Control Arms Update (1 Viewer)

[knoll0351]

So as some of you may know I'm a bit hard on my undercariage...and other bits The first weekend I took the cruiser out wheelin I bent the lower control arms a bit. Our last club run finished the passanger side off (think taco...the kind you eat not the kind Matthew used to drive). After some thought of opptions I didn't have the two bills to throw at each sides OEM and although I'd love to get upgrades same cash flow issue applies. So I went down to the steel yard and picked up some 1/4" stock that would fit over the factory arms that I had bent up. Then I pulled the factories off and squared them away as best I could with Jerods sweet tube bender (worked like a charm!) Then I used my plasma tourch to split the stock down the middle and welded the bottom piece on, pressed the top on with the tube bender and welded that up with a slight bend for strength. Here are a few pix:

 

[knoll0351]

P.S. I really hope that Mickey isn't permanently flash burned

 

[Ebag333]

Yeah, Mickey loves to stare into the pretty lights.

I need to do the same for my lower rear control arms (and extend them a bit). BEFORE I bend them, preferably.

 

[Kief]

I was cringing when I saw you bomb through the puddles.

 

[knoll0351]

They didn't get bent up worse than my first trip until the trip down the mountain that day...

 

[knoll0351]

And Gabe if you pick up some steel I can help you armor them up. G did his with one tube cut exactly in half at the steel yard. Then welded on half to the bottom? of each arm. I would be a bit aprehensive to cut your stock arms in half and extend them...shouldn't be a problem, just stronger to leave them intact. If you did decide you really do want them extended the right way to do it is to buy some adjustable ends and stock to fit them and a larger bit of stock to sleave that with...then it's practically indistructable. (extream 4x4 likened it to going to crome molly but on a budget).

And we still need to hack off your rear end you thought I forgot didn't ya

 

[TOY350]

On the 80 rear you can cut off one end and then find a sleeve the length you want that the arms fit in and then put the cut off end in inside and weld them up. I think that's what CruiserDrew did.

Nice work by the way

 

[knoll0351]

Thank you G double Tizzle! I thought about doing that with my pass side, but decided it would be much stronger to be able to run a beed the full length of the arm as well as a beed around both ends. I did take my time though so there wouldn't be as much heat put into either piece of steel.