Enter your username:
Do you want to login or register?
  • Forgot your password?

    Login / Register



    Results 1 to 4 of 4
    1. #1
      Join Date
      Feb 2013
      Posts
      799
      Country Flag: United States

      Global West vs the Chinese copies

      This is a bit of a re-write from the team Impala forum but I thought it was applicable over here as well:



      After a series of misadventures, I finally received my Global West front lower control arms this week. I needed them to continue and had bought a set of the knock off arms in the meantime for mock up. I was curious to compare the two since they look identical in pictures and figured others might be interested in exactly what you're getting for about three times the cost.
      First off, the GW control arms are US made. I'm not particularly opposed to import products in general but I try to keep this car as American made as possible just as a matter of principle.
      Initial impression out of the box, not so different. The GW arms are on the bottom here and do come with an alignment dowel, which is very helpful installing these.
      Name:  IMG_3147.jpg
Views: 805
Size:  67.0 KB

      After I got to turning them over and inspecting, they began to look different. Overall weld quality is much better on the GW control arms. Also, they have more welds in more places. Inside of the spring pockets, both the outer and inner diameters are not welded on the Chinese parts.
      Name:  IMG_3150.jpg
Views: 812
Size:  59.6 KB

      After that I got out the tape measure. I picked a relative point for comparison, not something to use as a suspension geometry reference. The Chinese spring pockets are approximately 3/16" further out and the ball joints by the same amount. Technically the functional length of the Chinese control arms are 3/16" longer.
      Name:  IMG_3157.jpg
Views: 814
Size:  56.0 KB

      After that things got a little scary. I initially noticed GW had shimmed their lower ball joints to take up slack. Not cool, I thought, these should just fit. Then I looked at the Chinese parts. They were missing steering stops and I don't think the ball joint bolts are tightened. I wouldn't drive on them like this. GW is on the bottom.
      Name:  IMG_3152.jpg
Views: 820
Size:  29.9 KB

      Also, the spherical bearing on the Chinese arms rotated freely and had some slight play I could feel by hand. These are new parts and won't live long under the car with that kind of free play out of the box. The GW joints could not be moved by hand. They rotate freely when installed. GW is on the bottom.
      Name:  IMG_3156.jpg
Views: 807
Size:  39.7 KB

      Some final notes. Neither of these will clear my Varishock double adjustable shocks. I had to clearance the through holes in the GW arms but not by much. I hated cracking the powder coat but these aren't OE parts. Powder coat was also an issue on the strut rod bolt holes. I had to run a drill bit through to get clearance. Pretty sure the holes were correct before powder coat.
      Weld quality overall is not even a contest. Build and construction quality might actually put the Chinese arms into the "insurance liability" category.

      I'd been curious about what possible difference there could be between these two parts given the appearance and price gap. I actually thought the Global West parts were just sourced in China and had a sticker slapped on the side. Having the parts in hand, there is no comparison. If I ran these Chinese parts, I'd be servicing something broken sooner than I wanted.
      Another shot of the welding. I shouldn't have to point out the GW part (left side).
      Name:  IMG_3155.jpg
Views: 804
Size:  65.6 KB

      I previously would have (probably) addressed the issues on the Chinese parts and used them but after having the real thing in my hands to compare, there's no way I'd want the knock offs on my car. I feel like I'd be buying another set in a year just to get service parts.


    2. #2
      Join Date
      Apr 2001
      Location
      The City of Fountains
      Posts
      15,971
      Country Flag: United States
      Global West has been around for a very long time. I never doubted the country of origin of their products. Great write-up.

      Andrew
      1970 GTO Version 3.0
      1967 Cougar build
      GM High-Tech Performance feature
      My YouTube Channel Please Subscribe!
      Instagram @projectgattago
      Dr. EFI
      I deliver what EFI promises.
      Remote Holley EFI tuning.
      Please get in touch if I can be of service.

      "You were the gun, your voice was the trigger, your bravery was the barrel, your eyes were the bullets." ~ Her

    3. #3
      Join Date
      Apr 2009
      Location
      Michigan
      Posts
      322
      Country Flag: United States
      Thank you for taking the time to write this up. The fact that the Chinese copy had a 3/16" longer working length is a big deal. That would make it a pain to align and could impact wheel/tire fitment. Hopefully they're at least consistent. It'd be an even bigger problem if one side was short and the other long.
      - Ryan

    4. #4
      Join Date
      Jun 2012
      Location
      Chicago burbs
      Posts
      247
      Country Flag: United States
      Hey, thanks for taking the time to show a side by side of the two with all those pics. My company took 15% salary until December to maintain profits during 'Rona, so the offshore ones from Speedway were easy to justify. I found similar pickup point changes from my stock arms which was surprising and found some places where they welded a bridge to make up for a gap on the spring perch. The final kicker though was that the weld intruded on the surface required to press the BJ in. After modifying my press sleeves to accommodate, I was having a real hard time pressing it in. I took it to a local shop and he had the same issue. Turns out the it was like a 20 thousandths press which ended up ruining my Howes "tall" lower BJ. The BJ wouldn't move freely front to back and when I pressed it out it was still damaged(Howes BJ's rotate freely by hand).

      If get some time, I'll make a similar post and hopefully save someone a similar headache with some direct comparisons.

      1969 442 6.0L LQ9 T56
      Fab9 w/ custom 3 Link conversion
      FAYS2 Watts link
      Thanks to Mark at SC&C for his honesty and passion for the sport, and Ron Sutton for the wealth of knowledge that has helped shape so many of the cars on this site.





    Advertise on Pro-Touring.com