Overkill Control Arms

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Overkill Control Arms

Postby cptech » Mon Jun 23, 2014 2:21 pm

Hi Folks, I could use a little help. I purchased the “non-heim” upper and lower control arms for my 71 h body from Justin at Overkill. They are setup for the S-10 ball joints. I purchased a energy suspension bushing kit primarily for the needed upper control arm bushings. Justin had told me the arms are made for the original style bushings. Looking at the uppers, there is a lip about ¾’s of the way in. I didn’t think it would be an issue because the bushing seemed to have the same ridge built into it. When I pressed the bushings in, they got very tight around this lip area. The bushing sure seems bottomed. It’s a 20 ton press so I could keep pressing till I destroy the bushing if I wanted to, but it seems bottomed. The lip of the bushing is about 200 thousandths from being flat against the control lip. I started the install this weekend. When I try and put the upper control arm in place, it’s a bit too wide. I measured the original control arm bushing width vs the overkill upper and the difference seems to be the 200 thousandths gap that there is on the Overkill arms bushings. Has anyone run into this ? What bushings have others used ? I left a message for Justin, but I haven’t heard back from him just yet. I know Justin supplies the bushings with the control arms now, but at the time I purchased mine, that wasn’t the case.

Any help will be greatly appreciated
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Re: Overkill Control Arms

Postby T-FATTY » Mon Jun 23, 2014 5:31 pm

I have the same ones in my car (upper and lower) and I used what came with them. Didn't you get them (bushings etc} with the arms? I didn't assemble mine but the shop doing the work didn't have any issues with the supplied parts.
Wish I could be more help, did you call Justin?
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Re: Overkill Control Arms

Postby cptech » Mon Jun 23, 2014 10:31 pm

t-fatty, when I bought the uppers, Justin was not including the bushings. I had to source them on my own. He has changed that and now supplies them with the arms.
I did leave voicemail for Justin, but I haven't heard back from him. With a little luck I'll hear from him soon and hopefully he can supply me with the bushings, or help
me find the correct ones.

Did you notice on yours if the bushings are pressed flat against the control arm, or is there a gap ??

Thanks
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Re: Overkill Control Arms

Postby megavega » Tue Jun 24, 2014 12:18 pm

The bushing is to be flat to control arm, just like it is in a stock control arm. I would take the bushing back out and take a sandpaper roll and clean up either the bushing shell or the inside of the control arm. Its been my finding before that with energy suspension stuff, the tolerances on the shells is not always the same as stock.I have seen this on numerous cars,not just a vega.
I too have overkill control arms and I used new moog bushings, they pressed right in no problems. I attached a pic.
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Re: Overkill Control Arms

Postby cptech » Tue Jun 24, 2014 4:31 pm

megavega, thanks for the info. I did speak with Justin this morning and he suggested the same thing.
Now let's see if I can get the bushings out without destroying them.................

One other thing. Do you also have his lowers ? I was wondering if I should put some kind of insulator
under or around the bottom coil of the coil spring ? I'm worried about them squeaking. How snug is
the coil spring in the lower control arm pocket ??

Thanks for your help, much appreciated.
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Re: Overkill Control Arms

Postby T-FATTY » Tue Jun 24, 2014 6:03 pm

I have the lowers without any insulator, spring fits tight without any noise.
I'm sure you know (but just in case) you'll need deep pocket springs with Justins lowers.
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Re: Overkill Control Arms

Postby megavega » Tue Jun 24, 2014 6:06 pm

I only have the upper control arms as I had him make them 1 inch narrower for me. I just modified the bottoms myself narrower by moving the balljoint(s10) in and welding a sleeve in.

Anyways, for a insulator for the bottom control arm to spring, a peice of plastic water pipe split with a razor knife works well as the thickness doesnt interfere with control arm pocket and the plastic is kinda slippery-(no squeeks). You can get it to fit the radius of the coil spring well with a heat gun

(black plastic water pipe found at any hardware or home depot store.)
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Re: Overkill Control Arms

Postby cptech » Wed Jul 02, 2014 11:22 am

Does anyone know if there's a difference between deep pocket and shallow pocket coil springs ?? Will a shallow pocket coil spring fit a deep pocket lower control arm ?? In my case I'm using Justins lowers. I'm ok with the car sitting another inch lower if that's the only difference, or is there a difference in the coil spring that will not allow me to use the ones I have ??
The car is a 71 Vega and the original lower is a shallow control arm.

Thanks
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Re: Overkill Control Arms

Postby cosvega76 » Wed Jul 02, 2014 3:35 pm

The diameter of the spring is the same.

Chuck
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Re: Overkill Control Arms

Postby Monza Harry » Wed Jul 02, 2014 8:32 pm

CP Tech if you lower your car by the springs you end up with less travel available to your cars suspension and that usually "likes" a stiffer spring rate. If you changed front weight to a heavier one (V6/V8?) that to will require more rate as well. The good news is if you try what you have and don't like it you will only need to spend once more, as this way you have a spring to compare to instead of guessing from scratch and the only extra expense will be "Tuning Time" because as the story will be told, you planned it this way! Harry P.S. remember that a 1"shorter spring will move the car down by more than 1" because of the ratios involved in the front suspension, rear would be nearly identical to the amount of difference as in straight down (2 wheel)it has a 1:1 ratio (1 wheel is a little more involved)
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