Technical Topics specific to the Hatchback body - NOT where you post pics/build specs of your car.
By Farlander
#347689 The car is basically stock setup with a few changes:

Front lower control arm bushings and radius arm bushings have been replaced with Prothane polyurethane bushings. Stock arms.

Struts/springs are Monroe quick strut assemblies, stock ride height, only $400 for the set. I had lo-tech quick strut assemblies but replaced them when I bought the car because they were too low and way too harsh.

Front upper control arms currently are adjustable, unknown brand, orange colored with slotted openings for the ball joint bolts so camber can be adjusted in or out. The thin edge along one of the adjuster slots is broken, so I want to replace the arms with something that has a solid frame around the slotted slide tracks, such as these:
I would like poly or hardened rubber bushings preloaded in the upper arm brackets, as well as a ball joint that will last a long time. Any recommendations based on experience appreciated!
By Farlander
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By Leppy
#347697
teal_dx wrote:The ones in the first link look decent. Rule of thumb is you get what you pay for :thumb: They aren't name brand, but should get the job done.


I have a set of Blox adjustable front upper control arms on my hatch, and so far the quality is excellent.
By Farlander
#347706 How long have you had the Blox upper front CAs? Has anybody used these tubular ebay ones??
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By Leppy
#347708
Farlander wrote:How long have you had the Blox upper front CAs?


Few months now
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By suspendedHatch
#347742 Why do you need adjustable camber at stock ride height?
Just go to the junkyard and grab some.
By Farlander
#347800 Still looking for advice on best / not overpriced adjustable front upper control arms, preferably with poly or hardened rubber bushings...
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By mADmAN
#347847 hardrace man.... hardrace!
By Farlander
#347895 I just installed the hardrace engine mounts and they are too hard... rattle the entire car including the inside, whole dash and glove box shaking, change even rattling. Not very tolerable....
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By Gram0401
#347981 I had a set of blox upper control arms for about 3 months before the bolts ripped threw the mounting plate while I was driving, I wouldn't recommend them. I replaced them with a set of ebay arm that look like these, much better design.

Image

The destroyed blox arms
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By Leppy
#347984 Image

These are my Blox arms. Are they the same that busted on you?
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By suspendedHatch
#348138 That design was stolen from Skunk2 and is known to be failure prone. The design itself is inherently flawed.
By Farlander
#348232 Thank you for finally bringing up the point I have been getting at. The inner edges of the slots where the ball joint plate is adjustable are too thin and thus bend and warp. I've squeezed the bolts through just by tightening them, and ended up the edge back and installing some larger washers with lock washers to keep it all together. It works but it is sketchy. The tube frame ones shown here look like a much more solid design but bushings and ball joint are unknown quality, thus making it almost as risky as what I have now. I don't want to be doing suspension overhauls and alignment on my car every 6 months...