sc&c upper control arm install?

[ROEINONDUBS]

does anyone have a write up on the install?

[GenPac]

The install instructions that come with them are pretty straight forward. Are you just curious about getting them and want to see the instructions first?

[ROEINONDUBS]

no my wife bought them for me as a Christmas gift so i have them im just not to sure about the measuring part of the install the r&r is a rap.

[wmhjr]

"Measuring part of the install"? You mean the alignment? :confused:

[ROEINONDUBS]

"Measuring part of the install"? You mean the alignment? :confused:

I think you have to measure the position of the ball joint center that way no alignment is needed

[wmhjr]

I think you have to measure the position of the ball joint center that way no alignment is needed

I have no idea what you're talking about there. Can't imagine how you would not do an alignment after installing these. Instructions do not reference any sort of measuring of the position of the ball joint center. How would you measure across 3 axis and travel?

New one on me. No matter what, I'd align.

[dipren443]

Yeah, what whmjr said. Measure the links, get em close to each other left to right. Take it straight to the alignment shop.

[BonzoHansen]

I think you have to measure the position of the ball joint center that way no alignment is needed

no, you get it close then you get it aligned. An alignment is an absolute part of the job.

[monteboy84]

FWIW, an alignment is cheaper than even 1 tire for your car. You're better off to just get the alignment done, versus finding out the hard way that your alignment wears out tires. Besides, a proper alignment will make your car handle better.

[ROEINONDUBS]

FWIW, an alignment is cheaper than even 1 tire for your car. You're better off to just get the alignment done, versus finding out the hard way that your alignment wears out tires. Besides, a proper alignment will make your car handle better.

Well it was just my first thought I talked to mark and he said the measuring is so you can get it close and then do the alignment, I will be buying his alignment tool! I know an alignment is needed when suspension is changed I have just never used the sc&c's before and wanted to know why they have added the measuring step

[monteboy84]

Well it was just my first thought I talked to mark and he said the measuring is so you can get it close and then do the alignment, I will be buying his alignment tool! I know an alignment is needed when suspension is changed I have just never used the sc&c's before and wanted to know why they have added the measuring step

Understandable. I haven't read or heard the instructions you're referring to, but my guess is they're to do what's been said here. That being, to get your car aligned well enough to make it to the alignment shop. Of course, if you're going to align it in your own garage, it'd be an unnecessary step, except to maybe get you in the ballpark before fine-tuning the alignment.

[rsk68]

I have ordered the UCA from SC&C, I'm going to just have my allignment guy put the arms on for me, its not that much work for him, this way I have no issue of destroying good tires with the 12 mile drive to his shop.

[ROEINONDUBS]

I have ordered the UCA from SC&C, I'm going to just have my allignment guy put the arms on for me, its not that much work for him, this way I have no issue of destroying good tires with the 12 mile drive to his shop.
that sounds good i wish i could do the same but ima resto my frame at the same time

[wmhjr]

wanted to know why they have added the measuring step

Can somebody post the "added step"? Mine was a frame off (hell, every damned nut, bolt, washer and cotter pin off) build including doing the frame also. Car will go to alignment on a trailer so it really doesn't matter.

But really, seems unncessary. If you have to drive to alignment shop, camber and caster really won't kill you. Toe in might. Just get a piece of chalk. Raise your front end off the ground. Hold the chalk on part of the tread and spin it, creating a straight line. Do the same on the other tire. Measure the distance between lines on the front of the tires. Do the same on the back of the tires. Make them equal. Presto.

[Roadbuster]

Well it was just my first thought I talked to mark and he said the measuring is so you can get it close and then do the alignment, I will be buying his alignment tool! I know an alignment is needed when suspension is changed I have just never used the sc&c's before and wanted to know why they have added the measuring step

When I did mine I set the arms to roughly where they should be and bolted them in. Don't worry about the measurement being exact. I used the fasttrac alignment tool from Mark and some industrial floor tiles (70 cents each at Home Depot) with grease in between them as turn tables. Then I adjusted the arms to dial in the camber, then caster and then used a measuring tape to set the toe.


Before I had it aligned at the shop I drove it about 100 miles. Tracked straight with no unusual tire wear on my super soft R888 tires. Then I drove it to the alignment shop I use (70 miles) and had him check my garage alignment. I was off a little on the right side about 0.25 degree of camber and 0.25 degree of caster. I was going for about 0.5 degrees of cross caster and got about 0.75. The left side was exactly what I had set it to. Where I was off was on the toe. I had it toed out and was going for toe in. The toe out would cause quicker wear on the front tires over a lot more miles.

I tried the tread measure method but it did not give me accurate results due to the fact my car is so low it is difficult to get a straight shot across the car more than two inches off the ground. Some angle plates to put against tires and two tape measures will help next time.
I have confidence I can set it to what I want when I do it again.

This took me quite a while. Lots of measuring and remeasuring and I did this by myself. If would be faster and easier with two people.

Jon

[ROEINONDUBS]

Can somebody post the "added step"? Mine was a frame off (hell, every damned nut, bolt, washer and cotter pin off) build including doing the frame also. Car will go to alignment on a trailer so it really doesn't matter.

But really, seems unncessary. If you have to drive to alignment shop, camber and caster really won't kill you. Toe in might. Just get a piece of chalk. Raise your front end off the ground. Hold the chalk on part of the tread and spin it, creating a straight line. Do the same on the other tire. Measure the distance between lines on the front of the tires. Do the same on the back of the tires. Make them equal. Presto.

"Now, measure your stock arms from cross shaft to ball joint center and adjust the tubular arms to be about 1/2" shorter and with the ball joint offset about 1/2" more toward the firewall"

[wmhjr]

Interesting. Wonder when that got added to the instructions.