Installing J&M LCA's..

[Trav4011]

I picked up a set of J&M LCA's, with the poly-ball bushing setup. This is a VERY nice kit, and a breeze to install. The best part is that it really didn't change the ride quality at all. My buddy and I had them on in 30 minutes, using hand tools, with the vehicle on jack stands out back.

I also have a set of relocation brackets here. However, I want to test each part on sticky tires at the drag strip, to determine how effective these parts are at stopping wheel hop. My car has HORRIBLE hop, and I've only been to the track once because of it.



So, I'm heading to the track on Tuesday for an event, and I'll see if the hop is gone/diminished. If not, I'll install the relocation brackets and see if that helps.

Here's a few pics from the install..

This pic shows the e-brake cable removed, and out of the hole in the control arm that it runs through. Simple to remove.. Just 1 little clip holes it in place. Pull the clip, remove the cable end from the brake caliper, and pull out of the control arm hole.

Two 18mm bolts that hold each control arm in place. The nuts are plated in place, so, you don't even have to hold backup on them.

Stock control arm, next to the J&M control arm. The stock LCA bushings are garbage..

Use a jack to hold the rear end in place.. but allow the suspension to fully extend.. It makes removing the arms a lot easier. This pic shows the driver's side arm in place.

Another shot of the arm installed.. Make sure to torque the bolts back to factory spec, per the J&M instructions.

Put your e-brake cables back in place, and you're done. Also, make sure to use a lot of the supplied grease on all of the bushing parts and metal inserts. This stuff is VERY tacky, and will last for years. If you skip this step, your bushings will die a very quick death.

Overall impression.. is that the rear is a bit less mushy. There's no other way to tell that you have these installed. It's nice.. no added noise, or anything funky. I'll report back on Tuesday after I get back from the drag strip.

Travis

 

[RazorbackMustang]

I'm looking forward to your report. I have the UMI kit with brackets sitting in my bedroom. I think I'll go ahead and do both though. I don't feel like getting under there twice.

 

[09 Ricky]

Nice shifting

 

[Trav4011]

Thanks.. I'm just hoping that this fixes the hop issue. I've avoided racing the car because of it, out of fear of breaking something.

Travis

 

[RazorbackMustang]

Thanks.. I'm just hoping that this fixes the hop issue. I've avoided racing the car because of it, out of fear of breaking something.

Travis

Same here. I've gone twice and had bad wheel hop the second time (still managed to trap 111 while pedaling it in second gear )

 

[Trav4011]

We'll see.. It probably will still hop some.. The relocation brackets help a lot from what I've been told. It changes the geometry of the axle/suspension, and plants the rear end harder.

 

[COYO TT]

Looking forward to see if these work. Its the last piece of the puzzle for my suspension. Even if the brembo cars come with different LCA, they are still garbage, my car hops like a damn rabbit!

 

[KJGT]

I have a set of those bars and LCA relocation brackets (havent put them on yet) and I like the way they have the ball style bushing instead of the usually solid plastic one that tears up after some miles.

I'm pretty fortunate that mine seems to both hook OK and not wheel hop with DRs with the stock LCAs/angle. But I did put stiffer rear springs on the car (Roush) and that helped the nose pointing to sky and the car squatting bad on the launch. Might even help with the hop some..

 

[Trav4011]

It seems as though the automatics don't hop like the manuals do..

 

[SlowA$$5.0]

We'll see.. It probably will still hop some.. The relocation brackets help a lot from what I've been told. It changes the geometry of the axle/suspension, and plants the rear end harder.

I'm taking mine off. I don't like what they do to a factory height car. I get zero weight transfer and no squat with them. I put on CJ springs to get more squat/better transfer and it changed nothing. They are a requirement for a lowered car, but they don't work well at factory height.

 

[KJGT]

It seems as though the automatics don't hop like the manuals do..

Yea, but I think the stiffer spring may help out the hop on M6 cars some. The stockers are really weak/spongy. My car would just point to the sky, squat and do 500' foot burnouts with the stock springs. The Roush springs only lowered it about .5-.7" and they are very progressive. Worked out very well (1.59 60 foot) with stock LCAs and no relocation brackets at the track.

Contrary to popular belief you dont want real soft springs that let the car squat in the rear, even if you have LCA relocation brackets and the rear squats due to not enough spring rate the LCA angle is way off again.

 

[RazorbackMustang]

*cough* It's Wednesday *cough

 

[popeye]

I'm taking mine off. I don't like what they do to a factory height car. I get zero weight transfer and no squat with them. I put on CJ springs to get more squat/better transfer and it changed nothing. They are a requirement for a lowered car, but they don't work well at factory height.

LCA arms on any 05+ mustang are a necessity. Alone they allmost completely eliminate wheel hop and irreguardless of lowered or not they help in all aspects of performance. In your signature you are procharged, did you really expect to bolt these on and miraculously get traction. They are just part of the process.

 

[Meikol02]

I think he was referring to the relo brackets.

 

[RazorbackMustang]

So, a stock height car need only use LCAs? Seems odd that the entirety of the wheel hop problem rests in the control arm construction. If the general results are favorable, I might just install the control arms for now then.

 

[Meikol02]

So, a stock height car need only use LCAs? Seems odd that the entirety of the wheel hop problem rests in the control arm construction. If the general results are favorable, I might just install the control arms for now then.

Saying all the wheel hop problems are cured by the use of aftermarket LCA's is too broad a statement.


The relocation brackets are used primarily to correct the geometry of the LCA's after the car is lowered (which changes that geometry). So if you have not lowered your car they may not be helpful.

 

[Trav4011]

Went to the track tonight..

Horrible prep, and limited traction. Best pass was a 12.18 @ 114.8mph. Best 60ft was 1.82 on ET Streets! So, you know that the prep sucked. Temps were in the mid 60's and humidity was around 70%.

I'm happy to say that the wheel hop is GONE. No more hop during the burnout, or during launch/gear changes. So, the control arms have fixed the hop problem completely. Nothing else needed. I'm going to keep the relocation brackets off for now.. as it's still stock height. Once I lower the car, I'll install them.

**EDIT.. Forgot to mention that I also have the Roush anti hop kit installed (UCA)**

I made 4 passes, and shut it down. The moron who installed my gears did a shoddy job, and I have a bunch of slack back there. I didn't want to risk blowing up the ring/pinion, so I called it a night.


Travis

 

[KJGT]

Its weird, some M6 guys claim LCAs dont do anything to eliminate the hop but an aftermarket UCA does and vice-versa.

As long as it works thats all that matters.

 

[SlowA$$5.0]

LCA arms on any 05+ mustang are a necessity. Alone they allmost completely eliminate wheel hop and irreguardless of lowered or not they help in all aspects of performance. In your signature you are procharged, did you really expect to bolt these on and miraculously get traction. They are just part of the process.

My car pulls both front 18's on radials. I don't have a traction problem bud. I was clearly referring to the relocation brackets in the statement I quoted. I feel that the relocation brackets are dangerous on the highway. You get zero weight transfer and no squat which causes the tires to unload when not on a prepped track, even at 70 mph. When I launch I get front lift and rear lift which I don't think is good.

 

[Trav4011]

Its weird, some M6 guys claim LCAs dont do anything to eliminate the hop but an aftermarket UCA does and vice-versa.

As long as it works thats all that matters.

I forgot to mention that I have the Roush anti wheel hop kit (UCA) installed as well..

However, when I installed the Roush UCA, it didn't do much of anything to stop the wheel hop.

Travis