Custom built Rear Upper Control Arms

[prostreetdrag]

Whats up guys I wanted to post a tread and get your thought and comments on some upper control arms I built They arn't 100% completed yet I will still need to powder coat them and make finish making the oppisite side. Also the threaded tube ends are just tack welded in just to check the fit. I have have them adjusted to factory length right now but i can adjust pinion angle of rear end in or out once I get them in the car.
I wanted to get thoughts before i invest more time in the other side. I just couldnt stand the thought of spending over 200.00 on a set of double adjustable arms when I new It would be pretty easy to build myself.

 

[Hot Air]

Just be sure the threaded part is 1" OD. Also, roll the threads instead of cutting them will help eliminate the bottom of the thread as a stress point for a crack to form. Several makers of the adjustable uppers use use 1" threaded rods (HNR, Hotchkis, ????). Not sure about the way the thread is formed.
Conrad
Hot Air

 

[prostreetdrag]

The rod ends I bought from our Jegs retail store around the corner from me they r QA1 rod ends and are 3/4 inch They are very beefy and biggest ones they had. As far as the treaded tube ends They are QA1's also and they are chrome moly steel ends and every thing is Tig Welded.

 

[coach]

Go to the fabrication thread and post these. We love to see homemade parts. I have several pics of the uppers and lowers I made. Also, never saw 1" threads on any arms. I built mine using 7/8 RH and LH thread. I dont even think that HR's Extreme Duty are 1 inch. Most in the industry are 3/4, just like yours. Cool stuff.

Thanks
Coach

The fabrication thread is at the top of the general tech page.

 

[Hot Air]

Check out HRpartsNstuff "Your WWW performance parts supplier"

The following is an exerpt from their description of their adjustable upper control arms for g-body's:

"The most noticeable improvement is our much bigger 1.0" diameter CNC threaded center adjusting screw, compared to others with a 3/4" diameter. Not only does this improve upon strength, but it also improves the overall stiffness of the control arm."

I recently measured my Hotchkis adjustable arms and, as I recall, they were 1" as well. Unfortunately, my lift is down for repair right now so I cannot confirm this A.M. Will do so later.

Conrad
"Hot Air"

 

[Hot Air]

Having said all that, I must say that I love your piece! It looks SLICK!! Keep up the good work.
Conrad

 

[prostreetdrag]

I very much apprciate everyones feed back with that said, I do know if I have any issues with breaking the 3/4 moly ends then I will be going a much different routte next time. Deffinatly 1 inch would be stronger but I think 3/4 should be plenty for me. if I do have any issues I will most likley just go with a solid tubular arm. these ends were the bigesst ones I could get at jegs at the time by buddys at jegs felt they should be plenty strong for me.. I would be surprised If I were to break them I think though its not too bad at all for about an hour of labor and a total of 52.00 in parts and some leftover plate steel (from doing the frame notch) I had laying around the garage.. I know on most UCA's on the market they use like clevis style brakets on the housing side of the arm. I built these so they would be more boxed for more strenth which is why its notched at the top to allow clarence for the housing braket on the rear end.
I've known a friend who was using the clevis style type on his arms and over time the braket bent to the side from the twisting force.

I do have a ?? for everyone. I have some left over of the moly tubing from building the UCA's I was considering building the lower ones as well with the heim ends (I will go 1 inch if I can find them) because these turned out so good. Also it will give me more adjustabilty but my hesitation is because I just recently boxed in the factory Lower CA's about a month or so ago which that part is not much of a big deal it was just a little labor but I also bought the alluminium solid bushing for the lower arms and thats my hesitation cause I have about 55.00 in them. I guess I could always sell the boxed lower arms with the new allum bushings on ebay or somthing. however most people are going aftermarket unless there are people out there wanting to save $ for more but still get more strength and if they dont have access to a welder. It would definatly save them some work. But as far as strentgh goes is it worth the change? I boxed the lowers completely and also welded in tubed spacer for the factory sway bar( Also Im not useing factory sway bar cuz I'm useing a anti roll bar) so Im not worried about that part but I do know these are very strong. Most guys just tack some plate down the center when they box them but these are fully welded all along seam and i heated the ends of the plate to form it all the way around the control arm to box it completely.....Any thought?

 

[1of1547]

I was going to make my own uppers. We got as far as making the adjusters. But then I got a good deal on some TRZ uppers and spherical bearings. We are still going to make the lowers. We needed to get the thread bar for the left hand threads. One thing you may want to think about is putting some kind of nut on the outside of the housing. Just in case dirt or something gets into the threads. That way you can turn it with a wrench instead of a set of vise grips. Spohn sells a lot of the "hard to get" parts Spohn Performance :: Replacement Parts >> Rod Ends / Spacers / Adjusters / Jam Nuts / Threaded Ends / Poly Bushings / Coil-Over .

 

[prostreetdrag]

Are you talking about puting a nut on the tubeing itself??? Thats a good idea I did actually think about doing somthing like that last night as far as welding a nut in the center of the tube or somthing like that the same diameter of the tube to be able to place a wrench on it to make adjustments. I definatly dont want to place visegrips on the powder coated tubeing and scratch them all up to make an adjustment. Alot of the tubular CA do have a flat spot or something like that to be able to place a wrench on for adjustment. Good thinking thanks for your input.

 

[1of1547]

Are you talking about puting a nut on the tubeing itself??? Thats a good idea I did actually think about doing somthing like that last night as far as welding a nut in the center of the tube or somthing like that the same diameter of the tube to be able to place a wrench on it to make adjustments. I definatly dont want to place visegrips on the powder coated tubeing and scratch them all up to make an adjustment. Alot of the tubular CA do have a flat spot or something like that to be able to place a wrench on for adjustment. Good thinking thanks for your input.

Yea, that's what I meant. My mind goes faster than my very limited typing ability!!!

 

[coach]

Are you talking about puting a nut on the tubeing itself??? Thats a good idea I did actually think about doing somthing like that last night as far as welding a nut in the center of the tube or somthing like that the same diameter of the tube to be able to place a wrench on it to make adjustments. I definatly dont want to place visegrips on the powder coated tubeing and scratch them all up to make an adjustment. Alot of the tubular CA do have a flat spot or something like that to be able to place a wrench on for adjustment. Good thinking thanks for your input.

Did you go to the Fabrication thread? Look at "Coach's newest trailing arms." DonWG made his first, then I followed suit. Did you use Right hand and Left hand threads on your uppers? The 3/4 ends will work fine and be plenty strong. The only down side is the solid ends. They are a little rough and noisy. Make sure you drill out your bolt holes to use 1/2 inch bolts. If you stay with the factory bolts, you will have alot of slop in the eye of your rod end and this is not good. It will beat the crap out of that bolt. The factory bolts are .43 diameter(10.9mm), your rod end is .500. You will need a nut on the sleeve to adjust them, so go ahead and weld one on. If you want bigger ends for your lowers, go to The Chassis Shop
They sell anything you need.

Coach

 

[coach]

Check out HRpartsNstuff "Your WWW performance parts supplier"

The following is an exerpt from their description of their adjustable upper control arms for g-body's:

"The most noticeable improvement is our much bigger 1.0" diameter CNC threaded center adjusting screw, compared to others with a 3/4" diameter. Not only does this improve upon strength, but it also improves the overall stiffness of the control arm."

I recently measured my Hotchkis adjustable arms and, as I recall, they were 1" as well. Unfortunately, my lift is down for repair right now so I cannot confirm this A.M. Will do so later.

Conrad
"Hot Air"

Thanks. Didnt think Paul used 1". Thought it was 7/8. Either way, 3/4 is standard on most ladder bars and is plenty strong for most street/ strip rides. As for Hotchkis, i do not own, nor have ever used any of their products. For some reason, a part with their name on it usually is made of "gold", or so the price indicates. I have made most of the suspensions I have used over my 20 years of buiding chassis'. I have a full-scale toolshop and weld shop, so no need to purchase. Thanks for the info.

Coach

 

[prostreetdrag]

Yes they are actually a left and right side thread other wise if they were both right hand you would have to disconect one side to adjust. Thats the first thing I thought about was the threads with a left and right I should be easily able to adjust pinion angle with them on the car. Yeah I was going to weld the bolt on once I finish the rest of the welds. I accually drilled the hole on all my suspension parts to fit 1/2 bolts. When I put the rear end in the car I will use grade 8 also I have a grade 5 on there in the pic just to check fitment. I have checked a few post out in that thread i will look for yours I also was getting ready to post pics of some really nice upper control arm braces I fabbed up last night. they turned out great and they are made of 3/16 plate they fit contour of frame perfect I was reall pleased I will post later today some pics under fabrication thread so be sure to check em out. I just love to fire up the ole welder and burn new parts out of steel..

 

[prostreetdrag]

Hey Coach,

I must say I'm very impressed with your machine work I had some time till kill this morning and I was checking out your trailing arms and few other things you posted under the fabrication thread..very cool..I do all my work by hand(grinders,chop saws bandsaw, tig,mig,arc machines) I sure do wish I had access to some of the precise cutting machines like you and most of all the experience to use them. It sure does make a supperior outcome of some great looking parts.

Thanks for sharing with everyone.

Dale

 

[prostreetdrag]

here is the completed CA pics