Looking at this project to see how it will improve the ride.
Van Steel?
Ride tech?

any recommendations would be appreciated
I was planning on staying with stock springs
thanks

 

Have you looked at GlobalWest?

 

I don't think aftermarket A arms will do anything about the ride but they will do a lot about how it drives. Most aftermarket A-arms have more Caster built into them so the car is more stable at high speeds. Definitely something you might want with your 12:1 ratio Borgeson box. I'm going to buy the Global West arms when the time comes. I like their Delrin bushings.

 

UCAs: SPC adjustable A-Arms
LCAs: I installed my own Energy Suspension bushings. I have a pair of Global West arms to go in when I put in my coilovers. It's fallen behind some other projects, though, as the car these parts were intended for found an SRIII chassis.

 

ride quality is more a function of shocks, bushings, and springs.

 

true but I have already replace the bushings a few times with Moog rubber and I have noticed the a-arms getting soft from age. One of the lower arms has lost its “stop” tab and the shock nuts are no longer attached so I have to play around with the nuts and bolts. With the “while I’m at it’s” is going on I think it would be a good time to change them out.

 

I went with POL arms... the early versions had some dimensional issues but it seems they got them sorted out from the measurements and fitment I have compared to older threads here before they "fixed them" I bought just the arms and use viking coil overs in them even though they were the optional type designed for the regular shocks and springs. https://www.performanceonline.com/19...ntrol-arm-set/

I put these on with my borgeson and it made a huge difference in the feel of the steering and centering of the car. I no longer have to white knuckle it every time I drive across the smallest pole hole.

 

I went with Global West for the uppers. Worked fine.

 

I went with Van Steel for the uppers. Definitely more stable on the road. Lower’s are stock with poly. May swap them for Global West in future.

 

As long as you do not have any sloppy bushings, ride quality is 75% in the shock valving.
That is where adjustable shocks shine.
So you can find your ideal ride/handling balance.
In a C3, 75% of your body weight is on the rear spring.
So any change in the rear is huge.
Rusty / greased steel spring leaves, stiffer spring, fiberglass spring, shock valving, etc.

 

Agreed. I went from Bilsteins to QA-1s. Double adjustable in rear with my 400# spring. Van Steel recommended non-adjustable in front. Very happy with the ride.

 

I am still waiting to get mine aligned and right now I am in the process of swapping in the overdrive trans and 406 as well as the aces killshot 2 efi (Damn fuel tank straps for the new baffled tank are kicking my ***) but in the little bit of driving ive done the car just feels a lot more like my old z51 c4 as far as suspension and steering. I have the dual adjustable coil overs and still have to figure out how to dial them in. I sometimes wish I had done the changes one at a time because now there so many at once its tough to distinguish whats having what effect. I also installed a borgeson and rebuild the rear replacing one trailing arm and rebuilding the other when replacing the rear end with the 3.55. Wont be much I havent replaced when im done it seems.

 

I have to agree with what has been said. What is wrong with your ride and how did you think the control arms would improve it?

As mentioned, adding new control arms with more caster will help with stability at higher speeds. But do you track you car? If not, for street driving, as already mentioned, shock might be something you want to consider. That is assuming your suspension parts and alignment are in order. Worn parts and an alignment that is off might be what is wrong.

 

I guess when I read "improve the ride", I think "how do I make my car faster?", not "how do I turn my car into a Cadillac?"

The nifty aftermarket A-arms don't change the "ride", so much as they enable other changes that do. Adding more caster. Adding longer upper ball joints for better suspension geometry. Fixing bump steer. Cooking in a 2" drop and a semi coil-over mount. Even changing to C7 hubs and big brakes in extreme cases (with new spindles, etc).

If you are going to the trouble and expense of replacing the A-arms, why not future-proof your suspension?

 

Your point is well made. What does "improve the ride" mean? The OP may want to consider tell us what he means and the intended use of the car.

 

My main concern is how it feels driving on the crappy roads here in Michigan. Like I said before, the stock a-arms are not I good shape and I have replaced the bushing a few times. I did add a spreader bar years ago. I believe the alignment could be part of the issues but I like to improve as I go stuff makes me want to replace the arms anyway. I could just replace with replacement stock arms but if the tube arms are an improvement then I would do that.

 

What is “not in good shape”? If by that you mean it needs new components, then I would replace the ball joints and control arm bushings. If they are bad, you may want to consider replacing (if needed) the tie rods, and maybe even the bushings for the sway bar. Most of these components are not that expensive. When taking off the lower control arms, you can remove the springs and make sure the height is to spec too. USA made parts will be best.

If the arms are bent, they should be replaced. I purchased my car used and one of my lower control arms was out of spec. You never know what abuse a used car has seen.

Having said all that, the ride quality you mention, especially on bad roads, leads me to believe the shocks are bad. I blew a shock once and the tire bounced uncontrollably. I have tried Gabriels, Koni and Bilstein shocks. My personal preference was the Koni. But the Bilstein shocks will probably be your best call for performance and price.

If all the supension parts are replaced an alignment will be needed. More pain in the neck than you might imagine. Most mechanics see an old C3 and will not touch it. Some will and might not be able to do a good job. If you find one that does a good job, you found gold. As mentioned, ask the alignment tech for specs similar to below with as much positive caster as possible. Other may have found they like different settings.

Front Camber: 1/4 to 1/2 negative

Front Caster: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 positive, MORE if possible

Front Toe: 1/8 to 3/16 in

 

The stock arms are not likely to be an improvement, but they may enable mods that are.

You've replaced the bushings "a few times"? Ouch. Your roads must be awful. Are you using rubber or poly bushings? Despite what others will claim, poly bushings in the A-arms do not create a rough ride. They simply enable the suspension to act as it should. What shocks are you using?

 

Shocks are due for a change. I install KYB,s quite a few years ago.
I’ve replaced the bushings with rubber.