What Do You Think About These LCA's?

[Department Of Boost]

Do your LCA's (the ones I'm looking at) come with bolts?

 

[Mountain]

This is true. There are OEM pivot points that are of a bearing type. You will see this on select platforms, on rear IRS pivots...and some front double ball joint systems. Typically though, the opposing end is a monstrous rubber bushing.

What specific applications are you referring to, specifically?

Right, but I am saying there are OEM joints just like the Del-Sphere/Roto Joint (delrin encased sphere). I know they are what they are because I've checked prints and became familiar (from an exrenal view) what the OEM versions look like (FYI, they have dust boots on them). I've see them a lot on new Chrysler stuff. I've also seen them on several other various cars, though I can't remember specific examples. I could've sworn the S550 has one (each side) in the rear suspension somewhere.

 

[Norm Peterson]

I could've sworn the S550 has one (each side) in the rear suspension somewhere.

Wouldn't surprise me.


Norm

 

[modernbeat]

Mountain, I've seen rubber encased, and rubber enclosed metal spherical joints in OEM suspension before, but I've never seen a Delrin or nylon encased spherical joint in OEM suspension before.

Like Terry said, I had VERY high hopes for this part in particular and for Johnny Joint style parts in general. I had planned on using them in some other applications. But we were severely disappointed with them in real world use. And all the adjustments and modifications we made to make it work right did not produce the results we were looking for.

 

[Mountain]

Mountain, I've seen rubber encased, and rubber enclosed metal spherical joints in OEM suspension before, but I've never seen a Delrin or nylon encased spherical joint in OEM suspension before.

Like Terry said, I had VERY high hopes for this part in particular and for Johnny Joint style parts in general. I had planned on using them in some other applications. But we were severely disappointed with them in real world use. And all the adjustments and modifications we made to make it work right did not produce the results we were looking for.

Hmm, that's too bad. Performing completely fine for me...

Again, about the OEM joints I looked up the prints on. Delrin-encased. I was suprised.

 

[BMR Tech]

Again, about the OEM joints I looked up the prints on. Delrin-encased. I was suprised.

Can you please share what prints/applications you are referring to?

People want to know, when seeing posts like this.

Thanks!

 

[Mountain]

Jeep [not Grand] Cherokee and Dodge Journey, I know for sure. I didn't post it because unless you work at Chrysler or the supplier for the parts, the information is next to useless than the fact of just "knowing about it". Very possible the joints may be in the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200 (not entirely sure, but they share the same rear suspension setup).

 

[Norm Peterson]

Hmmmm . . . I'll have to get my daughter's Dart (the little turbo/6-speed manual version) up on the ramps.


Norm

 

[BMR Tech]

Sweet! Thanks for sharing!

 

[ModdedMach]

I have a Spohn Poly/Del-Sphere panhard bar and Poly/Del-Sphere lower control arms. Initially, I had all the clunking issues as well. I have since learned how to properly adjust these Del-Sphere joints to make them pretty damn quiet. It's now to the point I hear more noise from the poly bushings squeaking than I do from the Del-Sphere joints.

Just so I'm not question on longevity of the joints being quiet - because, yes, I know, sometimes you can adjust these things and they are silent for about a month - I have had the panhard bar installed for about a year, with it being "correctly" adjusted and quiet for a few months. During that year, I have edged closer and closer to making the Del-Sphere quiet with incremental adjustment. I have had my lower control arms installed for almost a month and I adjusted those the way I found that works best from my experience with the panhard bar from day one. My lower control arms have not given me any sign of clunking what-so-ever.

I daily drive my car in the summer and I have had it to track days and autocrosses. So, the parts have had some good loads on them.

What did I do?

First, replace the factory bolts with 10.9 or Grade 8 replacements that have a more full shank. I used the same size metric fastener with a fuller shank and non-reduced shank diameter (the factory pieces neck-down and do not fit tight in the component holes). Yes, you could go a step further and find the metric or english equivalent that has the closest fitment and/or adjust the hole sizes for a tight fit, but I just used a "better" fastener. By the way, the RUCA has probably the worst fitment fastener to competence hole. I have not and will not replace the RUCA from stock (I do not believe they need to be replaced unless you are hard-core drag racing - stick with replacing the RLCA only otherwise).

Second, the Del-Sphere needs to be tightened down more than you think (WAAAAAY to loosely adjust from the box!!!!). I torqued my adjustment plates to 21-22 lb-ft and then moved to the next closest set-screw void. For example, if you torque down the plate and to get to the next set-screw (going clockwise; tightening) is quite far and would require a lot more tightening (seemingly much more past 22 lb-ft), move back (go counter-clockwise; loosening) to the closest set-screw location back. If you can get to the next set-screw location going clockwise (tightening), however, do so.

Sorry to bump a semi-old thread but ive read other people doing exactly what Mountain did: That is, torque the Delsphere adjuster down very tight, and be sure all of your bolts have a full shank, fit properly and are torque to spec. Hit the zerks with a pump or 2 of your favorite synthetic grease and ive heard people call Spohn control arms "silent".

Im running BMR's test Elastomer bushings in my LCAs right now and i love them, but i plan to go Delsphere in the future, starting with the UCA.

When i get mine, i plan to tear down the Delsphere assembly and lightly coat the moving parts with Amsoil Synthetic Polymeric chassis grease, the stuff has such a high pound out resistance that i dont think you could torque sphere adjuster down hard enough to stop articulation under load.

The factory bolts tho, for sure, are trash, i hate how they step down.