Adjustible Control Arms - What are the options?

[SoloGLI]

I need to get some adjustable control arms since I'm bagged and desperately need to get my alignment setup correctly. The only two options I know of are KMAC and GruvenParts, but I know there are a few others out there. I was hoping people could chime in with what the different options are and what their experience with those adjustable arms are, since I have no idea if they are all the same and you are just paying for the name, or if one is legitimately better than another.

[joe@vwvortex]

I need to get some adjustable control arms since I'm bagged and desperately need to get my alignment setup correctly. The only two options I know of are KMAC and GruvenParts, but I know there are a few others out there. I was hoping people could chime in with what the different options are and what their experience with those adjustable arms are, since I have no idea if they are all the same and you are just paying for the name, or if one is legitimately better than another.

Black Forest Industries has some as does Chicago Performance and Tuning - but similar in style to the Gruven arms. I have the BFI's on my TT - they are very solid units - but in all honesty you really can't go wrong with any - just get the ones that are on sale. I personally don't like Kmacs after using them on my previous TT as they tend to freeze up after awhile and can be hard to adjust.

[rbfboy]

I need to get some adjustable control arms since I'm bagged and desperately need to get my alignment setup correctly. The only two options I know of are KMAC and GruvenParts, but I know there are a few others out there. I was hoping people could chime in with what the different options are and what their experience with those adjustable arms are, since I have no idea if they are all the same and you are just paying for the name, or if one is legitimately better than another.

what did you do to your car that made the alignment go bad? I'm about to put some eibach springs on mine and am slightly worried (just b.c i have no experience) about front rear control arms and bushings and things. I dont need a racing or customizable set up... but i do just need to have my tires wearing properly.

[joe@vwvortex]

what did you do to your car that made the alignment go bad? I'm about to put some eibach springs on mine and am slightly worried (just b.c i have no experience) about front rear control arms and bushings and things. I dont need a racing or customizable set up... but i do just need to have my tires wearing properly.

When you lower the TT - the front alignment isn't a problem - you can adjust it easily with the stock lower control arms - you dont' need anything to change as the ball joints are slotted for camber and toe is adjusted with the tie rod ends. You will be able to run more negative camber in the front when you are lowered due to the geometry and design of the TT's front suspension. I highly suggest running as much camber as possible with Zero to 1/16" toe IN max.

In the rear - when you lower the car - you increase negative camber and toe in - due again to the design of the trailing arm suspension. Because camber is NOT adjustable in stock form - you need to change the control arms to ones that are. General one adjustable control arm is all you need if you stay in the -1.7 range for rear camber. The stock TT rear alignment settings are set for more understeer and therefore more negative camber. You want to reduce negative camber to allow for less understeer. However - due to the design - whenever you change camber you affect Toe. You want to run 1/32 - 1/16" Toe OUT in the rear due to the fact the car has no toe correcting links and since under compression the rear end toes IN. If you reduce camber to beyond -1.7 degrees to say -1.5 or so - it makes it VERY difficult for the tech to get Toe in that spec - due to the limited adjustability at the trailing arm. Which is when you want to go with both sets of upper and lower adjustable control arms because you can change toe with the upper.

SO - bottom line - run -1 to -1.3 degrees of negative camber in the front with 1/32 to 1/16" toe IN and -1.7 degrees of negative camber in the rear with 1/32 to 1/16" of toe OUT.

Poor toe will wear your tires out more quickly than too much negative camber. Believe me - I was running -2.5 degrees in the front since I was tracking my car.

[Warranty225cpe]

I'm not happy with my kmac either. Dry rotted and fell apart in a little over a year. I want to buy the gruven set of arms. Good quality, and not STUPID expensive like some of the others mentioned.

[SoloGLI]

That's good to know about KMACs, looks like I'll be going with GruvenParts then. They also sell adjustable end links for the rear sway, is that a necessary mod when lowering TT's? The description on GruvenParts website does make sense, but then again, it's just a sales ad, so I don't know how necessary it actually is. Thanks for all that info Joe! That's gonna make it very easy for me to tell my alignment guy what specs I'm looking for. He works on lowered/track prepped cars all day long and is very good at what he does.

[ECS Tuning-Audi]

We get good feedback on our rear camber kits. Bushing wear is a thing of fact, especially on lowered R32s and TTs so we also began carrying the bushings as separate items should your bushing wear out in a few years. To combat corrosion we've also coated our arms in a durable black powder coating. Click here for rear camber kits on the TT.

[joe@vwvortex]

That's good to know about KMACs, looks like I'll be going with GruvenParts then. They also sell adjustable end links for the rear sway, is that a necessary mod when lowering TT's? The description on GruvenParts website does make sense, but then again, it's just a sales ad, so I don't know how necessary it actually is. Thanks for all that info Joe! That's gonna make it very easy for me to tell my alignment guy what specs I'm looking for. He works on lowered/track prepped cars all day long and is very good at what he does.

You don't need the adjustable bar links unless you are seriously tracking the car and want to use it to help adjustments when corner balancing.

[a2t]

Ive got these from www.gruvenparts.com. Cant beat em for price and top notch quality.

http://gruvenparts.com/website/cart/...category_id=60

[Aldebourne1]

Thanks for share this information.

[rbfboy]

We get good feedback on our rear camber kits. Bushing wear is a thing of fact, especially on lowered R32s and TTs so we also began carrying the bushings as separate items should your bushing wear out in a few years. To combat corrosion we've also coated our arms in a durable black powder coating. Click here for rear camber kits on the TT.

you guys are out of stock...

[Mike@PureMS]

Stay tuned for the new Stern adjustable control arms. They've boxed in the clevis for added strength. Also have a much larger weld spot at the clevis over the Gruven arms for a much sturdier design. Downside with the ends of the Gruven arm is that the threaded end is exposed and can rust over time. The rust can creep to the clevis end right at the weld where it's the weakest.

These just wrapped up all the testing and coming this summer! Photo shows a pre-production unit with no powder coating. They'll be powder coated black.

[Warranty225cpe]

Stay tuned for the new Stern adjustable control arms. They've boxed in the clevis for added strength. Also have a much larger weld spot at the clevis over the Gruven arms for a much sturdier design. Downside with the ends of the Gruven arm is that the threaded end is exposed and can rust over time. The rust can creep to the clevis end right at the weld where it's the weakest.

These just wrapped up all the testing and coming this summer! Photo shows a pre-production unit with no powder coating. They'll be powder coated black.

How are you guys looking as far as a price point? Can you compete with Gruvens price? I know they have a fully booted version now.

[Northc]

I would think gruvenparts links for the sway bar work better then adjustable sway bars as there is only a couple of settings and this can go 2 inches plus they are heavy duty compared to the pencils that are there now.. as for the control arms square is stronger then the circle but with such a small adjustable point

gruvens to me would stand up better under stress.. he has always stood behind his products.... and with black at least in color I am going with his ECS hot stamps some of their products which is OK...

[Warranty225cpe]

I would think gruvenparts links for the sway bar work better then adjustable sway bars as there is only a couple of settings and this can go 2 inches plus they are heavy duty compared to the pencils that are there now.. as for the control arms square is stronger then the circle but with such a small adjustable point

gruvens to me would stand up better under stress.. he has always stood behind his products.... and with black at least in color I am going with his ECS hot stamps some of their products which is OK...

I think these from BW are the best built Ive seen so far. Cheaper than Gruven and seem a little more durable.
http://bwperformance.com/blog/2004-v...e-control-arms

[Mike@PureMS]

Got a few production units the other day..


Pricing on these will run $249.95/pair.
Features a reinforced clevis fork for extra durability. All steel construction for strength with satin black powder coating for protection. Stainless hardware for long term ease of adjustment. Replaceable polyurethane bushing. Lifetime warranty against defects and failures (1 year on the poly).

Give us a call to order. Will be up on the site in a day or two.