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IC: 6061 Aluminum Billet Control Arms

I figured traction would improve slightly (not saying fix the wheel hop or all the issues of a front wheel drive) only traction bars will do that for us (when Mike and Josh get versions out)....but I mean they will benefit from less bushin deflection by having heims....the stock control arms having rubber bushings for dampening vibrations and make for a smooth ride...well these arms will provide a more solid bushing (heim) to deflect less....therefore helping aid in traction. Correct me if I am not thinking clearly on all that.

Very correct, only thing flexing then will be the sub frame, if the power is there to do so.
At the same time if you guys with stock cars enjoy your comfortable Contour, these arms may make the ride harsher, not by a lot but keep in mind lower profile tires, performance springs and struts with solid mount control arms. . . :)
 
the billet a arms? or the parts I asked if you had?
Actually, i was referring to many of the parts that pop up in group buys every so often.

I figured traction would improve slightly (not saying fix the wheel hop or all the issues of a front wheel drive) only traction bars will do that for us (when Mike and Josh get versions out)....but I mean they will benefit from less bushin deflection by having heims....the stock control arms having rubber bushings for dampening vibrations and make for a smooth ride...well these arms will provide a more solid bushing (heim) to deflect less....therefore helping aid in traction. Correct me if I am not thinking clearly on all that.

My wheelhop has virtually been eliminated with my setup. Forgot to mention i've got all my mounts poly-filled. I'm still not fully convinced, but i really appreciate the explanations. Thank you. I'll sleep on it & see if i wanna purchase a set depending on final product & price. Coincidentally enough, i do think its about time to get new arms for my baby:)
 
^^I am not trying to pursuade you...but when I bought a tubular k member and a-arms and tubular heim ended adjustable control arms in the rear of my Mustang....it was night and day (and thats a huge understatement) it took the car to a whole other level. So I cant help but believe that....the difference in the bushing (heim) alone will be worth the change! I am sure you put Energy Suspension bushings on something and felt the extreme difference. This will be no exception. And the arm deflecting less and being more rigid will greatly improve steering response and suspension response and turn in in corners and make the car feel alot more predictable. I am pretty damn excited about this if you cant tell. lol
 
Have you found the correct spacer sizes for the heims yet? And set price would be good.
Like I have said, i'm waiting on final dimensions and once I have everything properly drawn up I will be posting a few pricing/configuration options.

^^I am not trying to pursuade you...but when I bought a tubular k member and a-arms and tubular heim ended adjustable control arms in the rear of my Mustang....it was night and day (and thats a huge understatement) it took the car to a whole other level. So I cant help but believe that....the difference in the bushing (heim) alone will be worth the change! I am sure you put Energy Suspension bushings on something and felt the extreme difference. This will be no exception. And the arm deflecting less and being more rigid will greatly improve steering response and suspension response and turn in in corners and make the car feel alot more predictable. I am pretty damn excited about this if you cant tell. lol
I can tell, lol.
I want a fox body mustang. I've seen some beautiful suspension components for them!! I had one basically stock except H&R lowering springs and tokico shocks and it handled VERY well.
I miss that car.

I've always wanted to get a small DVR set up to record certain parts of a car while driving.
It would be interesting to record a before and after with these, while driving.

I can't imagine how much flex there must be with the rubber garbage.
 
you don't mean that . . . :(

we always get tired of our cars at one point.

but don't give up.
I regret selling a few cars(cough, wrecking, cough some)
 
Material things. lol I know the minute I get the issues sorted out...I will be in love again...just drives me nuts to have any noises in my vehicles.
 
So I'm thinking about getting in on a set of these pending what the final product looks like so I have some questions.

First, how will these hold up to fatigue from daily driving? Have you done any analysis in that respect or are you going to figure it out by just trying them out? Have you considered 7075 for the higher fatigue (and yield, while we're at it) strength? I'd like to see the price difference between the two if you're willing.

Second, have you considered also designing roll center adjusters to help keep the handling of lowered cars closer to what the factory engineers intended?

Third, how does the overall stiffness compare to stock LCAs or tubular steel LCAs like the stangkiller arms?
 
So I'm thinking about getting in on a set of these pending what the final product looks like so I have some questions.

First, how will these hold up to fatigue from daily driving? Have you done any analysis in that respect or are you going to figure it out by just trying them out? Have you considered 7075 for the higher fatigue (and yield, while we're at it) strength? I'd like to see the price difference between the two if you're willing.

Second, have you considered also designing roll center adjusters to help keep the handling of lowered cars closer to what the factory engineers intended?

Third, how does the overall stiffness compare to stock LCAs or tubular steel LCAs like the stangkiller arms?
Fatigue from daily driving is next to non-existent. They should be more then capable of a daily drivers duties.
No analysis and just trying them out. That's one of the reasons for over-engineering them.

I would love to have 7075 but cost will increase enough to lose interest, 1: material cost 2: tooling cost, etc.
7075 is straight NASA quality alloy. Incredible material but true overkill.

No roll center adjustment at this point. Maybe in the future if anyone is really interested.
Truthfully, it would be a waste of time investment, it would increase cost and the benefit would be to minimal to justify the previously stated.

These arms would be about in the middle, stiffer then stock lca's but more "give" then the tubular steel.

Material things. lol I know the minute I get the issues sorted out...I will be in love again...just drives me nuts to have any noises in my vehicles.
I hear you!!! I'm the same way. Ask my girl, I hear a click or a thud, I'm like HEY SSHHHHHH. did you hear that? what's that. I can't drive for a week honey I need to figure that out. lol
 
I would like the rigidity to be closer to the tubular steel/Stangkiller style

X2, I would like something that I can go off into the dirt on a track at high speed and not have to worry about the arms. I think on neco someone hit a curb pretty hard and busted a lot of parts but the stangkillers were fine.
 
Just my two cents...but wouldnt tubular arms be cheaper than CNC work?? I mean we could redesign them to have parallel tubes so camber would be possible. Just saying.
 
gents,
like i mentioned earlier, it is almost impossible and worthless to get an a arm with good camber adjustment.
It basically can't exist.
The more camber adjustment the farther the arm is extended outward.
what happens to your cv axle's? the more camber the closer you are to removing the axles from the car.
Yes it is an extreme example but possible.

Doing a few quick calculations I would say at 2" extension on the swing arm via heim joints, to get negative camber, will be maybe -2 degree camber, if that.


With all that said. . .

Tubular a arms with parallel front and rear legs would be great if you wanted to have a almost worthless, minimal camber adjustment range.
I am not bashing anyone, I am sure a few degrees is the world but it's just not worth it.

I have chosen billet and CNC because that is what I have access to.

In a nutshell, throw the billet into a machine, it comes out ready to go.

The tubular require much more hand fab which I just don't have time to do right now.

I do believe there is a group buy or IC on some though if interested.
 
update

update

Just got the arm for measuring.

I should have a final-ish design by tonight or tomorrow night.
 
How do you plan on offsetting the ball joint with a parallel design? Also if you plan on using the OEM balljoint the bolt pattern is incorrect (from what I saw on some very quick designs).
 
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