SC&C rear control arms VS stock, advantage VS weight

[64Chevelle]

Hi,

I got the rearend out yesterday and the old worn out stock rear control arms. For replacement I have the Currectrac alu lca and the matching adj. uppers.

I was shocked at the weight difference, the new arms are way heavier, uppers seems to be 2-3x the weight. The new arms are of course a LOT beefier the johnny joint + adjustability advantage is undeniable. I am just curious in what conditions are the extreme weight and "beefyness" of these arms really paying off compared to the stock ones?

500+ HP?
Really hard roadrace driving with slicks?

Or are the stock arms just plain undersized for anything resembling performance driving with todays tires?

[T-CHRGD]

Or are the stock arms just plain undersized for anything resembling performance driving with todays tires?

YES :)

The cheap stamped stock arms have so much flex, you could bend them yourself with a big wrench. Imagine what a 3000 lb.+ car does.

[64Chevelle]

YES :)

The cheap stamped stock arms have so much flex, you could bend them yourself with a big wrench. Imagine what a 3000 lb.+ car does.

I'll try that when I get home after work. What were they thinking back then??? :) Perhaps they're designed to flex since the triangulated 4-link has binding issues.

Even boxing them is not enough I bet, they are really lightweight though. The reason I'm asking is that I've never really had any "problem" with them, just didn't know better I guess.

[Derek69SS]

Perhaps they're designed to flex since the triangulated 4-link has binding issues.Precisely. :)

In drag-racing, the loads applied to the arms were "pulling" on them, so they were plenty strong enough for that with the tires of the day.

When cornering, the loads are "pulling" on one arm and "pushing" the other. The one being pushed on is the one that's going to flex. (think "pushing a rope"). Since tire technology was bad, and front suspension geometry was worse, they were strong enough for even the most aggressive drivers in stock form.

[pitts64]

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[64Chevelle]

One of the best modifications I ever made on my car was the addition of Currie Johnny Joints to my Ram Air Restoration rear control arms!

Can't wait to get my car ready for summer with all the new parts on :)

[pitts64]

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[Fuelie Fan]

Has anyone actually measured or calculated the forces on those arms during a cornering event?