Control arms on a budget?
- Thread starter pissedoff92
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Sorry, you made your own bed. Now you have to lay in it.
Now, now, gentleman... I say PLENTY of dumb chit to go around.
*sigh* I agree with everything you've said. That still doesn't change the fact that if I have plans in my head to one day have 500 RWHP, it is nice to not have to worry about changing out suspension pieces because I went big in the first place.
Don't we all???
I often wonder what the ratio of having big plans and actually following through with them are in most cases though. I can't count the number of times I've heard the lofty goals, of big dreamers stated publicly, only to have them fizzle out. Mainly because of finances, but anything from loss of interest, to life itself often gets in our way.
I'll never again sink the kind of time, money or effort into a vehicle that I did my last one. All of it invested for nothing in the end. Sure I got some enjoyment out of it....but by the time I got it just the way I wanted it, I'd lost interest and ended up losing my shirt when i finally sold it..
Don't we all???
I often wonder what the ratio of having big plans and actually following through with them are in most cases though.
That's half the fun though isn't it? To dream of making the car better over time. I forget the user name, but the guy had a Silver Saleen new edge mustang with a procharger and 750+ RWHP. He said he finally had everything done to the car he ever wanted and lost interest. IIRC he now drives a blue 2012 GT.
It's probably safe to say that I may never have 500 RWHP, and frankly perhaps I wouldn't want it anyways. With a measely 240 rwhp, I still find my car rewarding and enjoyable to drive. I certainly don't see myself selling it anytime soon because I really do love almost everything about my car.
After reading through most of this thread, seems that many of you guys are worried just about how much power a part will hold. IMO that's only a small part of the equation.
Ride quality is important, ya, maybe not when you are 21 but as time goes on it gets more important. Screw heim joints and bearings, they suck on a street car, i don't care what some say what is tolerable, they are horrible, metal on metal isn't exactly timeless either.
Longevity is important too, the beautiful thing about the stock parts is that they last damn near forever. Pot holes, bumps, wheel hop take a toll on suspension parts, so it's not just the power that kills the suspension. So guys that have 250hp may not need to have arms that will put up with a wheel stand, but they damn well better put up with 10,000 miles a year.
Finding a happy medium of parts that handle power, ride good enough and last long is paramount.
My time in buying mediocre suspension stuff is over. Everything budget friendly i have ever purchased has had some type of failure.
I believe gus said it right a page or so ago, for what the difference in price is between the more reputable companies and the knock offs, why not just buy from the more reputable place?
I use the lighweight steeda lowers with motorsport uppers, which have been great so far, countless miles of my abuse.
Next time (if there is one) for stance and leveling's sake, i'd like to have the MM weight jackers or equivalent.
Ride quality is important, ya, maybe not when you are 21 but as time goes on it gets more important. Screw heim joints and bearings, they suck on a street car, i don't care what some say what is tolerable, they are horrible, metal on metal isn't exactly timeless either.
Longevity is important too, the beautiful thing about the stock parts is that they last damn near forever. Pot holes, bumps, wheel hop take a toll on suspension parts, so it's not just the power that kills the suspension. So guys that have 250hp may not need to have arms that will put up with a wheel stand, but they damn well better put up with 10,000 miles a year.
Finding a happy medium of parts that handle power, ride good enough and last long is paramount.
My time in buying mediocre suspension stuff is over. Everything budget friendly i have ever purchased has had some type of failure.
I believe gus said it right a page or so ago, for what the difference in price is between the more reputable companies and the knock offs, why not just buy from the more reputable place?
I use the lighweight steeda lowers with motorsport uppers, which have been great so far, countless miles of my abuse.
Next time (if there is one) for stance and leveling's sake, i'd like to have the MM weight jackers or equivalent.
Old Skooler
Founding Member
- Feb 27, 2012
- 248
- 43
- 39
I read this entire post and wanted to offer my experience. A ways back I sprang for southside upper and lowers on a mild mannered street strip car 375 rwhp. Less then a year later Im at the track at launch one side twisted destroyed my torque boxes obviously the lower control arm was garbage. When I was doing the repairs money was tight so I bought the Macs and I got years of track use, street use and they're still on the car with the current owner.
My point is in some cases you don't have to go all out, the SVE's, or UPR's will do. If you manage your expectations no doubt you could use the cheeper kind if that's where your budget falls. IMO I'm going to try and save a bit longer to get the best set up and do it once. Sometimes crap happens and a bad weld sneaks by QA realize how many are sold and how many go bad, don't condem a brand because of a few negative blogs.
My point is in some cases you don't have to go all out, the SVE's, or UPR's will do. If you manage your expectations no doubt you could use the cheeper kind if that's where your budget falls. IMO I'm going to try and save a bit longer to get the best set up and do it once. Sometimes crap happens and a bad weld sneaks by QA realize how many are sold and how many go bad, don't condem a brand because of a few negative blogs.
The catch....South Sides were notoriously hard on torque boxes. Not a junk control arm, just really, really effective at transfering the energy.
Sharad
ALWAYS choose the V over the P!!! Wait... what?
I appreciate your comment, sort of.
Despite the popular opinion, a person doesn't have to "settle" for UPR. Also, our suspension is substantially better than SVE, despite being priced about the same as their chinese stuff. Of course, ours is Made in America and carries a Lifetime Guarantee. As far as I'm concerned, nothing I just said would mean a thing if our suspension didn't flat out WORK, but it does!
Must of had some sort of deja vu post last night....or it was deleted. I'll post again to see if my loyalty to Stangnet is truly diminished. I asked Sharad to responed on another thread that he was previously present on. Corral/CC. I see that he responded here, so I don't see the trouble in asking.
And to the previous post. Are you knocking SVE as a chinese maker? Like there's something wrong with that practice? I'm trying to understand your view on this. Are they copying other companies parts? Are we not to be ok with that?
Seems like relevant answers to know when considering a budget control arm.
Does anyone know if SVE has a sponser here?
And to the previous post. Are you knocking SVE as a chinese maker? Like there's something wrong with that practice? I'm trying to understand your view on this. Are they copying other companies parts? Are we not to be ok with that?
Seems like relevant answers to know when considering a budget control arm.
Does anyone know if SVE has a sponser here?
Jarrod@latemodel
Late Model Restoration
SVE is our house brand at LRS. To my knowledge we have had 0 control arms break. We had some problems with the bushings, but we addressed that, and no problems since then. I had our SVE control arms on my vortech'd 02 and beat on that car daily, and not once did they ever break or crack a weld.
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