aluminum lower control arm question

[michael everson]

According to FFRs assembly manual these were only on the 2006 wagon. I need ball joints for mine but the parts store units are all the same regardless of year or wagon\sedan. Do the cones come separate from the ball joint? If so where do I get them?
Thanks Mike

[wallace18]

I replaced all my balljoints, tierod ends & wheel bearings on my donor parts. I got them from Rockauto. Fast service and good price.

[RM1SepEx]

aluminum arms were on STIs and 06 WRX

the steel cones should be fine...

[rori]

They came on 2006 WRX SEDAN only and STI's. Ball joints are all the same though and yes the cones are separate. Probably dealer only.

[Frank818]

I thought 2007s also got them?

[Xusia]

I thought 2007s also got them?

Nope.

[Goldwing]

Lol, I did too until I found my2007 donor had steel. Oh well, steel it is

[Wayne Presley]

The little steel cones are dealer only, ask me how I know...

[michael everson]

Anyone have a part number?

[Mechie3]

Car Vin: JF1GD79616G521625
Part Description or if you have a P/N: Boss Transverse Link, 20216Fa000

I just ordered two from the dealer. They were going to give them to person A at an autocross and Person A was going to deliver to me. Person A says person B has it, person B says I didn't know I was supposed to get these so I never got them, the dealer rep says person B. So....I'm out of these too.

Sad part? I had them but think I accidentally dropped them in the scrap metal box and recycled them. Doh!

[nkw8181]

So are the aluminum lowers the same from the 06 wagon and the sti? the Donor I'm looking at will most likely need the left front lower replaced. When I look on ebay some say sti and others just say wrx.

Nolan

[Xusia]

So are the aluminum lowers the same from the 06 wagon and the sti? the Donor I'm looking at will most likely need the left front lower replaced. When I look on ebay some say sti and others just say wrx.

Nolan

Nope. As rori stated:

They came on 2006 WRX SEDAN only and STI's...

'06 SEDAN only has aluminum lower control arms. The wagon had steel lower control arms...

[nkw8181]

OK I thought it was the other way around lol.

Nolan

[longislandwrx]

but the SPT ones were always available.

[Racebrewer]

SPT ? ? ?

Aftermarket supplier?

[longislandwrx]

Subaru Performance Technology... factory performance parts. They've always had them and you can get them from the dealer or online.

I paid $310 for mine and they include new stiffer bushings and ball joints. A no brainer, don't buy junkyard ones with dried out bushings and have to get new ball joints.

part number is: B2010FE251DS

1296.jpg

[Turboguy]

Is that $310 a pair or each? And is that a discounted price over "list" ? If you have a sec, please shoot me a PM with where you got yours. I will just go there for mine.

[C.Plavan]

That's for the pair. I bought a set for my R. It really is a "No Brainer".

[Racebrewer]

Ditto for me on the PM please.

Thanks,
John

[Xusia]

Me too? If that's not asking too much...

[Canadian818]

Are their any other advantages to getting the aluminum ones besides weight? And what is the weight difference?

[Xusia]

Weight actually isn't much of an advantage. Mostly it's looks. There is also the greater likelihood the alum ones will be the fail point in an accident rather than transferring energy to the frame.

EDIT: Not sure what the actual weight difference is. In the discussion below, I realized I got the steel & alum LCAs backwards in terms of strength - the alum one is stronger and therefore has a higher probability of transferring crash energy to the frame.

EDIT 2: The weight difference is apparently 2 pounds.

[RM1SepEx]

Weight actually isn't much of an advantage. Mostly it's looks. There is also the greater likelihood the alum ones will be the fail point in an accident rather than transferring energy to the frame.

Steel 7 lbs, AL 2lbs less @ 5 lbs (OOPS, typo)

and the aluminum ones are stronger, & more likely to damage the frame... :-)

[Xusia]

Are you sure? I was under a diff impression...

[RM1SepEx]

yes, discussed with Subaru nuts when I was shopping for a donor, the forged aluminum arms are much stronger... My 05 roll over had a crunched left front LCA. The steel LCA splits apart on impact where the folded metal is tacked together to form the control arm. The aluminum arm is much stiffer, giving better suspension control and providing more force to the unibody if impacted.

[nkw8181]

Lighter isn't always weaker. All about the design :-)

Nolan

[longislandwrx]

I don't think they weigh 2 lbs. feels much heavier. sent pms. the site's not going to know what hit it.

[Xusia]

Post updated.

[RM1SepEx]

OOPs, typo, the AL arms are 5 lbs, 2lbs less... sorry

[K3LAG]

I've been doing some reading on front lower control arms and it seems that there are several different aluminum control arms.

The part number given above, B2010FE251DS, is for a complete set of right and left control arms for a WRX that are nearly the same as the ones that come on an STI. At $310-350 a set they are a pretty good deal if you desire them.

However, the arms that actually come on an STI are part numbers 20202FE900 and 20202FE910. One of those is left and the other right. These arms supposedly provide 1.5 degrees of additional caster over the other ones. They are a bit more expensive at about $225 each, so a bit more money.

If I understand it correctly, and I may not, the actual STI parts would move lower ball joint forward a small amount. Seems like this might provide a bit more clearance at the back of the tire.

Can anyone confirm my information and logic?

Larry

[D Clary]

I have also read that the STI has more caster built into the control arm. I don't know how it will affect the tire clearance to the frame bit it will change on the front of the front fender. The 818 has an abundance of caster and camber adjustment , unlike the donor. However 1.5 degrees is not very much. I think any clearance change would be minimal.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

I have also read that the STI has more caster built into the control arm. I don't know how it will affect the tire clearance to the frame bit it will change on the front of the front fender. The 818 has an abundance of caster and camber adjustment , unlike the donor. However 1.5 degrees is not very much. I think any clearance change would be minimal.

No so minimal
Tangent of 1.5 degrees X (ball joint to top of strut distance= estimate 24") = 5/8" forward at ball joint.
Bob

[icky]

The sti castor adding lca adds castor by moving the lower ball joint forward. When I set them side by side it looks about an inch.

[nkw8181]

Well dangit and there I though if was just the bolt spacing at the top and its thickness. Does the hub offset to account for the difference in the lower arm or will the wheel turn sit forward 5/8-1in?

[K3LAG]

It might not be a big difference, but if it gives enough clearance to use a 215/45-17 instead of a 215/40-17 it opens up the choices to quite a few more tires.

Larry

[icky]

The front 04 sti knuckles are the same as wrx, just different hub choices. 05-07 sti knuckles have different mounting on top, which after seeing zachs upper arm, I believe ffr accounted for this. Also the geometry of the 05-07 is the same as wrx, they just used the lca to add caster.

Also, regarding lcas, if your going to use the quicker sti steering rack you will want the extra caster. Makes for a scary highway experiance if you dont have enough caster.

[Xusia]

Look what came yesterday!

Alum LCAs.jpg

[icky]

Non caster adding I see.

[Xusia]

If I determine I need more caster, there are lots of ways to handle that.

[Frank818]

Subaru Performance Technology... factory performance parts. They've always had them and you can get them from the dealer or online.

I paid $310 for mine and they include new stiffer bushings and ball joints. A no brainer, don't buy junkyard ones with dried out bushings and have to get new ball joints.

part number is: B2010FE251DS

1296.jpg

Do they come with the bushings? Those small parts at the bottom of the pic, the ones people always install backwards due to the flat bend and curved bend?


Do you have to use the ones from the donor or FFR provides some? Still talking about the bushings, the control arms themselves.