My Ride Tech lower Strong arms are too narrow!

['71cutlasluvr]

I think you'll find adjusting the frame ears is no big deal.

Well, that was what I hoped Lance.... Not the case.

(Please excuse the length of this post... but I included pics and a lot of detail to verify my efforts to make this system work. I want ridetech to understand what I've gone through and why I've decided to do a return my purchase)

Now that I've cooled down a bit, here's what happened:

After quite a lot of time working the jack screw, using a big adj. crescent wrench and some upper body muscle, I finally got the drivers side strong arm in. It wasn't pretty and it was a struggle to get the bolts in, but i did it and was happy I was going to be able to use the SA's. Installed the shockwave, marked out where to cut with the plasma cutter and was about to do so, then thought I should do both sides then do all my cutting at once.

Well, the pass side seemed to go a bit faster and before I knew it, I got the strong arm in, but there was still a lot of tweaking with the crescent wrench and jack screw. Put in one bolt (front frame pocket), no problem. Tried the put in the second bolt.... the bolt hole in the SA was at least 3/8" off center! Really? Am I losing it?? So just to check my sanity, I put the hotchkiss pass side arm in. Even with the pockets/ears spread apart, the H arm went right in, no problem, albeit a bit sloppily.

Really? C'mon! this can't be! I attached pics so y'all know I'm not a blithering idiot. I'm no fabricator and this is only a hobby for me, but the only thing that can explain such gross misalignment is that there was a mistake made when welding up the pass side (probably both) arm. Why else would the hotchkiss still line up??

Look at the pic of the hole I'm supposed to put the bolt in (#6).... there is no way I can fix that much of an error without drilling a new hole and some serious fabricating. Then, how can I be sure the car can be aligned after modifying the a-arm mounting holes?? I don't have the patience or the skill to do that. This is supposed to be a bolt in mod, right?

I can't seem to insert comments between pics so here is a description:

1. frame prepped and ready for suspension
2. drivers side finally in
3. really had to bend those ears to get it in. why?
4. marked for plasma cutting drivers side. Man am I glad I didn't cut!!
5 &6. With one bolt in the front pocket, look at how far the rear bushing is off! In pic 6, how am I supposed to get a bolt in there without serious mods??
7. Ironically, even with the mangling of the pockets, the Hotchkiss pass side arm still fits! There is something WRONG with the Strong arm.

I'm done. I give up. Disgusted. Wasted countless hours planning this part of the build, asking for help here (which everyone here graciously provided) and took some time off to dedicate getting the part of the build done, just to be stopped dead with a part so far out of alignment no amount of tweaking with a screw jack and crescent wrench is going to align the rear pocket mounting hole to allow the bolt to go through.

Guys, my hands are up in the air and I've had it. Thanks for all of your input but I'm out of options. I guess the cool ride setup is an option but that requires welding to the hotchkiss arms and i'm not ready to take a chance and ruin those. Looks like I got a bad batch so Josh, you can expect a call from me tomorrow morning asking for a return authorization and 3 prepaid return shipping labels. I expect a full refund and NO restocking fee! Not a reflection on you.. you did your best. Thanks for trying.



Looking at the pics, No one can say I didn't do my best to try and make this work.
I think I'll just put the hotchkiss stuff back on so I have a rolling chassis and continue moving forward with the drive train and body work. I'm sooooooo tired of playing with a-arms that don't bolt in as advertised....

I welcome any suggestions for any options in which I can use the Hotchkiss lower a-arms. I have SPC adjustable upper a-arms and ATS spindles already from Mark at SC&C. Maybe he has some ideas on how to salvage this mess.

Thanks again for all the help guys. You gave me hope,..... for a while anyway.
atb

Gus