Suspension, Brakes, Drivetrain discuss the wondrous effects of boost and your miata...
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Adjustable Upper Control Arm

Old 02-25-2016, 12:26 PM
  #1  
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (17)
 
pdexta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 2,949
Total Cats: 182
Default Adjustable Upper Control Arm

I'd like to add some additional camber adjustment in the rear of my car, but it doesn't look like there are a lot of options available. I see FM and V8Roadsters offer them at up toward $300. I was just curious if there are any other options out there I may have overlooked?

There's no way to add an eccentric bolt to the stock control arms is there? Sure would be nice to figure out an effective $20 fix.
pdexta is offline  
Old 02-25-2016, 12:40 PM
  #2  
Junior Member
iTrader: (4)
 
julio's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 130
Total Cats: 23
Default

You could do something like AWR does.

Control Arm - Rear Upper Adjustable Bare - AWR Racing Store
julio is offline  
Old 02-25-2016, 12:43 PM
  #3  
Boost Pope
iTrader: (8)
 
Joe Perez's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,019
Total Cats: 6,587
Default

ISC sells offset bushings for the rear upper control arm: Suspension | ISC RACING SERVICES Note that these are made from delrin, which is extremely hard, and thus there will be a bit of a NVH penalty.

SuperPro manufactures a set of bushings with offset centers for the rear lower, which are polyurethane, so stiffer than OEM rubber, but not solid like delrin: SuperPro Bushing Kit for MAZDA MX-5 NA - 1990-1998 These are available from various distributors, such as Trackdog: http://trackdogracing.com/superpro-adjkit-rear.aspx


There also this set of adjustable rear upper arms which are $245 a pair: http://store.awrracing.com/control-a...justable-bare/ (It's a stock upper arm with the end cut off and an eccentric bolt retainer welded on. The benefit here is that if you wish to, you can use OEM rubber bushings.)

Last edited by Joe Perez; 02-25-2016 at 12:54 PM.
Joe Perez is online now  
Old 02-25-2016, 12:57 PM
  #4  
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (17)
 
pdexta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 2,949
Total Cats: 182
Default

Awesome links Joe, thank you so much. I knew something had to exist, just wasn't sure where to look or what I was looking for.
pdexta is offline  
Old 02-25-2016, 01:03 PM
  #5  
Boost Pope
iTrader: (8)
 
Joe Perez's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,019
Total Cats: 6,587
Default

Originally Posted by pdexta
Awesome links Joe, thank you so much. I knew something had to exist, just wasn't sure where to look or what I was looking for.
The last link I posted it actually the exact thing you were asking about vis a vis "There's no way to add an eccentric bolt to the stock control arms is there?" If you're sufficiently confident in your welding skills to hack up your control arms, you could replicate this at home.
Joe Perez is online now  
Old 02-25-2016, 03:37 PM
  #6  
Junior Member
 
guttedmiata's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 440
Total Cats: 3
Default

Cut ours in half. Welded end plates and nuts. Used 5/8" rod between with lock nuts. About $20, but a fair amount of work.
guttedmiata is offline  
Old 02-25-2016, 03:57 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
acedeuce802's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Farmington Hills, MI
Posts: 1,218
Total Cats: 175
Default

Originally Posted by guttedmiata
Cut ours in half. Welded end plates and nuts. Used 5/8" rod between with lock nuts. About $20, but a fair amount of work.
I would rather see this method executed with shims and two through bolts (I don't remember if the sheet metal arm is open on one side to make this possible). But, threads in bending = bad.
acedeuce802 is offline  
Old 02-25-2016, 04:17 PM
  #8  
Boost Pope
iTrader: (8)
 
Joe Perez's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,019
Total Cats: 6,587
Default

Originally Posted by acedeuce802
I would rather see this method executed with shims and two through bolts (I don't remember if the sheet metal arm is open on one side to make this possible). But, threads in bending = bad.
Agreed. You see this sort of design in upper rear arms sold on eBay, as well as those made by such amazingly talented shops as Megan Racing, which makes me want to avoid it.

Another low-budget option exists for the person skilled with a welder. If all you want to do is change the range through which the lower eccentric bolts are capable of moving the wheel in static camber (and assuming you with to make static camber more negative, not less), you can just cut a slice out of the midshaft section of the upper arm with a chop saw and then weld the two pieces back together, effectively shortening the arm by a small amount. This is effectively what the ISC offset upper bushings do.
Joe Perez is online now  
Old 02-25-2016, 08:22 PM
  #9  
Junior Member
 
guttedmiata's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 440
Total Cats: 3
Default

Originally Posted by acedeuce802
I would rather see this method executed with shims and two through bolts (I don't remember if the sheet metal arm is open on one side to make this possible). But, threads in bending = bad.
4 years. 2 of those on 10" Hoosier slicks and 2 of those on 12" Hoosier slicks. Zero issues. Can't argue with what works.
guttedmiata is offline  
Old 02-26-2016, 09:37 AM
  #10  
SadFab CEO
iTrader: (3)
 
hi_im_sean's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: your mom's house phoenix, AZ
Posts: 4,560
Total Cats: 1,142
Default

Originally Posted by pdexta

There's no way to add an eccentric bolt to the stock control arms is there? Sure would be nice to figure out an effective $20 fix.
Sure there is. Is been on my long list of things to R and D. Slot the hole like the LCAs have and weld on a u shaped retainer thing for the cam to sit it. done.


Also, offset delrin bushings.


edit- im way late, lol
hi_im_sean is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
xcoldricex
Miata parts for sale/trade
8
04-11-2016 09:39 PM
sonofthehill
Cars for sale/trade
17
02-26-2016 09:07 PM
vteckiller2000
Engine Performance
20
02-25-2016 06:31 PM
NA+BG BP
Meet and Greet
4
02-25-2016 09:01 AM
MaineMiata91
Miata parts for sale/trade
0
02-24-2016 10:58 AM


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Quick Reply: Adjustable Upper Control Arm



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:52 PM.