I'm literally a few days away from purchasing new LCA's for my car and have been beating my head against the wall on which way to go in terms of their connection method. The car will be a daily driver but I have heard nothing but bad stories about Poly joints. Especially when it comes to hard launches on sticky rubber. I think the verdict is still out (IMO) on if a Poly/Rod End setup is any better or not.
I am about 75% decided on going full rod end on them just to avoid the headaches and concerns with them shitting the bed on me when getting rowdy with the car. I've heard several folks having only minimal issues with NVH using the Maximum Motorsports Extreme LCA's despite them being rod ends. Is it possible for one brand of Rod end to contribute little NVH while still holding up to high RPM launches on sticky ? If so, which ones would that be? Are the derlin bushings that much softer then a regular Rod end and if its only minimal would someone still have the same problems with hard launches using them verses just going full rod end?
From what I gathered it seems like the key factor with NVH on a full rod end setup lies in what type of bushing is being used on the upper link.
If your car is a daily driver, I highly recommend using a Poly/Rod-end similar to our TCA021:
If you are not wanting the adjustment in that style, we make a true spherical bearing style, with a Poly on one end as well. this FK Spherical Bearing on the Axle side, is a very nice piece...and features a Static Load Rating of over 50,000lbs....about double the rating of your average "Rod-End" on most companies LCA.
The UCA, IMO, has it hands-down on "impact of NVH" over anything in the whole flippin' car. I'm not saying that the UCA bushing doesn't impact NVH generated by LCA's, but.....I had heim LCA's and stock UCA and that shit was very clunky. Every time your car lurches just a tad forward and then just a tad back (taking off) that little movement gets amplified about 500 times through the heims. If you get heims, you're awareness for lurching and/or bucking will become acutely keen at some point, I assure you.
And yes, there is positively a *massive* difference in quality of heim joints. But, I don't care how good your heims are, they will eventually make noise....unless you don't drive it.
I agree with this, very much so.
OP, as Sheiza has stated....there is definitely a difference in quality of Rod-Ends and Spherical Bearings. I also agree with him, over time....they will all gain some slop and make noise....it is just a matter of "when". For this reason, we offer a very good, but economical Rod-End on most of our components that are adjustable w/ Rod-Ends. The replacement pieces on our parts are in the $25 range, per end.
Does anyone have any idea why some folks are placing the Poly joint of the (insert brand here) LCA at the axle side and the Rod End at the Body verses others who do the opposite?
In this link below found on StangTV Kenny Browns LCA has the Poly joint on the Axle side. Is one way better then the other or maybe a better way to ask would be is one way wrong?
PIC from StangTV Kenny Brown AGS4 setup:
http://cdn.speednik.com/files/2013/07/MG2_7415.jpg
908ssp answers the primary reason below. We have done rigurous testing, and we ALWAYS use a Poly on the chassis side. We have also been involved in 3rd party testing with a company that goes above and beyond, from an engineering and testing standpoint....with very high-end equipment, and their results matched our "cheap way" of testing.
If the ball bushing itself is making the noise from being worn and it is on the body end you will hear it. If the urethane end is at the body it will dampen and muffle some of the noise from the worn ball bushing.
Correct. The ball, in just about every bearing design available, will, at some time develop more slop than when it is new. This creates an increase in NVH.
I knew my rod end joints were somewhat noisy, but I didn't realize the extent of it until I swapped them out for polys. It's a significant difference.
Right now I run around on the polys for daily use, and when I hit up the track, I swap on my rod ended arms. They take about 15 mins to swap out, so it's really not a big deal.
I have many customers who do exactly this. After a few swaps, you can exchange LCA on these cars in a matter of minutes.
