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Topic: RLCA.  (Read 1698 times) previous topic - next topic

RLCA.

I’m wanting to purchase RLCA (adjustable) for my 85 Tbird. CHE are a little less cost. What are the difference between these and Maximum Motorsport design. ? Anyone here running these with good results?
87 Tbird LX w/Factory floor shifter:D   3G upgrade. Tinted Windows...85 Mustang GT steering wheel(non-cruise) 17'' Saleen SC style wheels,Front/Rear TC sway bars/poly bushings & Mustang GT steering rack...'05 Mustang V6 springs...93 Cobra MC & booster, MM adjustable C/C plates,  Work  In  Progress.......  ( On The Shelf---HO computer, 19lb injectors, HO cam, BBK headers, Explorer Intake, Cold Air Intake ,Phantom Gauges, Stinger stainless exhaust pipes )
 S O L D

Re: RLCA.

Reply #1
I believe CHE advertises the lower adjustable will raise the rear of the car 1/2" with the same springs.

I have the CHE adjustable on my car and changed my rear springs to Moog CC821 that are shorter springs.  I am happy with the ride. 
1988 Thunderbird TC, 5spd
Stinger 3" single exhaust, Cone Filter, Adjustable Cam Pulley, Schneider roller cam, Walbro 255 lph, AEM Wideband O2
'93 Mustang Cobra replica wheels on 235/50R17

'21 F150 Powerboost
'17 Husqvarna TX300

Re: RLCA.

Reply #2
How long have you had the CHE units? Are you satisfied with them? They are less money than the other brand. Can you post a picture of your car? Curious about the ride height.
Thank you
87 Tbird LX w/Factory floor shifter:D   3G upgrade. Tinted Windows...85 Mustang GT steering wheel(non-cruise) 17'' Saleen SC style wheels,Front/Rear TC sway bars/poly bushings & Mustang GT steering rack...'05 Mustang V6 springs...93 Cobra MC & booster, MM adjustable C/C plates,  Work  In  Progress.......  ( On The Shelf---HO computer, 19lb injectors, HO cam, BBK headers, Explorer Intake, Cold Air Intake ,Phantom Gauges, Stinger stainless exhaust pipes )
 S O L D

Re: RLCA.

Reply #3
How long have you had the CHE units? Are you satisfied with them? They are less money than the other brand. Can you post a picture of your car? Curious about the ride height.
Thank you
I've had them on the car since ealy 2020 so two seasons on them.  I did the upper and lowers with CHE. 
My old control arms were completely shot so the car drives like a different car and so much better.

I am at stock ride height.


1988 Thunderbird TC, 5spd
Stinger 3" single exhaust, Cone Filter, Adjustable Cam Pulley, Schneider roller cam, Walbro 255 lph, AEM Wideband O2
'93 Mustang Cobra replica wheels on 235/50R17

'21 F150 Powerboost
'17 Husqvarna TX300

Re: RLCA.

Reply #4
Car looks great. Like the wheel choice.
87 Tbird LX w/Factory floor shifter:D   3G upgrade. Tinted Windows...85 Mustang GT steering wheel(non-cruise) 17'' Saleen SC style wheels,Front/Rear TC sway bars/poly bushings & Mustang GT steering rack...'05 Mustang V6 springs...93 Cobra MC & booster, MM adjustable C/C plates,  Work  In  Progress.......  ( On The Shelf---HO computer, 19lb injectors, HO cam, BBK headers, Explorer Intake, Cold Air Intake ,Phantom Gauges, Stinger stainless exhaust pipes )
 S O L D

Re: RLCA.

Reply #5
Hi Mike, car looks great, I miss mine. Did you get a lot of snow last Saturday? We’re getting a lot of sunshine here in Florida!
ISTLCRUZ, I had non adjustable Maximum Motorsports lowers on my 88 and boxed the uppers myself and replaced the bushings. I was also fortunate to score some Koni NOS lowering springs back in ‘01. I don’t think you would go wrong with the CHE ones.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
1988 T/C body with a 5.0 transplant. Motor has a Vortech V-2 supercharger, Edlebrock Performer RPM II intake, heads, FRPP F-303 cam, Comp Cams roller rockers, Power Pipe, LMAF, full Mac exhaust, lowered, Koni's, 5 lug conversion, Cobra wheels, 13" Cobra brakes, etc.
SOLD September 2020. Will miss this car after 19 years of building/driving/showing it off. Time for a new chapter in my life.
Dynoed 446 horse/409 torque at the wheels.
2003 Tenth Anniversary Cobra Convertible. 1 of 369 Torch Red made.
2021 Chevrolet 3500 dually, crew cab Duramax.

Re: RLCA.

Reply #6
Hi Mike, car looks great, I miss mine. Did you get a lot of snow last Saturday? We’re getting a lot of sunshine here in Florida!
ISTLCRUZ, I had non adjustable Maximum Motorsports lowers on my 88 and boxed the uppers myself and replaced the bushings. I was also fortunate to score some Koni NOS lowering springs back in ‘01. I don’t think you would go wrong with the CHE ones.
Hey Rick!  We got about 9" but I think your place got more being further east.  Eastern CT got something over 1' to 2' so guessing Rhode Island got it worse.  I am glad to hear you got some sunshine down there after that cold spell.  I have not done much to my car this past year since we met.  I've been riding more instead even got the studs on now.

ISTLCRUZ - Like Rick mentioned, I don't think you could go wrong with either choice.  Find out the backorder time and go from there?
1988 Thunderbird TC, 5spd
Stinger 3" single exhaust, Cone Filter, Adjustable Cam Pulley, Schneider roller cam, Walbro 255 lph, AEM Wideband O2
'93 Mustang Cobra replica wheels on 235/50R17

'21 F150 Powerboost
'17 Husqvarna TX300

Re: RLCA.

Reply #7
I run Maximum Motorsports extreme duty adjustable RLCA and stock uppers with new bushings. The lowers have spherical bearings on each end, so you want the stock uppers with rubber bushings to prevent binding in the rear suspension.

Just a FYI if you go with the Maximum Motorsports RLCA.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Re: RLCA.

Reply #8
I run Maximum Motorsports extreme duty adjustable RLCA and stock uppers with new bushings. The lowers have spherical bearings on each end, so you want the stock uppers with rubber bushings to prevent binding in the rear suspension.

Just a FYI if you go with the Maximum Motorsports RLCA.

The spherical bushings on both ends of the RLCAs allow for all of the articulation that the rear susp. needs. Poly bushings are what can cause the binding.

Rubber in the uppers will help with some NVH, but aren't required to reduce binding.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

 

Re: RLCA.

Reply #9
I run Maximum Motorsports extreme duty adjustable RLCA and stock uppers with new bushings. The lowers have spherical bearings on each end, so you want the stock uppers with rubber bushings to prevent binding in the rear suspension.

Just a FYI if you go with the Maximum Motorsports RLCA.

The spherical bushings on both ends of the RLCAs allow for all of the articulation that the rear susp. needs. Poly bushings are what can cause the binding.

Rubber in the uppers will help with some NVH, but aren't required to reduce binding.

I asked Jack at MM about putting poly bushings in the stock uppers or adding tubular uppers with poly bushings with their control arms and he said not to. I'd have to find the email conversation but it was related to them causing articulation issues, even with the spherical bearings in the lower arms. Stock uppers with rubber bushings were what he recommended. Jack knows his stuff so I did what he recommended  ;).
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Re: RLCA.

Reply #10
I had poly bushings with my CHE arms, plus some sort of metal upper axle end things that I foolishly slapped in as well. Rode rough as hell, the susp was bound up, and even on slightly rough surfaces, cornering would cause the rear to kick out as if it were a leaf sprung truck.

When I did the Mustangs later on I left all the bushings poly (but did put new ones in) and they all have ridden so much nicer.

Lessons learned...as they say.
'84 Mustang
'98 Explorer 5.0
'03 Focus, dropped a valve seat. yay. freakin' split port engines...
'06 Explorer EB 4.6

Re: RLCA.

Reply #11
I run Maximum Motorsports extreme duty adjustable RLCA and stock uppers with new bushings. The lowers have spherical bearings on each end, so you want the stock uppers with rubber bushings to prevent binding in the rear suspension.

Just a FYI if you go with the Maximum Motorsports RLCA.

The spherical bushings on both ends of the RLCAs allow for all of the articulation that the rear susp. needs. Poly bushings are what can cause the binding.

Rubber in the uppers will help with some NVH, but aren't required to reduce binding.

I asked Jack at MM about putting poly bushings in the stock uppers or adding tubular uppers with poly bushings with their control arms and he said not to. I'd have to find the email conversation but it was related to them causing articulation issues, even with the spherical bearings in the lower arms. Stock uppers with rubber bushings were what he recommended. Jack knows his stuff so I did what he recommended  ;).

Your post was worded like the spherical bearings in the lowers was the issue, not poly in the uppers. ;) (You didn't mention poly until now). And yes, Jack for certain knows what he's talking about.

Yeah, poly bushings feel great...right up until they don't. Then you're skittering off into the ditch.
You need some sort of allowance for articulation in the rear suspension.

Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Re: RLCA.

Reply #12
I run Maximum Motorsports extreme duty adjustable RLCA and stock uppers with new bushings. The lowers have spherical bearings on each end, so you want the stock uppers with rubber bushings to prevent binding in the rear suspension.

Just a FYI if you go with the Maximum Motorsports RLCA.

The spherical bushings on both ends of the RLCAs allow for all of the articulation that the rear susp. needs. Poly bushings are what can cause the binding.

Rubber in the uppers will help with some NVH, but aren't required to reduce binding.

I asked Jack at MM about putting poly bushings in the stock uppers or adding tubular uppers with poly bushings with their control arms and he said not to. I'd have to find the email conversation but it was related to them causing articulation issues, even with the spherical bearings in the lower arms. Stock uppers with rubber bushings were what he recommended. Jack knows his stuff so I did what he recommended  ;).

Your post was worded like the spherical bearings in the lowers was the issue, not poly in the uppers. ;) (You didn't mention poly until now). And yes, Jack for certain knows what he's talking about.

Yeah, poly bushings feel great...right up until they don't. Then you're skittering off into the ditch.
You need some sort of allowance for articulation in the rear suspension.



Yeah it came out kinda confusing. I was trying to explain that with the MM RLCA you want to keep the stock uppers and rubber bushings so the suspension continues to articulate correctly. Don't add poly bushings to the stock uppers or replace them with tubular uppers. Just don't use poly bushings in the rear suspension period.

88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Re: RLCA.

Reply #13
Thank you everyone for the info. That helps a lot. My car isn’t a daily driver or high H.P car so I will probably go with CHE. They are less costly and they offer a 10% off thanks to Eric & CoolCats!
87 Tbird LX w/Factory floor shifter:D   3G upgrade. Tinted Windows...85 Mustang GT steering wheel(non-cruise) 17'' Saleen SC style wheels,Front/Rear TC sway bars/poly bushings & Mustang GT steering rack...'05 Mustang V6 springs...93 Cobra MC & booster, MM adjustable C/C plates,  Work  In  Progress.......  ( On The Shelf---HO computer, 19lb injectors, HO cam, BBK headers, Explorer Intake, Cold Air Intake ,Phantom Gauges, Stinger stainless exhaust pipes )
 S O L D