Hotchkis UCA Settings

[twenty mike mike]

Anyone have a WAG for how many threads should show on the Heim joints for an initial setup for Hotchkis UCAs? Their recommended street settings are -1* camber and +5* Caster. I realize every car is different, but I'd like to just get in the ballpark.

[1974dodgecharger]

I did mine blindly I intitally turned my threads towards the UCA to see where it sat and it sits at -3 and then I turned it 3 notches and got -1 on both sides by accident actually and then took it to alignment shop and they guy was shocked I got it so damn close.

[bill440rt]

My Hotchkis UCA's just arrived in the mail from Summit. Both joints are turned all the way IN. I might call Hotchkis to see what they have to say about an initial setting. I could see trying to get an alignment to be a big PIA if you have to unbolt that one joint a few times. 
Perhaps I can use a level placed in the rotor vertically to get an initial camber setting before sending it out for an actual alignment? 

[bill440rt]

I did mine blindly I intitally turned my threads towards the UCA to see where it sat and it sits at -3 and then I turned it 3 notches and got -1 on both sides by accident actually and then took it to alignment shop and they guy was shocked I got it so damn close.

74, could you measure the amount of threads past the jamb nut on the end joint that goes into the mount bracket?
I spoke with Hotchkis, they said typically there is about 3/8" of threads showing past the jamb nut on that end.
Anyone else have measurements they'd like to share? It would be interesting to see what others' settings are. 

[1974dodgecharger]

Ill check it tomorrow I know I got lucky twice...one for each side.  Alignment guy said I should do the alignment I stead, lol.  My threads were all the way is also then did 3 turns out..got neg 1 exactly.

[HPP]

Or pull out the tape measure and check the stock arms from ball joint to bushing and then twist the Hotchkis heims in/out to get close to stock measurements. Maybe add a few extra twists in on the rear or a few extra out on the front heim.

[twenty mike mike]

Thanks. I'll try 3 threads and see if the front jam nut will still miss the lip on the frame rail with the suspension at full down extension.

[WHITE AND RED 69]

Didn't see this thread til now, hope it's not too late.

My drivers side is showing 7/16" of thread to the jam nut and my passenger side is 5/16".

[twenty mike mike]

Thanks for the input. What did that give you for camber and caster?

[HPP]

IMO, you would want postive caster, up to around 5* dependingon whatthe arms will allow. For Camber, I'd say zero to -.5*. Maybe a bit more if you are really aggressive around corners. Toe would be around .125 to .0625 total toe in.

You can tell the tech to use 2000 Mustang GT specs so they have something they can pull up on the computer. They use +3* caster with -.5* camber. This is a decent starting point for an old Mopar, but the mosre caster you can put in, the more stable it will feel. The caster helps with return to center and improves the steering feel which will get rid of some of the softness of the factory steering.

[WHITE AND RED 69]

Thanks for the input. What did that give you for camber and caster?

When the alignment shop adjusted everything after I installed it all the camber was -.5*, the caster was 5.5*, and the toe was 1/16". The car drove great with those specs. I later dropped the front end even lower so now I'm at around -1-1.5* camber (a bit extreme but I like the look )but I can't find the most recent spec sheet.    But that was attained by adjusting the torsion bars and strut rods, the heim joints on the upper arms haven't been adjusted since the first alignment after the install. So with a normal ride height it could easily get back to the the above specs

[BergmanAutoCraft]

Kinda strange they would design an arm that has to be removed to be aligned....Glad it worked out for you.

[HPP]

They still use the stock eccentrics to fine tune the alignment, so if you get them close they do not have to be removed for alignment. However, the threaded heims allow a greater range of adjustment than you can get from just the eccentrics.

[myk]

So....how do the Hotchkis UCA's compare to the Bergman Auto Craft UCA's?

[bill440rt]

So....how do the Hotchkis UCA's compare to the Bergman Auto Craft UCA's?

Never used them, they might very well be a good product, but just the design of them scares the he!! outta me. Too many joints, I view each one of those as a weak point.
Factory arms were stamped from a single solid piece of metal, E-Booger from Mopar Action has discussed at length the bonuses of this design. Hotchkis arms & others from Firm Feel, PST, etc are welded together. Again, not "one-piece" but still solid.   

[myk]

Good point.  Long term reliability is important to some, me included.  The Hotchkis UCA's I'm getting ready to buy already trouble me with the exposed heim joints.  For a weekend track car/toy the aforementioned issues might be nothing, but for a car like mine that will see regular, ugly street duty the possibility of a potential weakness gives me pause...

[HPP]

Its all in what you want to do with your car. If you want to build it and forget it so you can drive it and only do the occasional tune up maintenance, then heim jointed and highly adjustable components aren't for you.

If you prefer to tinker with it each time you take it out , want to optimize ever aspect of its performance, enjoy the ability to continually inspect things, or occasionally actually compete with it, then nothing replaces the ability to dial in things to Nth degree.