New Front UCA Suggestion

[Mr Nick]

I'd like to replace my current old style SPC upper control arms with something else. I'm looking at RideTech Part # 11223699 Strong Arms, and QA1 52522 2.0 Pro-Touring arms.

I want Derlin bushings and a tall ball joint. RideTech has the Derlin bushings, but I'm not sure what kind of ball joint. QA1 has a composite bushing (whatever that means) and a tall ball joint.

I do plan on contacting the manufactures to confirm these details. Looking for opinions/suggestions between these two.

https://www.ridetech.com/product/1964-1972-gm-a-body-strongarm-control-arms-front-upper_11223699/

https://www.qa1.net/product/sku-52522


Rest of the front end:
Stock spindles
SPC LCA with tall ball joints
UMI 1" drop spring
QA1 shocks

[Mr Nick]

PS Mark is supposedly in Bankruptcy court now but who knows...

Nick, what's wrong with the SPC arms? Are yours making a snap sound when stopping?

I used to be a customer of Mark's, not any longer.

There is nothing "wrong" with the SPC uppers. I'm just not a fan of the design. I'm going to swap out the current coil-over kit I have in there for factory style spring, and thought it would be a good opportunity to change the upper arms while I'm in there.

[cdrod]

I'd like to replace my current old style SPC upper control arms with something else.

Nick:
I bought my SPC uppers in 2013 and running +0.5" lower and +0.9" upper ball joints from Howe. How do I know if I have the "old style" or the "new style" SPC arms? What is the difference? Thanks.

Rodney

[BonzoHansen]

I'd also consider calling UMI

[protour_chevelle]

Yes, what is the difference..

If I was to go another route, I would look into Detroit Speeds offering. I like the way they shift the upper back and forth keeping it in a straight line to adjust caster..
Early SPC arms had a straight cross shaft with pivot tabs to the ball joint being centered. The next revision had a weight reduced cross shaft that looks like a bone. The pivot tabs to the ball joint were also changed to an offset. From there SPC came out with a forged ball joint holder vs the plate style with welded components.

[rohrt]

I have the new style SPCs arms on two cars now. I worked with SPC directly since...well Mark stuff. They have a Delrine bushing option. I didn't get it. There rubber version is actually very smooth. The new arms have a drop to them so no worry about tall ball joint articulation problems.

It seems like a great quality arm to me.
It still has the draw backs of no bumper stops and being a PITA to have aligned but the price is right and like the adjustability and no needs for shims.

[Mr Nick]

Early SPC arms had a straight cross shaft with pivot tabs to the ball joint being centered. The next revision had a weight reduced cross shaft that looks like a bone. The pivot tabs to the ball joint were also changed to an offset. From there SPC came out with a forged ball joint holder vs the plate style with welded components.

I have the old style arms, and changed out the cross shafts to the newer style. Here is a comparison, old style on top of course.

192064

[protour_chevelle]

It still has the draw backs of no bumper stops and being a PITA to have aligned but the price is right and like the adjustability and no needs for shims.

Funny you mention this. I have speedtech arms and they do not have droop bump stops which is insanely annoying when jacking the car up. I have 6" of suspension droop before the tires come off the ground, so I have to jack the car to pluto before I can get wheel dollys under it. I may add my own bump stops/limiters. The other part I dont like about some of the arms on the market including my current ones is the large radius to the upper arms that becomes very intrusive to a tight engine bay where the flat SPC arms are a much tighter package.


Mr Nick


I have the old style arms, and changed out the cross shafts to the newer style. Here is a comparison, old style on top of course.


I had a version in between those ones haha. SPC has changed a ton!

[Mr Nick]

I had a version in between those ones haha. SPC has changed a ton!

The tech at SPC did say my style of arm was OLD and they rarely see them any more. I got them from Mark at SC&C in 2009.

[cdrod]

I bought my SPC upper arms in 2013 during a clearance sale from an on-line seller called Ultra-Rev. I guess I have the second version as the cross shafts are of the weight reduced design. I don't know what bushing these arms use, but it doesn't look like rubber and they don't have grease zerks either. My car is not on the road yet so I can't speak to any ride quality/harshness issues. It seemed to me (after I bought them) that rubber and/or greaseable bushings might be s better design for a street driven car.

I fabricated the bump plates out of 3/16" steel plate and mounted them to the top of the ball-joint plate using longer 1/4-28 grade 8 bolts. Here's a pic.

Rodney

192113