Control arm replacement options - CPP?

[NC_John]

In disassembly of my 70 front end this past weekend, I found why the truck had a slight lean I could never get rid of (ended up cutting a coil to level it). I have a slightly bent lower control arm. It wasn't visible until I pulled out the control arm shafts.

Now I need to decide what to do. I was going to sandblast and paint these originals, rebuild everything with moog and put it back together.

I'm not sure I want to try to bend it back right. Should I try to find a good used replacement? Should I try to find a reproduction? Tubular a-arms aren't in the budget right now unless I go with the less expensive options.

For example, Summit (on their ebay site) has CPP 6372TCA-LKB control arms for $326/pr. I could run those lowers with my stock uppers for now.

Does anyone have any first hand experience with these? Is there a better alternative? (I'll go hotchkis if we hit the powerball) I loathe CPP and their "customer service shenanigans" but am not familiar with the others out there and don't know if they are any good.

[sprint_9]

Your cheapest option would be to head to a salvage yard and get one there. I wouldnt try to bend it back. I would just stay stock for the money, aftermarket in my opinion is if your trying to lay frame or building a pro touring truck.

[67ChevyRedneck]

I bought the CPP stock style arms (I got mine from summit too)

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cl...del/c10-pickup

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/clp-6372scal

When I pulled my suspension apart for the 4/6 drop I found my upper and lower control arm bushings had a fair amount of wiggle. It was expensive, but I didn't have time to strip, clean, and rebuild my stock ones with new bushings (not cheap either.)

They appear to be just as heavy as stock. It was tricky getting the lower shock bolt in, but it's tricky with the factory ones too.

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by sprint_9

Your cheapest option would be to head to a salvage yard and get one there. I wouldnt try to bend it back. I would just stay stock for the money, aftermarket in my opinion is if your trying to lay frame or building a pro touring truck.

Affirmative on the pro-tour, however, I have a short-bed frame I am going to upfit for that. Yeah, I didn't want to try to bend it back and deal with a front end that can't be properly aligned later.

Thanks

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

I bought the CPP stock style arms (I got mine from summit too)

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cl...del/c10-pickup

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/clp-6372scal

When I pulled my suspension apart for the 4/6 drop I found my upper and lower control arm bushings had a fair amount of wiggle. It was expensive, but I didn't have time to strip, clean, and rebuild my stock ones with new bushings (not cheap either.)

They appear to be just as heavy as stock. It was tricky getting the lower shock bolt in, but it's tricky with the factory ones too.

My uppers are in good shape. I guess if their lowers are of similar quality to the originals, I'll just go that way and buy the pair. I bought new moog control arm shafts so might use those instead of the ones they send.

Thanks!

[67ChevyRedneck]

They come assembled, which is another reason why I bought them. If you already have the shafts and new bushings and are OK with swapping them, I would go with some used arms and save a pile of $.

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

They come assembled, which is another reason why I bought them. If you already have the shafts and new bushings and are OK with swapping them, I would go with some used arms and save a pile of $.

Yeah, but I'd have to hunt down and find a good one (and hope its not tweaked either- mine was very hard to see). Then sandblast and paint (both sides of the pair)... that's three trips and a bunch of money right there...

Its pretty appealing to say screw it and get the pair of new CPP ones. Nice, straight, clean, powdercoated and ready to bolt on!

['68 Newtricks]

just make sure to check the ball joints before you assemble anything

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by '68 Newtricks

just make sure to check the ball joints before you assemble anything

you mean to make sure the factory ball joints fit? I was relieved all my '70 parts fit the CPP drop spindles. With the runaround you get from those guys I was nervous it was going to be a cluster.

[fwayne]

Hmmm. I'm not sure how these would be considered cost effective. Convenient absolutely, but I just rebuilt my entire front end, upper bushings, lower bushings, upper and lower ball joints outer ties rods, and idler arm for less than $250 using all MOOG parts.(rock auto) It took me 6 hours. It won't take any more tools to perform vs replacing them with new units. (other than a grinder/ air hammer if you still have factory riveted top ball-joints)

I would suggest finding a salvage arm and rebuilding them if cost is a factor.

[fwayne]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

It was tricky getting the lower shock bolt in, but it's tricky with the factory ones too.

I found an easy fix on that tight shock mount. Just use a crescent wrench and slightly bend the outer mounting tab out. the shock will fall in place no trouble, and when tightened the mount will return to where it is supposed to be.

Also how do you like your KYB shocks? I have the mono tube style and love them.

[67ChevyRedneck]

They seem to work well. They came with the ECE drop kit I bought.

Considering the rear shocks were still the originals from 1967... that was a nice improvement.

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by fwayne

Hmmm. I'm not sure how these would be considered cost effective. Convenient absolutely, but I just rebuilt my entire front end, upper bushings, lower bushings, upper and lower ball joints outer ties rods, and idler arm for less than $250 using all MOOG parts.(rock auto) It took me 6 hours. It won't take any more tools to perform vs replacing them with new units. (other than a grinder/ air hammer if you still have factory riveted top ball-joints)

I would suggest finding a salvage arm and rebuilding them if cost is a factor.

The cost effective part IS the convenience. This is saving me hunting and running around trying to find a used straight replacement )and probably having to crawl under a truck at the boneyard (during a week of steady rain), then finding somewhere to get them sandblasted and then painted. Time is money and I have enough other stuff going on that this seems a good trade.

If I was retired and had the time, I might be more interested to go the hard way but I want the downtime for this upgrade project minimal. The longer it is apart, the more stuff I find that I should do while it is apart and the more the project snowballs.