Slightly lowered. Will LCA relocation brackets hurt handling?

[J.Kidd]

I dropped my 2011 GT (Brembo package) with some Steeda Sport springs.

I have since ordered some UMI LCA relocation brackets to regain some traction. I still have the stock Brembo package LCAs (which I believe are the same LCAs the GT500 uses) so I don't plan on swapping those for a little while. I know they relocation brackets will help regain some straight line traction, but my question is will they hurt the handling (ie. balance in a curve or powering out of a turn) or should they help?

Any insight from the experienced would be appreciated.

 

[SteveP]

they will actually help. When you lower the vehicle, you change the geometry of the LCA. These will allow them to be where it was designed for.

Easiest way to break it down for ya.

 

[J.Kidd]

Thanks, Steve.

That was my understanding as well but most talk about improved 60 ft. times, etc. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't sacrificing straight line traction for handling.

No worries! Depending on the weather, I might throw these puppies in there tonight!

 

[Bodam]

So, when lowering the car only anout an inch, are LCA's required? Camber plates etc? I'm interested in a leveling kit, but I'm a noob when it comes to suspension stuff. I don't want to jack with the geometry too much and throw the angles out of whack.

When using the 1" leveling kit (springs) what other parts do you need, if any?

Sorry about the hijack...

 

[CMK720]

So, when lowering the car only anout an inch, are LCA's required? Camber plates etc? I'm interested in a leveling kit, but I'm a noob when it comes to suspension stuff. I don't want to jack with the geometry too much and throw the angles out of whack.

When using the 1" leveling kit (springs) what other parts do you need, if any?

Sorry about the hijack...

Nothing, Just probably a wheel alignment. I dropped mine on Roush springs which is about an inch drop and it rides fine. No panhard bar or camber plates.

 

[J.Kidd]

From my research, when the drop is relatively minimal (less than 1.5"), you shouldn't need too much more. Alignment, if negatively affected, should be able to be brought back to spec without caster/camber plates.

Other things possibly required when lowering would be lower control arm brackets and and adjustable panhard bar. But again, when lowering only 1", the rear end doesn't shift that much at all (negating the need for an adjustable panhard bar) and traction might be affected by the altered control arm angle. I decided to put the springs in and see where things fell before going out and buying all kinds of parts.

My alignment is still fine, the rear is still centered, but I did notice a slight reduction in traction. Wheel hop seems to be gone but replaced by the wheels just spinning a little more. My plan is to install the relocation brackets and actually surpass the stock level of traction.

Lower control arms can be upgraded at any time but do not have to be done with lowering springs. I plan on keeping my stockers in for a while since they are supposedly a bit sturdier than the non-Brembo GTs and see how that feels. If I feel like upgrading in the future, I'll have to decide on going with a billet piece (which look AWESOME) or going with a tubular piece (which work just as well as the billet and are substantially less expensive).

 

[Bodam]

Thanks very much guys, that helps.

 

[Sam Strano]

Disagree they will help handling. In fact just a few days ago I had a customer move the position of the arms back up, and he found the car more stable.

There are reasons to run LCA brackets, that's why I sell them. But they aren't as necessary as it's made out to be, and sometimes work against you.

 

[Sam Strano]

My alignment is still fine, the rear is still centered, but I did notice a slight reduction in traction. Wheel hop seems to be gone but replaced by the wheels just spinning a little more. My plan is to install the relocation brackets and actually surpass the stock level of traction.

And that likely won't happen. The hop will probably come back to some degree. The lowering is what killed it, the change in control arm angle and all. You'll be changing that back.

 

[J.Kidd]

And that likely won't happen. The hop will probably come back to some degree. The lowering is what killed it, the change in control arm angle and all. You'll be changing that back.

Sam,

Based on that, would you recommend NOT installing the relocation brackets? Not sure what is better - tires spinning or tires hopping...

Since I don't experience wheel hop unless I'm accelerating in a straight line, would the relocation brackets help traction through a turn (ie. more bite and less tendency to slip)?

I am used to the tires spinning but have never experienced wheel hop to the degree that this 2011 does it.

 

[Vapour Trails]

My car has been lowered over 3 years with no relocation brackets. I can still cut 1.64 60 foot times while drag racing, and the current position of the arms helps add stability.

 

[J.Kidd]

My car has been lowered over 3 years with no relocation brackets. I can still cut 1.64 60 foot times while drag racing, and the current position of the arms helps add stability.

Good to know. Thank you. Now I'm debating to put them on or put them for sale....

In retrospect, I should have asked this before I ordered them. *sigh*

 

[Sam Strano]

You should have called me. I sell UMI stuff, and would have had this conversation before hand.

Put them on if you want, I guess you have them. Everyone is different, maybe you like the result?

 

[Norm Peterson]

will they hurt the handling (ie. balance in a curve or powering out of a turn) or should they help?

It's less of an "either-or" situation than it is a "how much do the adjustment holes lower the axle side pivots vs how far did you lower the car" concept.

As far as I know, most LCA relo brackets are primarily designed with drag racing and stoplight launching in mind rather than stable handling, and the holes tend to be a bit too low as a result (at least as far as mild lowering springs are concerned). The handling effect here tends toward or even into oversteerish (where the rear axle wants run wide), particularly with the LCAs set in the lower adjustment holes.

That's not to say that some downward axle side LCA relocating can't improve the handling of a lowered car. From a rear axle steer point of view, somewhat less LCA relocation than the amount of ride height drop will put the axle steer back about where it was with the original springs and stock LCA pivots. This will tend to "loosen" the handling of a car that has been lowered (by reducing the rear axle's contribution to understeer) and will tend to improve slalom behavior, but might make the car more demanding to drive in some situations.


Norm

 

[Bodam]

My head hurts now

 

[ArizonaGT]

lol

 

[Sleeper_08]

As far as I know, most LCA relo brackets are primarily designed with drag racing and stoplight launching in mind rather than stable handling, and the holes tend to be a bit too low as a result (at least as far as mild lowering This will tend to "loosen" the handling of a car that has been lowered (by reducing the rear axle's contribution to understeer) and will tend to improve slalom behavior, but might make the car more demanding to drive in some situations.

Norm

Such as turning at an intersection and getting on the gas a little too early with an SC?
It does tend to bring the rear end around faster.

 

[Norm Peterson]

My head hurts now

For handling purposes, having the rear axle steer just a tiny bit into the turn is usually desirable. If the rear steers into the turn too much, the car will be clumsy to drive through slaloms. If it steers out of the turn and you're cornering fairly hard, get ready for a sudden need to change your shorts.

Google "rear axle roll steer".


Norm

 

[J.Kidd]

OK - guess my plan is to experiment a little bit more right now. I got a bit sideways "chirping" third on the way to work this morning but I want to play around in some corners and applying the throttle coming out of a turn and see how that feels right now.

I'll then put the brackets in (probably on the highest hole I can - I believe I have a choice of 2) and see if wheel hop comes back, if it bites harder in a straight line, and then how settled the car feels during cornering.

Based on those results, I'll either leave the brackets on or take them off. I'll report back at least what I felt was going on.

Thanks for all the input from all of you guys...and Sam, we'll be having a discussion if/when I decide to upgrade rear control arms. So far, I'm very happy with the Steeda Sport springs I got from you - couldn't ask for more from them.

 

[kevinatfms]

i have them but use the highest hole to align the control arms horizontal to the ground. has been working for me, although im not a huge competition guy, i just go out for a few track days to have fun.