Finally doing LCA on '11 brembo

[InsidiousGT]

I have a '11 GT premium with the brembo package, very early build, one of the first in april. Did a tune, shifter, and exhaust almost immediately and I've been using it like that ever since.

The ridiculous amount of wheel hop has gotten to me. I'm finally going to do LCAs. So my question is, now that these cars have been around a while, whats the best way to tackle the wheel hop and improve the traction at the same time?

I was thinking Whiteline LCAs. Is it worth doing the relo bracket also if the car isnt lowered? Should I pickup anything else to do at the same time? Should I grab anything special to help with the install (extra grease tubes, etc)?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Greg Hazlett]

Hard to say until you install the LCA's but I bet 9/10 people who install them find they need the relo's...and if down the line you do decide to lower it then the relo's are already done.

You will need an 18mm socket, air tools are a huge assist.

 

[fdjizm]

LCA's, LCA relocation brackets, UCA.
Yes the relocation brackets are worth it, even if the car is not lowered.

 

[InsidiousGT]

Hard to say until you install the LCA's but I bet 9/10 people who install them find they need the relo's...and if down the line you do decide to lower it then the relo's are already done.

You will need an 18mm socket, air tools are a huge assist.

Tools are not an issue

 

[zeroescape]

The problem is at stock ride height the rear lca is near flat (about -0.5 degree) sloping downhill towards the front end. This only gets worse when you lower it.

You want the lca to run uphill towards the front of the car, so basically the wheels are trying to push themselves under the car giving you force downward onto the wheels. This is where relocation brackets come in, so you can drop the rear mount closer to the road giving you that upward angle you want (5 degree-ish).

 

[csamsh]

You probably know this...but you don't need all three links to be adjustable. I think fixed LCA's and an adjustable UCA would be easiest, can't mess up your thrust angle that way.

 

[Sharad]

I have a '11 GT premium with the brembo package, very early build, one of the first in april. Did a tune, shifter, and exhaust almost immediately and I've been using it like that ever since.

The ridiculous amount of wheel hop has gotten to me. I'm finally going to do LCAs. So my question is, now that these cars have been around a while, whats the best way to tackle the wheel hop and improve the traction at the same time?

I was thinking Whiteline LCAs. Is it worth doing the relo bracket also if the car isnt lowered? Should I pickup anything else to do at the same time? Should I grab anything special to help with the install (extra grease tubes, etc)?

Thanks for any advice.

Here's my recommendation:

Control arms & brackets
http://www.uprproducts.com/mustang-suspension-package-rear-street-control-arms-11.html

UCA bracket
http://www.uprproducts.com/mustang-upper-control-arm-mount-11.html

 

[Black 5.0]

Funny you should ask about LCA's. I just got done install new LCA's and relo's on mine only a couple hours ago. I have been doing some extensive work on the suspension lately and, I'm not finished yet. A adj. UCA is in my future but, for now, I've installed BMR LCA's a and relo's and here is a pic of the finished product:

 

[Paul.]

I had atrocious wheelhop with my '11 GT Brembo. Then I installed Koni Str.T shocks and struts, and Steeda Ultralite springs, and the wheelhop is gone. 100% completely, totally gone.

I still have the stock control arms.

Food for thought.

Paul.

 

[MyGG]

I wouldn't mess with an adjustable UCA, or any UCA actually, unless you're going to lower it. I installed the LCAs first before my adjustable UCA at stock height and noticed a big difference with the LCAs (with relocation brackets), but nothing noticeable from the drivers seat after the UCA install (except more gear noise).

 

[TheTeacher]

I was told by an experienced Mustang mechanic that you should weld in the relocation bracket, even if you get the ones that don't require it. They apparently undergo some serious forces.

 

[Clipboard]

I was told by an experienced Mustang mechanic that you should weld in the relocation bracket, even if you get the ones that don't require it. They apparently undergo some serious forces.

plenty of people here go without welding on the bmr and whiteline relocation brackets

 

[Black 5.0]

I was told by an experienced Mustang mechanic that you should weld in the relocation bracket, even if you get the ones that don't require it. They apparently undergo some serious forces.

Did he leave the part out where welding them in is a good thing if you're making huge power? Since I just did mine, I can tell you that those brackets aren't going anywhere but, I'm under 500hp. I would say that welding may be appropriate if you're making 700hp on up or for your piece of mind. Just .02 cents worth from someone with 'experience' going back to the '60's.

 

[InsidiousGT]

Funny you should ask about LCA's. I just got done install new LCA's and relo's on mine only a couple hours ago. I have been doing some extensive work on the suspension lately and, I'm not finished yet. A adj. UCA is in my future but, for now, I've installed BMR LCA's a and relo's and here is a pic of the finished product:

Sweet. And how are the results?

 

[BleedinBlue]

I had atrocious wheelhop with my '11 GT Brembo. Then I installed Koni Str.T shocks and struts, and Steeda Ultralite springs, and the wheelhop is gone. 100% completely, totally gone.

I still have the stock control arms.

Food for thought.

Paul.

STR.T's and BMR springs here with no wheelhop problems, I have BMR LCA's without the relocation bracket. Of course I am still on my stock tune and wimpy 3.15 gears, so when that changes the wheelhop might too!

 

[Paul.]

Everyone told me that there was no way I was going to get rid of my wheelhop without LCAs or UCA. I didn't want to do that because I want the car to ride nice, and it handles just fine for what I need it to do.

I changed out the shocks/struts/springs, and it was all completely gone. No LCAs or UCA needed.

Paul.

 

[Five Oh Brian]

My '11 Brembo GT hopped badly. I installed dual-adjustable LCA's (Maximum Motorsports with spherical steel bushings) and adjusted the pinion angle as far as I could (-2*) and it helped a lot, but didn't cure the hop completely. Added Steeda's adjustable UCA with poly bushings and was able to adjust the pinion angle better (down to -1*) and the hop is 100% gone! I'm tempted to put the stock LCA's back on (or LCA's with poly bushings) to tame the noise from those God awful spherical steel busings in the aftermarket LCA's I installed, since the UCA seems to be the item that actually can adjust enough to cure the hop all by itself. My car isn't lowered and never will be, so no re-lo brackets for me.

 

[Whiskey11]

My '11 Brembo GT hopped badly. I installed dual-adjustable LCA's (Maximum Motorsports with spherical steel bushings) and adjusted the pinion angle as far as I could (-2*) and it helped a lot, but didn't cure the hop completely. Added Steeda's adjustable UCA with poly bushings and was able to adjust the pinion angle better (down to -1*) and the hop is 100% gone! I'm tempted to put the stock LCA's back on (or LCA's with poly bushings) to tame the noise from those God awful spherical steel busings in the aftermarket LCA's I installed, since the UCA seems to be the item that actually can adjust enough to cure the hop all by itself. My car isn't lowered and never will be, so no re-lo brackets for me.

Wheel hop is not caused by pinion angle. Wheel hop is caused by axle windup from the force of the pinion gear trying to climb the ring gear causing the bushings to deflect and the top of the diff to pull away and the bottom to tuck in under force. The UCA is primarily responsible for this motion although the LCA's play a part as well in minimizing the "tuck under" that the differential is trying to do. Changing antisquat does seem to mitigate the issue by either reducing or increasing the load on the tires (sounds like a politician right? ) at launch.

I'm stealing these videos from Kelly@BMR because they illustrate exactly what is going on in the rear suspension on launches:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHHtndai2ms

Aftermarket:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LD12TIjKmow

In the second video the UCA still has the same motion fore/aft as in the first video but it isn't violent nor does it move as much. That is the reduction in wheel hop you want to see!

 

[Five Oh Brian]

^^^ thanks for posting those vids! Very cool to see what we're feeling.

 

[Black 5.0]

Sweet. And how are the results?

Thanks. Well, I haven't really had a chance to test them out but, I think they'll help keep the tires planted and eliminate much if not all the wheel hop.

If you are not an experienced in doing these kind of installs, get help from the experienced and BE SAFE! In the case of changing out LCA's, they also perform the duty of keeping the rear end in place. With that said:

As an addition for installing this combo, two things on the install if you are using the supplied instructions: DO NOT mount your axle on the jack stands. Use the lifting points that are designated on the body frame and keep the jack under the diff under slight load.

DO NOT torque anything down until you have all the pieces and bolts in place, then torque down the relo brackets first. When you remove the stock LCA, the axle has a tendency to move back (1-2 inches) making it seem as though the new LCA's are to short (this is why you don't use the axle to set your jack stands on). You must pry the axle forward to line up the new LCA to the mounting hole. Not hard to accomplish this. I used my giant screw driver to do this but, a normal pry bar should suffice.

Again, torque down the relo brackets first and the LCA's while they are under load (in ride position) either by supporting the weight of the car with the jack under the diff (Jack stands still in place for safety, of course) or when the car is on the ground.

Who ever it was that put together the install instructions for the relo brackets, someone should slap them silly. Fix it, BMR!