# Tubular control arms make spindles bind?



## ucaddoc (Aug 8, 2014)

I just installed tubular control arms on a frame that I'm building. However, I am havind a tough time trying to turn spindles. I think that without the engine weight, the ball joints are causing a bind. Has anyone ran into this problem? Would the same thing happen with the stock control arms?


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## younggto (Nov 22, 2013)

New ball joints are contributing, but with the weight of an engine installed the spindles are not in tension (as yours are), so they should be easier to turn. You should be fine


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


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## ucaddoc (Aug 8, 2014)

Is it partly the fault of the new design or would it bind with the old control arms as well? Anyone else have this problem?


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

What Younggto said. The parts are all new so not as loose as the originals and the geometry is off because there is no weight on the chassis. 

What brand of control arms?


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## ucaddoc (Aug 8, 2014)

64 72 Chevelle Monte Carlo GTO Heavy Duty Tubular Control Arms A Body | eBay

They're called Demotorperformance. I'm cool with earlier explanation, I just want to make sure that I don't build this thing up and have to take those control arms off. What a pain in the butt. It is so tight that I cant even torque the bottom castle nuts tight enough to get the cotter pins in.


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## ucaddoc (Aug 8, 2014)

I happened to email the company about the problem and this was their response. To be fair, the control arms seem to be of good quality.

* Hi


Thank you for getting back to us.Actually the item has been sold many sets before,but we never met the problem you said.Could you please consult your local machinist for technical advice?We are really sorry for the inconvenience.


Thank you for your business.Since you are our honest customer,we can give you 5 percent discount if you want other item in our store.Thanks again.


Have a nice day.










Mandy 
Customer Support Team
Demotor | Street Performance & Hot Rod & RacingParts
*


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

Mandy=Mandarin? :skep:

Some customer service but you get what you pay for I suppose.


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## Pinion head (Jan 3, 2015)

Am not aquainted with this line of Chinese control arms. One thing that does stick out in the eBay ad , is the change in camber. On the Globel West arms that I've installed on customer's '69, they provided a negative camber curve and are designed for the tall spindle mod, using the modified B body spindles. In your pic, the spindles shown are theboptional 67-72 disc brake spindles, and I d bet are more cheap chinese stuff...am afraid you have a mismatch in parts.


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## ucaddoc (Aug 8, 2014)

Are you saying I have the wrong spindles or the wrong a-arms? Which should I change? I still have my stock control arms.


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## chui1980 (Jun 5, 2013)

no what we are saying is that you bought this from a non-trusted source and such response is very typical to those sellers. Next time try Global west, Hotchkis or even Detroit Speed.


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## Pinion head (Jan 3, 2015)

ucaddoc said:


> Are you saying I have the wrong spindles or the wrong a-arms? Which should I change? I still have my stock control arms.


ucadoc, am not aquainted with this line of aftermarket control arms. At the price, definitely overseas clones of another company's product. If they were copied off the design/geometry of tubular control arms to run with stock '64-72 spindles, then they should work fine. The text in the eBay ad makes me wonder though, as it mentions camber change. The only control arms I personally have hands on exp with that provide an altered camber spec are Global West's versions designed for the tall (integral GM) type spindles. That require a different style spindle, not designed to be run with the earlier "shorter" spindles. Short of getting the body back on the frame, with it's weight, and installing the engine/transmission, and addiing 300 lbs of stacked weight on intake not sure what the shift is going to be with the geometry of the spindle. Have completed many frame off's with stock style control arms and have not see that amount of "angle" with the spindle and the upper arm when the assembled chassis was a bare roller.

On the import '67-72 disc spindles, I prefer not to use use them in disc brake swaps, as have confirmed several import disc spindles that were improperly machined. Quality control on these may have improved, but many of us also have doubts with the quality of steel that they are made out of. Thus for stock spindle use, like many other restorers, rely on nice used core spindles, no chew where the bearings ride. in the late 90's, as I began to run low on clean non wear-damaged disc spindles, made a fixture to finish machine the "nubs" down on nice original drum brake spindles on my friends Bridgeport. Also use the same fixture on my drill press to bore and retap the hole for the bolt.


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## crustysack (Oct 5, 2008)

there is NO WAY you are getting a quality set of control arms for $269.00, sorry but you have been blinded by the ebay hype- nice how they have a pic of a lamborghini in the ad with a piss poor photoshop logo on the side of it- google image that and it will only come up in an ebay ad. a comparable set of Global West or Hotchkis arms are $900-$1300. as grandma used to say" the most expensive is not always the best but you get what you pay for"
I would send them back now before you get to far into this build. just my 2 cents
also read this thread DMC Performance - Chevelle Tech
to see what you really may be getting into


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## ucaddoc (Aug 8, 2014)

how about just going back to stock control arms? Does anyone have experience on how much the front tubular arms actually help performance in the first place?


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## Pinion head (Jan 3, 2015)

ucaddoc said:


> how about just going back to stock control arms? Does anyone have experience on how much the front tubular arms actually help performance in the first place?


For an A body street car, there is no * performance* advantage, in and of themselves, to the substitution of tubular control arms with the standard '64-72 spindles. The main reason some folks buy the std geometry tubular arms is they're trendy, powder coated, and "new". For some with relatively stock suspensions, they are bewildered by the idea and cost of replacing control arm bushings...its not that bad. The sales pitches for many lower cost tubular control arms often mentions "replace your rusty control arms with our new...." Just my .02, but having hauled in and parted during the last 30 years over four hundred '64-72 GM A-bodys, 70-72 Monte's along with '69-72 GP's, very few, all with this style lower control arm had rusted out or even deeply pocked areas. When I was selling stacks of A body frame stubs and lower control arms to two national IMCA modified chassis builders, never had a problem including a pair of lower control arms that weren't rust outs with each frame stub. Mention that, as I've always kept the very nicest used lower arms for restoration stock, let the lightly pitted stuff go.

Different percieved needs for tubular control arms:
For many years, the GM integral "tall" spindle mod was in vogue and many finally agreed it took an aftermarket tubular style upper control arm to get the geometry right on '68-72 A bodys without a mess towards the strg column intermediate shaft. Have gone that route for customers builds. Have also parted several '68-72 A-bodys that had tried to go this route with stock '73+ spindles and stock upper control arms... Was always a mess, esp with stock a arm shafts shimmed nearly an inch. either which way, the problem even with tall spindles and a correct upper arm from Global West or UMi, such a modified front suspension will suffer from bump steer.

Over the last 6-7 years very expensive purpose built spindles have been brought to market for the high end protouring crowd that accept late model Corvette rotors and multi piston disc brake calipers and which of course require large diam wheels. Since the new spindles for these setups are basically designed from a fresh sheet of paper, a very modified early F body or early A body can benefit from the whole package. the main hold back is cost... out of range of anyone on a moderate budget.


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