LCA Bushings - Offset or Standard ?

[Alex--TheGreek]

Caster is not an issue with tire life. Toe and camber have a lot more to do with it. Makes the steering a little heavier to have offset. Someone told me "just because you can doesn't mean you should" with regards to caster bushings. Eh life is short, mine are AVO offset. I notice the improvement (though small IMO). Yet to see an indication of it making anything worse. Up to you, since no one really has any hard evidence to discredit them.

 

Since most of the people around here seems to suggest not only a noticable difference from the stock one's but also from the non-caster one's, and there is no hard evidence to suggest any major problems with them it seems like it's worth getting the caster bushings.

 

I just hope i won't wake up one day and discover that part X or part Y has failed because of excessive stress caused by my tinkering with the suspension geometry of the car.

 

I know, i know i stress a lot for stupid reasons!

 

How long have you had them on your car for? Miles?

 

Thanks for the advice mate!

[Alex--TheGreek]

STI or Spec B? And do either change the Caster?

 

I am looking for the STI ones.

 

If i am not mistaken the front bushings of the LCA do not affect the caster of the car, you can only do that by getting offset bushings for the REAR of the LCA. AVO produces such bushings.

 

Hope that helps!

[mustangendsley]

Im looking at getting the nuteral one's. I though there was only 3 bushings on the lca in the front of the car on each side. there is none in the rear, i thought?

[Th3Franz]

I've been running offset LCA's for over a year. The extra caster has improved my tire wear because I do a lot of track events and autocross. I can run less static camber and still not wear the shoulders of my tires! I'm running Bilsteins + pinks with Cusco sway bars, so my car is not that stiff either. For high speed turns, the LCAs made the most noticeable difference. The added caster really helps the handling at speed. For on the street, the difference is subtle, but when pushing the limits, it's obvious. There's really no downside other than the poly bushing increasing NVH ever so slightly

[Alex--TheGreek]

Im looking at getting the nuteral one's. I though there was only 3 bushings on the lca in the front of the car on each side. there is none in the rear, i thought?

 

There are 2 bushings in the front of the LCA, one on each side, and 2 bushings in the rear of the LCA, again one on each side, where you have the choice to get caster-adjusting or non-adjusting bushings.

[Alex--TheGreek]

I've been running offset LCA's for over a year. The extra caster has improved my tire wear because I do a lot of track events and autocross. I can run less static camber and still not wear the shoulders of my tires! I'm running Bilsteins + pinks with Cusco sway bars, so my car is not that stiff either. For high speed turns, the LCAs made the most noticeable difference. The added caster really helps the handling at speed. For on the street, the difference is subtle, but when pushing the limits, it's obvious. There's really no downside other than the poly bushing increasing NVH ever so slightly

 

That's good to know! I do not track the car, but as most of us in here , often enjoy some spirited driving!

Since my stock bushings are pretty much shot i am pretty much sure that the difference between stock and AVO's offset will be quite dramatic!

 

Another thing i wanted to ask, worn LCA bushings can be responsible for uneven tyre wear right? Since my old tyres had excessive wear on the inside edge(rim).

[Th3Franz]

I wouldn't be surprised if worn LCA bushings increased the wear on the inside of the tires. I would check your camber too, though. Btw, my last alignment I had done measured my caster at 6.9* on the left and 6.3* on the right. good stuff

[Bolksey85]

Anyone know what the difference is between the 3 listed on Beans' website? They have 0 offset, 1 offset and dual offset. Obviously, 0 is 0 but whats the deal with 1 offset and one being 0 and then having a dual offset option?

[GTTuner]

I've been running offset LCA's for over a year. The extra caster has improved my tire wear because I do a lot of track events and autocross. I can run less static camber and still not wear the shoulders of my tires! I'm running Bilsteins + pinks with Cusco sway bars, so my car is not that stiff either. For high speed turns, the LCAs made the most noticeable difference. The added caster really helps the handling at speed. For on the street, the difference is subtle, but when pushing the limits, it's obvious. There's really no downside other than the poly bushing increasing NVH ever so slightly

 

Increasing caster generally will improve straight line stability and improved steering return. Makes sense that the LCAs help so much on the track.

[FredBeans]

One offset is if you are trying to correct a caster imbalance.

 

Dual offset is for when you are trying to add more caster to both sides. (This is what most people should use, in my opinion.)

[Th3Franz]

Both standard

1 offset, 1 standard (to match caster for both sides, if you care about that, not a big deal imo)

Both offset

 

haha wow lotta replies at once

[Bolksey85]

One offset is if you are trying to correct a caster imbalance.

 

Dual offset is for when you are trying to add more caster to both sides. (This is what most people should use, in my opinion.)

Ahh, I see. Makes sense, too. Thanks for the quick response!

[kb2spn]

Just installed the Perrin LCA,NVH is not that bad at all.

 

 

 

7 deg. caster

1 Deg. Neg. camber(BC racing coilovers)

0 Deg. Toe

 

So far everything is good,More caster combined with more negative camber and 25mm swaybars........wow,cofidence in this car is at an all time high.

[ClimberDHexMods]

Just installed the Perrin LCA,NVH is not that bad at all.

 

 

 

7 deg. caster

1 Deg. Neg. camber(BC racing coilovers)

0 Deg. Toe

 

So far everything is good.

 

My personal experience with the Perrins was that it was just too much nvh for a straight long highway car. I probably car more than most about nvh, to be fair. But the huge caster increase was nice. I noticed it made a slight increase to handling in most street conditions, back when I lived in MA and there were turns.

[kb2spn]

NVH on the highway is pretty quiet,its the bumpy roads around town that kills me.I am taking a 500 mile trip to Toronto this week for the long haul test.

[Alex--TheGreek]

I finally managed to order a new set of LCA bushings.

 

I decided to go with the AVO offset one's since the majority of the people in here are happy with them and reccomend them!

 

I also ordered a pair of 08 STI one's for the front part of the LCA

 

Will let you know of first impressions as soon as i have them installed.

[scoobydoobie]

Bumping this up for more discussion. Trying to make this same decision now, standard bushings or offset. The added caster shouldn't affect my tire fitment right (225/45/17 DWS, Bilsteins/Pinks)?

 

Forum member Impluse and I noticed when installing my Bilsteins/Pinks over the summer that my LCA bushings looked pretty shot. So I would like to take care of them this spring. Do the offset LCA bushings add a lot more NVH v.s. the standard bushing? Or does most of the NVH just come from having a poly bushing?

[Th3Franz]

Most of the NVH just comes from having a poly bushing, but it's not bad at all. We have terrible roads here and I am picky about NVH. But, I do not mind running offset LCA bushings at all. They are a really nice improvement. Free caster!

[ClimberDHexMods]

Most of the NVH just comes from having a poly bushing, but it's not bad at all. We have terrible roads here and I am picky about NVH. But, I do not mind running offset LCA bushings at all. They are a really nice improvement. Free caster!

 

Agreed on all points.

[itsme]

I have the superpro standard offset LCA bushings. It tighten the suspension and made the steering abit heavier. It also got rid of the wandering when I hit truck rutts and I have to do less corrections in curves. I went wit h t he standard offset because I was worried about clearance. I got one of the first ones that came in and I didn't know how much it would move the wheels. I have my car lowered on KW V.2 coil overs and 19" x7.5" w/225/35/19.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u156/itsmebryan/112332.jpg

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u156/itsmebryan/172407.jpg

After all these years I sill like mine. I haven't found any downside with my standard offset.

[ClimberDHexMods]

One year bump. I took some time to educate myself on basic suspension geometry. I am nowhere close to being knowledgeable on the subject, but:

 

The caster adding bushings got me concerned about two primary things:

1) Bump steer.

2) Ackerman.

It is possible the changes in either are negligible, but does anyone have a better guestimation of this?

 

My lightly educated guess is:

No significant increase or decrease in bump steer, since the joints stay proportional both on the body and the spindle.

I do not understand designing good ackerman angles enough to comment on it with any authority, but again it appears to be a wash since the spindle geometry mostly unchanged.

 

Please advise

[Dan F]

I can't comment scientifically on the effect on the angles involved, but having had offset (+ camber) poly bushings on for several months now, I am a big fan. I've never had non-offset poly bushings, so it's hard to judge how much of the change was due to the offset, and how much due to the poly. But, the turn-in is hugely improved, and the line-holding (both straight and when cornering) is also hugely improved. I don't find the steering to feel any "heavier", nor do I actually notice the wheel noticeably more inclined to return to center, though I would be happy if these things had happened. The feeling is precise, centered, and predictable. I was a little afraid that the change would leave the car feeling overly responsive or twitchy, but that was unfounded. In fact, maybe ironically, it is more relaxing to drive now, especially on the highway. Sort of like how a sharp knife is safer than a dull one.

 

The downside is they definitely give a harsher ride. I drive daily over an old bridge with a dozen crummy expansion joints. With the OEM bushings, it would be kathunk kathunk. Now it's more like kabang kabang. But that's the poly, not the offset. Bump steer, if anything, is improved.

[.Catalyst.]

I believe you meant your offset LCA's added Caster not Camber. Caster does have an impact on bump steer for sure.

[Tehnation]

Anyone have a link or site where I can buy some of these offset LCA bushings?

[ClimberDHexMods]

Legacygt.com member "m sprank" might have them in stock.

 

Vendors hang out here: http://legacygt.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/vendor-member-sales-114.html?f=114