There
are four ways to order: online ordering, e-mail, fax or telephone.
If ordering by e-mail or fax, just send a list of the items you
are interested in along with your color preferances and shipping
address. Shipping prices can be figured online by using our online
shopping cart.
"How
soon will my order ship?"
Typically
our turnaround time for orders is 2-3 business days unless otherwise
noted. Special colors such as white, silver, navy, Hugger orange,
and yellow require an additional 7 days.
"Do
you ship Internationally?"
Yes,
via UPS only.
"Why
don't you make a 3 point shocktower brace for the Fourth generation
F-bodies?"
While
it is proven that triangulation and multiple mounting points make
for a stronger part however, in this case, we don't recommend
it. The cowl area of the 4th generation F-body is extremely thin
and protrudes over the engine bay virtually unsupported. Because
of this area's weakness, there is nothing to gain by connecting
into it and doing so could possibly crack the windshield through
load transfer from the shocktowers.
"Which
is better, tubular or boxed control arms?"
This
has to be our most commonly asked question. We personally feel
that either design is equally as strong for the load that the
F-body chassis places on them. Because the F-body uses
a control arm/torque-arm combination, very little lateral loading
is placed on the control arms themselves. The torque-arm takes
the lateral loading while the control arms are subjected mainly
to a "compression" loading as the rear tries to push
them forward into the chassis under acceleration. While an excessive
lateral load would dictate the use of stronger(laterally) rectangular
tubing, compression loading is much easier to handle and round
tubing(of appropriate size)is more than sufficient. Bottom line:
if you are an overkill nut and are willing to spend a little more
then go with the boxed design, otherwise save a little money and
get the tubular arms.
What
bushings does BMR use and should I use polyurethane or the poly/rubber
combination bushings in my control arms?
This
really depends on your tolerance for road noise. GM designed the
factory components with oversized, low durometer, rubber bushings.
These are great for "cushioning" various noise caused
by road irregularities, driveline vibrations, etc. however for
maximum performance useage, a stiffer, low deflection bushing
is preferred to control wheelhop and maximize traction. Both the
polyurethane and the rubber bushings used by BMR are a smaller
diameter than stock. This combined with the fact that they are
made from a higher durometer rated material ensure minimal deflection
regardless of which bushing choice is made. Our rubber bushings
are actually made from Neoprene which has a much higher resistance
to dry rot than standard rubber and much higher elasticity to
retain it's shape longer. Our polyurethane bushings are specially
made by Prothane and are fully grooved to allow lubrication throughout
the bushing. Below are the pro's and con's of both bushings to
help in choosing your configuration:
Road Noise
Wear Resistance
Performance Gain
Polyurethane
Some additional road noise.
To date about 75% of our customers consider the increase acceptable.
Very high wear resistance both
from use and elemental damage. Typical lifespan: 15 years
+.
Most performance gain possible
without going to a full race style bushing or bearing(rod-ends).
Poly/rubber
combination
Very slight increase over stock,
most can not distinguish the difference.
Much better than stock but not
as high as polyurethane. Typical lifespan: 5 years + depending
on regional area.
Very close to polyurethane in
performance gain.
"What
are the torque-specs
for my BMR products?"
A-Body,
G-Body, and F-Body control arm bolts/nuts
should be torqued to 72 ft/lbs. B-Body control arms use a combination
of bolt sizes on the upper control arms. The rear bolts should
be torqued to 72 ft/lbs. while the front bolts should be torqued
to 140 ft/lbs. B-Body lower control arm bolts should be torqued
to 140 ft/lbs. F-Body panhard rod nuts should be torqued to 60
ft/lbs. Shocktower brace nuts should be torqued to 32 ft/lbs dry
or 25 ft/lbs lubed.
"Is
your battery relocation mount NHRA legal?"
According
to the current rulebook, no. Wet cell batteries produce Hydrogen
fumes while charging. This is why NHRA mandates a sealed battery
box vented to the outside of the vehicle. Dry cell batteries are
completely sealed and do not produce any fumes at all. Eventually
dry cell batteries will become legal for use inside the vehicle
but for now it is up to your local track official.
"I
already have _ _ _ _ subframe connectors, can I still use your
Torque arm?"
90%
of the time, yes. The crossbrace used for the Trak Pak and Xtreme
Duty style torque arms will not work on diamond style subframe
connectors however all other models are compatible.
"
My BMR Trak
Pak is making noises, I realize that additional road noise is
to be expected with such a rigid part replacement, but can I minimize
it somehow?"
Yes,
you can! General Motors' original design utilized a neutral pinion
angle of 0 to +1 degree. Any alteration to this causes slight
binding from other components that makes for a "creaking"
and sometimes "clunking" suspension. While a negative
pinion angle(pinion down) may be great for the drag strip, try
to keep your settings as close to neutral as possible for daily
driving. This will minimize noise as well as premature u-joint
wear.
"What
is chrome moly?"
A
common misconception is that chrome moly is chrome plating. Despite
the similar name, there is no connection. Chrome moly is a steel
alloy that is an abbreviation for chromium molybdenum. You can
typically find it used in the aircraft and professional racing
industry and it is noted for it's high torsional load handling
capabilities. Due to it's higher strength, it is possible to use
thinner gauge materials when building a product to yield lesser
weight or a product that is the same weight but nearly twice as
strong. In some instances, it is possible to build a product that
is not only stronger than it's steel counterpart but lighter as
well. In most of our products where chrome moly tubing is offered,
it is for strength benefits in extreme duty applications.
"I
purchased control arm relocation brackets but which hole do I
use for my application?"
While
each car varies based on many variables, there is a common rule
of thumb that can be used for initial setup. Typically a car that
is stock ride height or lowered less than 3/4" can use the
middle mounting hole of our relocation brackets. Cars lowered
1" or more will benefit mostly from the lowest setting(bottom
hole). The goal is to point the control arms in an upward angle
rear to front. In other words, the front bushing of the control
arm should be higher than the rear when looking from the side
of the car. This provides an improved "instant center"
by moving the imaginary intersect point of the control arms and
torque arm rearward. Result - better weight transfer for improved
traction.
Why
is the correct pinion angle important?
U-joint
angles should be as close to zero as possible for ideal u-joint
life, minimum driveline resistance, and quieter driveline operation.
When torque is applied to the rearend of most stock vehicles,
the rearend attempts to counter-rotate, forcing the pinion upward
and creating an exessive pinion angle. Any driveline angle other
than zero creates resistance in driveline components which can
make noise and accelerate wear. Stock suspensions have no way
to adjust for this and the pinion angle will enter a positive
angle (pinion pointing upward) when loaded. The easiest solution
to this is to use aftermarket suspension components that allow
for adjustment. Pre-adjusting the pinion angle down (negative)
will a set amount will allow it to return to zero when torque
is applied to the rearend.
For
any additional questions, please e-mail
or call 813-986-9302.