Extending Stock Control Arms Discussion

overspool
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Extending Stock Control Arms Discussion

Postby overspool » Fri Feb 21, 2014 8:38 am

I've seen a lot of S chassis guys extend their stock LCAs, usually between 25 and 30 mm. I want to discuss the added benefits of extended LCAs as well at the negative effects.

Extending your control arms gives you more clearance from the frame rail and inner fender at full lock. It also gives you more negative camber for added grip while turning.

The negative effects could be to much negative camber, or extending the control arm to much to where your tie rod ends don't have enough threads to hold on and you strip them out.

T3 and a few other companies make adjustable control arms, T3s have an adjustable range of .5" to 1.5".


So, how much is too much? Who has extended their LCAs? How much? Feedback? Where do you start running into tie rod issues?

I have a manual rack, Megan inner tie rods with the built in spacer, and Megan power steering outer tie rods with power knuckles.

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Re: Extending Stock Control Arms Discussion

Postby Deuce Cam » Fri Feb 21, 2014 9:04 am

There's other things to consider as well like end link mount locations and the angle of the tension rods. Plus you'll want to make sure your steering doesn't go over center with the extra tire clearance.

IMO the best way is to extend the control arm outboard of the end link and tension rod mounts. That way geometry of the end links and tension rod doesn't change. Some examples:

Image
Image
Image

overspool
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Re: Extending Stock Control Arms Discussion

Postby overspool » Fri Feb 21, 2014 9:27 am

Why is it that I can't find these images when I search but you pull them out so easily? Lol. Yes I forgot to mention end link and tension rod mount location needs to be redrilled or extend outside of their mounting location. Thanks deuce!

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Re: Extending Stock Control Arms Discussion

Postby Deuce Cam » Fri Feb 21, 2014 10:35 am

I found them on a google image search for 'ae86 control arms.'

overspool
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Re: Extending Stock Control Arms Discussion

Postby overspool » Fri Feb 21, 2014 11:01 am

Lol. I searched for ae86 extended control arm and couldn't find much. Maybe I'm just retarded.

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Jeonsah
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Re: Extending Stock Control Arms Discussion

Postby Jeonsah » Fri Feb 21, 2014 3:41 pm

On the last picture, what is that extra bolt/ mount thing for?

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Re: Extending Stock Control Arms Discussion

Postby Deuce Cam » Sat Feb 22, 2014 7:16 am

I think they're prototype mcn sport arms that never hit the market.

Are you talking about the extra bolt on top? It's the end link assembly - lower half is a heim joint and the upper half uses stock style bushings for the sway bar connection.

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Re: Extending Stock Control Arms Discussion

Postby gotzoom? » Tue Feb 25, 2014 1:19 pm

There are a number of other Toyotas that have longer lcas that you can mix & match at a low cost. The biggest problem is that the swaybar endlinks don't line up nicely, so you might need to come up with a way to do spherical bearing endlinks if you go with another Toyota's oem lcas. That's what I ended up doing and it has worked out pretty well, so far. It was a challenge to find the balance again, since the extra camber really improves steering response. I had to completely rethink my spring and swaybar situation and it took a few track events to get back to the balance that I wanted. If this is going to be a daily driven car, I would not recommend going with anyhing more than 3 deg of negative camber. Once you go above that, the car will wander around and feel very twitchy. It also requires constant attention to keep it in the lane, so it stops being much fun to drive on the road, imo. On track, more than 3 deg, it is required, though.

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oldeskewltoy
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Re: Extending Stock Control Arms Discussion

Postby oldeskewltoy » Tue Feb 25, 2014 4:24 pm

I needed them to correct for swapping AE86 parts into my AE71.... I didn't need 25 to 30 mm, I needed 6 to 10mm

With so minimal an amount change, I gambled (successfully) that I didn't have to extend them from between the balljoint, and the track rod... but I could just extend them from their overall length.

In the first attempt... A boxed section was used...
Image


In the second attempt a T3 kit was used... along with a bushed hot rod suspension link, instead of the hard mount from T3
Image

The final product
Image
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Re: Extending Stock Control Arms Discussion

Postby overspool » Fri Feb 28, 2014 6:36 pm

I ended up taking my stock control arms to my fabricator to have them extended, boxed and gusseted. I went with 1" extension (hopefully my tie rod ends will still have enough threads).

Image

Image

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Re: Extending Stock Control Arms Discussion

Postby ZINCHOTRAN » Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:04 am

Is it necessary to keep the metal tabs on the newer control arms from Raybestos? Part No. http://catalogs.raybestoschassis.com//h ... GHT_TRUCK#

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Re: Extending Stock Control Arms Discussion

Postby Nomnom83 » Tue Mar 11, 2014 8:06 am

I would like to know from guys who have done this, what amount of camber are they running with what amount of extension. Of course with maxed out camber plates or even maybe milling more adjustment into the camber plates, you would probably have to cut into the chassis in addition too.

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Re: Extending Stock Control Arms Discussion

Postby oldeskewltoy » Tue Mar 11, 2014 8:32 am

Nomnom83 wrote:I would like to know from guys who have done this, what amount of camber are they running with what amount of extension.


3/4 degree negative - 9-10mm BUT my application is an AE71, the AE71 strut towers are 12mm further apart then an AE86......
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Re: Extending Stock Control Arms Discussion

Postby frankist » Tue Mar 11, 2014 8:59 pm

I successfully extended my control arms on my ae about 25mm. It gave about -3 to -3.3 degrees. I extended mine past the tension rod mounts(bolt holes) so it wouldn't interfere where it would normally mount. Im running a manual rack with p/s knuckles. After extending the control arms, I needed to extend my tie rods by about the same amount. Overall feel, car feels much better on turn in's most likely due to the wider track/more negative camber(originally ran -2, after all said and done adjusted for -3.1). Hope this helps!

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Re: Extending Stock Control Arms Discussion

Postby Nomnom83 » Fri Mar 14, 2014 5:53 pm

frankist wrote:I successfully extended my control arms on my ae about 25mm. It gave about -3 to -3.3 degrees. I extended mine past the tension rod mounts(bolt holes) so it wouldn't interfere where it would normally mount. Im running a manual rack with p/s knuckles. After extending the control arms, I needed to extend my tie rods by about the same amount. Overall feel, car feels much better on turn in's most likely due to the wider track/more negative camber(originally ran -2, after all said and done adjusted for -3.1). Hope this helps!


Perfect, I will try 25mm. Thanks