Control arms on a budget?

[ID89GT]

If its a lot cheaper than the others, more than likely its crap

 

[Notchthis]

be patient and pick up a quality set second hand in the classifieds, you can find all kinds of deals is you take your time and check frequently

 

[pissedoff92]

Im not in too big of a rush. Ive got all winter to revamp my drivetrain

 

[wythors]

Leap of faith.

 

[Noobz347]

Where do you get the "rich" part? I'm a working stiff that has to save up for my stuff, just like everybody else. I've been modifying my LX since 1999 to get it to where it is now and this is what I've learned since then:

My point is that buying cheap crap twice is counter productive. Unless you have had a faillure of your rear control arms, nobody needs different ones on their car right this minute, other than to say you've got them. Rather than spend $150 for junk, either do as jrichter suggested and sturdy up your stock stuff on the cheap, or save for another couple of months and buy a quality product then.

^^^^ This.

Though I understand that a lot of people think they're GETTING A DEAL, you'll not see a lot of feedback from the folks that cost themselves thousands of dollars of damage because they trusted their car to a $160 set of LCAs. Why DO we hear such feedback so seldom? Because they feel like morons when trying to explain (rationalize) their reasons for purchasing this inferior garbage to begin with.

I'm with Wythors... and it's not just because I want to buy exclusively American. It's because I want to SAVE MONEY. I want to save the money it's going to cost me to replace those crappy LCAs and repair the damage as a result, when I dump over 500 ft/lbs of torque to the wheels from a stop light and the chinese knock-offs snap like twigs.

 

[ReefBlueHatch]

I studied a lot of reviews on LCA's for my street car and MM just seemed to be the best. And seeing how I like to go to the track and do burnouts, I chose the XD design. I saved up for a few months and the $320 was really worth it. It was the best chassis thing I ever did my car, way better than my MM SFC's. Foxes have such weak torque boxes and it's not worth ripping 'em out just because of cheap arms.

 

[NIKwoaC]

There are two things you should never cheap out on, and that's suspension and brakes. If this stuff ever fails on you, you're going into a ditch, or even worse- another car. Buy Pro Comp heads or a Professional Products throttle body, whatever. When that junk breaks you just have a motor that wont run. When suspension parts break, hits the fan.

BTW, MM isn't the only company that makes quality suspension parts. I always think it's funny when the conversation turns into MM versus the world.

 

[Cobra912]

research and ask just like you did

 

[Cobra912]

agreed Nik, I dodn't have a single MM part on my car, wish I did but they just never fit into the budget. And I have beat the chit of my car and have never had a suspension part break yet.....but then again I stayed with name brand stuff too

 

[srtthis]

There are two things you should never cheap out on, and that's suspension and brakes. If this stuff ever fails on you, you're going into a ditch, or even worse- another car. Buy Pro Comp heads or a Professional Products throttle body, whatever. When that junk breaks you just have a motor that wont run. When suspension parts break, poop hits the fan.

BTW, MM isn't the only company that makes quality suspension parts. I always think it's funny when the conversation turns into MM versus the world.

everyone see's it for the most part as the highest prices stuff out there... when actually if you start looking into stock suspension stuff its not to badly priced.
some common stuff most guys dont talk about in double adjustable uppers for example

TRZ motorsports-200.00
Wolfe- 249.00
Racecraft-319.00
Chris Alston chassisworks- 339.00

lowers standard single adjustable
TRZ-200.00
WOLFE-235.00
RACECRAFT-399.99
CHRIS ALSTON 459.99 plus coil overs
MM 199.97 (roadrace arms only adjustable length arm they make) plus rear coil overs.

and those are all arms id put on a level above MM and only because i have never personaly seen the abuse the MM stuff will take. on the other hand i have seen the racers throw at the stuff i listed and ive never seen a failure.

ive actually never seen any UPR stuff fail which everyone says is junk

 

[aar0s]

If thats the case then how is one to decipher what is junk?

Do a search for UPR complaints, then do a search for Maximum Motorsports complaints, that would be a good start. Google and research.

 

[LarsD]

Of course it's your choice. It's your car. But OP asked the opinion of members on this forum. And that's what he got. Isn't that the point of forums anyway?

Pissedoff92: MM deal of the day is still going on so check their sight everyday and their's a good chance you'll get some MM control arms for a great price. I ordered my bumpsteer kit for 20% off a few weeks ago.

http://www.maximummotorsports.com/store/index.php?main_page=specials

Keep an eye on this page. They cycle the same things through every few weeks. I just picked up a set of XD LCA's for $277 shipped two days ago.

 

[srtthis]

Do a search for UPR complaints, then do a search for Maximum Motorsports complaints, that would be a good start. Google and research.

i for one have no issues with UPR stuff... all my suspension is currently UPR... and i know plenty of guys throwing more power to it then i'll ever make and doing big ass wheelies and slamming it back down with no issues...

 

[Maryland Stang]

BTW, MM isn't the only company that makes quality suspension parts. I always think it's funny when the conversation turns into MM versus the world.

I haven't had a moment's trouble out of my Steeda aluminum LCAs. Nice arms.

 

[aar0s]

I haven't had a moment's trouble out of my Steeda aluminum LCAs. Nice arms.

I have the same arms and have had no problems.

 

[Noobz347]

Steeda makes nice stuff too. I had heard at one point that there were some problems with some of the bushings that they'd used but that was a while ago and haven't heard that since.

 

[wythors]

.

 

[Noobz347]

My biggest concern with knock-off companies that they try and market a product that LOOKS like MM or one of the REPUTABLE companies but their quality in materials and construction is barely a consideration. If they earn themselves a bad rep... they change the company name and move on down the road doing the same crap.

 

[aar0s]

The bushings on mine will squeek every now and then, no big, they hold up well with my heavy ass vert being tossed into turns.

 

[VibrantRedGT]

Love my Steeda upper / lower control arms. However it doesn't mean they are perfect either. Back in the late 90's one lower control arm got by Steeda quality control, the ball end was only tack welded, never was welded all the way around. It snapped during a 1/4 mile run, the body collapsed onto the tire, locked the tire completely up, don't know how I got it slowed down. Had the car towed home, the next day towed to Steeda. They replaced everything on there dime, bought me a new tire, installed two new lower control arms. My entire suspension is Steeda from back in 1997, still going.