Reinforcing stock front LCAs.

[PT Goat]

Has anyone done any extra bracing or boxing on their front lower control arms? I'm going to do a new set for my GTO to go with my pro-lites, and I was thinking about reinforcing them a bit. Thoughts?

[pav8427]

Cut and fit a piece of 10ga. or 11ga. to fit inside the bottom of the arm.
Using one piece would be best, then stitch it every 1-2". It'll add some weight ,but it will help.

Doug

[MrQuick]

this was with 1/8" mild steel.

[sinned]

1/8" steel sheet

[shep]

http://www.einstyn.com/einstyn-hardtop-05.htm
Contact Pete he has them pre cut.

[jason@gmachine]

this was with 1/8" mild steel.

i like how this is done, but personally i would use 4130 and throw some dimple dies in it, then TIg it into the arm. Although this is much stranger than stock too!

Jason

[PT Goat]

Thanks guys - those pics were exactly what I was thinking about doing, and it's nice to know I wouldn't be the first.

[Derek69SS]

1/8" steel sheet

This is exactly how I would do it too, most important is the strap around the balljoint, as these arms are notorious for cracking there, the other piece takes care of where most of the flex occurs in these arms.

[PT Goat]

this was with 1/8" mild steel.

I am the farthest thing from an expert on the subject, but wouldn't this compound the problem of weakness around the ball joint area, by creating stress focus point at the end of the reinforcements??

Compare the above to this pic: http://www.einstyn.com/einstyn1/itsbroke3.jpg

[Marcus SC&C]

Here`s a pic of a set I did some years back. The plate was .095" if I remember right. We finished them up with machined steel ball joint inserts pressed and welded into the arms that took our PC Series ball joints set up with screw in housings and GM taper pins. No worries about cracking with that setup. I boxed the bushing end too as the arms deflect pretty easily in that area. Mark SC&C

[Derek69SS]

Those look heavy...

[sinned]

I also weld all the outer bushing shells into the arms to effectively box all the pivot areas (another weak link in GM arms).

[Marcus SC&C]

They may "look" heavy but they`re not. Remember it`s .095". If memory serves the stock arms weighed 14 1/2 lbs. Boxed they weighed about 16 1/2lbs. A total of 4lbs. on a 3800lb. car....
I`ve weighed tubular lower arms that were "lighter than stock" that weighed 18+lbs. One G body lower arm was 22lbs.! Guess they figured nobody would actually weigh them. FWIW the tubular A body lowers we`re working on right now are 12 1/2lbs. Mark SC&C

[Samckitt]

Marcus, Do you have lower tubular G body A arms? Or which ones do you recommend?

EDIT: Nevermind, I see them on your website.

[protour_chevelle]

Here`s a pic of a set I did some years back. The plate was .095" if I remember right. We finished them up with machined steel ball joint inserts pressed and welded into the arms that took our PC Series ball joints set up with screw in housings and GM taper pins. No worries about cracking with that setup. I boxed the bushing end too as the arms deflect pretty easily in that area. Mark SC&C

I take it they are not finished? No hole from the sway bar, or bump stops. That is if your running both of what i said. haha

heres a pic of mine before powder coating.




-Matt

[Marcus SC&C]

Right you are. Bumpstops thread into welded threaded inserts. The swaybar mounts were fabricated and adj. for rate.

Nice job on yours BTW! Mark SC&C

[PT Goat]

1/8" steel sheet

FYI, I just installed my reinforced LCAs done almost exactly as above. I was very disappointed to find that the ball joint strap makes pretty good contact with my front discs. I've been grinding them down for hours, and I'm about to just cut them off. I've groud almost all the way through them as it is. What a waste of time!

[protour_chevelle]

To me your post kind of comes off as its Dennis' fault?

Either way mine is not even close to touchy the rotor. Are you sure everything is right on your setup?

[PT Goat]

To me your post kind of comes off as its Dennis' fault?

Either way mine is not even close to touchy the rotor. Are you sure everything is right on your setup?

Sorry - wasn't bashing Dennis. If anything I'm disappointed with the $55 kit from einstyn.com (which is identical to the pieces Dennis showed in his photos). For $55, I got two $1 straps for the balljoints (which I'm cutting off), and a pair of rusty reinforcements with no countours that look like they were cut out of a piece of scrap by a 3-year-old. I spent hours trying to make them work and the result may have been functional, but it sure isn't pretty.

The contact with the rotor at the ball joint strap may be exaggerated by another problem - my alignment isn't dead-on yet - but I still think the straps have to go.

On top of that, my SC&C pro-lites are making hard contact with my brake lines on both sides at less than full travel. I have no idea what to do about that problem. And my braided lines are binding on the LCAs at less than full turn, and I have no idea what to do about that either.

To sum up - I'm beginning to wish I had left my stock control arms with poly bushings in place.

[Marcus SC&C]

Matt, that`s a little strange ours have a lot more clearance there than most fixed tubular arms. It`s no biggie though,just bend the lines out of the way. You may need to move a clamp and redrill the hole. Sounds like your brake hoses are too short though. Mark SC&C