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  • Lower Control Arms / Panhard Rod

    For a street/daily driver there is nothing wrong with the factory parts. Just need to replace the bushings with something stiffer - like ES poly bushings.

    The statement "they flex and this is bad" is :bs: These parts need to flex and twist for the suspension to work properly - or you have suspension binding.


    These guys understand the F-body rear suspension.

    Global West make several versions of LCA using various types of bushings, and explain where each product works best - street, road racing, or drag.

    http://www.globalwest.net/1982-02_Ca...ntrol_arms.htm

    http://www.globalwest.net/1982-02_Ca...nhard_rods.htm


    J&M makes these:

    http://www.hotpart.com/shop/index.ph...ct_detail&p=42


    From the J&M site:

    The control arm bushings found in the F-Body automobiles can have a significant impact on the vehicle’s ride, comfort, handling, acceleration, noise and vibration. When the car leans (i.e., rolls) in a turn, one side of the chassis moves upward relative to the rear axle, the other side moves downward, and the control arms must twist to allow for the axle to articulate. This causes the control arm bushings to bind. If this bind becomes excessive, it will raise the rear wheel rate and produce sudden, uncontrolled, undesirable changes in handling (e.g., snap oversteer).

    Chevrolet minimizes this suspension bind by using compliant rubber bushings in both lower control arms. These relatively "soft" bushings help accommodate the necessary motion of the control arms during body roll. However, the rubber bushings do not provide much in the way of forward and aft support, which can cause wheel hop during hard acceleration and braking.

    It has become common practice to replace the stock rubber control arm bushings with solid or two piece polyurethane bushings to resolve the shortcomings of the soft rubber bushings. Hard polyurethane bushings eliminate wheel hop, reduce axle deflection, and improve rear straight line grip. However, the downside of common aftermarket bushings such as delrin, steel, stiffer rubber, solid or two piece polyurethane bushings is they prevent the necessary movement of the control arms during body roll, which in turn produces significant binding in the suspension when the vehicle is cornering. The polyurethane bushings also place unnecessary high stresses on the torque boxes, which are the attachment points for the control arms to the chassis. Standard aftermarket control arms do not allow for rotation of the control arm during cornering because of the stiffness of the bushings.

    .
    Last edited by FirebirdGT; 07-03-2010, 08:12 PM.
    Robert - owner www.FirebirdV6.com "Mid-life crisis? I'm way beyond that!"

    1996 Black Firebird GTxxxRam Air V6 w/ M5xxxwww.FirebirdGT.com

    Raven

  • #2
    Re: Lower Control Arms / Panhard Rod

    For cars with stock or near stock rear suspension travel, as "Firebird GT" says, the arms must rotate as they move up and down.

    For street, Global West's "Quiet Ride" rear arms are the way to go. They used a spherical bearing in one end and a Moog rubber bushing in the other.

    For racing, Global's arms with spherical bearings in both ends are the best bet.

    Urethane sucks in the rear because it binds the suspension.

    On the THRS project car (see http://www.camarohomepage.com/project/index.htm) we use Global West Quiet Ride rear arms and a Global West adjustable track bar.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Lower Control Arms / Panhard Rod

      I disagree about poly bushings , my whole car has poly and even a rod end on the front A-arm and it does fine no noise, just have to grease the poly's twice a year and the rod end put grease in it.
      08' L76 6.0L 4X4 Chevy EXT.Cab LTZ Vortec MAX with Snug top cover, Dynomax exhaust,Hptuners& K&N intake
      96' Camaro M5 to A4 conversion, alot of mods . GT35R Turbo full suspension. Built engine

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Lower Control Arms / Panhard Rod

        Does the phb have to have rubber bushings too?
        1997 Chevrolet Camaro
        L26, Pacesetter headers, SLP cai, Centerforce DF clutch, Pro 5.0 shifter, UMI short stick, 1le driveline, J&M 35mm front swaybar, UMI lca's/phb/sfc's, KYB AGX shocks, Hotchkis stb.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Lower Control Arms / Panhard Rod

          Originally posted by espey_16 View Post
          Does the phb have to have rubber bushings too?

          Mines a BMR chromoly adj. with poly ends and works fine, been on there for almost 10 years.
          08' L76 6.0L 4X4 Chevy EXT.Cab LTZ Vortec MAX with Snug top cover, Dynomax exhaust,Hptuners& K&N intake
          96' Camaro M5 to A4 conversion, alot of mods . GT35R Turbo full suspension. Built engine

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Lower Control Arms / Panhard Rod

            Originally posted by ssms5411 View Post
            I disagree about poly bushings , my whole car has poly and even a rod end on the front A-arm and it does fine no noise, just have to grease the poly's twice a year and the rod end put grease in it.
            My comments did not discuss noise.

            What I said was using polyurethane bushings in the rear suspension will cause the suspension to bind as the car rolls. This is because the rear suspension geometry on the 3G and 4G F-cars rotates the rear arms as well as moving them up and down. If you use urethane, you greatly restrict that rotation, thus, then the suspension moves, it can only move a small amount then it binds. That degrades handing and, also, makes the car unpredictable at the limit.

            The companies who sell urethane bushings for the rear arms in 3/4G F-cars are doing us a disservice.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Lower Control Arms / Panhard Rod

              I still have no problems with poly in the rear , when I went with the BMR ones they helped greatly with wheel hop, felt no binding, again these are the greasable type which I grease twice a year, also have relocation brackets also.
              08' L76 6.0L 4X4 Chevy EXT.Cab LTZ Vortec MAX with Snug top cover, Dynomax exhaust,Hptuners& K&N intake
              96' Camaro M5 to A4 conversion, alot of mods . GT35R Turbo full suspension. Built engine

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Lower Control Arms / Panhard Rod

                +1 for Moog rubber bushings in the stock rear control arms. Just as strong, lighter than most aftermarket tubular or boxed arms, and allows for articulation at the bushing like it should, instead of binding and stressing the suspension components.
                '99 Camaro
                '04 Saab 9-3 Aero
                '90 Audi Coupe Quattro

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Lower Control Arms / Panhard Rod

                  Originally posted by pace2006 View Post
                  +1 for Moog rubber bushings in the stock rear control arms. Just as strong, lighter than most aftermarket tubular or boxed arms, and allows for articulation at the bushing like it should, instead of binding and stressing the suspension components.
                  thats what I did. Moog bushings, stock LCAs, and LCA relocation brackets. No wheel hop

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Lower Control Arms / Panhard Rod

                    You can easily demonstrate the problem with poly in the rear arms.

                    Get the car up on stands. Find some supports (blocks, bottle jacks, 2nd set of jackstands or whatever) just tall enough to touch the bottoms of the discs. Support the rear axle with a floor jack. Remove the shocks, drop the axle and remove the springs. Lift the axle and set it on the two supports.

                    Get a buddy on one end of the axle and you on the other. Now alternately lift one end of the axle to simulate suspension movement. As you near the ends of travel, you'll feel a lot of resistance. That's the poly starting to bind the suspension.

                    As I've said before, don't use polyurethane in the rear arms of 3rd or 4th gen F-cars. Use either the stock rubber--Moog is best--or spherical bearings, or, like the Global West "Quiet Ride" tubular rear arms, a mix of Moog and spherical bearings. Those arms MUST be able to rotate and poly resists that. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either BS'ing you or doesn't understand how the rear suspension on our cars works.

                    Also, on aftermarket track bars, Global West has just upgraded the design of its Track Bar kit. Now, not only is the bar itself adjustable for length, but new bracketry is available which allows the bar to be adjustable for height. The height adjustment, can set the car's traction off the line or off corners to suit the car's torque output, traction and road surface. I just put one on my '01 and holy crap, that car seriously bites off the turns. Want more info: See Global's web site at www.globalwest.net
                    Last edited by Hib Halverson; 05-12-2011, 07:44 PM. Reason: added content

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Lower Control Arms / Panhard Rod

                      I am a fan of the new UMI Performance Roto-Joint
                      2002 5-spd NBM Camaro
                      Details: www.1lev6.com

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Rear Lower Control Arms / Panhard Rod kit from BMR Performance.

                        I was wondering if anyone has used the new relocation kit from BMR Performance. It is used for keeping the rear more firm to the ground. It was mentioned in both Chevy High Performance and Super Chevy earlier this year. The kit is around $400. Wondering if it is worth it or not. Thanks.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Rear Lower Control Arms / Panhard Rod kit from BMR Performance.

                          Originally posted by SteveGB21 View Post
                          I was wondering if anyone has used the new relocation kit from BMR Performance. It is used for keeping the rear more firm to the ground. It was mentioned in both Chevy High Performance and Super Chevy earlier this year. The kit is around $400. Wondering if it is worth it or not. Thanks.

                          A kit for relocation of WHAT?.

                          BTW - they are "BMR Suspension" not "BMR Performance". If you really want performance - buy from Hotchkis.

                          .
                          Last edited by FirebirdGT; 07-08-2012, 06:53 PM.
                          Robert - owner www.FirebirdV6.com "Mid-life crisis? I'm way beyond that!"

                          1996 Black Firebird GTxxxRam Air V6 w/ M5xxxwww.FirebirdGT.com

                          Raven

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            This kit.

                            Firebird GT,

                            Here is the link. Both Chevy High Performance and Super Chevy had it in their feature products. Just that I am looking into some suspension upgrades that I can help with wheel hop, especially on wet street days.

                            http://www.bmrsuspension.com/?page=p...d=58&catid=170

                            I appreciate your input on this. Thank you. :banana:

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Lower Control Arms / Panhard Rod

                              I never get wheel hop on wet street days, just lots of oppo.

                              Comment

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