Installing Sigma Arms

[slide86]

Hey
whats exactly involved in installing sigma controll arms?
i have them ready to go in.
and it is time lol
any info would be great.

[mattysshop]

new urethane bushes, do not please do not put the arms in with the old bushes in there..

undo the inner bolt, track rod nuts, sway bar mount, and strut bolts, then use a ball joint compressor or failing that a block of wood under the steering knuckle, and hammer out the rack end (last resort only please cos you might f*** it! )

thats how to take them out..reverse to put them in.. but i have never fitted the sigma ones, so best of luck with it..i'm working all this week, and i need to go out tomorow, and on friday night going down to ipswich to deliver the gem gem to it's new owner...lucky 16 year old bastard..jokes..

[mumblezzz]

f*** the bushes, you'll need to grind them down with an angle grinder as they're a bit too big. You will also have to take a bit off the back edge so it clear properly. Oh also make sure you put the steering arms on beforehand.

[DRFTAE86]

^^^What he said.

U'll know where to grind wen u try to fit them. Its pretty straigh forward.

Goodluck http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/forums/emoticons/smile.gif

[mattysshop]

new ball joints too http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/forums/emoticons/smile.gif

[slide86]

anyone keen to lend a hand to help put them in? lol
im getting pretty desperate.
i could do it myself but i dont think i would get it done in time lol
i also dont have a ball joint compressor

[mumblezzz]

It's really not that hard. Just as long as you have all the right parts.

Arms (Duh)
RA tie rod ends and tube thingy

f*** replacing the bushes and ball joint. Just bolt em in and worry about that shit later, theres drift to be had.

If you get stuck gimme a call tommorow afternoon. I might be able to help out.

[slide86]

yeah i have all the parts
just strapt for time.
if you could help out that would be great.
ill help you out with something.

[DRFTAE86]

Shave as indicated.

[Monster]

I feel a tech article...

[slide86]

cheers DRFTAE86
i have new bushes with them, u recommend putting them in then shaving it once they are in the arm?

[mattysshop]

yes..after you shave them..

i'm pretty sure that you are going to have to raise the front of your car a bit...

[crazy86]

For those that have done the swap, I have noticed the castor rod mounting point is furthur out. This will give the car more castor. Anyone know just how much more?

[RobertoX]

a wheel alingner should be able to tell you

[chapl]

you dont need to shave off near the ball joint. but at the other end you do.

[DRFTAE86]

Originally posted by chapl@Dec 16 2005, 09:15 AM
you dont need to shave off near the ball joint. but at the other end you do.
mmmmm, i though about what u said for a mintue, trying to figure y u wouldn't need to shave off the end near the ball joint (cuz i certainly had too).....

Then it hit me, the reason i shaved it there was cuz it touched the back of the 'brake dust cover', but i realised that at the time i had bigger RA60 brakes, whereas u probly still have the stock AE86 brakes right??

In which case u may not need to shave it at the ball joint end (as u said).

Any 1 else with stock aus 86 brakes that has done the convertion care to add feed back with this issue? Did u shave the area near the ball joint or not?

Cheers.

[crazy86]

Ill be able to tell you soon, I could also take pics for a "step by step"

[chapl]

yeh i got stock brakes so thats probly why.

[DRFTAE86]

Yeh that makes sence.

How much space do u have between the tip on the arm and the brake dust cover?

Cheers.

[chapl]

not with my car atm, but from memory about a finger width? not sure.

[Gilly]

i know this has been asked before, but what model sigma arms do you use and what gains are to be had camber wise and track wise? you obviously can't use them on a street car can you? do they savage the insides of your tyres. i thought of getting a set for track days, but by the time you change them and do a wheel alignment, i may as well buy camber tops.

[DRFTAE86]

1: GH sigma arms

2: I had -3 degrees camber

3: Track witdh increase a few inches each side

4: You cant u use them on a street car?? Why not? They came off a street car.

5: Get a wheel alighnment and ur tyres wont get "savage".

6: New camber tops are at least $300. Doing a sigma arm swap (+ra40 tie rods) cost me $50. And i gained more track, camber tops cant give u that.

7: A wheel alighnment is a 'given' with any modification/adjustment to ur front suspention.

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/forums/emoticons/smile.gif

[Gilly]

thank you kind sir, i have now been swayed to sigma arms!! is anyone running these on a street car, i'm thinking -3 degrees camber would wear out inner edges really quickly i don't want to half the usable life of my tyres.

[DRFTAE86]

Ur welcome http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/forums/emoticons/smile.gif

I ran this setup while my 86 was still road rego'd.
As long as u get a good wheel alighnment u'll be fine.

But if u do have problems with too much camber, u'd best buy camber tops for adjustiability. And at least u still get to keep ur longer front track from the sigma arms.

[Gilly]

thanx mate, seeing you know a bit with alignments and stuff, can you share with me a good caster setting, i still have standard caster rods, should i just go as far as i can. i have access to a wheel alignment machine so exact settings would be nice if you are the type that shares that sort of info.

Thanx again! http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/forums/emoticons/wink.gif

[Monster]

Max out the castor rods, this creates camber when you turn the wheel.

[Gilly]

my other question is regarding the ball joint on the sigma arm, is it compatable with the 86 steering arm or do you use 86 ball joints, and are the castor rod mount holes on the sigma arm the same distance apart as the 86 ones or do you have to drill new ones. i know i'm asking a lot of questions, saves someone else asking them, also i don't have enough time these days to pull shit apart and not be able to put it back together again, god dam shift work!!!

thanx again guys!!

[DRFTAE86]

Yep max out the castor all the way to the front. But be warned, u may have to shave ur front bumper wheel arch area depending on the size and offset or ur front rims, cuz it may rub.

The ball joint on the sigma arm has nuffing to do with the swap, becuz its the steering knucle which attaches to the ball joint that u need to swap over to fit the arms. (pull the stock 86 steerin knucle off the stock 86 arms and put them on the sigma ball joint).

The castor rod holes are in the same position as the stock 86 castor holes, so no need to drill new 1's.

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/forums/emoticons/smile.gif

[Gilly]

i don't think i'll have dramas with the wheel arch thing i run 13's they are negative offset too, also it s all in a Ke70 so a whole new ball game when it comes to front guards and bumper area..... the car uses sprinter cross member and lcas and struts so thats all the same.

thanks guys for all the feed back all help greatly appreciated!!!

[RobertoX]

I have 14" rims with about the same rolling diameter tyres and they scrub terribly with stock height suspension (sigma LCA maxed castor)...

They did at least until I bent the guards out... Its lower now and I have to run the stock wheels until I fix the castor (its about 5 degrees)

[chapl]

also if your 86 is low it will be even lower if you put on these arms. so you will have to play with the guards a bit.,...

[Gilly]

how much lower approxiamately?

[chapl]

probly another inch.

and as said befor your castor gain will make it rub to.

get the hammer out. lol

[RobertoX]

honestly, I dont think it will be that much lower. You are right it will be but not a lot at all... I know that mine still looked like a truck afterwards http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/forums/emoticons/tongue.gif definately not an inch


Its more that the wheels move out more and interfere with the guards wheras with standard ones they just tuck in under it. Then with the extra castor they will interfere with the front part of the guard.

Oh, in regards to camber gain in steering with extra castor, you you must increase the castor in order to even have the same camber gain on steering. This is because the KPI (or steering axis inclination or whatever you wish to call it) is also increased (KPI will give +camber change on outside wheel for steer angle). If you have adjustable camber tops and reduce the camber a bit your camber gain on steering will be slightly more favourable.

[slide86]

yeah it doesnt lower the car at all i think
just pushes the struts out, giving camber and track

although mine are still not installed
stupid fuckin bushes

[mattysshop]

is there in intermediate arm like one thats longer, but not stupidly overkill? http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/forums/emoticons/smile.gif , i think i heard a KE rolla arm would work, not sure which series.. cos i have some RA40 arms, which are only about 5mm longer than 86 ones, and you use everything from the 86, completely 100% bolt in..i have done it to my mates 86 (lets just say a gutter liked his LCA's more than he did, so it ate them) and it gives -2 deg camber on low kings and RA40 arms (thats on a wheel alignment) so something just slightly bigger than ra40 would be nice....

[slide86]

matty the sigma ones i have give -2.7degrees camber.
so not really overkill. yeah it does give abit of track but that is very handy.

[OBE353]

wow wish i read this earlier soundlike a worthwhile mod and cheap too http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/forums/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[SRE-86]

i put some sigma arms in my car and the tyre's rub at the front of the guards BIG time, with the rims i have they will not fit at all. The car is very low and at full lock guard basically sits on the tyre....

im thinking of trying 14inch starion rims on my car, has anyone fitted these? More clearance?

i want the arms for the extra track.... but no clearance....

[DRFTAE86]

Originally posted by D1_Spec@Dec 19 2005, 03:56 PM
yeah it doesnt lower the car at all i think
just pushes the struts out, giving camber and track
Actually it does lower the car.... not by an inch more like 1 cm.

[slide86]

Originally posted by SRE-86@Dec 20 2005, 08:44 PM
i put some sigma arms in my car and the tyre's rub at the front of the guards BIG time, with the rims i have they will not fit at all. The car is very low and at full lock guard basically sits on the tyre....

im thinking of trying 14inch starion rims on my car, has anyone fitted these? More clearance?

i want the arms for the extra track.... but no clearance....
good excuse to flare ur guards

[psi_72]

hey cass were u runnin the sigma arms at drift day?

[slide86]

nah
havent got the goddam bushes in the arms yet lol
man they are a pain