AirRide 60-78 Tubular A-Arms write-up...

[Shev]

Not sure if you guys have seen this...click the link then click on "StrongArmed Hauler" and check it out...

LInk to Webrodder

[XXL]

Originally Posted by Shev

Not sure if you guys have seen this...click the link then click on "StrongArmed Hauler" and check it out...

LInk to Webrodder

Thanks for the link. My set is in transit. Though I'm a little concerned at how the shock mount appears to be below the rest of the lower arm. If it is, I'll be dragging that off rather quickly

[BaggedC10]

Thanks for the link! I spent $250 on a front end kit, $150 for new GM upper/lower cross shafts, and $200 to have my stock arms powder coated. Now, I want these!

[SCOTI]

Well, Darren & I spoke again so my arms are on their way to Stoked Out Specialties on Monday.

I'll put up pics w/the arms & notched c-member installation on my spare swb frame.

[bagged74]

good info, does anyone know the price of the a-arms without the cool ride kit?

[SCOTI]

$750. That includes new cross shafts & GM 73-87 rubber bushings installed. I confirmed mine left this morning.

[Shane]

WOW! $750!

That just confirms my thoughts concerning ART.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Shane

WOW! $750!

That just confirms my thoughts concerning ART.

BaggedC10 ......$150 for new GM upper/lower cross shafts, and $200 to have my stock arms powder coated.

$350 and still the factory arms & geometry. For tubular arms that are lighter, stronger, airbag friendly, & geometrically improved for lowered vehicles, that's not too bad.

I know some guys don't want to spend alot of money, but I realistically can't make my own & I don't care for what's currently available from PST, Turners, or DJM (none of which are already airbag friendly).

Do you know of a better solution?

[XXL]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

I know some guys don't want to spend alot of money, but I realistically can't make my own & I don't care for what's currently available from PST, Turners, or DJM (none of which are already airbag friendly).

Turners has something that's actually available??

Also, I've been a little chapped at ART of late with what has come off as a "too big a business to care about the customer" feel, but they have been VERY responsive over the years to my needs. They've spent quite a bit of time debugging a problem that turned out to be nothing more than it being too cold outside, and they even swapped out one of my perfectly good 4-way valves for a new one when they came out with the first red ones (the previous ones were black and a bit more homemade looking). Their prices tend to be higher than others, but their service is (generally) top notch.

{Of course, I say this _before_ getting my arms that are supposed to be in transit }

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by XXL

Turners has something that's actually available??

[BaggedC10]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

$350 and still the factory arms & geometry. For tubular arms that are lighter, stronger, airbag friendly, & geometrically improved for lowered vehicles, that's not too bad.

Yep. Plus, the cross shafts were purchased at cost + 10% through my brother.

[SCOTI]

WooHoo . . ... I just received confirmation that my package arrived yesterday! I was under the impression it just left yesterday .

I'll post some pics of everything after I get it home (might be a few days though). The guys @ the shop are heading to SEMA & I might just need to join them if I can plan it fast enough w/o going broke.

[XXL]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

WooHoo . . ... I just received confirmation that my package arrived yesterday!

The eagle has landed here as well. After I get this new hernia (the box weighs 97 pounds!) fixed I'll dig into the box a little more. I did pull out a lower arm... amazingly heavy duty.

[Shev]

Will a 2800# bag fit in the lower arm?

[GreyHoundSteve]

$750 is a hefty price. Ive seen similar "tubular A arms" with corect lowered geometry sell for about $250 from other makers. They are probably not the "heavY duty" your getting for $750 but they are probably considerably lighter and could be replaced 3 times and youd still have paid the same amount though if your destroying A arms like that you should probably go with the strongest ones available. Here is a link to a set of cheaper tubular A arms for lowered trucks ..... someone more knowledgable can tell me what the difference is.

http://performanceonline.com/store/c...cat=275&page=2

[BaggedC10]

Originally Posted by GreyHoundSteve

$750 is a hefty price. Ive seen similar "tubular A arms" with corect lowered geometry sell for about $250 from other makers. They are probably not the "heavY duty" your getting for $750 but they are probably considerably lighter and could be replaced 3 times and youd still have paid the same amount though if your destroying A arms like that you should probably go with the strongest ones available. Here is a link to a set of cheaper tubular A arms for lowered trucks ..... someone more knowledgable can tell me what the difference is.

http://performanceonline.com/store/c...cat=275&page=2

I don't think anyone here plans to destroy and replace their $750 tubular control arms. Simply put, ART builds the best air suspension products. From the R&D stage to production, top notch quality and design are placed in each product. Something you won't find in less expensive products.

[Shev]

Why doesn't someone who knows the guys at AirRide see if we can get a group purchase on these things...

[Slammed67]

Here is a link to a set of cheaper tubular A arms for lowered trucks ..... someone more knowledgable can tell me what the difference is.

Those don't have an ART decal on them.

[GreyHoundSteve]

Originally Posted by Slammed67

Those don't have an ART decal on them.

I could care less about decals. They way i look at brand names is that ... if your not paying me to sponsor you .... your name isnt getting on anything i own.

So what your telling me is that these $750 a arms are the same was those $250 a arms?

[Slammed67]

No, I'm not defending ART or their prices. I've never purchased anything from ART. And no, the arms are not the same, I was just making a joke. Here is the point I was making. I purchased two Firestone 3-gallon air tanks, exaclty like the ones ART sells and I paid about half the price. The only difference...... they don't have ART decals on them. Everyone says ART has great customer service and great products and I'm sure they do, but I also think their stuff is overpriced. If you are looking to buy specific parts such as air line, tanks, bags, fittings, etc, you can find them (of equal quality) for much less somewhere else. I once did a price comparison of my air ride system which I pieced together myself and a comparable system sold by ART and their stuff was a little over $1000 more. Is there customer service worth $1000 to me? Hell no. I'm not "bagging" on ART, but just can't justify paying their prices when I know I can get the same stuff cheaper somewhere else.

[MrShelley]

Slammed67-
It's not just your opinion..it is fact. ART stuff IS overpriced.


I've said it before many times on this board....when quality is the same (ie. ART vs. *****************) the lower priced part wins everytime.

As for customer service, is it REALLY worth up to three times the price? I think not, especially when the competing manufacturer has customer service that's not three times as bad.

With ART I get the distinct feeling that you pay for the "prestige" of having an Air Ride Tech sticker. Reminds me of back in the 80's in high school...you had to have that little alligator proudly displayed on the front of your shirt so everyone knew how much you spent on it. They get your money AND free advertising! Now THAT'S marketing!


But, to quote Dennis Miller, "Of course, that's just my opinion, I could be wrong."

[Shane]

Originally Posted by Slammed67

Those don't have an ART decal on them.

Now that is funny right there ... I don't care who you are.

[XXL]

Originally Posted by GreyHoundSteve

$750 is a hefty price. Ive seen similar "tubular A arms" with corect lowered geometry sell for about $250 from other makers.

For $250, you're getting a pair of uppers only. If you troll through the ads in Truckin' and other mags, you'll see that, for the $250 uppers, the lowers are often $350-400. Take the high side and we're talking $650. $100 more and you can get an ART sticker to boot (oh, and what I believe to be better service and better engineered products* )




* "generic" items excepted (bags, tanks, pumps, etc.) where they're simply overpriced.

[BaggedC10]

I agree about items such as air tanks, air line, fittings, bags, and other common products being overpriced. However, their 4-links and front suspension kits (Bracketry too) are awesome and worth every penny. If I had to re-bag my front suspension, I would piece together a kit from Suicide Doors.

[SCOTI]

Dang . . . . gone a couple of days & all this.

GreyHoundSteve $750 is a hefty price. Ive seen similar "tubular A arms" with corect lowered geometry sell for about $250 from other makers. They are probably not the "heavY duty" your getting for $750 but they are probably considerably lighter and could be replaced 3 times and youd still have paid the same amount though if your destroying A arms like that you should probably go with the strongest ones available. Here is a link to a set of cheaper tubular A arms for lowered trucks ..... someone more knowledgable can tell me what the difference is.
http://performanceonline.com

The problem (for me) w/these arms is they actually correct alignment issues by making the upper arms longer, thus not requiring 'excessive' shims. That does me absolutely zilch good because w/longer arms my wheels/tires will be rubbing the outer edges of the fender-lip & wheel-well.

MrShelley Slammed67-
It's not just your opinion..it is fact. ART stuff IS overpriced.

I've said it before many times on this board....when quality is the same (ie. ART vs. *****************) the lower priced part wins everytime.

As for customer service, is it REALLY worth up to three times the price? I think not, especially when the competing manufacturer has customer service that's not three times as bad.

I will concede on the pricing issue. I freely admit that when I deal w/AirRide I can get a discounted price. I'm not paying any more than what you other guys pay for 'pieced together kits' and I get the AirRide customer service.

MrShelley With ART I get the distinct feeling that you pay for the "prestige" of having an Air Ride Tech sticker. Reminds me of back in the 80's in high school...you had to have that little alligator proudly displayed on the front of your shirt so everyone knew how much you spent on it. They get your money AND free advertising! Now THAT'S marketing!

I never was one of the kids wearing that little alligator, so you didn't "have to" wear that stuff. I had cheap K-Mart bought clothes (lots of AC/DC t-shirts). I won't pay inflated pricing on something if a similar alternative can be had. As far as parts go, there are alot of "cheap/low quality" organizations out there in computerland (think AIM, Trukkin[sp?]) that everyone blasts as no good, yet I've used more than once & had no problems w/parts quality or delivery & saved some bucks.