spc control arms 67 camaro

[DButler]

OK so I bought some spc upper and lower control from a buddy for my 67 camaro...they are new only installed for mock up..they have pro forged ball joints..I am unsure of how to adjust these...do you still use shims to align the car or is it solely by adjusting the sleeves in or out? I also have the lowers and they look to have two 1/4" spacers with an aluminum spacer the spring sits in. Will these change the ride height of the car? Also how do I tell if the Ball joints are tall? The rest of my setup is hotchkis drop coils springs...qa1 adjustable shocks...hotchkis sway bar...CCP spindles( think stock height) I also have stock hubs...CPP c4/c5 hybrid brakes...I am running 8.5 wheels...will these control arms mess the offset of my wheels up? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks

[red67camaro]

I'm also using spc arms on my '67 with LH customs tall spindles. You can adjust alignment with either shims or the adjusting sleeves or any combo of both. I use three 1/8" shims on the rear bolts and none on the front and make the rest of the adjustment with the sleeves. This maximizes the thread engagement of the adjuster sleeves with my current alignment.

Yes, the lower arms will affect the ride height. The exact number of spacers needed for your desired ride height will depend on your specific combination of components. To a degree it will be a try it and see situation. If need be I can look and see which spacers I'm using but I have different springs and spindles so my setup may not work for you.

The ball joint end of the upper arms is larger than stock control arms and will be closer to the wheel especially when turning. It will for sure have an impact on wheel offset if your wheels are close to the stock arms already. I did my mods in stages over a few years with various combinations of control arms, wheels, spindles, and other components.

If your spindles are in fact stock height, I highly recommend the Guldstrand mod. It was a very noticeable improvement in handling for very little effort. With the spc arms it is very easy to do. I put the arms back to the stock location when I installed the tall spindles. You generally don't want to combine this mod with tall spindles or ball joints. For more info, check out David Pozzi's excellent website. Pozziracing.com

[1969rs]

Give Marcus a call at SC&C. I have the SPC uppers and you adjust them with the sleeves which eliminates the need for shims. You are right about the spacers in the lowers, they are used for ride height adjustment. I have talked to Marcus a couple of times and he was very helpful. Like you, I bought mine from someone else but Marcus still talked to me over an hour each time explaining suspension set up. Super nice guy.

[DButler]

Great thanks I will give him a call. I don't think my wheels will hit but we will see. They have pro forged ball joints and I am thinking they are tall ball joints. I am confused on how many spacers to use under the ball joint itself? Also my car sits perfect right now with stock LCA and I am almost positive 2" hotchkis lowering springs with stock spindles. The CPP spindles I have I am pretty sure are stock height. Do you know how I can tell if the pro forged ball joints are the tall joints? They have like 3 shim bolted to the ball joint.

[DButler]

I would like to install these this weekend possibly. I have called sc&c several times with no answer...they must be busy. However I am still insure how to adjust these to get car close to carry to alignment shop...how many spacers to use to get back to the factory lower control arm height...how many of the spacers go under the ball joint and how to make sure I have tall ball joints I am pretty sure they are the profirged tall but want to be certain and not sure what the spacers on the ball joints are for....I have searched bit can't mind much on these...just wanna do it right the first time....also can someone give me good alignment specs for street driving but I want it to handle good also and wear out my tires too fast....I forgot add in the top line I have the sweet mfg. 12:1 ratio steering box.

[BuzzKillian]

1. how many spacers to use to get back to the factory lower control arm height
2.how many of the spacers go under the ball joint and how to make sure I have tall ball joints I am pretty sure they are the profirged tall but want to be certain and not sure what the spacers on the ball joints are for....I have searched bit can't mind much on these...just wanna do it right the first time...
3.also can someone give me good alignment specs for street driving but I want it to handle good also and wear out my tires too fast....I forgot add in the top line I have the sweet mfg. 12:1 ratio steering box.

1. I would use all the spacers on the LCA. (2) 1/4" Shims + Cast Aluminum Shim) The SPC LCAs will lower your car 2" from stock with no shims.

2. I am not familiar with this type of ball joint. Can you post a picture of it?

3. Camber -1/2° L, -1/2° R. Caster +5° L, +5.5° R. Toe 1/16" in. These are numbers that should get you good tire wear and still turn in well for the street. This may not be optimum, not knowing your camber curve has me advising you conservatively. If you plan on doing 3 or 4 AutoXs I would use more camber 1°-2°.

I would also go to SPC's website and look at their installation instructions. It has been a couple years since I installed them.

[DButler]

Can you lost pictures of your setup?

[DButler]

? Anyone had anymore input?

[DButler]

Great thanks for the info as I plan to start installing tomorrow. So the spacers put me back at stock height on the lcas which is great because I like the way my car sits...with the LCA lowering the car two inches will this affect my qa1 shocks?
I will post a pic of the ball joints shortly.
on the caster what is the purpose of having 5.5 on right versus 5 on the left?
to achieve the camber with the spec arms I simply adjust by the sleeves on the arms and run no shims correct?

[BuzzKillian]

Great thanks for the info as I plan to start installing tomorrow. So the spacers put me back at stock height on the lcas which is great because I like the way my car sits...with the LCA lowering the car two inches will this affect my qa1 shocks?
I will post a pic of the ball joints shortly.
on the caster what is the purpose of having 5.5 on right versus 5 on the left?
to achieve the camber with the spec arms I simply adjust by the sleeves on the arms and run no shims correct?

The pocket on the SPC LCAs is an inch deeper. So your shocks would extended an inch more. Depending on how much travel your shocks have, will have an effect on that. (Ideally the shock should be mid stroke at ride height)


The difference in caster is to compensate for road crown. You can set them the same and just deal with a slight pull to the right. Mark at SC&C told me to set them the same, you'll get a slight pull to right in the slow lane and slight pull to left in the fast lane.

I did all my adjustments with the turnbuckles. no shims.

[regal454]

I agree with Buzzkillian-start with both 1/4" spacers and the aluminum spring block, especially if you are happy with the current ride height. Here is a pic of my car with both upper and lower SPC control arms, 2" Hotchkis lowering springs, and both 1/4" shims and the aluminum spring block installed for reference:

[DButler]

You can see the ball joints in this PIC. They have pro forged stamped in the top of them and the spacers are bolted on but can be removed. I am not sure I need these on there or not? I am not sure what they do my control arms are stock height. How do I tell if these are tall ball joints which I need. I am pretty sure they are though

[BuzzKillian]

You can see the ball joints in this PIC. They have pro forged stamped in the top of them and the spacers are bolted on but can be removed. I am not sure I need these on there or not? I am not sure what they do my control arms are stock height. How do I tell if these are tall ball joints which I need. I am pretty sure they are though

It looks to me like you have 1" tall ball joints w/ (3) 1/4" spacers. I don't remember seeing what your wheel dia. was. If you have the room I would put all the spacers in below the A arm. This should help your camber curve.
I learned this the hard way. You should assemble everything without the springs so you can cycle the suspension. (up, down. turn left and right) to make sure you're not rubbing on anything. Check sway bar. Wheels to A frames. Just look all around.

OH... That is the TOP of the UCA you have pictured. Drivers side. If your other UCA looks the same, take it apart and reassemble it so it is a mirrored image of the picture.

[DButler]

Man thanks for the helpful info. The shocks are qa1 adjustable shocks made for a stock style suspension...star stocker I think is the name of them.
I am going to disassemble and anti sieze the arms good. I have 18" x8.5 wheels o. Front with 245/40 tires. How does the spacers bolt to the control arm? I am a little confused. Do the spacers and ball joint go on bottom side of uca or top side?Also these should be good with a stock style spindle right? And do I need to do anything to the tie rod ends? I have stock right now but have a set of speed tech with the thicker adjusters that I was gonna install that came on another car that was switched to ride tech tru turn.

[BuzzKillian]

Man thanks for the helpful info. The shocks are qa1 adjustable shocks made for a stock style suspension...star stocker I think is the name of them.
I am going to disassemble and anti sieze the arms good. I have 18" x8.5 wheels o. Front with 245/40 tires. How does the spacers bolt to the control arm? I am a little confused. Do the spacers and ball joint go on bottom side of uca or top side?Also these should be good with a stock style spindle right? And do I need to do anything to the tie rod ends? I have stock right now but have a set of speed tech with the thicker adjusters that I was gonna install that came on another car that was switched to ride tech tru turn.

I asked about the wheels because I have 17" and the wheel hit the UCA at full lock. I do have tall spindles. I don't think you should have a problem there.

I would check with Pro Forge about the spacers. There is an awful lot of force put on the upper ball joint in a high speed turn.

As far as steering arms and tie rods go... I'm not sure with your situation. I have the Tru Turn system installed and it just works.

[DButler]

Here is a pic of current ride height.

[DButler]

Also does the alignment specs you gave me take into account the 1degree positive caster the lowers have built in?

[BuzzKillian]

Also does the alignment specs you gave me take into account the 1degree positive caster the lowers have built in?

Yes

I have pretty much the same setup as far as the control arms go.

[DButler]

I also took the arms apart and reassembled after anti seizing. The sleeves will turn each way easy until a certain point then it gets hard. I am thinking these will only turn so far even if there are more threads showing on shaft. Are there any certain way to reassemble these or not?

[DButler]

I have installed the control arms and I'm almost done. I have read on the ball joint spacers but can't tell what the benefit is. I have proforge tall ball joints...I have a couple questions to finish this up.
1) should I run all three ball joint spacers with the tall ball joints.
2) will this step be good with stock spindles?
3) I have speedtech inner tie rods ends and adjusters...does these offer any other bennfits other than strength. I'm gonna have to buy outers...should I get stock length long etc.?
4)how much travel do arms usually move up and down.at full droop the hit frame and it I push all the way up it hits the inner fender and my turbo piping but that is extending up a long ways. Just curious.
5) what is the best grease to use when greasing ball joints...sway bar etc.
6)how will the extended lower pockets on these arms affect my qa1 shocks?
7) last question...I have the hotchkis lowering springs and the 2- 1/4" spacers and 1/2" thick spring locator should make these arms the same as stock lowers. If I take out one of the 1/4" spacers will this lower my car 1/2" lower? I am thinking about trying this.

My list of questions grew when I started typing. I am planning to finish this week but had these few questions I was curious about...mainly the ball joint spacers...not a lot of info from what I can find.