issues with my control arms...whats my fix?

[70_boosted]

so i just finished my control arms and have some issues with fitment. seems that my overall measurements for ride height and such, threw my front crossmember and tab mount holes lower than needed. looks that i need to recut and make the front crossmember. i will be cutting it up and just graphing in the section with the tabs welded on. though they need to be raised nearly 2" overall

im asking this for, when i am at riding height, does my control arms need to run level with the ground? if so how is that going to throw off my angle for the bags when parked. almost seems like the axle may shift to where the bag will be twisted some( if that makes sense?), like how the front bags look when parked. like the bag plates bolt holes come offline from being at ride height to slammed. i will have about 4.5" of overall movement for normal drive and park.

ill post pics tomorrow after work once i have sunlight to get detailed.

 

[Sam_Fear]

Need pics. What are you calling control arms? A-arms? It's your spindles that matter - caster, camber, and toe.

As for bags, seems to me, top and bottom need to be close to parallel when collapsed.

 

[Sam_Fear]

ahhh....I get it. Had to go back and look at your build. Rear axle -duh! Still not sure how you are running your control arms. If they are parallel, you'll have a panhard bar that is going to make the axle move sideways from locked to slammed. But the axle shouldn't be twisting (rotating forward or back) with travel. If you have a triangulated 4-link, there really shouldn't be any off centering?

I think you need to reference your arms from the frame, not the ground. Here's a quick explain of 4-links for racing: http://www.thedirtforum.com/4link.htm An you'd want the bags perpendicular to the arms at ride height. It won't bother the bags to have them slightly angled at any point - front bags on A-arms really get distorted.

 

[70_boosted]

Im hoping when i fix the front mounts to level the links it will in return adjust the bags. i wasnt able to adjust and play to make it all because the front mounting holes are too short. so tonght ill hopefully have them raised and will help cure itself

 

[70_boosted]

i cut out the front crossmember that held my front mounts, and found out that the eyelet holes had to be raised 2" to get everything correct for ride height. so hopefully that fixes everything and ill be able to move on and have a decent rolling chassis and not just a jackstand style rear end.

i cut the old one up with the mounting tabs and angled the edges and raised just that 4" section of tubing up 2 inches and left the rest notched down so didnt interfere with my driveshaft whatsoever.

 

[Sam_Fear]

how about pics?

 

[70_boosted]

so i have a couple of pics of what it looked like before i cut the front crossmember out and made my raised member to replace it. keep in mind i hadnt adjust the arms to exact just test fitted, and no panhard is in place to adjust axle twist. ill post pics of the new leveled set up hopefully tomorrow or sunday, depends on how long it takes to final weld and fit.

 

[Sam_Fear]

Maybe Im missing something, you need at least one more bar going forward. As is, as soon as you put it in gear, the axle will wrap around the control arms - there is nothing to keep it from doing so. The panhard will only keep it centered side to side.

Or you'd have to secure the bars to axle like a old chevy truck set up.

Here are some pics of different set ups: http://www.popularhotrodding.com/tech/0604_rear_suspension_guide/photo_18.html

 

[70_boosted]

yea im still working out the bugs with the top wishbone bracket for the housing, just need to fit it in. may need to wait til the body is on so i can line another crossmember bar to mount on

 

[70_boosted]

double checked again, can i just go with a triangulted 3rd link or am i better off building a wishbone link to go above the axle. sorry i seemed to over look this link with getting my bags in and feeling so close.

 

[Sam_Fear]

That I can't answer. You'll probably have trouble safely attaching a mount to the center section though. I just understand the basics. Personally I'd go with 4 bars, just because if something snapped on the center bar of a 3-link, you are not going to like the following several seconds.....

Don't let your bags flatten out completely unless they have internal bump-stops. Even then it's not a good idea.

 

[70_boosted]

the frame is my bump stop. the frame will lay flat on the ground stopping the bags from fully bottoming out. and for the 3rd link, im going to run it like the s10 guys run. will work out just great i think

 

[Sam_Fear]

You won't need a panhard if you go that route. Assuming you mean this kind of 3rd link:

 

[70_boosted]

thats what im after. all 3 need to be equal length right?

 

[ANNAMEL]

Been checking this thread out. Sam thanks for the pic. Like that so much think i will go that route in the future. The panhard bar is what i have done on my build and race cars in the past. With the travel you are looking for i would dao a triangulated 4 bar as Sam suggested.

 

[70_boosted]

i already had ordered in a panhard bar, so im just doing a stationary 3 link, not like the pic, but 3 straight arm links, and a panhard, so cant really go wrong, plus easy and relatively cheap, thanks tho, next time im just buying the 4 link triangulated kit.

 

[Sam_Fear]

thats what im after. all 3 need to be equal length right?

In short - yes. Ask a race car guy for the whole story.

 

[70_boosted]

im pretty positive i have it all figured out. will have an easy time attaching it all. should actually work out great. thanks tho