aftermarket aluminum rear end covers. The aftermarket "Cat-Backs" sometimes are a problem if the pipes don't follow the exact routing of the factory pipes.

 

[GDTrumbo]

it sounds like the shock tower I was thinking about.
Check out this thread:
http://forums.corral.net/forums/showthread.php?t=443264



[/quote]

Well, not actually the tower itself but never would have thought to look there.

Thanks for the thread! I'll remove the trunk side panels for a time and see what I can do.

Ya gotta love mass production hick-ups! Thanks again. GT

 

[GDTrumbo]

Well, removed trunk panels & such, shock mounts are tight. Folded the seats down and the
welds at each end of the package tray / speaker mount panel look real good. Had 1 small spot that I
pried the sheet metal apart on the right side. After driving it, the creaking seems to be comming
from beneath the floor on the right side.

The agravating thing is I can't just re-create the sound just bouncing the car. I seem to
have to be driving it. May have to hire a gremlin to hang out while driving. It sounds too close to the
rear floor to be something as stupid as the Quad shocks. So that's really of out of the picture.

So I'm kinda back to the factory UCA's. Probably going to loosen the UCA mounting bolts just
enough to release the bushing sleeves' "teeth" and try it to see if that can be taken out-of-play.

GT

 

[Dalamar]

Good luck on your quest! I hate squeaks as well :wall:

 

[steedastang]

My BOI (same manufacturer as Granatellis) were crap, thats where I base my opinion.

I've heard the same from a few people, I remember when the issue came up a few year's ago, i ran out and checked mine lol.

At any rate, not just Grannatelli (I don't think they make a true quality product anyway), there are other manufacturer's, like Steeda, Saleen, UPR, who are perfectly capable of making a qaulity LCA for a stang is all.

MM>all, is a load, and I think that was the guy's point. Unless you've torture tested everyone, you really can't say that, and some people don't seem to realize that their unfounded opinion, causes others to go out and spend their hard earned cash. Perhaps on junk, perhaps too much needlessly, but nevertheless, alot of member's need to think about what they really know, what they've heard, and what they've made up entirely.

I mean if someone made a contral arm out of titanium, with adjustable brackets for the instant center, adjust spring perches, adjustable for length, with your choice of rubber bushing, poly, delrin, heim, or Johnny Joint's, and charged 1800 for the pair, should you buy it because it's the best? It would be massive overkill for anyone not running the AIX series, or pretending they were on unsuspecting housing developments....

not to say Grannetelli is a superior suspension manufacturer but i have yet to see any evidence of a failure. In fact in the past i even saw a thread devoted to their failure with pictures, and comment out the wazzoo. It was pages long with people who experienced multiple failures. The best part was when Grannetelli responed on the thread; supplied pictures of his product, and proved the arms in the pictures were not even his product. It seems as though everyone believes everything they read online without getting their facts straight. No need to dog a product when you have zero first hand experience. I actually did a ton of research into these arms and found all the opinions were crap so i bought a set of them. They have been great! They cleaned the rear up very well. At the time i was in college and on a very tight budget. Funny thing is now that i make decent money i have zero plans to change them........

adios

 

[Jrgunn5150]

MM Copys nobody....they do all the hard work and research to make there products. Other company dont wanna spend alot of money on R&D so they rip off MM because they know theye did all the R&D and have the best design.

There's no R&D and research involved in what they make, every aspect of their control arms were available before they came around. But put your head in the dirt, beleive the machine, hope your check clears

 

[Venom351R]

I bought the Torque box reinforcement plates and they will be here tomorrow. No idea when I'll have them put in though. I have a friend w/ a welder and he said he could do it hes just busy a lot and the only time he could is on a weekend and im off every other weekend. They are fairly cheap and good insurance over all

 

[GDTrumbo]

AHHH! Found the creaking culprit! Feel like an idiot but, I found it. It was the right frame mount

for the Panhard Rod Kit I installed back in Jan. Vertical movement was just enough to make it creak.

Drilled a precise size hole through the bracket, the spacers and the frame. Threaded all the way through

and installed an OEM chassis bolt. Really don't want to weld this rod kit in place to the frame if I don't

have to. Might need it out of the way for some reason later.

So I got my tight, quiet car back. Thought some of you might want to know what I found. I went stupid.

DEE DEE DEE!

Now for the next mod.... GT

 

[Venom351R]

Glad you figured it out, mysterious squeaks are a PITA. I got my TQ Box reinforcement plates welded in last weekend. Feel much better about running slicks now since I plan to at some point in the future.

 

[Dalamar]

Congrads!!!

Die squeaks! DIE FURTHER!!!

AHHH! Found the creaking culprit! Feel like an idiot but, I found it. It was the right frame mount

for the Panhard Rod Kit I installed back in Jan. Vertical movement was just enough to make it creak.

Drilled a precise size hole through the bracket, the spacers and the frame. Threaded all the way through

and installed an OEM chassis bolt. Really don't want to weld this rod kit in place to the frame if I don't

have to. Might need it out of the way for some reason later.

So I got my tight, quiet car back. Thought some of you might want to know what I found. I went stupid.

DEE DEE DEE!

Now for the next mod.... GT

 

[MustangMan00]

What does everyone think of MAC? i picked these up for $50 at mustang week, They were off of a wrecked 97 gt. i ordered new bushings for $56 should be here tomorrow. They look real solid and if the car was wrecked and their still fine i think that says somethin right?

heres a pic

-Pat