The man wants MORE caster. How about this idea?

That’s also a valid point. And it depends on which inspection station you use. If you go to the places who do it “the mostly right way” that put a Jack under your lower control arm and lift the front end and check parts for slop, they’re probably going to have questions about seeing welds on the upper control arm. I will agree that it shouldn’t be an issue if done properly. Those same shops here get a lot of business plating frames and rebuilding front ends, too! My friend who’s a former commission mechanic was licensed to do state inspections was usually on the frame repairs. If you watch “just rolled in”, he was usually living the nightmare. That and the mine and gas well service trucks with a wheelbarrow of dried mud caked on underneath them.

Given some of the "repairs" I've seen myself I can totally understand why anyone doing inspections would want to really scrutinize any welds on a factory control arm, because I would bet a lot of the repairs they see at those places would be pretty marginal.

That said, the factory control arms are just stamped mild steel, so, a modification done thoughtfully and with good welds could easily mean the arm was improved in its strength compared to factory.
How about this?
How about cutting the UCA on the forward leg, spread it 1/4" and welding in another section?

View attachment 1716205571

Properly welded, it wouldn't fail. The slight change in angle will affect the rear bushing slightly but not enough to matter. This can be done for next to nothing. The 1/4" piece sectioned in could come from small ball joint UCAs that are not as valuable to some people. By welding in an extension, you'd still be able to use any type of bushing, offset or stock so there would still be the same range of adjustment.
Opinions?


Here's the article with the picture on the modified TransAm car UCA's. They were modified at the ball joint mount, which was tipped at an angle as well as replaced with a larger ball joint (larger than the standard B/E stuff).

Building the AAR ‘Cuda Trans-Am
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The modification was done for the larger ball joint and to change the angle because of the amount the cars were lowered, not sure if it also increased caster but there's no reason it couldn't. I don't think they cut the arm of the UCA at all.

Doing the modification at the ball joint would be stronger, the area in the arm will have more flex than at the area around the ball joint. Plus the bushing ends remain aligned, so you run less risk of adding some binding into the travel.

The other thing is that lengthening the arm will also push the ball joint out some, so, you'd lose camber and potentially widen the track a little.