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Upper Rear Link Build (Reduces rear camber to improve tire wear)
- Thread starter lolachampcar
- Start date
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- Tags
- Driving Dynamics Model S
I was unsure because their website is down - http://www.bbcspeed-machine.com. I reached out to them on facebook and they replied. Phew!!
harry
Member
I used to make these, with .21" added length. I could make some more if there is interest. These professionally made replacements have aftermarket bushings which have held up very well in our Model S cars, and there is no core charge or core return. The price in the past was $650 per set. It might be a little more now, but still in that range. If you are interested PM me and I will give you a time frame (2 weeks to fabricate?) and shipping cost. Here's what they look like:
Any interest in making them for the model 3? I’m sure that the model 3 is built with the same negative camber to pass the skid revouvery!
harry
Member
I wouldn't be able to do that. First, I don't have one as a model, but more importantly, since Tesla changed the arms in newer Model S's I would think that they would have carried that fix forward to the 3, in which case no alteration would be needed or even useful..
I was told by Lolaxxxx, and my experience with BMW in the past was that the negative camber was put in so the cars would pass the skid recovery test for highway certification. No other reason! I believe the negative camber is in the newer vehicles (S) and X, and will be in the three also, but not verified.
Anyone knows of adjustable rear upper control arms for a Model X (2016, P90DL)?
It's eating ties like crazy and if I drive on anything but very low the front axle shimmy is too noticeable on hard acceleration, while if I ride on low or very low I'm riding on the inside edges of the tires.
Ideas?
I have access to CAM and CNC equipment so if none are available I can probably machine then myself is someone has the model.
It's eating ties like crazy and if I drive on anything but very low the front axle shimmy is too noticeable on hard acceleration, while if I ride on low or very low I'm riding on the inside edges of the tires.
Ideas?
I have access to CAM and CNC equipment so if none are available I can probably machine then myself is someone has the model.
Xenoilphobe
Well-Known Member
Last edited:
Xenoilphobe
Well-Known Member
Mountain Pass Performance makes some pretty nice products like their $395 Upper Control Arm (Camber) this one is for the Model 3, but I am sure they could make them for the X too..
EVTuning
Former Vendor
If you're interested in another option that uses the existing factory arm and just replaces the inner bushing take a look at what I had designed to address the non-adjustable camber issue. It includes the removal tool to press out your factory bushing. The replacement bushing is a two piece urethane bushing with an eccentric metal core and an key adjusting bolt. This setup is almost identical to how the front caster and camber are adjusted and it allows for 1* of camber adjustment. The only hard part is knowing what size your factory bushing is since Tesla used two different sizes. RWD Base and P85 cars have one size, all others have another. To further muddy the waters the P85+ arms are backwards compatible for the RWD Base and P85 cars and were used as replacements when the original arms were discontinued. I can help you with figuring out what you have if you're unsure.
Attachments
Bumping an older thread.
I'm having a local water jetting shop fab me up a set that are .210 longer than stock using a member's schematics. I also have a local aircraft bushing company that I'm going to use to press in aftermarket bushings.
Once I get a handle on cost (fab, bushings, shipping, my time) and install them (ill document), I was planning to take "orders" for these, as I think this suspension issue is absolutely silly and everyone deserves a shot at fixing it
I'm having a local water jetting shop fab me up a set that are .210 longer than stock using a member's schematics. I also have a local aircraft bushing company that I'm going to use to press in aftermarket bushings.
Once I get a handle on cost (fab, bushings, shipping, my time) and install them (ill document), I was planning to take "orders" for these, as I think this suspension issue is absolutely silly and everyone deserves a shot at fixing it
After experimenting with 4 different length ULs with the longest 2 requiring a “stretched” TL, I have a few thoughts here:
I wouldn’t waste any programming or water jet cutting time on the lightening “holes” (I believe the newer Xs are shipped now with more robust solid cast bits instead of extruded units)
I believe that the excessive amount of camber on our S/X chassis is just plain sloppyness, in that few (if any) other cars carry nearly as much negative camber as our Teslas, and yet still pass FMVSS 126 especially with nanny always lurking
My 3 RWD, and I suspect all other 3s (since all 3s have no front or rear camber adjustability) are shipped with a much more reasonable negative camber that shouldn’t adversely affect the service life of the tires for owners maintaining the factory ride height.
I wouldn’t waste any programming or water jet cutting time on the lightening “holes” (I believe the newer Xs are shipped now with more robust solid cast bits instead of extruded units)
I believe that the excessive amount of camber on our S/X chassis is just plain sloppyness, in that few (if any) other cars carry nearly as much negative camber as our Teslas, and yet still pass FMVSS 126 especially with nanny always lurking
My 3 RWD, and I suspect all other 3s (since all 3s have no front or rear camber adjustability) are shipped with a much more reasonable negative camber that shouldn’t adversely affect the service life of the tires for owners maintaining the factory ride height.
I did SERIOUSLY consider editing out the holes, but I just dont have enough structural engineering/failure engineering background to know what their true purpose was, if not JUST lightening.
I'd seriously considering generating your own drawings if your parts are based on my work as I REALLY do not want my work produced and distributed (as I've made clear).
I provided my experimentation to the folks at OpenEVSE who then did their own design and offered them for sale. That was reasonable as it helped their efforts without exposing me to liability.
linkster,
Thanks so much for respecting my wishes from so many years back!!
I provided my experimentation to the folks at OpenEVSE who then did their own design and offered them for sale. That was reasonable as it helped their efforts without exposing me to liability.
linkster,
Thanks so much for respecting my wishes from so many years back!!
Ok no problem. I’ll generate my own. Yours are a massive help on the measurement side at least.
I'm glad they were helpful and thanks for not using the design straight away 
Hi, I'm new to the forum but I'm a long time Model S owner. I have a 2012 P85. I'm bumping this old thread because I would like to get a copy of these drawings or schematics for the rear upper control arms that are 0.21" longer. Can one of you please provide a link? I've gone through so many tires unnecessarily. Being new to the forum I don't see a way to send/receive PM's. Thanks for the assistance!
Lolachamp, Okay I found the drawing and dfx file. That's great that you made that available! Thank you for that! A couple of quick questions. What is the range of years that this arm will fit? Is my 2012 P85 compatible? If I read correctly you installed these on you old P85+? Is the size of the + the same? Since it appears that tesla does not sell the bushings by themselves do you or anyone know of an aftermarket solution? Lastly could you please share your CAD file for the 2-piece tool you made to remove the old bushings? Thank you.
Donverse,
Not really kept up on Tesla's migration apart from the first cars had rubber annulus bushings inner and outer. Later cars, like my D, have rubber on the inner and a hard joint on the outer. The hard joint has a slightly smaller bushing OD IIRC.
Lengths amongst years and thus rear geometry had not changed when I last looked at this stuff (ie. when I received my D).
Press tools were simple lathe exercises. No drawings.
CAD file no longer available......
Not really kept up on Tesla's migration apart from the first cars had rubber annulus bushings inner and outer. Later cars, like my D, have rubber on the inner and a hard joint on the outer. The hard joint has a slightly smaller bushing OD IIRC.
Lengths amongst years and thus rear geometry had not changed when I last looked at this stuff (ie. when I received my D).
Press tools were simple lathe exercises. No drawings.
CAD file no longer available......
Jan '13 P85 delivery here.
Certainly not an elegant solution, but I deployed a socket and vice for this simple soft aluminum press operation.
If I was to embark on this tire scrubbing, range robbing, tire eating effort at this time, I would start with a fresh new set ULs since the bushing diameter has been changed with upgraded materials as stated by #1 champ and I wouldn’t waste any time CAD/CAM the lighting “holes”.
So many thanks to #1 champ for helping guide me to achieve 51K miles from original set of 21 Contis and I will easily achieve the same service life on my second (now staggard) 21 Conti set currently at ~84,533 miles.
Good Luck!
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