How beneficial would aftermarket lower control arms be?
How beneficial would aftermarket lower control arms be?
I seem to have a damaged drivers side lower control arm and read a few cars that run aftermarket. I'm building mine as a fun street car / canyon carver. Are they just for drifters and race cars or would a street car benefit from them without a downside?
Don't know how beneficial they might be, but from what I see, the '86-'88 oem lca are no longer available, and as the '89-'91 prices are $676/467 each, I would think most would go for aftermarkets arms, or used units, when they are needed.
Waiting
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 198
Likes: 11
From: Toronto
It really depends on what you expect to do with the car. We have the whole PBM angle kit on one of our cars, the kit includes a lower control arm. Quality is top notch.
HOWEVER, they widen the track width by 35mm on each side via moving the ball join mount and relocate the ball joint 15mm forward for more caster.
Both I find are okay for the street, although the wider track width may require you to change your wheel setup, etc. Our PBMd shop car has front overfenders, so no big deal there. The caster relocation is also nice, coming from an s chassis with a lot of “self steer” it’s nice to have some self steer in an FC, not needed but nice.
IMO, unless you can make use both of these features I’d stay oem.
HOWEVER, they widen the track width by 35mm on each side via moving the ball join mount and relocate the ball joint 15mm forward for more caster.
Both I find are okay for the street, although the wider track width may require you to change your wheel setup, etc. Our PBMd shop car has front overfenders, so no big deal there. The caster relocation is also nice, coming from an s chassis with a lot of “self steer” it’s nice to have some self steer in an FC, not needed but nice.
IMO, unless you can make use both of these features I’d stay oem.
Rotary Freak
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,521
Likes: 231
From: Alexandria, VA
Rockauto sells S5 OEM LCA's (https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...trol+arm,10401) for about $165 each. Don't know about the quality but that's a very reasonable price considering that bushings are included. Also, you can pickup used S4 LCA's for a reasonable price. Not so long ago, I picked up a pair of S4 LCA's for about $100 from Rotary Resurrection.
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,815
Likes: 24
From: Columbia, Tennessee
I would avoid s5 lower control arms as the ball joint is not serviceable and sway bar end links are different. I would find a know good pair of s4 lower control arms, or at least the one that's damaged.
How do you know it is damaged? Did you put a set of alignment heads on the car and get all your angles? Does it have play or physical damage?
How do you know it is damaged? Did you put a set of alignment heads on the car and get all your angles? Does it have play or physical damage?
My buddy, who works on the car when I'm unable to, said it's physically damaged and would get it replaced asap. I'll see if I can get under there and get some pictures tonight.
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