wheelman Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I'm exploring options for adjustable front control arms and have found the following: Futo Fab Arizona Z Car Techno Toy Tuning I've also seen several posts here that document various methods of modifying stock arms but I'd rather not go that route unless someone has a pair they're interested in selling. Anyway, I'd like to know what you guys think of each of the options linked above. I'm leaning toward the Techno Toy units due to price and they seem to have a good reputation. The AZ Z units are my last choice due to price, they aren't adjustable on car and seem to be more bling than necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4nsm0l3m4n Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 (edited) I have the TTT arms, they work quite well but do have some issues. You can see the main issue with them in this picture. The boxed section has some clearance cutouts to access the nuts/bolts for the TC rod. Its not all that apparent but theres not really that much clearance so putting these on can be a little annoying. Also, notice the clearance for the swaybar end link. The sway bar end link bushing wont fit through that slot. What you have to do is slide the bushing and its respective washer into position and insert the bolt afterward. My other issue with them is they are heavy. If youre going for weight savings, or trying to minimize unsprung weight, these are not the best pick. The part is a box section using pretty thick gauge steel. The stock LCAs are boxed using sheet metal... Sure, perhaps it makes the TTT LCAs stronger, but its almost 1/8" thick, is that really necessary? Keep in mind these are pretty small foibles, I'm pretty happy with my TTT LCAs. Back when I bought them I only had 2 choices, TTT or AZC and the price difference made over looking any issues quite easy. Overall, I think all 3 of those options will work about the same for you. They all work and accomplish the exact same thing the same way. Only real differences is aesthetics and price so theres no real wrong choice here. Edited May 28, 2011 by h4nsm0l3m4n Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30 ounce Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 I have TTT lower control arms front & rear as well as the TC rods. I was very impressed with the workmanship of these parts. I was a little worried that the aluminum control arms wouldn't be stong enough for track days as the entire wight of the car can be transmitted to the pavement through these parts. I'm probably wrong. I have never heard of any of them breaking except a rear AZC old design (that wasn't aluminum) that was used in a high HP track car. As for fitment, it is tight in there but the TC rods come with allen head bolts that fit better. At least it makes it easier get an allen wrench in there. I've had mine for 2 years now. Completely satisfied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I just bought a pair of TechnoToys LCAs in order to have a bearing that would allow for caster increases. Which hole does the swaybar mount to? Inner or outer? -I might go ahead and put the swaybar link on before I mount the LCA on the car. I have a pretty standard looking swaybar-nothing too fancy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 For your purposes I would be concerned with which one is longest at the full short setting. I'm guessing you're probably going to want to add camber with them, and I know some of the manufacturers make them so that the stock length is in the middle of the adjustment range. I like that the TTT parts can be ordered to size. Also keep in mind that if you adjust too far (roughly 1/2"), you might run out of tie rod adjustment, then you're into making tie rods, unless someone is manufacturing those now too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheelman Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 (edited) For your purposes I would be concerned with which one is longest at the full short setting. I'm guessing you're probably going to want to add camber with them, and I know some of the manufacturers make them so that the stock length is in the middle of the adjustment range. I like that the TTT parts can be ordered to size. Also keep in mind that if you adjust too far (roughly 1/2"), you might run out of tie rod adjustment, then you're into making tie rods, unless someone is manufacturing those now too... Jon, You're correct, I'm after some more negative camber but I'm really more interested in squaring up the car. I took it in to have it aligned and found the left side has about 1/2 degree more negative camber than the right and with the bisquit type plates I have I'm not getting as much camber as I want. I'll have to contact TTT and see what they're willing to do, I don't forsee ever shortening the arms beyond stock length so if they'll set them up to be at max short being same as stock I'll go with them. I also have more tie rod length to play with for adjustment than stock due to using the Subaru/Toyota tie rods with the power steering conversion, I think I can go out ~3/4" from where I'm at. Any idea how far I need to go to get 1.5* camber change? I'd like to end up with -3* front and -2 or -2.5* rear. The alignment shop measured the rear at almost -4 so I reduced it but haven't measured it since. What are your thoughts regarding the TTT rear control arms? I seem to remember some folks here expressing reservations about that basic design but not specifically the TTT units. Edited June 1, 2011 by wheelman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 I don't know how far you have to go to get x amount of camber sorry. Someone who has recently installed adjustable arms might know... I really don't like any of the aftermarket rear arms on the market. The TTT ones have no bracing and the outboard end is just a flat plate. The new AZC ones have that funky inboard pivot. I know people have run it without trouble, but the design is not a good one IMO. The MM ones have rubber bushings and they have a ton of threads in bending. I do think the ones that I made are the best I've seen, but I'm not going to make any to sell or anything, so you would have to copy the design yourself. EMWHYR0HEN made a nice set with the toe link in the back, but Justin's copies weren't up to snuff. Not sure if those ever got fixed. Cary modified some stockers into an A arm with toe link with the toe link to the rear, those looked simple to make and looked really good too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Mileski Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I also made a set of rear arms just for myself that I won't make any more of that I hope to have on the road pretty soon. It is the floating arm in front design (that has been race tested by someone else on the forum already). It uses heims instead of bushings for the inner pivots and the adjustability is great. I'll be able to give more useful information in a month or two. Mike Mileski Tucson, AZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheelman Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 (edited) Kali, I haven't made a firm decision yet but did procure a set of stock rear arms to cut up if I decide to build my own. I've visited that link in the past and came close to placing an order but found a thread on here that reflected poorly on the person offering those arms. I don't know the whole story, but what I found made me think again. Things may have changed with the guy but I'm not willing to risk nearly $600.00. Question for Jon and Miles: I like both of your designs but I don't see provisions for connecting an ARB to the arm, how are you planning to do this? Do you have any pictures of the modifcations? Edited January 1, 2012 by wheelman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 After talking with the guy who helped me on shock revalving, I decided I'm going to try not to use a rear ARB. In theory there should be more traction available without one. If I find that I need one then I'll make a bracket and weld it to the bottom of the arm so as to maximize the length of the end link. With my modded stock arms I think I had ~5" long end links and room for the CVs. It could be done as simply as just welding a 1" x 1/8" piece of strap with some holes drilled in it in the span of the arm. More likely I'd end up with two pieces to mount the rod end in double shear, or a square tube with one wall cut off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnosez Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I have the AZ Z RCA in my street 240 and over the last 3 yrs have put over 13,000 hard driving miles on them including some track time time as well. Once set up and aligned there have been no issues at all. I did pin the the main tubes, however as per Jon's suggestion. Z-Ya got a set of TTT RCAs for the 240 race car last year but with all the engine overheating issues we never drove it more than 100 miles on the track so we have no real input on their performance yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Mileski Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 If I ever decided to add a rear bar, I have a 3/4-16 threaded hole in the adjustment sleeve on the front portion of the arm where it attaches to the upright (see black arrow). It's located in the area where you would attach the sway bar link. I could easily make up something that would attach there and link to the end of the bar. Mike Mileski Tucson, AZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surpip Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I like all of the ideas but never really trusted heim joints on the street I came up with this, sorry for the crude paint drawing. But it allows use of stock replacement outer bushing and still retains on the car adjustability. What do yall think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
takayuki Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 has anyone tried these? Never heard of these guys before. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/DATSUN-240Z-AND-260Z-KIT-ADJUSTABLE-LOWER-CONTROL-ARMS-AND-TC-RODS-/230718206002?hash=item35b7e07032#ht_500wt_1413 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heavy85 Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 If I ever decided to add a rear bar, I have a 3/4-16 threaded hole in the adjustment sleeve on the front portion of the arm where it attaches to the upright (see black arrow). It's located in the area where you would attach the sway bar link. I could easily make up something that would attach there and link to the end of the bar. Mike Mileski Tucson, AZ I sure hope the toe link doesn't really pivot in the middle like it appears to? Cameron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube80z Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I sure hope the toe link doesn't really pivot in the middle like it appears to? The only thing I saw I might change would be to use safety washers that has a built in conical spacer so the rod ends have more clearance to their bodies. To keep from trying to move the top of the strut you need this extra degree of freedom. Dan did an excellent job in the sticky discussing all this. That's why the majority of the aftermarket arms for the back of the Z aren't really a very good design. I did a quick and dirty set for a friend's car where we wanted to try adding some antisquat. While we never went down that road we did notice the car seemed to put power down a little better. This was on a car with 15 inch FA rears and 436 WHP. I know that's anecdotal but the toe-link arms do remove some stiction from the suspension and any where you can do that it will help. I think another area of development we haven't looked at too close is the outer mount on the rear strut. It would seem to me that we can do this in a more adjustable way that's a lot lighter and mount the heims flat so we're not rotating the bearing in the housing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zbloke Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I think another area of development we haven't looked at too close is the outer mount on the rear strut. It would seem to me that we can do this in a more adjustable way that's a lot lighter and mount the heims flat so we're not rotating the bearing in the housing. Interesting, mounting the heims in a clevis at either end of the strut? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heavy85 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 ah crap - I was looking at the pic wrong and missed a weld in there. It looked like the toe link had an extra pivot point in the middle like it could fold in half. Sorry I was just looking at it wrong. PS - if you go back to that old original thread and I think I was the one who started debate with Jon about the needed degree of freedom to reduce strut bending loads as the thread was going to 'stiffer h-arm' is better so I know exactly why it's there was just looking at the pic wrong. Carry on nothing to see here ... Cameron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckrell Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Those K-E front LCA look great to me and for the money he has a newwer auction (just for the LCAs) $275 with shipping 10 more dollars and they'll be anodized I want a set Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwdawg2 Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 This seems to be all for the s30 is there anything out there in the way of control arms for s130? I know TTT has the adjustable TC's for the s130 but it doesn't seem like anyone has tackled the control arms. Any reason for that? Thanks, Lindsey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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