C3 Tech/Performance V8 Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Basic Tech and Maintenance for the C3 Corvette
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Tubular Control arms

Old 05-22-2019, 04:58 PM
  #1  
lan240
Instructor
Thread Starter
 
lan240's Avatar
 
Member Since: May 2018
Location: Madison Mississippi
Posts: 105
Received 45 Likes on 28 Posts
Default Tubular Control arms

Are tubular control arms worth the money? I have an opportunity to purchase a set for $600 and wanted to see what everyone's take on them is.
Old 05-22-2019, 06:08 PM
  #2  
MelWff
Race Director
 
MelWff's Avatar
 
Member Since: May 2006
Posts: 16,178
Received 1,806 Likes on 1,597 Posts

Default

what do you intend to do with the car, race, autocross, car shows, etc.?
Old 05-22-2019, 06:45 PM
  #3  
bmans vette
Race Director
Support Corvetteforum!
 
bmans vette's Avatar
 
Member Since: Nov 2006
Location: Athens GA
Posts: 19,446
Received 351 Likes on 304 Posts
St. Jude Donor '12-'13, '15- '16-'17-'18-'19, '21

Default

Originally Posted by lan240
Are tubular control arms worth the money? I have an opportunity to purchase a set for $600 and wanted to see what everyone's take on them is.
Depends upon what is the goal.

And depends upon who is the manufacturer.

Lot of high performance stuff out there that $600 will not touch.

Lot of aftermarket stuff for $150-200.

Make sure you are not buying the $150-200 version for $600.

I caught a guy on Facebook selling chinese knock offs for $600 that you could buy on ebay for less than $200.

Buyer beware.

Also check out the thread started last year about using the full size Chev tubular arms that can be modified to fit our C3's.
The inspiration for that came right out of the Chevy Power book.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ar-a-arms.html

Up to 450 posts in there.

Good luck.
Old 05-22-2019, 07:57 PM
  #4  
lan240
Instructor
Thread Starter
 
lan240's Avatar
 
Member Since: May 2018
Location: Madison Mississippi
Posts: 105
Received 45 Likes on 28 Posts
Default

The guy said they Come from eckler’s. This is the guys ad on Facebook. Brand new tubular control arms. Fits all 1963-1982 c3 corvettes.
Features caster, lighter weight, Global West del-a-lum (delrin) bushing style that are greasable and the best style on the market, performance ball joints included.
Can be used with stock coil springs or coil overs.
Old 05-22-2019, 08:03 PM
  #5  
Buccaneer
Melting Slicks

 
Buccaneer's Avatar
 
Member Since: Nov 2005
Location: Arizona - If you don’t know CFI, STOP proliferating the myths around it...
Posts: 3,186
Received 997 Likes on 686 Posts

Default

You can make your own for a lot less.
Old 05-22-2019, 08:54 PM
  #6  
lan240
Instructor
Thread Starter
 
lan240's Avatar
 
Member Since: May 2018
Location: Madison Mississippi
Posts: 105
Received 45 Likes on 28 Posts
Default

These are the control arms. He wants $600 shipped





Old 05-22-2019, 09:03 PM
  #7  
PainfullySlow
Burning Brakes
 
PainfullySlow's Avatar
 
Member Since: Sep 2017
Location: Tolland CT
Posts: 1,219
Received 361 Likes on 228 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by lan240
These are the control arms. He wants $600 shipped





Those look EXACTLY like the ones that I just purchased from EBAY for $279 for both uppers and lowers, right down to the rice paper box and plastic bags. Ask him for the copy of the Ecklers invoice. Also, if they were from Ecklers I would think there would be a part number on the arms themselves. Seems suspicious to me.

Last edited by PainfullySlow; 05-22-2019 at 09:04 PM.
The following 2 users liked this post by PainfullySlow:
bmans vette (05-23-2019), lan240 (05-22-2019)
Old 05-22-2019, 09:15 PM
  #8  
lan240
Instructor
Thread Starter
 
lan240's Avatar
 
Member Since: May 2018
Location: Madison Mississippi
Posts: 105
Received 45 Likes on 28 Posts
Default

With all this information I think I am going to pass on them. My front end is all rebuilt so I don't really need to change them out. Here is a current picture of the front suspension.
The following users liked this post:
bmans vette (05-23-2019)
Old 05-23-2019, 02:50 AM
  #9  
bmans vette
Race Director
Support Corvetteforum!
 
bmans vette's Avatar
 
Member Since: Nov 2006
Location: Athens GA
Posts: 19,446
Received 351 Likes on 304 Posts
St. Jude Donor '12-'13, '15- '16-'17-'18-'19, '21

Default

Originally Posted by lan240
The guy said they Come from eckler’s. This is the guys ad on Facebook. Brand new tubular control arms. Fits all 1963-1982 c3 corvettes.
Features caster, lighter weight, Global West del-a-lum (delrin) bushing style that are greasable and the best style on the market, performance ball joints included.
Can be used with stock coil springs or coil overs.
THAT is the guy I called out on FB.
They are NOT Global West...just Global West style del-a-lum bushings (they created that bushing).
He is selling $200 control arms for $600.
Ask him who is the manufacturer and the part number on them.
I'll bet he does not answer or hems and haws.
But if he does give you Eckler's part number......Then go to Eckler's site and cross reference.
Eckler's does not make tubular A-arms. Their choices are will either the Van Steel ones which do not look like that pic or the C4 style aluminum wishbone A Arms which do not look like that guy's pic.
I'll bet he does not answer you.
The following users liked this post:
Metalhead140 (05-23-2019)
Old 05-23-2019, 08:48 AM
  #10  
PainfullySlow
Burning Brakes
 
PainfullySlow's Avatar
 
Member Since: Sep 2017
Location: Tolland CT
Posts: 1,219
Received 361 Likes on 228 Posts
Default

Also, it should be noted that the real benefit in moving to tubular arms is for the uppers so that caster/camber can be dialed in better. The only benefit to tubular lowers is strength but unless you are autocrossing, I highly doubt that it would be a concern.
The following 2 users liked this post by PainfullySlow:
bmans vette (05-24-2019), Metalhead140 (05-23-2019)
Old 05-23-2019, 05:02 PM
  #11  
MelWff
Race Director
 
MelWff's Avatar
 
Member Since: May 2006
Posts: 16,178
Received 1,806 Likes on 1,597 Posts

Default Fan shroud

Originally Posted by lan240
With all this information I think I am going to pass on them. My front end is all rebuilt so I don't really need to change them out. Here is a current picture of the front suspension.
Are you missing the fan shroud?

Last edited by MelWff; 05-23-2019 at 05:02 PM.
Old 05-23-2019, 08:36 PM
  #12  
lan240
Instructor
Thread Starter
 
lan240's Avatar
 
Member Since: May 2018
Location: Madison Mississippi
Posts: 105
Received 45 Likes on 28 Posts
Default

Nope this picture was taken while I was building the car and had not gotten to the point of putting the fan shroud on.
Old 05-24-2019, 03:57 PM
  #13  
Street Rat
Le Mans Master
Support Corvetteforum!
 
Street Rat's Avatar
 
Member Since: Aug 2010
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 5,311
Received 529 Likes on 396 Posts

Default

I just installed upper and lower tubular arms from Global West.

Those look nothing like what I received.

Craig
The following users liked this post:
bmans vette (05-25-2019)

Get notified of new replies

To Tubular Control arms



Thread Tools
Search this Thread

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:52 AM.