I have a set of H-Sport rear lower control arms installed, is there any performance benefit of installing the upper control arms? I kind of want to do it anyway because it would look good (not that you can actually see it) but if there is a performance boost then I can justify it.

 

All you gain from adjustable uppers is Toe adjustment.

 

The only benefit to aftermarket upper or lower control arms is additional adjustment and stiffness. You get that with the addition of either arm and more so with both.

 

Awfully vague there.... Like I said, adjustable uppers gives toe adjustment. Your adjustable lowers already give you the camber adjustments, so uppers wont do a damn thing for you in that respect.

 

Thanks everyone. I'm going ahead and ordering an upper set from Way. I can sell the OEM's on eBay for $100 so total out of pocket is not that bad.

It will probably make it a little stiffer but also probably not noticeable. It will look cool though.

 

There is camber and toe adjustment in the stock rear suspension.

Also to be clear the control arms in the rear suspension of the mini are all the same. Upper or lower simply denotes where they are installed.

Most people install only the lowers because the install is easier than the uppers. They are usually installed to combat camber gained through lowering that is outside the normal factory adjustment.

In fact if you were to install adjustable upper control arms in congress with the stock lowers you would have far more adjustability than you get by installing the lowers with the factory uppers. This is because the lower control arm mounting point on the trailing arm is already adjustable from the factory.

You can use just adjustable uppers to change camber or you can use just the lowers to adjust camber. Or you can use them in tandem to adjust camber and toe. However there is also toe adjustment stock at the body mount of the trailing arm.

In fact using the stock toe adjustment, stock camber adjustment and adjustable upper control arms you can change the entire rear track width of the Mini.

In short, all the adjustment (besides track width) is already there stock. Adjustable control arms simply increase the range of adjustment. They also increase stiffness.

 

I wouldn't waste money on them for nothing more than aesthetic reasons.

 

[QUOTE="Creeve;3806761"]There is camber and toe adjustment in the stock rear suspension.

Also to be clear the control arms in the rear suspension of the mini are all the same. Upper or lower simply denotes where they are installed.
/QUOTE]

IIRC the OEM upper and lowers have different part numbers so they might be slightly different - never have compared though.

 

It might be a waste of money but I look at it as a hobby and they money is budgeted so what the hell. I can't play golf any more and this cost the equivalent of one round after I sell the OEM arms.

 

The upper control arms have a bump stop, if I remember correctly. This is why there would be different part numbers, but the length is the same as the lower, so aftermarket ones can be the same. Also, I remember reading that on cars with Xenon headlights, the upper control arms have a ride height sensor to help adjust the headlights. My car doesn't have the xenons, so it didn't have a sensor.

Have fun,
Mike

 

+1

 

Got it all installed. Now I need to fuss with the xenon bracket, it seems that the lights are a little low, but it may be just my imagination.

 

Gees look at how new and clean your car is!

 

It's nice working on a new car no rusted bolts or gunk to deal with. I do say the car you have up for sale is pretty mean looking.

 

My 08 doesn't have the plastic cover over the bottom of the shock.

Like you said, nice and clean. I hope that it works as well as it looks.

Have fun,
Mike