Description
Upgrade your 1965-1966 V-8 Mustang, Falcon, or Comet with the Opentracker Racing Roller Upper and Lower Control Arm Kit—a targeted, high-performance upgrade that eliminates friction at key pivot points, sharpens handling, and delivers modern responsiveness while fully preserving the authentic vintage look of your classic Ford. Unlike some kits that swap in fully tubular aftermarket control arms, this kit uses premium, stock-style components expertly modified with precision roller bearings. The result is championship-caliber gains in smoothness, control, and speed—without compromising the clean, period-correct aesthetics enthusiasts prize. Your suspension retains that timeless factory vibe from the wheel wells, looking just like a well-maintained original while performing far better.
Complete Kit Includes:
- ORP-1126: “Cheater” Blueprinted Upper Control Arms — A set of our signature “Cheater” upper arms. The “cheater” name harks back to old-school drag racer tricks: disassembling factory arms and meticulously smoothing the shaft and bushings for ultra-smooth operation (looks completely stock but performs way better). Anyone familiar with these arms knows they can bind stiffly if not prepped right—these are blueprinted and optimized for fluid, friction-reduced movement in street, drag, or road racing setups.
- ORP-1013: Roller Lower Control Arms — Friction-free, stock-style design optimized for street performance and drag racing, providing superior articulation, control, and responsiveness without the bulky tubular look of competitors.
- ORP-1234: Delrin Monoball Strut Rod Bushings — Racing-grade Delrin monoball (spherical bearing) setup drastically minimizes deflection and allows for free movement of the roller lower arm.
- ORP-1029: Shelby Drop Template — Ensures accurate 1″ upper control arm drop for improved camber curve, reduced understeer, and enhanced grip.
- ORP-1001: Roller Spring Perches — Sealed roller bearings replace the stock rubber bushing as the pivot point, delivering massive gains in ride quality, driver comfort, road responsiveness, braking stability, and overall handling. With smooth, free-moving pivots, far less noise and vibration reach the chassis—the entire front-end weight rides on these points, so free movement means a noticeably smoother, more refined ride. Stock rubber greatly increases resistance, causing rougher handling and poor response.
Opentracker’s signature roller technology replaces traditional sliding bushings (rubber, polyurethane, or bronze) with high-precision roller bearings at critical points, slashing friction and banishing “stiction” that hinders movement over bumps, in turns, or during weight transfer. This enables true rolling motion for effortless steering, lightning-fast suspension response, quieter operation with minimal NVH, and released energy for superior grip, stability, and efficiency. Drivers enjoy crisper turn-in, consistent tire contact, enhanced cornering, and measurable improvements in acceleration, braking, and overall drivability—ideal for street performance, drag launches, or track days.
The kit includes a Shelby Drop template (also known as Arning drop or 1″ upper arm drop) for precise relocation of the upper control arm mounting points on the shock towers—dropping them 1 inch lower with a slight rearward offset. This race-proven mod, born on the GT350 and effective across 1960-1968 Falcons, 1964-1970 Mustangs, and similar Ford/Mercury models, fixes the factory’s positive camber gain in compression (tire top tilting outward in turns). Lowering the pivots lets the tire track straighter up and down in the wheel well, yielding a beneficial negative camber curve for dramatically improved grip, less understeer, reduced body roll, and a lowered front center of gravity. Virtually no drawbacks beyond drilling four half-inch holes—resulting in planted, neutral, ultra-capable handling that feels like a contemporary build.
To unlock the full potential, follow up with a performance alignment that boosts caster for rock-solid stability and sets zero or negative camber for cornering bite (ditching factory positive camber). Negative camber increases grip but depends on your style—milder for easy cruising, more aggressive for spirited driving. Fine-tune using street tire wear patterns or track tread temperatures.
Recommended Alignment Specs
STREET SPECS
- Caster: +2° to +3.5° (Manual Steer) / +2.5° to +4.5° (Power Steer)
- Camber: 0° to -0.5°
- Toe: 1/8″ in
STREET PERFORMANCE SPECS
- Caster: +2.0° to +3.5° (Manual Steer) / +2.5° to +4.5° (Power Steer)
- Camber: -0.5° to -1.5°
- Toe: 1/8″ in
Set caster and camber the same on both sides for balanced handling. These specs complement the Shelby drop perfectly.
