Adjustable rear control arms.

[87carl]

Thinking about ordering the spohn adjustable control arms and panhard bar for my suburban. Pan hard seems easy to adjust just get axle center side to side. But I have no clue how to set up the control arms properly. Can anyone tell me or point me to a detailed write up on how to adjust them? Also how do you adjust the delsphere joints? I want mostly poly bushings but few spots they only offer the delsphere

 

[1BADI5]

Well the adjustable rear control arms come set to the factory length.

The alignment shop would only adjust them to get the rear caster dialed in; not really DIY in the driveway type of adjustment; needs be done on an adjustable/flat surface that an alignment rack provides

 

[87carl]

Ok will just have to make sure to mention it to the alignment shop so they know to check it.

 

[1BADI5]

Ok will just have to make sure to mention it to the alignment shop so they know to check it.

Yeah the front and rear caster is definitely an easy adjustment for a tech experienced with 4 wheel alignments.

But always mention what parts/components you have replaced.

 

[Bill 1960]

Rear axle inclination is adjusted to set the correct pinion angle so your universal joints have similar angles at both ends of the driveshaft. Which can be determined with an angle measurement tool. Driveline vibration is common on lifted vehicles that get it wrong.

Caster isn’t adjustable on the rear. Or doesn’t exist I suppose to be more precise. There are no ball joints or kingpins. Unless you’ve got the unicorn with rear wheel steering.

 

[1BADI5]

Caster isn’t adjustable on the rear. Or doesn’t exist I suppose to be more precise. There are no ball joints or kingpins. Unless you’ve got the unicorn with rear wheel steering.

Yes, in factory form aka OEM rear LCAs there is no adjustment for caster.

If you get the Spohn adjustable control arms, you can adjust the rear caster.

 

[Bill 1960]

Hey, I’m not really wanting to be pedantic, it’s just that caster isn’t the correct term for clocking the rear. I can see how easily someone could migrate that term from front to rear, it’s just that a non-steering axle cannot have a caster function. Adjustable control arms will let you rotate it, but that’s not the C-word.

It’s all good, maybe I was an English professor in another life.

 

[mang213]

The Spohn's are simple to install and come set to factory spec. You would only be able to adjust your pinion angle though. Caster is not adjustable here. The poly bushings on mine have failed after less than 2 yrs, and yes I kept them lubed. Haven't done any four wheeling either. The delrin bushings may hold up better but the ride is already pretty rough with the polys. I am leaning towards looking for rubber replacement bushings to see if they bring back the nicer ride

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[FrankU]

I just box in the stock rear LCA's cheap and easy.

 

[87carl]

The Spohn's are simple to install and come set to factory spec. You would only be able to adjust your pinion angle though. Caster is not adjustable here. The poly bushings on mine have failed after less than 2 yrs, and yes I kept them lubed. Haven't done any four wheeling either. The delrin bushings may hold up better but the ride is already pretty rough with the polys. I am leaning towards looking for rubber replacement bushings to see if they bring back the nicer ride

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What kind of grease did you use and how much? This is the instructions that came with my panhard #9 says the poly bushings need special grease or they will fail. it says that and also not to grease the delrin ends at all on the control arms instructions too.

 

[mang213]

Well, they come pre-lubed, but that worthless gunk washed out within a month. So I used the synthetic mobil 1 red grease, which isn't silicone from what I can tell, but it is synthetic. The bushings have actually broken in half on my rear lower control arm. I ordered a bunch of new ones from Spohn and am going to modify the bushings a bit to see if I can get some grease channels burned into the surface of the bushings. We'll see what happens, and I'll post my results

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[Dustin Jackson]

I don't know if this helps but I am using the Spohn adjustable rear panhard/track bar with the del sphere joints and I have been happy with them. Been running it for about 6 months, just make sure to tighten the joint down really good before installing it, other than that the Spohn product is amongst the highest quality parts I've laid my hands on. The packaging and the build of the part itself confidence inspiring. I will probably get their rear control arms soon to adjust the ujoint angle, I think I am getting some driveline vibrations.

 

[87carl]

Well, they come pre-lubed, but that worthless gunk washed out within a month. So I used the synthetic mobil 1 red grease, which isn't silicone from what I can tell, but it is synthetic. The bushings have actually broken in half on my rear lower control arm. I ordered a bunch of new ones from Spohn and am going to modify the bushings a bit to see if I can get some grease channels burned into the surface of the bushings. We'll see what happens, and I'll post my results

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I don't know if this helps but I am using the Spohn adjustable rear panhard/track bar with the del sphere joints and I have been happy with them. Been running it for about 6 months, just make sure to tighten the joint down really good before installing it, other than that the Spohn product is amongst the highest quality parts I've laid my hands on. The packaging and the build of the part itself confidence inspiring. I will probably get their rear control arms soon to adjust the ujoint angle, I think I am getting some driveline vibrations.

How will you add grease channels?
Quality is definitely good and packing was a pain in the ass took forever to cut it all off lol I still gotta install and see how they do on the burb. Been so busy lately it's insane. Burb goes for anual undercoating Saturday so hoping to get rear done before than otherwise it will be a mess

 

[mang213]

I plan on taking either a soldering iron or some 12 to 14 gage wire and get it really hot and burn really small grease channels into the surface of the poly bushing to make sure the grease can spread out thoroughly. I have the Spohn panhard bar and the boxed rear lower control arms on my Tahoe. They look good, but I have never been happy with the noise from those bushings. And the rear suspension binds up a lot because of those damn bushings, so I'm going to experiment with my grease channel idea and see what happens

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[mang213]

Here's the broken poly bushings on the Spohn boxed rear non adjustable control arms. Still waiting on the new bushings to arrive to do my grease channel test. I didn't bother checking the panhard bar bushings because I had seen enough carnage and disappointment in one day for these less than two years old bushings

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[mang213]

Well, the grease channel experiment for the Spohn bushings is basically a no go as they already come with grease channels. Not sure if the original bushings have these same channels but I'll post pics after I do the swap. I've attached a pic of the new bushings for reference

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[87carl]

Well, the grease channel experiment for the Spohn bushings is basically a no go as they already come with grease channels. Not sure if the original bushings have these same channels but I'll post pics after I do the swap. I've attached a pic of the new bushings for reference

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Hopefully those last longer than original bushings did

 

[mang213]

Hopefully those last longer than original bushings did

Yeah, can't get any worse than the old ones.

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[mang213]

These bushings were absolutely trashed and they've only been on my truck for about a year and a half. I'm not blaming Spohn at this point currently, but if these new bushings let go then I'm going to have a serious problem with them. Pics for reference. The carnage is impressive

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[mang213]

And yes, the original bushings did have the same grease channels as the new ones

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