Building my own tubular A-Arms

[liljimsrodragz]

Anyone built there own A-Arms besides a vendor? Unless of course you vendors want to share your secrets? lol Any tips? I am NOT going to spend 8-900 bucks on a set. I would if this were my only project but I am trying to do this truck for as cheap as possible!

[72hotrodder]

you will need a welding table thats sterdy. i did a couple of sets for different cars and trucks and you just take your old arms off measure them and i welded a jig onto the table and cut and bent tubing to my liking

[Shane]

Unless you plan on changing a lot of geometry then there is no real advantage to tubular over the stock stamped arms.

[79gmcsierragrande]

I did my own not too long ago I started a thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=308744 it was a pain in the ass but it was fun.

[d10s69c10]

if you want to go to stock geometry a good idea is to build a jig around the stock arm.

if you can put all the bolts and pipes in the right places and build around the set demensions, with some darn good welds i see no issue doing this yourself.

[72hotrodder]

^^^ thats how i did it. and i did it mainly to clear my bag and shock mounts. and they just look beter

[Twisted Minis]

I had to build some arms for a Crown Victoria that had to have about 2 inches of drop built into them. I couldn't Z the arms because there was almost no room, so I built some with a larger overkill cup that the balljoint pressed into. I used the stock arms to build a jig around, and just made the changes I needed to. I will try to find pictures, I have some of the jig.

[Twisted Minis]

Here's the ones I was talking about.



The jig.


I used machined cups to hold the balljoint cup in place.


And the balljoint pressed in.

[joe231]

that is some nice work there twisted!!!

[mygr8ride2000]

does anyone know the tolerance between the ball joint and it housing. im looking into building my own control arms as well thanks

[Twisted Minis]

A press fit should be around .001 to .003 squeeze.

[72hotrodder]

yep gotta be crazy tight. thats why i used bolt-in balljoints. forgot the part number tho

[Twisted Minis]

Thats not that tight. The hardest part is machining a tolerance that close. It only takes about a half ton to press them in if they are machined right. I tried a set at .005" squeeze, like the stock arm was, but it really didn't work. I didn't think about the material being thicker, and not wanting to give at all. .002" is usually my number, goes together nice and smooth.

[79gmcsierragrande]

I went .007 under on the ball joint because it was knurled, and .002 under on the bushings.

[MickMc]

Can I hire Twisted Minis to build custom Lower A arms, for my lifted 67?

I like the jig.

Making the jig is almost as much work as making the arms...



Mick