Mark71

Ok, so I have some "clicking and popping" going on in my rear suspension. I've tracked it down to the control arm bushings that have crapped out in the rear suspension. It took some effort to do this as my wife had to sit in the Cutlass, hold the brakes and gently tap the gas to get it to happen while I was under it.

So anyhow, I've come to a fork in the road of my ideas and I have some questions. I am really thinking of just replacing my originals with a set of uppers and lowers from BMR (as a possibility):
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BMR-BCA005H/
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BMR-UTCA005H/

I noticed that some of the uppers and many lowers are "adjustable" as well. Why are they adjustable? Just for alignment or also for changing the geometry (for lowering, for example)?

Is it worth the money for a setup like those? Or am I better served by just replacing the bushings in the originals and slapping them in?

My goal here is not to lower the suspension or create a super pro-touring suspension, just to fix issues and improve wherever possible.

Thanks!
-Mark

oldzy

I would not get those Lower arms b/c they have poly on both sides, which would likely be too stiff. Need a swivel 'joint' of some sort on at least one end. Not sure why some Lowers are adjustable though.

As for the Upper arms... don't need adjustable Uppers unless you add lowering springs for geometry. Not a good idea to to have poly on the frame side either (the stiff/binding thing).

In this case... I would just replace the bushings myself. I had a shop do mine (the fronts though - they put poly bushings in) and I know they hated it. Plus arms get all marked up. Of course much easier to just buy new arms (front or rear) with bushings already installed

Myself, I kept the front arms stock (except for the poly bushings of course), but replaced the rears with Hotchkis adj. uppers and Currie Currectrac lowers. I have the 1" Hotchkis lowering springs though, otherwise I would have likely kept the arms stock. The rear arms have poly on the rear/axle side, and a 'swivel joint' on the front/frame side.

J-(Chicago)

I have a set of stock arms here with decent bushings if you want to save some money.
Do it once and do it right, they always say though.
Buying new stuff is fun, to boot.

507OLDS

If you simply want to stiffen it up,you could get a set of non-adjustables.Nothing wrong with the poly bushings at both ends,or steel bushings for that matter.Been there done that,with no isses,and the suspension actually traveled better in some cases.Some of the non-adjustable arms are priced good enough that if you price out a good set of bushings,then the time & labor to swap them out,you could be close to buying a new set of arms,ready to install.
As for the adjustable arms,they are more for achieving the correct or desired pinion angle,especially if the car has been lowered,and the original pinion angle has changed.I still install these,even if the lengths will remain the same.It gives me the potential to do so,if it is ever needed.You will have zero bind with these.