Anyone have an extra $1600 laying around for tubular a-arms?

I know the C2/C3 upper/lower control arms are derived from those used on the Impala's. I think there is something that's different on the Corvette lower control arms. Maybe the attach point for sway bar. I'm in a hurry, otherwise I'd drag a lower control arm into the house and look closely.

Other than a neat appearance, I don't think you gain much. Only about 1/3 of a control arm weight counts as unsprung weight. So slightly less weighty control arms results in a very small loss of unsprung weight. Going to aluminum calipers is the low hanging fruit for reducing unsprung weight.
 
the welds on any tubular arm are a point of concern. If the weld fails you have an instant wreck. I've seen it happen at the track.

stamped steel arms would have to tear all the way across.

forget tubular stuff.
 
turtlevette said:
the welds on any tubular arm are a point of concern. If the weld fails you have an instant wreck. I've seen it happen at the track.

stamped steel arms would have to tear all the way across.

forget tubular stuff.
Click to expand...

This could be debated for hours. The failures you have seen? Where they home made units?
 
turtlevette said:
the welds on any tubular arm are a point of concern. If the weld fails you have an instant wreck. I've seen it happen at the track.

stamped steel arms would have to tear all the way across.

forget tubular stuff.
Click to expand...

What are your thoughts on wheel's,should we use round or square? and should we go with the new wheels with rubber on them or stick with the old tried and true wooden spoke wagon wheel's?













:stirpot:
 
big2bird said:
turtlevette said:
the welds on any tubular arm are a point of concern. If the weld fails you have an instant wreck. I've seen it happen at the track.

stamped steel arms would have to tear all the way across.

forget tubular stuff.
Click to expand...

This could be debated for hours. The failures you have seen? Where they home made units?
Click to expand...


No, it was on a guy's mustang and they were quality arms. I've personally had a rear VBP strut let go right at the weld. When it goes there is no warning. A stock a-arm starting to tear through would give plenty of warning in the form of squirrely steering feel and handling.

507653_78_full.jpg


507653_79_full.jpg
 
The issue on the parts in that pic is that they weled a threaded piece to the round sleeve end without chamfering the threaded aprt for root access. You can SEE it's only partially welded with very poor penetration. This is not to be compared to a properly welded tubular control arm with proper penetration and joint fitting.

Quality pieces are tig welded, VB&P stuff is MIG welded.
 
Twin_Turbo said:
The issue on the parts in that pic is that they weled a threaded piece to the round sleeve end without chamfering the threaded aprt for root access. You can SEE it's only partially welded with very poor penetration. This is not to be compared to a properly welded tubular control arm with proper penetration and joint fitting.

Quality pieces are tig welded, VB&P stuff is MIG welded.
Click to expand...

any weld no matter what the technique is subject to porosity. After many years of use water and salt get in and destroy the weld.

A lot of this aftermarket stuff is not designed or tested to last 30 years as are the original components.

A lot of these aftermarket folks are "good ole boys" not people with MS and PhD degrees in engineering.
 
How will salt water get in if you have it all welded up? A properly welded peice, with good prep and good welds will not be porous. I do agree with you though that some of these aftermarket items you see are made with fabrication techniques/skills that I wouldn't want under my car (can I hear it for steeroids here?)
 
These arms wouldn't even provide any benefit over ours

They probably weigh more
 
I don't know how to upload it

How do I just upload a whole cd/dvd?

If you can tell me how I'll upload somewhere

His car is about as much stock corvette as yours
 
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You can post it on newsgroups but you'll have to know how that works.

is it a Cd (740Megs) or a DVD (4,7Gigs)
 
It's 3.65 gb

It's a dvd

It was made with some program dvd builder

I took 15 screen shots of stuff that they show
 
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