Stepped control arms

[MXmaniac]

I've got one of my control arms stepped 1-1/2". This is my first attempt at real fabrication and modification. I don't think this sucker is ever going to come apart. I used 1/4" steel plate for all the gussets and pieces. Everything went very smoothly and I'm confident that I did a good job. Now I just have to make the other one match, paint them, press in new ball joints, and I can put the front of my '64 back together and see how she sits with the 1-1/2" LCAs and 3" springs.

Oh and if you're wondering why I didn't just use drop spindles its because I'm an 18 year old kid with a tiny budget that can't afford a disk brake swap, let alone new spindles. But I do, however, have a welder and a nice workshop(thanks dad) and a lot of ambition!

[MXmaniac]

Here it is next to the stock one that I need to step for the other side.

[Hottrucks]

heres a little helper for yea if you check your local hot rod shop or dirt track place where the guys go to build roll cages you can get corner pieces pre fabbed for the corners for stupid cheap and just weld them in..but it lo good..can't wait to see them in the truck

[MXmaniac]

Originally Posted by Hottrucks

heres a little helper for yea if you check your local hot rod shop or dirt track place where the guys go to build roll cages you can get corner pieces pre fabbed for the corners for stupid cheap and just weld them in..but it lo good..can't wait to see them in the truck

That's a good tip! Oh well, it didn't take too long with a cut-off wheel on an old circular saw.

[p8ntballer1911]

Let us know the outcome!

[MXmaniac]

Originally Posted by p8ntballer1911

Let us know the outcome!

Definitely. It might be a week or two though.

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by MXmaniac

.....Oh and if you're wondering why I didn't just use drop spindles its because I'm an 18 year old kid with a tiny budget that can't afford a disk brake swap, let alone new spindles. But I do, however, have a welder and a nice workshop(thanks dad) and a lot of ambition!

Awesome! Glad to see ambitious young builders jump in the mix. Be sure to let the old man check the integrity of your welds. They look good from here, but it's best to have someone with a trained eye look things over.

Also keep in mind that you have lowered the scrub line considerably. You didn't mention what size wheels you plan to run, but this could be in issue with a small diameter rim is a flat occurs.

Keep the progress pics coming.

[MXmaniac]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

Awesome! Glad to see ambitious young builders jump in the mix. Be sure to let the old man check the integrity of your welds. They look good from here, but it's best to have someone with a trained eye look things over.

Also keep in mind that you have lowered the scrub line considerably. You didn't mention what size wheels you plan to run, but this could be in issue with a small diameter rim is a flat occurs.

Keep the progress pics coming.

I've gotten the green light from my dad(he didn't like the idea of cutting them up and welding them back together, but now that he sees them he says they look stronger than before) and several others. I'm taking a welding course at school and it has definitely taught me a lot and I have way more confidence now.

And the scrub line issue is why I only stepped them 1-1/2"(well, that and bumpsteer concerns). I'll be running 15" wheels but it should be fine. If I'm not mistaken(I very well could be), I'll have 1" more clearance, as far as scrub line is concerned, than if I had used 2-1/2" drop spindles. Correct?

[MXmaniac]

Here's the end result. Painted and fresh ball joints installed.

[project 67 sub]

looks good

[Inverter]

Thats cool. When I was 18 I could barely check my oil. Stay w/it and you could be the next Trepanier.

[duceducenine]

looks great i always wanted to do a set of these
but to also shorten them 1.5" to compensate for
camber for the lowered stance with the dropped
coils! any insights?

[Hard Luck]

Originally Posted by duceducenine

looks great i always wanted to do a set of these
but to also shorten them 1.5" to compensate for
camber for the lowered stance with the dropped
coils! any insights?

I just did this mod on my 69. You only have to shorten the arms only about 1/4" not 1-1/2" that would move the arm into the upper spring pocket and bind both of the ball joints. You generally lose that distance in the cut anyway.

As faw as the bumpstops go I am using the new foam style (they have more absorption for the hits and allow a little more give) I will be mounting the to the upper coil towers.

Your work looks great! Keep on truckin'

[Hottrucks]

excuse me for being a newbie to this but the 1/4" you loose from te cut you gain back with the thickness of the plate????...could you put a cut in the bottom of the upper A ram near the ball joint and bend it closed (bend the ball joint mount down) to stop the bind?? and do the same when you cut the bottom??

[woodwright]

(.....could you put a cut in the bottom of the upper A ram near the ball joint and bend it closed (bend the ball joint mount down) to stop the bind?? and do the same when you cut the bottom??.......)

Heres how i did my LCA's.


I ended up making new UCA's

[Hottrucks]

does someone know if this works for the 66-72 models too???? I'm going to air ride and was going to cup the bags but if this gets me lower than What the heck I'm going to be welding up the lower A arm anyway.....just worried about cross memeber drag , bump steer and camber adjustment??? any input?? thanx Jeff

[leftcoast66]

Originally Posted by Hottrucks

does someone know if this works for the 66-72 models too???? I'm going to air ride and was going to cup the bags but if this gets me lower than What the heck I'm going to be welding up the lower A arm anyway.....just worried about cross memeber drag , bump steer and camber adjustment??? any input?? thanx Jeff

Yes it should work on the 66-72 since its the same suspension. Yes your gonna have an issue w/ crossmember drag, but you will no matter what since its the lowest point on the frame, aside from exhaust and such. No idea on bumpsteer or camber adjustment. Honestly I would instead since your gonna do bags to begin with, build your own cup mounts and do them w/ 8" I think it was pipe so that the bag is set down inside the LCA and not on top of a cup mount. Then once you lay frame, your gonna have an issue and will need to solve that by either zing the frame or going w/ a dropmember from porterbuilt.

Looks good on the work you did. I like the idea of doing all your own fabrication especially at your age. It looks like its gonna be a fun project.

[royo]

Looking good good luck with it

[MXmaniac]

Originally Posted by duceducenine

looks great i always wanted to do a set of these
but to also shorten them 1.5" to compensate for
camber for the lowered stance with the dropped
coils! any insights?

Yeah after I got started I realized I should have taken a few more measurements to account for the camber. Oh well, live and learn. I think it will be alright. This truck won't be a daily driver or anything so I'm not too worried about some extra tire wear, hopefully the rears will still wear faster than the fronts, if you know what I mean.

I've got heim rod ends coming in the mail so I can alleviate any bumpsteer issues by attaching the tie rods underneath the steering arm.

And thanks for all the kind words guys! Its good to get compliments from people that know their stuff.

[duceducenine]

maybe i'll do a set and see how they work out let you know.....

[chevy_mike]

I had bought a set of dropped A arms from So Low way back in the day (before dropped spindles in '67-'72 year trucks). I think they were 2" drop and worked fine.

The only issue I had was without any bump stops, I came thru a dip to fast and bottomed the arms out. This caused the upper arms to over rotate the ball joint and killed one of my new upper ball joints.

Make sure you put some type of bump stop to keep from bottoming the lower arm.

[Hottrucks]

thats exactly what I'm taking about!!!!

How did it work out??????

[woodwright]

Originally Posted by Hottrucks

thats exactly what I'm taking about!!!!

How did it work out??????

It worked good. At ride height, my LCA's are parralel to the ground. As far as having to shim the UCA's out, I don't think you would need to shim them out much. I could be wrong though. Look through my build thread.

[Hottrucks]

thanx I will look into it I think it makes sence to make a quick cut and weld the hard part is figuring out how much??

[Hottrucks]

ok guys looking for some insight?? I bagged the front of my truck with less than desireable results (not low enough) so it looks like back to the cutting and welding I think I will start with stepping the the lower A arm..so heres the question how much (15" wheels) I was thinking 1 1/2" I want to make it so there is some adjustment in my camber so should I take some out ( how much??) of the lower control arm...I also plan on making the cut in the top to elimnate some of the ball joint bind....and.... If that doesn't get it low enough I want to build in the lower cup for the air bag ( but I want to check scrubline with the stepped arms first)

Help outI would like to do this in one pass if I can

thanx
Jeff