QA1 52737 Street Performance Lower Control Arms Installation Guide

52737 Street Performance Lower Control Arms
Installation Guide

52737 Street Performance Lower Control Arms

These instructions can befound in color and expandable at QA1.net
Technical Support Line: 952-985-5675 Email: sales@QA1.net

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

QA1 P/N 52737, 52719, 52720, 52764, 52766
Street Performance Lower Control Arms

TOOLS AND SUPPLIES REQUIRED

• Floor Jack
• Jack Stands
• Wrench Set
• Ratchet & Socket Set
• Spring Compressor
• Ball Joint Separator
• Internal & External snap ring pliers
• Razor blade or box cutter knife

PRE INSTALLATION NOTES:

These control arms require the use of coil-over shocks and will not work with a factory style spring.

QA1 front coil-overs come with bushings and t-bars installed in the lower shock connection for customers using factory control arms. QA1 control arms require the installation of the included spherical bearing mounts. Refer to page 3 for installation instructions.
QA1 does not recommend driving the vehicle until it has been properly aligned. A front-end alignment should be performed by a qualified alignment shop after any changes to the suspension system.
QA1 Street Performance control arms feature polyurethane bushings and low maintenance QA1 ball joints. Only periodic greasing will be needed.

Disassembly With Factory Springs

1. Raise and support the vehicle by the frame with jack stands on a stable surface and remove the front wheels.
2. Remove the sway bar end links. (if equipped)
3. Unbolt the upper shock mounts from the inside the engine bay.
4. Unbolt the lower shock mount and remove the shock.
5. Remove the cotter pin and loosen the lower ball joint castle nut. Do not remove the nut at this time.
6. With the castle nut still threaded onto the stud, separate the lower ball joint from the spindle using a ball joint separator.
7. Support the lower control arm with a jack to take pressure off the droop stop and to contain the spring pressure. (Figure 1)
8. Remove the lower ball joint nut.
9. Slowly lower the jack supporting the lower control arm to release any remaining spring pressure. Do not continue to step 10 until all of the spring pressure has been released. A spring compressor may need to be used to safely release all pressure.
10. Remove the spring.
11. Remove the lower control arm pivot bolts noting the direction they are installed and remove the arm.

Disassembly With Coil-over Shocks

1. Raise and support the vehicle by the frame with jack stands on a stable surface and remove the front wheels.
2. Remove the sway bar end links. (if equipped)
3. Remove the cotter pin in the lower ball joint stud and loosen the castle nut. Do not remove the nuts at this time.
4. With the castle nut still threaded onto the stud, separate the lower ball joint from the spindle using a ball joint separator.
5. Lower the spring seat collar to the bottom of the coil-over shock to release any spring pressure.
6. Support the lower control arm with a jack to take pressure off the droop stop and to contain and remaining spring pressure. (Figure 1)
7. Unbolt the upper shock mount from inside the engine bay.
8. Slowly lower the jack supporting the lower control arm to release any remaining spring pressure. Do not continue to step 8 until all the spring pressure has been released. A spring compressor may need to be used to safely remove the pressure.
9. Unbolt the lower shock mount and remove the shock and spring.
10. Remove the lower ball joint castle nut and swing the lower control arm down out of the spindle.
11. Remove the lower control arm pivot bolts noting the direction they are installed and remove the arm.

PRE-INSTALLATION NOTES:

For 1967-1969 Camaro/Firebird, install the supplied bump stop in the same location as the factory bump stop.
1967- Chassis mounted- contacts rear of arm
1968- Arm mounted- rear position
1969- Arm mounted- front position
QA1 Coil-over shocks come with poly bushings and t-bars installed in the lower shock connection for customers who are using factory control arms. QA1 control arms require the lower shock bushing to be swapped out with the included spherical bearing mount.

1. Install the provided spherical bearing kit into the lower shock mount using the following steps:
   – Remove both snap rings from the t-bar using snap ring pliers.
   – Press the t-bar out of the bushing.
   – Cut the ear off of the bushing and remove from the shock eyelet

2. Install the lower shock connection to the control arm before mounting the arm.

3. Hold the new QA1 lower control arm in place and insert the included pivot bolts. (Figure 2) If the control arm has a wider bushing mount (G-Body & S10), install into the front pivot point with the longer mounting bolt. S10 arms use a 14mm bolt in the front pivot and a shorter 12mm in the rear connection. The G-body uses 12mm mounting bolts with the longer bolt in the front connection. A-Body and 1 st Gen Camaro use 1/2” hardware. 1970-1981 camaro will use either 1/2” or 14mm (9/16”) bolts. Control arm mounting bolts should be torqued after the installation is complete and the vehicle is at ride height to 80 lb. ft.

4. Refer to the instructions included with the shocks for coil-over assembly.

5. Install the coil-over shocks. Torque lower ½” bolt to 50 lb. ft.

6. Connect the lower ball joint into the spindle. Torque to 65 lb. ft. Continue tightening to line up the cotter pin hole. Never loosen the ball joint to find the cotter pin hole.

7. Install new cotter pin.

8. Re-install sway bar end links.

9. Lightly grease control arm and ball joint zerk fittings using a quality lithium bearing grease.

10. Re-install wheels.

A PROFESSIONAL ALIGNMENT SHOULD BE PERFORMED BEFORE DRIVING THE VEHICLE
(Recommended alignment specs on reverse)

Alignment Information

QA1 upper and lower control arms are designed to add positive caster and negative camber. It is a good idea to make the alignment shop aware of this, as the alignment shop will only try to align the vehicle to factory specs. These alignment specifications are for vehicles equipped with both QA1 upper and lower control arms. Vehicles with other configurations may not be able to achieve these alignment specifications.
Recommended Alignment Specifications for Street Driving

1964-1972 A-Body
1967-1981 Camaro and Firebird
1968-1974 Nova, X-Body
1973-1977 A-Body
1975-1979 Nova, X-Body| Camber:
Caster:
Cross-Caster:
Toe:| Neg. .5° ±.5°
Pos. 3° to 5°
± .5°
.1° to .3° toe in
---|---|---
1978-1988 A-Body and G-Body
1982-2003 S Series
1978-1996 B-Body| Camber:
Caster:
Cross-Caster:
Toe:| Neg. .5° ±.5°
Pos. 4° to 7°
±.5°
.1° to .3° toe in

NOTE ON ALIGNMENT SPECS:

Alignment specifications will vary based on the vehicles use and the above are based on street vehicles. Autocross and track prepped cars will typically use up to 2 degrees of negative camber, max out the available caster, and use 1/8” toe-out alignment spec. Drag racing will typically use similar specs to a street car while maxing out the positive caster with varying toe-in settings to increase straight line stability. Consult with your alignment professional for the specifications that will work best for your application.
Technical Support Line: 952-985-5675 Email: sales@QA1.net
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY AND THOROUGHLY PRIOR TO STARTING INSTALLATION. PRODUCTS THAT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR RETURN. USE THE PROPER JACKING LOCATIONS. DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY CAN RESULT IF INSTRUCTIONS ARE NOT CORRECTLY FOLLOWED. A GOOD CHASSIS MANUAL, AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL PARTS STORE, MAY ALSO AID IN YOUR INSTALLATION.
• DISCLAIMER / WARRANTY •
QA1 WARRANTS THAT THE PRODUCTS WILL BE FREE FROM DEFECTS IN MATERIAL AND WORKMANSHIP FOR ONE YEAR FROM DATE OF SALE TO THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER. QA1 MAKES NO OTHER WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. QA1 SHALL HAVE NO OBLIGATION UNDER THE FOREGOING WARRANTY WHERE THE DEFECT IS THE RESULT OF IMPROPER OR ABNORMAL USE, YOUR NEGLIGENCE, VEHICLE ACCIDENT, IMPROPER OR INCORRECT INSTALLATION OR MAINTENANCE, NOR WHEN THE PRODUCT HAS BEEN REPAIRED OR ALTERED IN ANY WAY. QA1’S LIABILITY IN THE CASE OF DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS SUBJECT TO THE FOREGOING WARRANTY SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT, AT QA1’S OPTION, OF THE DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS.
THE USER UNDERSTANDS AND RECOGNIZES THAT RACING PARTS, SPECIALIZED STREET ROD EQUIPMENT, AND ALL PARTS AND SERVICES SOLD BY QA1 ARE EXPOSED TO MANY AND VARIED CONDITIONS DUE TO THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY ARE INSTALLED AND USED. QA1 SHALL BEAR NO LIABILITY FOR ANY LOSS, DAMAGE OR INJURY, EITHER TO A PERSON OR TO PROPERTY, RESULTING FROM THE INSTALLATION, DIRECT OR INDIRECT USE OF ANY QA1 PRODUCTS OR INABILITY BY THE BUYER TO DETERMINE PROPER USE OR APPLICATION OF QA1 PRODUCTS. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE LIMITED LIABILITY WARRANTY SET FORTH ABOVE, QA1 SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIMS, DEMANDS, INJURIES, DAMAGES, ACTIONS, OR CAUSES OF ACTION WHATSOEVER TO BUYER ARISING OUT OF OR CONNECTED WITH THE USE OF ANY QA1 PRODUCTS. MOTORSPORTS ARE DANGEROUS; AS SUCH, NO WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION IS MADE AS TO THE PRODUCT’S ABILITY TO PROTECT THE USER FROM INJURY OR DEATH. THE USER ASSUMES THAT RISK!

9919-266
Rev. 11172020

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