Installed Fark's Supercars No-Hop UCA Bushings

[blazzin1]

Just installed Fark's Supercars "No Hop" Upper Control Arm Bushings this past weekend. I must admit I was very skeptical about installing a solid bronze "race" bushing in my car, especially since my car is 95% street-driven. But, after doing it, and feeling the results, I'm glad that I did it.....no regrets at all. I previously had the Pfadt Polyurethane bushings (1410116), and I have absolutely nothing bad to say about them, they are indeed a great improvement over stock. But THIS....the Fark's takes it to a whole new level that is even better!!! Might I even say the best you can get!!! I was able to remove the old bushings (with brackets) without removing or even lowering the subframe down. And since the new bushings are much smaller in diameter, the installation was easier than the removal. Don't get me wrong, it's a tight fit, and you have to use some clever wrench combinations to get up in there, but it CAN be done. Also, on the installation, without lowering the subframe, you can't get a torque wrench up there on the two bracket mount bolts. But I just used some blue loc-tite and used the "German" torque technique (good-n-tight). I have all BMR suspension components with the solid QA1 Rod Ends (Heim Joints), and these new bushings were like adding the cherry to the top of the whipped cream!!! I used to have some random "clunking" in the rear suspension when driving slowly and articulating the suspension. I think that is to be somewhat expected when 90% of your suspension joints are solid Heim Joints. After all, it is now a hard race suspension....no longer a "cushy" Cadillac suspension. But after installing these bushings, I would say that 80% of my "clunking" went away. Maybe because these bushings do not allow ANY lateral movement of that upper connection point?!?!?! I'm not sure, but I know that my "clunking" issues are now greatly reduced. Very pleased. Now....going to the track this coming weekend. We'll see if I can improve my 60' times at all.

I give a very high recommendation to these Fark's Bushings!!! Yes, they are a bit expensive, but then again, this is another case of....you get what you pay for!!! Call them up, and Farid will take good care of you!!!

http://www.farkssupercars.com/?/Bush...maro-bushings/

[Fraxum]

Let us know the result. What were your 60's before?

You have aftermarket Toe Rods and outer TA bushings?

[blazzin1]

Originally Posted by Fraxum

Let us know the result. What were your 60's before?

You have aftermarket Toe Rods and outer TA bushings?

I will let y'all know how I do. My best so far was a 2.031 60', 13.267 et, 107.13 mph. But keep in mind, that was my first time ever racing my car on a drag strip, I am a COMPLETE novice at this stuff, so.....I've got lots of practice, practice, practice ahead of me. And yes, I have BMR TCA033 Trailing Arms, TR004 Toe Rods, and MTCA030 Lower Control Arms (all of which have the solid QA1 Spherical Rod Ends). And also running BMR BK006 Outer Trailing Arm Bushings, BMR XSB004 Xtreme Drag Sway Bar, and Pfadt Solid Subframe Bushings. It's becoming very "rigid" back there!!!!

[Ject]

Hate to sound uneducated but where exactly do these mount/attach?

[blazzin1]

Originally Posted by Ject

Hate to sound uneducated but where exactly do these mount/attach?

They mount on top of the rear frame rail on the Sub-Frame. They are the rear connection point for the upper control arms.

[429]

They're nice, but not $349 nice.

[blazzin1]

Originally Posted by 429

They're nice, but not $349 nice.

I hear ya! The initial investment is quite high. But, the way I see it, if these are the last piece of the puzzle needed to help eliminate wheel hop, and it ends up saving my axles, rear end, or other driveline components, then it was money well-spent!!!

[JusticePete]

Whenever you eliminate motion in a suspension arm it is a given you shift load. The upper rear control arm bolts to the rear knuckle through a sealed horizantally mounted monoball. As you know, monoballs allow movement. The upper inner rear mounting point is a vertically oriented monoball to allow movement. The rear OE upper control arm mounting is a relatively soft rubber bushing to allow movement.

A fixed position solid upper rear outer mount will eliminate the movement allowed by the OE compliant rubber bushings. Now that the rear movement is eliminated, other than rotation, where does the load shift? It can only move to three areas.

1. The upper vertically positioned inner monoball
2. The upper outer horizontally positioned monoball
3. Various loading points in the arm itself

The way our cars are driven on road courses we wear out the outer knuckle mounted monoball. We have cracked the ferule in the Upper Inner monoball. There is no such thing as a free lunch in automotive design. When you make one part substantially stronger than the remaining parts you have effectively made the remaining parts weaker.

I think the brackets are a brilliant solution for wheel hop and drag racing. For a daily driver and or road course 5th Gens there will be wear and tear that needs to be monitored.

[blazzin1]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

I think the brackets are a brilliant solution for wheel hop and drag racing. For a daily driver and or road course 5th Gens there will be wear and tear that needs to be monitored.

Well, I certainly won't pretend to know a darn thing about road course driving, so I'll have to take your word for it!!! But I completely agree that these may not be appropriate for a daily-driver vehicle. I think I'm safe.....after 4 years of ownership, I just passed 7200 miles!!! My car is pretty much a weekend warrior..........(but only on "nice" weekends)!!!!

[Blue70SS]

Originally Posted by blazzin1

Well, I certainly won't pretend to know a darn thing about road course driving, so I'll have to take your word for it!!! But I completely agree that these may not be appropriate for a daily-driver vehicle. I think I'm safe.....after 4 years of ownership, I just passed 7200 miles!!! My car is pretty much a weekend warrior..........(but only on "nice" weekends)!!!!

So who has used these on a road course and/or weekend warrior/daily driver and have comments on how these are performing and wearing?

I've done searches that point to lots of comments in a thread that is now deleted

[Blue70SS]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Whenever you eliminate motion in a suspension arm it is a given you shift load. The upper rear control arm bolts to the rear knuckle through a sealed horizantally mounted monoball. As you know, monoballs allow movement. The upper inner rear mounting point is a vertically oriented monoball to allow movement. The rear OE upper control arm mounting is a relatively soft rubber bushing to allow movement.

A fixed position solid upper rear outer mount will eliminate the movement allowed by the OE compliant rubber bushings. Now that the rear movement is eliminated, other than rotation, where does the load shift? It can only move to three areas.

1. The upper vertically positioned inner monoball
2. The upper outer horizontally positioned monoball
3. Various loading points in the arm itself

The way our cars are driven on road courses we wear out the outer knuckle mounted monoball. We have cracked the ferule in the Upper Inner monoball. There is no such thing as a free lunch in automotive design. When you make one part substantially stronger than the remaining parts you have effectively made the remaining parts weaker.

I think the brackets are a brilliant solution for wheel hop and drag racing. For a daily driver and or road course 5th Gens there will be wear and tear that needs to be monitored.

Pete, how did you determine the ferule in the Upper Inner monoball was cracked? Were there obvious signs of it while installed on the car, or found by disassembly and cutting the part in 1/2?