Lower tubular control arms?????

[brewil]

Does anyone make tubular lower control arms?

I want to get a set of uppers and am thinking of custom torsion bar-less suspension with coil overs. Does anyone do a coil over kit with lower arms that are tubular. Not RMS as it's way out of my price range. I am thinking of fabricating my own k-frame-street setup.
Anyone?
Bueller? Bueller?

 

[CanadianGT]

the only tubed lowers on the market are garbage. Don't even bother with them. If you want a set your on your own find a good local guy to build them. coil overs are a cool conversion I plan to do it. But again likely a custom setup

 

[dartley]

Why do you want to do this? There have been numerous threads here on this topic, and outside of a little weight saving and header clearance, what do you think it will buy you?

 

[megajoltman]

Bob over at Moparts make's some nice stuff but it sure isn't cheap

http://www.bobsprofab.com/

 

[1968FormulaS340]

I just want to say that these suspension mods are almost a total waste of money on a normal street car.

You will see little to nothing unless you have real performance tires and get into competitive driving events…..



I know… guys will chime in on how their tubular adjustable control arms made a world of difference on their BFG shod A-Body……. But really it's all in their head.

 

[dartley]

I'll go one step further and dare NEone to offer convincing proof that they are EVEN as good as a stock front end can be made - even for racing, yes ... even for racing. If you go back to the Direct Connection book from the 80's and look up ralley racing chassis mods, and follow the recommendations, I think you'll come out with the best you can do on these cars. Sure, if you gut the entire car out and make a racing spec tube frame, then that's another story altogether - then we're not talking Mopar at all, just custom.

 

[1968FormulaS340]

Im with you Dartley….

People get hung up on fads and what they see in magazines…. These mods turn out to be mostly cosmetic.

Its like rice-ing up your classic mopar.

 

[bjkadron]

I'll go one step further and dare NEone to offer convincing proof that they are EVEN as good as a stock front end can be made - even for racing, yes ... even for racing. If you go back to the Direct Connection book from the 80's and look up ralley racing chassis mods, and follow the recommendations, I think you'll come out with the best you can do on these cars. Sure, if you gut the entire car out and make a racing spec tube frame, then that's another story altogether - then we're not talking Mopar at all, just custom.

How do I get my grubby little hands on one of these books? :read2:

 

[dartley]

Ricing up a Mopar ... LOL - good one! ... but ... gasp! ;o)

 

[dartley]

How do I get my grubby little hands on one of these books? :read2:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0030IVAIA/?tag=fabo03-20

 

[dartley]

Admittedly that's way to $$$y, and I don't think it's the latest edition either, but hard to tell ... Keep checking ebay. Sorry, I am not about to part with mine.

 

[brewil]

Thanks guys. I need a new K-member anyway and was checking to fabricate something myself. Bill at RMS gav me some good feedback on the adjustable strut rods and control arms. My car, when it was whole and driving, has so much play in the steering that at high speed you just have to keep correcting all the time. So I am thinking strut rods, control arms and rack and pinion. I'm not looking to keep my Valiant Charger stock, I want to mod it but keep the exterior pretty standard aside from the wheels.

 

[tyler_s18]

ok this is kinda what i have been thinking. i made a thread about it and kinda got shot down but not for any good reason. but a amc pacer front end has a k frame. probably not bolt in or anything but same design. it also has a rack and pinion and coil springs lol. i want to take the front part off a pacer and put it all on my car. parts are harder to find so i will do more research and see just how hard but its cool in theory at least. i think like the pinto has it to but not for sure and i like amc better cuz its more mopar lol

 

[dartley]

Could I just suggest that before you go and make these kinds of modifications (TO CHANGE THE DESIGN) of your front suspension, that you first DRIVE a GOOD example of the STOCK DESIGN first. If you have a worn out front suspension now, you will be amaaaaaaaaaaazed at the difference SIMPLY rebuilding with stock, or perhaps upgraded parts will make! Really. Honest. The inherent stock design is a good one. It is, in fact a design with a lot of built in adjustability. I simply can't imagine how anyone could reasonably argue that either the Pinto or the Pacer had a superior front end.

 

[bjkadron]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0030IVAIA/?tag=fabo03-20

WOW!!! That is expensive! I'll look on e-bay.

 

[brewil]

I had mine redone-new rubbers etc and it still meandered all over the road-Rack and Pinion is the way forward with updated stock suspension for me

 

[abodyjoe]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0030IVAIA/?tag=fabo03-20

WOW!!! That is expensive! I'll look on e-bay.

$315.00 .... holy crap. that thing made of gold??

 

[jamesdart]

I just want to say that these suspension mods are almost a total waste of money on a normal street car.

You will see little to nothing unless you have real performance tires and get into competitive driving events…..



I know… guys will chime in on how their tubular adjustable control arms made a world of difference on their BFG shod A-Body……. But really it's all in their head.

i agree, these cars were super stars with bias plies on 13" rims, and the 9" drums, really made them a pleasure to drive. i should probably see a shrink, i could swear my duster drives way better after the few things i have done, but i guess it really is in my head.

 

[demonduster]

LOL ! I think they were talkin about tubular control arms and the latest gee whiz stuff etc RMS or XV etc. I agree that for most regular driving situations, most of that stuff is overkill. Not saying I don't appreciate it, I am happy for the choices becoming available. The Green Brick pretty much proved tuned stock stuff or stock based upgrades could do the job. That is a pretty soft setup (383 torsion bars ss spings, no fancy shocks) and it worked. They used excellent low profile Goodyear tires.(Ace driver helped too) Does anyone else use E-Bergs kicker shock set up? Anyway that's what's in my head, LOL!!!!!

 

[1968FormulaS340]

i agree, these cars were super stars with bias plies on 13" rims, and the 9" drums, really made them a pleasure to drive. i should probably see a shrink, i could swear my duster drives way better after the few things i have done, but i guess it really is in my head.

My guess is you are no longer running those 13s and bias plies…….

Tires and a quality stock rebuild will give the largest gains. Beyond that your "useful" gains are very small and really will not be seen unless you are running a real performance tire and wheel package and using the car in an environment where you can really push its limits….. Like the track.

Coupling upper end suspension mods with low-performance tires (like BFGs) on 15s is silly and close to pointless…….. Sad that so many do this.

This thread is about coil overs or tubular suspension mods.

Your craptastic and useful remarks don't change the fact that you will get little from the above mods on a normal street car.

 

[jamesdart]

i sort of agree with you. but everyone has a different idea of a normal street car. i say build what you want, you can always put the stock stuff back if it doesnt work. http://www.bobsprofab.com/ his stuff looks pretty interesting, i checked out his site a while back. the biggest thing is, what are you looking for out of the car. street/strip, or you looking to turn some corners?

 

[1968FormulaS340]

Now some mods are very worth doing on a street car……….

-subframe connectors. (great upgrade for any a-body)

-sway bars if you don't have them.

-upgraded torsion bars.

 

[abodyjoe]

i don't get the tube lower arms. are they that much lighter then the stock? i say just box in the stock lowers and be done. now the heim joint uppers and the adjustable strut rods with the heim joints help a ton. they really free suspension movement up over the stock stuff. i couldn't believe the difference when putting my buddies road runners front end together..


as far as stock and tube suspension systems go... caster is caster,camber is camber and toe is toe. there are many ways to get the numbers. the place i see the difference is weight and a rack over a box and related steering linkage. the reack is lighter and will free up a ton of room. and in my opinion there is no way that a box and related linkage can ever feel as tight and precise as a rack. there are just too many parts that even new have to have the slightest play in them. and with rms and magnum force using mustang spindles it opens a ton of brake options up for you. its all personal preference. i know my car drives like a modern car and thats what i wanted.