Lower control Arms on 1998 Cobra

[PDavis]

I have a 1998 Cobra Conv. that needs her lower ball joints replaced.

I have also been suffering with the inside of the front rims rubbing on the lower control arms on full lock.

I am tempted to replace the lower control arms as this is often quicker and easier than removing the ball joints and can potentially improve handling.

Please can anyone tell me if there is a difference between the 98 cobra and the GT arms which could be causing my rims to rub if the wrong ones were previously fitted?

Also, can anyone reccomend a replacement part for road use.

Thanks

[cobrabitn]

I would replace the entire assembly and not just the ball joint. It sounds like your rims are not the perfect fit for your car. Either you need a spacer or a different offset on the rims.

[PDavis]

This is just as I suspected. Is there an aftermarket solution that will add any benefits over the OEM that anyone has tried?

[Mystic_Cobra]

There are several good aftermarket options. The Ford arms are good (and expensive, IIRC) but the bushings often wear out and are replaceable. Depending on what you want to spend and how handy you are in the garage, you could replace the bushings and ball joints. Maximum Motorsports makes one of the best control arms out there and that's what I run on my car. Most American Iron racers do, as well. They have two offsets available-one moves the front wheels forward. The MM arms have improved geometry. You can read more about them on their web site.
If you have larger wheels and tires, this is common. There is a suspension stop that you can add (I think was OEM with the 03-04 Cobra) that will limit the steering and keep reasonable sized tires from rubbing.