UCA - Worth while?

[Ivan 5.0]

from measurements I made on my own car, I get just over 31% antisquat with a 185 lb driver oin board.

Factory ride height?

 

[Sam Strano]

Sounds similar to the exerpt below from http://www.miracerros.com/mustang/t_suspension.htm#Rear

"If you use your car in open track or autocross competition, you'll probably want to leave the stock upper control arms alone and install only new lower control arms. The stock rubber bushings in the upper arms continue to allow the axle to articulate through its full range of motion in turns, while the new lower arms improve axle location"

I wonder if MM recommended the Roush UCA because it does have that little compliance with its bushing?

This car isn't a Fox or SN95... That is not applicable here.

If you want to talk about arms, I have a number of options. And I will recommend you also change the differential side bushing to a Steeda spherical bearing since they are prone to being beat to hell. If noise isolation is a concern, we'll stick with a poly bushing (it works better on one central arm than on outboard lower arms). But if you want the most free axle articulation then we'll go with a rod-end, or UMI Roto-joint equipped arm.

 

[Norm Peterson]

IIRC, one thread on my LCAs amounts to something like 1/16", which corresponds to a little less than 0.06° thrust angle.

My steering had always been dead-nuts centered or close enough to it that I couldn't tell even by lining the steering wheel spokes against the lower edges of the speedometer and tach surrounds.

It went 'off' by only a very few degrees, but it was enough that I couldn't help noticing it every time. I figured I'd crank one LCA one full turn and go from there if necessary. It wasn't. The decision to shorten the passenger side LCA vs lengthening the driver side LCA was based on not needing as much pinion angle with the firmer LCAs (less compliance = less pinion angle change). My pinion angle is probably not optimum, but since I'm not into drag racing any more than doing an occasional speed-stop-squared event, it seems to be good enough for me.


Norm

 

[Norm Peterson]

Factory ride height?

Stock springs, stock 235/50-18's on stock bullitt-style wheels, and the measurements were made shortly after I brought it home.


Norm

 

[Norm Peterson]

No experience yet on the S197. I will say this though - I've never put a spherical bearing on a car that I then wished I had poly instead.

My point was that the average driver likely benefits by leaving a little compliance in the system to absorb some of any suddenly applied loads instead of reacting hard and fast to them. Bumps or general road roughness, spastic throttle application, that sort of thing.


Norm

 

[5.0_SD]

Terry, from your above statements, does this mean you do not use the Whiteline UCA?

 

[Sharad]

Hoping for a bit of advise guys/gals. I just ordered a set of Maximum Motorsports XD Rear LCA's and will be installing those soon. Should I also upgrade the factory UCA and mount while I'm at it?

I emailed MM and they recommended the Roush bracket/arm. Any reason as to why?

I just want something that works well with my setup and goals. My current suspension setup is as follows:

• Steeda Sport Springs
• Koni Sport Struts/Shocks
• Maximum Motorsports Panhard Rod
• Maximum Motorsports Caster/Camber Plates
• (oh, and I have a DSS 1-piece driveshaft)

The car currently has ~430WHP and I may be going FI in the next year or so. It is mainly a spirited, weekend driver that I will take to a road coarse 2-3 times/year.

Thanks in advance!

You know, it's funny. Sometimes when these technical discussions come up, you get several conflicting opinions on something you'd think would be objective, not subjective.

So far, the only down side I'm hearing about installing the UCA is NVH.

Here's my opinion about the UCA, and for the record, I had already upgraded the LCAs & PHB on my car BEFORE I went back and install the UCA & Mount...

I felt like the rear axle was a lot more planted or securely located throughout its range of motion after I upgraded my UCA & Mount. This is both in a straight line and in the corners.

Now, I had a conversation about this with someone not too long ago, and he asked me, can you drive the car harder with the upgraded UCA & Mount because it actually offers more grip, or is it faster because it FEELS more stable so you're comfortable driving it more aggressively?

The truth is, that's a good question and I don't know the answer. I didn't A-B test it on a skidpad or with a stopwatch on a roadrace course. All I can tell you is that I take corners faster on the upgraded UPR UCA & Mount.

 

[Ivan 5.0]

Terry, from your above statements, does this mean you do not use the Whiteline UCA?

Good question. I was thinking the same thing!

 

[Department Of Boost]

I am running the Metco UCA and the stock rubber bushing in the rear end housing.

I went this route because I didn’t want the upper arm (or bushings) adding roll rate to the car that was non-linear. I would rather control that with springs and roll bars.

I also wanted to lessen the chance of a binding upper arm causing snap oversteer.

So far so good, no wheel hop, no instability, no snap oversteer and stock like NVH.

 

[DILYSI Dave]

Now, I had a conversation about this with someone not too long ago, and he asked me, can you drive the car harder with the upgraded UCA & Mount because it actually offers more grip, or is it faster because it FEELS more stable so you're comfortable driving it more aggressively?

I'd say it's 80/20 in favor of feel. While a suspension with less stiction can follow the road better, and provide more ultimate grip, I think the difference between a poly bushing and a spherical bearing (especially in this application) is mostly noise. But with the suspension well controlled, it gives the driver a higher degree of confidence, thus you can drive at a higher level without fear of being surprised.

On something like a front A-Arm, I'd put the breakdown at probably 50/50, since a compromised bushing there will have worse dynamic effects than one in the rear UCA.

$.02, YMMV, etc.

 

[Mountain]

Want to make your Mustang rattle and clang over the smallest of bumps? Swap out to these parts above!

You know what UCA the $85,000 Boss 302-S factory race car comes with? The same rubber-bushing equipped unit that a regular Mustang GT has. Things that make you go HMMM....

Older thread, yes, but I wanted to post something up I just came across that I think most people are not aware of. The Boss 302S and 302R cars do not use the factory Mustang UCA, they use a modified version of the factory piece with a sphereical bearing at the body end.

http://www.fordracingparts.com/mustang/Gallery_56.asp

http://bossmustangsonline.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=4mu1al2v36ougtskntfo9dbat2&topic=3780.0

Just thought I'd pass along the info.

 

[sheizasosay]

Good info ^.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BMR Tech]

I'd rather run a spherical bearing in the diff, with the stock UCA.

Better NVH isolation, and it's always best to run the bearing on the axle side.

 

[sheizasosay]

I'd rather run a spherical bearing in the diff, with the stock UCA.

Better NVH isolation, and it's always best to run the bearing on the axle side.

Yeah except those sphericals wear out and changing that diff bushing is The Suck. Maybe Ford didn't want us to saw our dicks off with bushing maintenance of the 3rd degree. Ahhh they probably don't care....

 

[Roadracer350]

Older thread, yes, but I wanted to post something up I just came across that I think most people are not aware of. The Boss 302S and 302R cars do not use the factory Mustang UCA, they use a modified version of the factory piece with a sphereical bearing at the body end.

http://www.fordracingparts.com/mustang/Gallery_56.asp

http://bossmustangsonline.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=4mu1al2v36ougtskntfo9dbat2&topic=3780.0

Just thought I'd pass along the info.

Where can you get this UCA? Will it fit the 05-10 GTs?

 

[sheizasosay]

It won't fit for the same reason that the 2011's wont fit. The bolt holes don't line up and I'm fairly certain the arm is longer aswell. One of the revisions on the 11+. That UCA doesn't look fancy to me. Just a heim jointed UCA. LOTTTS of selections out there.

 

[Vorshlag-Fair]

It won't fit for the same reason that the 2011's wont fit. The bolt holes don't line up and I'm fairly certain the arm is longer aswell. One of the revisions on the 11+. That UCA doesn't look fancy to me. Just a heim jointed UCA. LOTTTS of selections out there.

Well there ARE "lots of selections out there" but there is also a LOT of crap out there.

This is one of the few UCA options for the 2011+ cars that looks well built, actually fits without massive slop, and has the proper spherical bearing to allow proper articulation of the UCA. I've tried a lot of them.

Yeah except those sphericals wear out and changing that diff bushing is The Suck. Maybe Ford didn't want us to saw our dicks off with bushing maintenance of the 3rd degree. Ahhh they probably don't care....

Agreed - we just did that job a week ago. Pushing that axle side bushing out is a PITA without the right tools. Even with the right tools it is not fun.

Cheers,

 

[sheizasosay]

Well there ARE "lots of selections out there" but there is also a LOT of crap out there.

This is one of the few UCA options for the 2011+ cars that looks well built, actually fits without massive slop, and has the proper spherical bearing to allow proper articulation of the UCA. I've tried a lot of them.

You've already said that the Boss uses the same ole stocker as the rest. I don't know if you are trying to say to use an aftermarket one or not. It's real easy, you want bind free articulation and if you can help it, less NVH. That puts Metco, J&M Street Extreme and Rotojoint somewhere above the heim for a dual-purpose car.

Edit- I'm with Gmitch on this as far as wanting the bind out and letting the springs do the intended work. After having felt bind, I'm not a fan.

 

[Vorshlag-Fair]

You've already said that the Boss uses the same ole stocker as the rest. I don't know if you are trying to say to use an aftermarket one or not. It's real easy, you want bind free articulation and if you can help it, less NVH. That puts Metco, J&M Street Extreme and Rotojoint somewhere above the heim for a dual-purpose car.

Edit- I'm with Gmitch on this as far as wanting the bind out and letting the springs do the intended work. After having felt bind, I'm not a fan.

The Boss302 street car uses the same UCA as the rest of the 2011+ S197 Mustangs. I was mistaken about the Boss302-S... which uses this Multimatic spherical upper arm. It looks identical to stock unless you get right up in there and look closely at it - fooled me the first time.

It is expensive ($690) but it looks like it actually fits. Most of the spherical arms I've seen have a lot of slop to the bolt and such. Bang bang bang...

I am also a fan of no bind. Bind is bad.

 

[sheizasosay]

The Boss302 street car uses the same UCA as the rest of the 2011+ S197 Mustangs. I was mistaken about the Boss302-S... which uses this Multimatic spherical upper arm. It looks identical to stock unless you get right up in there and look closely at it - fooled me the first time.



It is expensive ($690) but it looks like it actually fits. Most of the spherical arms I've seen have a lot of slop to the bolt and such. Bang bang bang...

I am also a fan of no bind. Bind is bad.

Multimatic is bat shit-crazy on that price. Lol...what? I can't help but laugh. Have you driven a Boss S or ridden in one? Curious if they are clunk-free cars. If that UCA in the Boss S isn't completely silent or can't grow an arm out and jerk me off, then they can keep it for that price.

What UCA did you find to your linking during your "parts adventure"?