UPD Adjustable Rear Suspension Arms - Toe and Camber




Thanks again for the help and feedback. I very much appreciate it.
Thats my rudimentary understanding anyway, maybe Shardul can confirm.




Thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback.












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The Best of Mercedes & AMG
This kind of hardware (not necessarily this brand, but these kinds of adjustable arms) just address simple physics and geometry. The bigger the rubber patch on the ground, the better your traction - that's physics. When you drop a car on its existing control arms the tires sit on the inner edges - that's geometry. Tires on their edges don't grip as well - physics again. And they wear faster.
Race cars aren't just lowered on their existing mount points like so many "tuned" street cars. They have exactly this kind of hardware in the rear, plus camber and castor plates in the front to get alignment back where it should be.
Negative camber at a road course (track) makes sense because the cornering forces lean the loaded tires back to straight with full contact. Without negative camber at the track you get poor traction and excessive outer edge wear because the outside tire is pushed over toward the sidewall. Most race cars run 3.5 to 5 degrees negative
Negative camber doesn't make sense on the street. I wouldn't go more than half degree rear or full degree on the front for day to day use.
****ed up toe doesn't make sense anywhere, not even on a camel, yet that's what a lot of lowered street cars have.
You don't need this if your car is stock height, but if you have lowered it you need this or something like it. What is really "bling" is lowering a highly engineered German car to a point that the existing suspension components leave the wheels canted at bizarre angels that actually hurt performance.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
But now I'm left wondering why they would be so noisy?
Last edited by SouthAmericaTouring; Sep 28, 2018 at 04:00 PM. Reason: Additional question.




I’ve replaced almost all of my suspension bushings with sphericals and I hear everything. Every single bump or turn makes them click, creak, bang and squeak. It took awhile to get used to it, and not sure if I would do again. Definitely not on an East Coast street-driven car. The ride is brutal.
Didn't have it. But I’ve seen people zip-tie the sensors to the new arms before.
Last edited by BLKROKT; Sep 28, 2018 at 04:27 PM.
Its a metal spherical bearing in a metal sleeve. All metal-on-metal contact. They replace the stock rubber bushings with something that flexes less yet still has 360-degree movement. Some are PTFE lined (Aurora and QA1 make great ones) and they tend to make less noise and last longer. Here are two types/sizes - the first are the ones you tend to see screwed on rod ends and camber arms and they’re maybe 2” in diameter, the second pic is what tends to get pressed in on much more heavy duty components like control arms and they’re more than 2x larger. I had these made for my front thrust arms.
I’ve replaced almost all of my suspension bushings with sphericals and I hear everything. Every single bump or turn makes them click, creak, bang and squeak. It took awhile to get used to it, and not sure if I would do again. Definitely not on an East Coast street-driven car. The ride is brutal.
I'm simply trying to figure out the best way (doesn't even have to be the most cost-effective way) but the best way to be able to enjoy the low stance of my vehicle but without sacrificing the continual cost of my Michelin PSS due to that damn neg camber.

Oh but wait, I thought I read somewhere that these UPD's have nylon between the metals?
Last edited by SouthAmericaTouring; Sep 29, 2018 at 06:54 AM.




PTFE or nylon injected races like this are better and quieter than not, but also materially noisier than stock rubber bushings.
Last edited by BLKROKT; Sep 30, 2018 at 01:13 PM.
PTFE or nylon injected races like this are better and quieter than not, but also materially noisier than stock rubber bushings.
They're appropriate for track vehicles that see rigorous inspection and maintenance schedules and where no one gives a crap about the noise because, well, it's just one more racket in an already loud vehicle.
That said, there's nothing wrong with using them on the street as long as you're aware of the compromises and needs of running this type of hardware. Most people aren't willing to make those compromises, no matter how hard parking hardcore they are




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