Handmade tubular upper A arms
Thread Starter
Race Director
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Handmade tubular upper A arms
Last night I was taking my upper A arms apart to regrease the poly bushing and got to looking at the A arm cross shafts. The rounded ends are .680 in diameter. They would be so easy to mount and turn on a lathe down to .625. If I turned them down a 5/8th heim joint would slid over each end along with spacers to space the inner mounts in or out as required.
The rest of a homemade tubular A arm can be bought from Coleman racing supplies. They have a plate for the mounting of a ball joint, a clevis pin, 2 5/8th heim joints and 2 aluminum connector links.
All very cheap and easy to just screw together.
Really anyone who wanted to whip up a set of tubular A arms could do it easy and it would give you unlimited Caster/Camber adjustments.
The rest of a homemade tubular A arm can be bought from Coleman racing supplies. They have a plate for the mounting of a ball joint, a clevis pin, 2 5/8th heim joints and 2 aluminum connector links.
All very cheap and easy to just screw together.
Really anyone who wanted to whip up a set of tubular A arms could do it easy and it would give you unlimited Caster/Camber adjustments.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Handmade tubular upper A arms (groovyjay)
Gtoovyjay I have been looking into upgrading my rims and tires and the rims I found that I like only come in 20 inch. While some don't like 20 inch I do and know you also run 20 inch. The rims are not a problem but the tires at $700 per tire is. What did you do for reasonable priced tires?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Handmade tubular upper A arms (comp)
comp it is not a winter project. Everything is readily available from colemans. It does require pulling the upper A arms and turning the cross shafts but honestly the turning is so minor 5 minutes per end easily. The rest is bolt together and adjust.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
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From: I can walk to MA
Re: Handmade tubular upper A arms (norvalwilhelm)
Sounds good, but maybe I'm missing something.
You're saying the heim joints will thread into the connecting bars.
Are these bars then bolted or welded to the ball joint plate ?
If welded, I don't see how you'd get them onto the cross shaft.
Also, would there be any consequences to taking away the flexibility that the
bushings provide ? Maybe too harsh a force on the end of the cross shaft -
especially if they are turned thinner ?
It sounded like you had finally reached a point where you were pleased with
the front suspension mods that you are doing. What's missing ? More caster ?
Keep up the good work. I'm soaking it all in.
:seeya
[Modified by NHvette, 12:21 PM 12/2/2003]
You're saying the heim joints will thread into the connecting bars.
Are these bars then bolted or welded to the ball joint plate ?
If welded, I don't see how you'd get them onto the cross shaft.
Also, would there be any consequences to taking away the flexibility that the
bushings provide ? Maybe too harsh a force on the end of the cross shaft -
especially if they are turned thinner ?
It sounded like you had finally reached a point where you were pleased with
the front suspension mods that you are doing. What's missing ? More caster ?
Keep up the good work. I'm soaking it all in.
:seeya
[Modified by NHvette, 12:21 PM 12/2/2003]
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Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
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Re: Handmade tubular upper A arms (NHvette)
Dave, sometimes a pic says more than words :) go to http://www.polepositionrp.com and you can see the arms, the colemans are quite similar.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
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Re: Handmade tubular upper A arms (norvalwilhelm)
What did you do for reasonable priced tires?
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....omCompare1=yes
What kinda wheel design you have been looking at?
Thread Starter
Race Director
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Handmade tubular upper A arms (Twin_Turbo)
This takes you directly to the tubular A arms. http://www.polepositionrp.com/PRO%20...ROL%20ARMS.htm
The ball joint holders can be bought seperately, the rods seperately if you want and i was using the stock cross shafts after turning to 625 from 680.
You would also need the heim joints. The joints slip over the turned down cross shaft , add a spacer and then the stock through bolt.
The ball joint holders can be bought seperately, the rods seperately if you want and i was using the stock cross shafts after turning to 625 from 680.
You would also need the heim joints. The joints slip over the turned down cross shaft , add a spacer and then the stock through bolt.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
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Re: Handmade tubular upper A arms (norvalwilhelm)
for those that don't have a lathe (ME) you can either order them with the correct hole pattern or drill new holes. I contacted polepos. and they confirmed I could order them like that.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 145
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From: SouthWest MI
Re: Handmade tubular upper A arms (norvalwilhelm)
Hi all,
Okay, just because I have no clear clue as to which one I should be looking at in particular, which model number A-Arm?
And the next question...steel or Aluminum cross-shaft?
Cheers,
Tony
Okay, just because I have no clear clue as to which one I should be looking at in particular, which model number A-Arm?
And the next question...steel or Aluminum cross-shaft?
Cheers,
Tony
Thread Starter
Race Director
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Handmade tubular upper A arms (HunterRose)
Aluminum is lighter but steel is stronger. I would go steel. The difference between the arms is adjustable length and type of ball joint you are using.
Our stock arms are about 9 1/4 inches so like Twin Turbo said 8-10 is in our range.
I don't know the price of these arms so that is why I was talking about building your own from cheap parts and your stock cross shaft.
Our stock arms are about 9 1/4 inches so like Twin Turbo said 8-10 is in our range.
I don't know the price of these arms so that is why I was talking about building your own from cheap parts and your stock cross shaft.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 922
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From: Maine
Re: Handmade tubular upper A arms (norvalwilhelm)
Norval, do you think a heim joint is better or stronger than the pieces shown on Pole Positions page? Those bushings look pretty substantial. It makes sense to turn-down the stock parts though.
Thread Starter
Race Director
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Handmade tubular upper A arms (Frank75)
A heim joint is strong and will fit directly on the modified cross shaft. The upper A arm doesn't see that great a load.
Remove the cover on an upper ball joint and you will just find a 5/8th stud sticking 1.2 inches above the spindle. That stud is in bending moment without a problem.
Also remove the large nut holding the backing plate for the caliper and you will see a big hole almost all the way through the spindle, Talk about weakening a peice.
The main load is on the bottom of the spindle not the top. The top keeps the wheel from flopping over, not the weight of the car.
Remove the cover on an upper ball joint and you will just find a 5/8th stud sticking 1.2 inches above the spindle. That stud is in bending moment without a problem.
Also remove the large nut holding the backing plate for the caliper and you will see a big hole almost all the way through the spindle, Talk about weakening a peice.
The main load is on the bottom of the spindle not the top. The top keeps the wheel from flopping over, not the weight of the car.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Handmade tubular upper A arms (norvalwilhelm)
Really anyone who wanted to whip up a set of tubular A arms could do it easy and it would give you unlimited Caster/Camber adjustments.
:)
Race Director
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Re: Handmade tubular upper A arms (norvalwilhelm)
Aluminum is lighter but steel is stronger. I would go steel. The difference between the arms is adjustable length and type of ball joint you are using.
Our stock arms are about 9 1/4 inches so like Twin Turbo said 8-10 is in our range.
I don't know the price of these arms so that is why I was talking about building your own from cheap parts and your stock cross shaft.
Our stock arms are about 9 1/4 inches so like Twin Turbo said 8-10 is in our range.
I don't know the price of these arms so that is why I was talking about building your own from cheap parts and your stock cross shaft.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Handmade tubular upper A arms (Twin_Turbo)
Twin Turbo you are probably right. I am just going from memory and a rough measurement at the time. Yours will be far more accurate. Was metric even invented when my car was built? :lol: :lol: :lol:
We have had metric for about 25 years and yet most things in industry is still inches and pounds. Even the hospitals take about height in inches and weight in pounds.
We have had metric for about 25 years and yet most things in industry is still inches and pounds. Even the hospitals take about height in inches and weight in pounds.