front lower control arm options?

[poshatch]

so yeah my front end is clunking badly now, i noticed play in my drivers side ball joint when i got the car and drifting it just made it worse

i need to replace them and i would like to know what are some of the best options i can go for

i know i could just buy an oem replacement (i have energy suspension bushings i could put in as well)

or i read something about a zerk fitting for them so they are servicable, that an option?

or another route?

which would be most advantageous with the application being drifting and hard wear and tear on them

thanks

[numbnuts240]

http://splparts.com/main4/index.htm

you won't need anything more hardcore than that.

[poshatch]

http://splparts.com/main4/index.htm

you won't need anything more hardcore than that.

yeah spl is hardcore but i dont think i need that much hardcore

ill try to refine the question i guess

will the bushing and new ball joint combination be ok for the wear and tear of drifting

or should i get like some godspeed or spl or another brand...pros/cons?

[biggie]

That's true^.

Also can order cheaper adjustable ones. OEM ones with new balljoints and either OEM bushing or Whiteline.

Just getting new ball joints would be your cheapest option.

Since they were mentioned, ...

[r34 gtr]

If you are worried about longevity, you can just take your control arms to a welding shop and have them boxed. Its cheap, and will render them completely indestructible.

[poshatch]

That's true^.

Also can order cheaper adjustable ones. OEM ones with new balljoints and either OEM bushing or Whiteline.

Just getting new ball joints would be your cheapest option.

Since they were mentioned, ...

yeah well im just looking at price options right now

its about 100 bucks for the ball joints, and i already have the bushings

then its about 350 for godspeed front and rear lca's with pillow ball and some adjustability

or the spl fronts are like 640 or something

id rather have some adjustability though for camber and what not

how are yours working out for you?

If you are worried about longevity, you can just take your control arms to a welding shop and have them boxed. Its cheap, and will render them completely indestructible.

im not so much worried about destroying them (i have extra ones) as much as i am the ball joints going out again

i guess this may be a weird question but does anybody know if you need to keep pillow ball greased? as in servicing them from time to time?

[OM3GA]

Poly bushings and new balljoints will be able to handle it pretty well. The poly bushings shouldnt wear for a LOONG time and the ball joints are easy enough to replace but should hold up for a good amount of time too.

Make sure you also do your tension rod bushings!


Modified by OM3GA at 2:54 PM 3/24/2010

[OutToWinPAHC]

I got mine from my buddies work (OEM style, new for like 90 bucks for both) at his cost.

[poshatch]

Poly bushings and new balljoints will be able to handle it pretty well. The poly bushings shouldnt ware for a LOONG time and the ball joints are easy enough to replace but should hold up for a good amount of time too.

Make sure you also do your tension rod bushings!

hmmm maybe i should go the way of just replacing the ball joint...im just so tired of the popping

as for the rest of the suspension:

pillow ball: tension rods, rear upper, traction rod, toe rod

really the only thing left is lca's lol, since my rear sway is removed and the fronts have bushings their isnt much left

[poshatch]

I got mine from my buddies work (OEM style, new for like 90 bucks for both) at his cost.

the ball joints? seems right, i was just looking at the kragen pricing for them

[biggie]

how are yours working out for you?

I like them very much, I haven't got to really drive the car hard yet. In the next month hope to put them to the test.

[poshatch]

I like them very much, I haven't got to really drive the car hard yet. In the next month hope to put them to the test.

sweet, yeah like i have them inner spacers on my tie rods, well on once side cause my friend broke his outer and needed to borrow my other one

anyway

on full lock it hits the lca and im hoping to solve that with the new lca's and maybe i need a better alignment, gonna take it in soon

[Philipio]

Since they were mentioned, ...

You got SPL LCAs but cheaped out on tie rods? Weird.

I've been wondering what I need to do for LCAs lately. They're the only arms on my car that aren't aftermarket and I've heard a couple very loud clunks under hard braking. I'm thinking it's time to look into replacement.

I really want SPL but they're very pricey. On the other hand, I definitely don't trust Godspeed or anyone like that. New ball joints and bushings is an option too, I'm not sure how much of a benefit I would see from using SPL over going that route. Hmm, tough choice.

[poshatch]

You got SPL LCAs but cheaped out on tie rods? Weird.

I've been wondering what I need to do for LCAs lately. They're the only arms on my car that aren't aftermarket and I've heard a couple very loud clunks under hard braking. I'm thinking it's time to look into replacement.

I really want SPL but they're very pricey. On the other hand, I definitely don't trust Godspeed or anyone like that. New ball joints and bushings is an option too, I'm not sure how much of a benefit I would see from using SPL over going that route. Hmm, tough choice.

lol yea i want the spl ones as well but they are pretty pricy, i would to the route of ball joint and bushing but i want more control over camber and what not cause im maxed out right now on my top hats lol

i built my suspension off ebay and so far it hasnt let me down, im gonna try the godspeed ones and see how they go, worst comes to worse i could always go back to ball joint and bushing route

[poshatch]

follow up question...

is it safe to run the lower control arms even when they are popping

will they be safe to:

daily?

drift?

touge?

[Sleeper_RMS13]

Have you considered that the popping is the sway bar links? I changed mine's and the popping went away. But then again I only had half a bushing left when I bought it. Just a thought.

[WestTxSR20Tuner]

I wouldn't bother changing out the bushing on old control arms. The first bushing went out like butter. The second LCA got smashing into a pancake. However, I have to say either rout you take those new lower ball joints are going to make a world of difference.

[poshatch]

yeah well i figured it out!

checked my suspension this weekend, my ball joints are worn but not to the extreme case that i would feel the cluncks that i was feeling

turns out to be something as simple as my coilovers perch wasnt sandwitched between the collars



however, the ball joints are worn and i will be replacing them with something lol