Control Arm Build

[RacerX]

I got a complete set of eight mm control arms for a bargain a few months back and finally started putting them together. I followed Travis' thread on how to do this over on TCG. Had the bushings pressed out, cut 3mm off of the inside edge of two upper control arm halves, then welded some 3/4" wide, 2mm thick steel stock into each end. Welded everything up and then I powder coated them black. Heavy on the pc. ;) I'll put them on in the next couple of days.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/579/medium/IMG_0977a.jpg (javascript:;)

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/579/medium/IMG_0979a.jpg (javascript:;)

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/579/medium/IMG_0978a.jpg (javascript:;)

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/579/medium/IMG_1014a.jpg (javascript:;)

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/579/medium/IMG_1018a.jpg (javascript:;)

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/579/medium/IMG_1019a.jpg (javascript:;)

[Merrill]

Nice job, those look great.

[Haggis]

Did you keep the pinion angle the same?

[SC Cheesehead]

Nice job, those look great.

+1

I've got a set of Travis' boxed arms on my car and they've worked out really well; you're gonna notice the difference, Bill.

[RacerX]

Thanks guys. The angle before I had the bushings taken out was 90°, which, if correct, is still the same.

Anyone know why Jake's avatar turned into a green booger with wheels and windows??? :rolleyes:

[nh muscle]

Bill what do they control ? Kids in a store perhaps!!! Lol

[Haggis]

Thanks guys. The angle before I had the bushings taken out was 90°, which, if correct, is still the same.

Anyone know why Jake's avatar turned into a green booger with wheels and windows??? :rolleyes:

You did not measure? Are you sure both sides have the same angle? You could be in trouble.

[RacerX]

I did measure after the bushings were pressed in because the bushing lip on the uppers weren't completely flush with the arm. It's still the same. There's a curve to the arm, but, the holes are 90.

[Haggis]

I did measure after the bushings were pressed in because the bushing lip on the uppers weren't completely flush with the arm. It's still the same. There's a curve to the arm, but, the holes are 90.

Schw......Wouldn't want a different pinion angle on those.

Psst....Bill, I'm messing with you.

[RacerX]

Schw......Wouldn't want a different pinion angle on those.

Psst....Bill, I'm messing with you.
Bastid! I'm at work thinking "Oh crap, WTH???". :D

[Blown3.8]

They are valid points tho. All you can do now is hope it goes straight down the track.;)

[screamn]

Looks great and SOLID!!!!

Will you be putting them up for sale here on the site?

[Haggis]

Bastid! I'm at work thinking "Oh crap, WTH???". :D:lol:


They are valid points tho. All you can do now is hope it goes straight down the track.;)

^^^What he said.^^^

[Mr. Man]

I used crytor bushings and they have worked out really well. Permanently greased with nethyl. Impervious to just about everything. I sprung for the grade 12 SS bolts from Boscos performance just to be safe but the OEMs will probably hold up.

[RacerX]

"Probably hold up", you guys are killing me here! :D
I'll just figure out which way it tracks and compensate. I'll drift through the 1320 if I have to. ;)

[Haggis]

"Probably hold up", you guys are killing me here! :D
I'll just figure out which way it tracks and compensate. I'll drift through the 1320 if I have to. ;)

Maybe you can be the first person to finish sideways at 11.9 and 120mph.

[nh muscle]

Billls middle name is OVER KIll !! They will be great. I'm sure. If he goes go sideways @120 I should have nothing to worry about because I will be a car length ahead of him!!

[RacerX]

I would hope you would be faster considering you spent 20k+ more than I did. :D

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/579/medium/IMG_1020a.jpg (javascript:;)

[Vortech347]

Nice. Cheap n' easy! Billet stuff is cool and all but I'm sure being boxed like that the strength is compareable.

[MyBlackBeasts]

Anyone know why Jake's avatar turned into a green booger with wheels and windows??? :rolleyes:

Hahahaha! I got bored with Doomie's pic so I changed mine to the the Fart-in-a-Smart Car pic.

http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g443/MyBlackBeasts/fartsmart_zps56c5aa61.jpg

[Mr. Man]

Billls middle name is OVER KIll !! They will be great. I'm sure. If he goes go sideways @120 I should have nothing to worry about because I will be a car length ahead of him!!
Traci told me it was Melvinsnurdmeister:dunno:

[RacerX]

Wow! My whole rear end is stiff! :D (twss!) The handling is MUCH improved!

[Mr. Man]

Wow! My whole rear end is stiff! :D (twss!) The handling is MUCH improved!
You've been hangin out with the NHMuscle for to long.................:D

[SC Cheesehead]

Wow! My whole rear end is stiff! :D (twss!) The handling is MUCH improved!


The boxed arms make a difference, don't they?

[burt ragio]

If the crytor bushings fit oem control arms do you have source & P/N ?


I used crytor bushings and they have worked out really well. Permanently greased with nethyl. Impervious to just about everything. I sprung for the grade 12 SS bolts from Boscos performance just to be safe but the OEMs will probably hold up.

[Mr. Man]

I'm a chemist so I was able to whip up a batch of Crytor in my lab. The hard thing to get is the Nethyl. You need Q clearance from the CIA but luckily I'm in Jersey so naturally I got a guy.:rolleyes::D

[merc]

Maybe you can be the first person to finish sideways at 11.9 and 120mph.

Been thier done that.

[lttljp15]

my control arms started to make noise and was thinking of buying a set of four with bushings and use the the old control arms and press out the bad bushings and make theses and some bolts but is there anything i should measure or anything other parts needed for this

[SC Cheesehead]

my control arms started to make noise and was thinking of buying a set of four with bushings and use the the old control arms and press out the bad bushings and make theses and some bolts but is there anything i should measure or anything other parts needed for this

You'll want to get some small pieces of flat stock to fill in the gaps on the rounded ends of the arms. I'm thinking it's like 3/8", but don't quote me on that.

[fastblackmerc]

my control arms started to make noise and was thinking of buying a set of four with bushings and use the the old control arms and press out the bad bushings and make theses and some bolts but is there anything i should measure or anything other parts needed for this

Too much work....

Just get Metco's.

[RacerX]

Too much work....

Just get Metco's.

For the price of Metcos, now that I've done this myself... My time is much more valuable and I would go Metcos in a heartbeat given a do over. :beer:

[fastblackmerc]

for the price of metcos, now that i've done this myself... My time is much more valuable and i would go metcos in a heartbeat given a do over. :beer:

Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!

Plus you get better bushings which IMHO is the main reason the upgrade the control arms in the first place.

[DOOM]

Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!

Plus you get better bushings which IMHO is the main reason the upgrade the control arms in the first place.


THIS! ^^^^


:agree:

[Mr. Man]

For the price of Metcos, now that I've done this myself... My time is much more valuable and I would go Metcos in a heartbeat given a do over. :beer:You think you can get the Metcos for less than $8.00/hr. Good luck....................:D

[fastblackmerc]

For the price of Metcos, now that I've done this myself... My time is much more valuable and I would go Metcos in a heartbeat given a do over. :beer:


You think you can get the Metcos for less than $8.00/hr. Good luck....................:D

Your labor rate is only $8.00/ hour??????

I get close to $50.00 / hour!

[Mr. Man]

Your labor rate is only $8.00/ hour??????

I get close to $50.00 / hour!
Bet by the time the Gov't, wife, kids, etc get their cut it's $8.00/hr ;)

[babbage]

For the price of Metcos, now that I've done this myself... My time is much more valuable and I would go Metcos in a heartbeat given a do over. :beer:
Heinous billet arms cost less than Metco's and have graphite impregnated bushings. Re labor: you still have to grease the Metcos once in a while. :P:D

Nice fab job though Bill!

[fastblackmerc]

Heinous billet arms cost less than Metco's and have graphite impregnated bushings. Re labor: you still have to grease the Metcos once in a while. :P:D

Nice fab job though Bill!

I grease mine twice a year. Good time to check everything underneath.

[RacerX]

I had no idea graphite could impregnate. It's a good thing my wife's tubes are tied. Eric should stay away from the stuff though! :P


I grease mine twice a year. Good time to check everything underneath.
Twice every other day for me! Oh! Bushings! :lol:

[Mr. Man]

I had no idea graphite could impregnate. It's a good thing my wife's tubes are tied. Eric should stay away from the stuff though! :P


Twice every other day for me! Oh! Bushings! :lol:
So often the OLD MAN's face fell off the mountain :D