[Pontiacman469]

Is there a left and right on aftermarket tubular upper control arms?or it doesnt matter which goes where?thanks

[Tin Injun Tom]

As long as they are symetrical from side to side, meaning the caster is equal, and they are made so that you can mount them 'upside down' or vise-versa, I would say no, there is no left or right.
The important thing is to have the ball joint offset towards the rear of the car.
Some after market control arms are made with neutral caster, and those, of course could be mounted on either side.

Do you already have a set? Do they have the ball joint already installed?

[Pontiacman469]

Im sorry i didnt say before,err i mean the rears not front,my reareand is off by 1 inch forward on the drives vs the pass,i have southside machine lowers which is probably it,didnt know if i put the uppers (jegs)in wrong i put the stick side in,didn't know if it made a difference.

[DiamondJim]

Originally Posted by Pontiacman469

Is there a left and right on aftermarket tubular upper control arms?or it doesnt matter which goes where?thanks

The ones that Iceman sells on e-bay for a 12 bolt swap are offset/angled on the rear end. -Jim http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...3AIT&viewitem=

[shotgun]

How about a little more detail?

What rear?

Are the lowers mounted to stock points or SSM lower mount plate?

What chassis?

Are the jeg's fixed or adjustible?

I can help you out knowing the above stuff.

[Pontiacman469]

Sorry: Stock 7.5 Rear,jegs non adjustable uppers,ssm lift bars lowers with plates installed,Not sure how/if the ssm are adjustable...

[shotgun]

Ok, here we go.

First your upper arms should be about 10 1/4" from center of bolt hole to bolt hole.

So check that first. If they are not, assuming they are adjustible, set them to that.

Stock lowers are about 19 1/2". Since you have SSM, you can't measure them, although I "think" they should be 21 1/2".

Measure where the stock ones would be mounted.

I am trying to figure if it's the arm or the car.

Also don't use the body as a reference point, mine is off 1/2' compared to the frame.

Let me know what you find and we can keep going.

[Pontiacman469]

I have 11 1/2 center bolt to center bolt on my uppers..err non adjustable i'll check my lowers tomorrow give you specs on those

[Pontiacman469]

btw i dont have any stock parts 2 compare 2..

[DiamondJim]

Have you checked the pinion angle? If the uppers are 1-1/4 longer than stock that would move the pinion up. It should be a few degrees down, in general,the more hp the more down. -Jim

[shotgun]

I just double checked, the uppers installed in My 78 Cutlass are also 10 1/2 on center and the lowers also came in at 19 1/2.

These are adjustible parts but match the length the stock parts I have sitting on the shelf.

Kinda got me stumped why yours are 11 1/2?

Also you don't need stock parts to check your lowers, just measure where they "would " be installed, should be 19 1/2".

Frame bolt to open hole on the rear.

The type of bushings/joints determine the pinion angle.

My rear is all hiems/sperical bushings (read NO PLAY) , it is set 1 degree down.

If you got Poly/solid mix go 1 to 2 down.

Poly only 2.

Poly/stock mix 2 to 3 down.

Stock 4 down.

These are starting points.

But we gotta figure out your arms first!

Just for grins, measure from front to rear wheelbase on both sides.

You can measure rim edge to rim edge.

The numbers it's self does not matter, if there is a difference it does.

So just measure from the same way on both sides of the car.

[Pontiacman469]

Strangly enough 106" on the pass side,and 107 1/2" on the drivers side,now i do not have the upper control arms in right now,just the lower ssm,i'm guessing i need to adjust the plate on the ssm.btw the uppers are jegs part#550-40088.

[DiamondJim]

OK, I just measured the stock uppers on my 78 Grand Am, they are 10-7/8" center to center. Checked it 3 times. I am not sure why the Jegs arms would be 11-1/4" unless some G bodies were made a little different. Here is a link to the Jegs arms: http://www.jegs.com/i/Jegster/550/40088/10002/-1 -Jim

[Pontiacman469]

Great!SO in the grand scheme of things my rear probably be degrees up,not down!So i wonder if the plates on the ssm can get me back down to where i need to be,yay......Doesn't make since why they would be long tho...i'll have to research out solid arms to see there length...thanks

[DiamondJim]

Do you want me to measure my stock lowers? -Jim

[Pontiacman469]

Please if you dont mind,i still think this is gonna be a big pain,thought i buy some new uppers,and lowers with very little adjusting,but o-well,thanks again guys..

[shotgun]

Stock lowers are 19 1/2 on center, checked 2 sets.

Hotchkis lowers are 19 1/4 on center.

Tubular adjustibles in my car 19 1/2.

I also double checked a few upper arms and must have been having a brain fart.

They came in closer to 11 similar to what DiamondJim said.

I think you need to figure out what is going on with the wheelbase issue first.

Back to what I asked before, what is the distance on the stock mounting holes for the lower arms?

[Pontiacman469]

Thanks for your help guys i finally figured it out,i bought the ssm used with no instructions after doing rearch and pulling the rearend a couple of times i had the plates in wrong on the bars creating the housing shift.Well better now that on the street!Thanks again!

[DiamondJim]

I am guessing you have these instructions but just in case anyone else needs them: http://www.maliburacing.com/ssm_instructions.html -Jim

[Pontiacman469]

Yes i did Jim,thanks,i had to shave the outer pieces so i could move my rear,dont know if its cuz i have the 88 oldball or not,but that was my problem,but i have it @ 2 deg down.My mom just gave me a nice new camera for early xmas present and i have a bunch of photos if someone else has this prob...Learn and live:Thats what Dad told me...