[DeTomaso] Need to extend upper rear control arms???

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/17/12 11:01:02 AM, kenn_green at yahoo.com writes:


> I'm going to have my control arms stripped and powder coated but have 
> stock rear uppers.  Is it likely that when I get the suspension aligned I will 
> find out that the rear uppers need to be extended?
>  
> 

>>>There's no way of knowing ahead of time.   Some cars need it, most 
don't.   In my case, I bought a set of extended arms because people who claimed 
to know such things, told me that EVERYBODY needed it, so I took it for 
granted that I did too.   Turned out that I didn't.   Eventually I had to put my 
stock ones back on and sell the (very expensive) adjustable ones I had 
purchased.

I would never buy adjustable ones today, not when fixed-length longer ones 
are available.   They give you a useful increase in length (IF you need it) 
and you can then adjust your alignment normally with shims on the bottom.

If you still have your old arms and old ball joints, I would just leave 
them alone for now.   Once the car is all back together, if you find you have 
alignment issues, then just buy longer arms.   And if not, then you can pull 
your stock arms and have them quickly spiffed up and put them back on again.

Mike