New Info on (I got my Billet LCAs!)

[Dominic]

New Info:
Well I installed both of them, the driver's side was a slight bi0tch but it went in well [img]smile.gif[/img] . Locktite on the jamnuts as advised and a graphite liquid lube on all moving parts.

They are louder when riding, as in they transmit driveline noise right into the cabin, but I dont mind. :D They're quiet when cruising and the whole car corners, accelerates, and stops far better than before. It just feels totally planted to the pavement and safe, very predictable! I highly recommend these slotcar racing LCAs if you don't mind a few hours work for quality pieces. The fact they're adjustable is what makes them slightly difficult to install, but it didn't take me too much to get them right. The install university installation guide is on the money with their ramps + jack + stands too.

Just thought I'd post my positive review for everyone to see!


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http://shaggy.servegame.com/LCA/


Come look at my shiney billet LCAs [img]smile.gif[/img] Teflon impregnated rod ends are uber nice. Now to just install them with some graphite lube and I'll be good to go!

[ April 16, 2003: Message edited by: Dominic ]</p>

[Wicked 3800 V6]

Word. Enjoy your new rattles ... j/k. Those look nice.
-Rob

[Dominic]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Wicked 3800 V6:
Word. Enjoy your new rattles ... j/k. Those look nice.
-Rob<hr></blockquote>

lol, hopefully they won't rattle. I will be snugging them down really well and they should be solid. I assembled one and tried wiggling it and it acts like one solid piece, so I am not afraid of it doing anything weird on me.

Also I will be using loctite on the jamnuts, I don't want my LCAs coming apart, I might just [img]graemlins/crybaby.gif[/img] if they ever did.

[WickEdSix9838]

dont use red loctite unless you never want to be able to take them apart w/o f-in them up, use the blue...

[Dominic]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by WickEdSix9838:
dont use red loctite unless you never want to be able to take them apart w/o f-in them up, use the blue...<hr></blockquote>

Thanks :cool:

[WickEdSix9838]

whats the OD and the length of those LCA's?? thanx

[Dominic]

The bars are 1" Diameter and 16" long

The rod ends have 1 3/4" thread depth total, so 1.5" on either end adjustability.

16" to 19" is about their range total.

They're solid aluminum too, not hollow, and are 2.5lbs.

[wickedfirebird]

pictures were too small could'nt make them out

[WickEdSix9838]

aight, thanx alot!...my dad just bought a lathe and i can make them on my own and buy some rod ends...

[Dominic]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by WickEdSix9838:
aight, thanx alot!...my dad just bought a lathe and i can make them on my own and buy some rod ends...<hr></blockquote>

Make me a panhard rod would ya? ;)

[Dominic]

good new news, see top [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[WickEdSix9838]

cool!! im probably gonna make mine out of steel though, im afraid that with that small diameter of aluminum that they could stress fracture or break, they'll be heavier but will do the job!

[Dominic]

Being they're solid aluminum alloy, 1" bar, they're seriously strong. The threads are thick and I don't believe they will break, and they're actually lighter than the stockers.

However, steel would work fine, but I would rather have weatherproof solid aluminum over hollow "rustable" steel [img]smile.gif[/img] If you can definetly use rod ends, I am speechless at how well she drives with the rod ends [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/burnout.gif[/img]

Here is a link to some aluminum round rodding, they also sell stainless and other goodies:
http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?id=65&step=2
Oh, no cluunking whatsoever either!!

[ April 16, 2003: Message edited by: Dominic ]

[ April 16, 2003: Message edited by: Dominic ]</p>

[12secondv6]

At first I thought it was the bar used for dumb bells

I know nothing of the benifits of them, what is good about them?
Please don't tkae the above statement the wrong way, I honestly know nothing about them.

[Dominic]

Haha thats okay 12sec.

Most lower control arms are hollow steel or chromoly steel or stainless steel, like the BMRs. Whether or not they're rectangular or tubular it doesn't matter much, and they have welds at both ends where the solid poly or rubber bushing ends go.



They use a grease to keep the poly from squeaking, and they're stronger laterally than the stock ones however they cannot rotate with the axle so they inhibit the cornering ability of the car. How do I know this? Because the LCAs I just installed helped the cornering of my car beyond the stock rubber pieces, its like night and day.

The ones I got look like this:


The rod ends have a spherical piece which can swivel inside in all directions, which allows for free movement and rotation of the axle. However they utilize metal bushings in the aluminum rod ends (which I lubricated with a graphite lube to make them squeak free) so the fore/aft contact of the LCAs has zero deflection (or for those non physics majors aluminum/steel tends to compress a hell of a lot less than poly or rubber).

The launching is incredible on them, the cornering is sticky and precise but fluid feeling. The interesting thing is I can now *feel* what the rear end is doing, and it helps me know what the car is doing without guessing. It just feels so strong.

Another key to these bars is that they aren't tubular, they're solid aluminum rodding which has been drilled on either end to accept a rod end. There are no welds to break, they're weatherproof because they're aluminum, they're lighter than stock, and they have zero bushing deflection. They will not bind because they have designed freedom of motion [img]smile.gif[/img] Also if they need to be, they are fully adjustable for future chassis fore/aft centering needs [img]smile.gif[/img] . I installed mine at stock length though.

Cheap rodends move very freely with your hand, you can almost pop the spherical bearing right out of it. Not to mention they aren't teflon lined like these so they rattle and just make a ton of noise. I don't have rattles with these, theyre very solid sounding and feeling, and the ride harshness didn't go up even a hair [img]smile.gif[/img] I might be crazy but I like the ride better with them over the stock ones.

Does that help 12sec or do you need more info about something? Let me know!

Oh and here is a cutaway showing how a rod end is constructed. You can see the spherical bearing inside it which swivels like an eye.



"6061 T6 Aluminum is pound for pound stronger than steel and will never rust. They utilize aircraft quality spherical rod ends."

If you want a set, see ebay, or see that guy who is selling them in our for sale forum and on ls1tech. I think he even has the matching PHR for $100 [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ April 17, 2003: Message edited by: Dominic ]</p>