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Topic: Mevotech control arms (Read 2720 times) previous topic - next topic

Mevotech control arms

https://www.jegs.com/i/Mevotech/662/CMS40191/10002/-1

I am kinda intrigued about these arms. It seems that they are boxed in. Any thoughts on them?
88 Cougar
88 T-Bird
other cars that don't apply to this forum

Mevotech control arms

Reply #1
I'd heard the brand name before on a few forums discussing their balljoints and other parts, mixed reviews, about equal between good and bad when it came to part durability/quality.

To me, its a question of are these a better option than taking my factory control arms and having a nice quality balljoint and bushings pressed in. When buying these, you hope the bushings, balljoint are top quality but hard to tell until you actually get it. Not to mention the control arm stamping itself. The factory control arm stamping is an extremely durable, stiff piece in my experience.

I've always had great luck with examining a couple different balljoints in person at CarQuest and Napa, deciding on a set, and having them pressed into my own control arms. Labor is usually $20-25/both at my local garage. If I install Energy Suspension bushings, the labor is usually about $40-50/both. No, I dont have a warranty on anything other than my balljoints, but even with a warranty, who wants to have to tear their front suspension apart to remove the control arms, box them up, mail them out and then have the car down waiting on replacements? Not me.

The gamble isnt the attractive part price. Its on the labor, if they fail prematurely.

Mevotech control arms

Reply #2
Im planning on urethane bushings and moog ball joints. I was just curious about these because of the boxed in design. Im gonna pick up a set of stock control arms from a junk yard because i already sed mine
88 Cougar
88 T-Bird
other cars that don't apply to this forum

Mevotech control arms

Reply #3
Yeah, if your car is primarily street/only occasional track, like most people are using theirs, I think its the way to go for durability.

A long time ago I did see stock arms modified on the rearward edge to accomodate large width front rim/tire clearance at steer limit.

Mevotech control arms

Reply #4
You will absolutely hate the urethane bushings in the front control arms.  Been there and done that.  On stock control arms install Moog bushings and run the low friction FoMoCo ball joints and leave them at that.

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Mevotech control arms

Reply #5
Do they make low friction fox balljoints?
88 Cougar
88 T-Bird
other cars that don't apply to this forum

Mevotech control arms

Reply #6
Not sure why someone would hate the ES bushings. Have installed them in 4 of my own vehicles, two Fox stangs, two Fox birds, zero issues with them. Have probably installed 15 sets in various  customer cars, mostly Fox Mustangs with an odd Mark 7 and Tbird thrown in there. Again, zero issues. On any of them. Smooth, quiet, tight handling and ride quality.

Maximum Motorsports website claims Ford switched to low friction balljoints as OE equipment starting in 1994 on the Mustangs under part# F4ZZ-3050-B.
 That is what they sell for about 58 bucks. MM probably assumes most people already have SN95 spindle swap done or are in the process of doing it because the 4 lug brakes are considered junk to most coneheads.

  My advisp00get would be to research and understand the differences between the Fox platform 4 cyl and V8 spindles and balljoints. Then read up on the shorter SN95 balljoints and, if you are switching to SN95 spindles the differences between them. Failure to do so usually results in some installation frustration and lots of driveway googling and parts counter parts comparing.

If you are staying 4 lug, try to find the highest quality balljoint for that cars application, and if its important enough to you...verify that it is low friction. Meaning it only takes 2-5 lb of force to move it around. Of the different ones I' ve held in my hands at Carquest, Oreillys and Napa, at any price point, the effort to move any of them was neglible.

Mevotech control arms

Reply #7
I have had urethane in stock control arms and did not like them due to the NVH they translated.  With a stock suspension style car I have not noticed one bit of performance gain with the urethane just NVH.  I do have urethane bushings in my Coupe but that is a full Maximum Motorsports suspension car so NVH is not something I am worrying about as that is something you sacrifice with a purpose built car like it is.  Prior to swapping it over to the MM gear I did try the urethane bushings in the stock LCA's and with the stock coil/strut setup the NVH drove me nuts so I pulled them back out and put OEM style bushings back in and the NVH went away.

My reference to the low friction ball joints was in fact geared towards the SN95 spindles as all of my Foxes have this upgrade so its just something I look for when ball joint shopping.  I should have considered that this is not the norm.

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Mevotech control arms

Reply #8
Sadly ive already collected most of the parts needed for a 5 lug fox spindle setup a while ago. Ill pick up set of used arms from a junkyard since i had to return the bmr ones due to poor fitment
88 Cougar
88 T-Bird
other cars that don't apply to this forum

Mevotech control arms

Reply #9
Quote from: Aerocoupe;467842
You will absolutely hate the urethane bushings in the front control arms.  Been there and done that.  On stock control arms install Moog bushings and run the low friction FoMoCo ball joints and leave them at that.

The real good ones are the 03-04 Cobra front arms FRPP used to sell. I've had a set on my car since about 2008. I think I paid maybe $150 for them. Slightly stiffer factory bushings and low friction ball joints.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Re: Mevotech control arms

Reply #10
SN95 ball joints can be used with Fox spindles. The only issue is that you won't have a locking feature for the nut. If this worries you, install the nut with one or two drops of blue, NOT red Loctite.

You can't really compare the internal friction of different ball joints which are not installed in a car. What really matters is the friction level when the ball joint is loaded by the sprung weight of the car. The OEM SN95 ball joints are much better under these conditions than anything made by the aftermarket.  

Re: Mevotech control arms

Reply #11
SN95 ball joints can be used with Fox spindles. The only issue is that you won't have a locking feature for the nut. If this worries you, install the nut with one or two drops of blue, NOT red Loctite.


I would love to switch to that style.  Is that really true and safe?
Mike

Re: Mevotech control arms

Reply #12
SN95 ball joints can be used with Fox spindles. The only issue is that you won't have a locking feature for the nut. If this worries you, install the nut with one or two drops of blue, NOT red Loctite.

You can't really compare the internal friction of different ball joints which are not installed in a car. What really matters is the friction level when the ball joint is loaded by the sprung weight of the car. The OEM SN95 ball joints are much better under these conditions than anything made by the aftermarket.  

So as a random FYI:

I used the SN95 ball joints with the 10" disc Fox spindles. The nylock on the nut engages with the 10" spindles no problem. Two threads go through the top of the nut. That won't happen with the 11" spindles. Someone here just had about 1/8" of an inch machined off the spindle where the ball joint nut sits on the spindle and the SN95 ball joint nut had several threads through the nylock. So it's possible to use the SN95 ball joint with 11" Fox spindles. Just have a machine shop take off about 1/8" on the spindle where the ball joint nut sits and it'll work great. There is plenty of metal there to do that without issue. 
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Re: Mevotech control arms

Reply #13
SN95 ball joints can be used with Fox spindles. The only issue is that you won't have a locking feature for the nut. If this worries you, install the nut with one or two drops of blue, NOT red Loctite.


I would love to switch to that style.  Is that really true and safe?

If the nut is torqued correctly it shouldn't move. The nylock or castle nut/pin is there in case the nut is not torqued correctly and it tries to back off.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

 

Re: Mevotech control arms

Reply #14
Just have a machine shop take off about 1/8" on the spindle where the ball joint nut sits and it'll work great. There is plenty of metal there to do that without issue. 

Would it be advisable to grind a bit off with a angle grinder? LOL 
Mike