Control arms on a budget?

[N8Dogg98]

SVE is our house brand at LRS. To my knowledge we have had 0 control arms break. We had some problems with the bushings, but we addressed that, and no problems since then. I had our SVE control arms on my vortech'd 02 and beat on that car daily, and not once did they ever break or crack a weld.

Are they made in China? Not that it matters frankly, because EVERYTHING seems to be made in China these days.

The design of your LCA's appear very similar to the designs by MM, do you know whether or not LRS copied MM's design? Again, I realize copying products occurs in all industries and I'm certainly not ripping on LRS, just curious.

 

[Jarrod@latemodel]

You're asking questions above my pay grade. I'm here to support our products and make sure my customers are happy. I'm sure they are made overseas. Whether or not they are a copy of any other brand, i'm sure they are similar in design, but how many different ways can you make a lower control arm for a 79-04 rear end?

I could lay out our SVE's next to MM and UPR's, and you would see VERY little difference in the 3.

 

[N8Dogg98]

You're asking questions above my pay grade. I'm here to support our products and make sure my customers are happy. I'm sure they are made overseas. Whether or not they are a copy of any other brand, i'm sure they are similar in design, but how many different ways can you make a lower control arm for a 79-04 rear end?

I could lay out our SVE's next to MM and UPR's, and you would see VERY little difference in the 3.

I don't have any experience with SVE products or UPR products. Throughout my years of being on this forum as well as others, I have seen users complain about poor quality products from UPR, but have yet to see anything from SVE or MM. Now, I may have missed something here or there, but that's not the point.

The point is, to me it doesn't really matter where something is made. Frankly, I'd rather buy a well designed and manufactured LCA that is made in China, then a poorly designed and manufactured LCA made in the USA.

 

[Jarrod@latemodel]

I understand where you are coming from. Like i said, if my customers have any problems with the products that is a manufacture defect, then i have no problem getting them taken care of.

Some people love them, and some people hate them. That's just apart of this business.

 

[VibrantRedGT]

I'm with N8. I mentioned earlier a buddy picked up a brand that looked like the others but during our SCCA event broke and he had to get towed home 3.5 hours to his house. The next day we took them out uppers were both broke at the welds. The Bearings (ball end) was still bolted to the rear and other side bolted to the car but neither side touching. We installed Steeda adjustables, he's still running SCCA with these on the car.

This is an area you don't go cheap because if it breaks could be really dangerous. I don't care if there's a lifetime warranty. These broke on us during a run and we could have been in the wall. Getting them replaced under warranty was not a concern. We through these away, we didn't want another pair. Have a quality product is better than having a lifetime warranty.

 

[N8Dogg98]

Tommie Callahan once said "Hey if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will"

 

[VibrantRedGT]

N8Dogg98

Yup and he also said "I can get a good look at a T-Bone by sticking my head up a bull's ass, but I'd rather take the butcher's word for it".

Both are great advice.

 

[wythors]

Granatelli says they make SVE arms for LRS, so do the math.

Didn't we establish that Granatelli "makes" nothing, but imports everything from China?

 

[NIKwoaC]

I'm with Nate, the pissing match that is "Made in America" versus "Made in China" is a hollow argument based on stereotypes. Making a product in China doesn't automatically mean it is junk, just like something made in the States isn't automatically top-notch. Having poor quality control, manufacturing practices, and shortcomings in communication with production overseas is what leads to junk product. I've got a MacBook Pro that is 5 years old, has been dropped a few times and gets left on nearly 24/7, and that bitch still runs like a top- MADE IN CHINA, like all other Apple products.

Here's something else that will really make your butt pucker- damn near 100% of the seat belts your wife and kinds buckle into are made outside our nation's border, and a significant amount of them in good old China.

 

[David Pepiton]

Reguardless of brand I want the product to be topnotch and stand the test of time.

 

[87-t-top-gt]

Got a upr upper/lower kit and look well enough made. Havent put em on the car yet as I'm still doing the engine swap, but meh seem fine to me. Went with MM's sport box as anything further would be a bit much for my intentions. I will note it took 4 or 5 weeks to get the sport box mailed to me, fortunately my car wasn't ripped apart in the driveway waiting on them. I would not have gotten a word had I not emailed them 2 weeks after I ordered, even then the response was " we are out of stock on a couple of the items, we'll ship it out when they come back in stock" I understood being out of stock, I wasn't overly impressed with the complete lack of communication. Got way side tracked on this one but thats my 2 cents

 

[VibrantRedGT]

I'm with Nate, the pissing match that is "Made in America" versus "Made in China" is a hollow argument based on stereotypes. Making a product in China doesn't automatically mean it is junk, just like something made in the States isn't automatically top-notch. Having poor quality control, manufacturing practices, and shortcomings in communication with production overseas is what leads to junk product. I've got a MacBook Pro that is 5 years old, has been dropped a few times and gets left on nearly 24/7, and that **** still runs like a top- MADE IN CHINA, like all other Apple products.

Here's something else that will really make your butt pucker- damn near 100% of the seat belts your wife and kinds buckle into are made outside our nation's border, and a significant amount of them in good old China.

Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in China.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Designed by Californians....I don't know if that makes it better, or worse?

 

[Gearhead92]

So i have been reading multiple thread on CAs and I still have no idea what is good or bad because everyone is trying to prove a point.

I am currently planning on upgrading/fixing my stock suspension in my 88....and I feel like the first place to start is springs and CAs...

This car is my daily driver and most likely won't go to the track. I am fine with spending money to get what I need to, but in no way do I want
to blow all my money through gratuitous spending.

I would like an upgrade over stock, be able to get on it from time to time and have it handle accordingly, and have a decent ride. Currently my car is as close to stock as a 5.0 gets.

What do you all suggest? Obviously MM is out of the question.....

 

[Old Skooler]

Buy steeda upper and lowers, reenforce your torque boxes, steeda lowering springs. This is exactly what I have it was a medium level cost quality parts easy install and awesome on the street. I haven't changed my CC yet but I did put in new sway bars and bushings. I don't think u need to change your CC for the street. You will be happy with this set up. That said nobody here can tell you what to buy its all their opinion you haveto make the choice your self. There are plenty of quality proven names you can go with, make the move.

 

[Gearhead92]

That all sounds good to me. Especially since all I want is a nice street car.

I don't want to sound like too much of a noob, but where are they/what do the torque boxes do?

Much appreciated.

 

[MFE92]

Obviously MM is out of the question.....

"Obviously"? Why? In your power steering thread you said "money isn't an issue" and you were leery of buying Autozone stuff and willing to pay more for something you could be more confident in.

The torque boxes are the pockets in the unibody where the upper and lower control arms attach. Notoriously weak and prone to broken spot welds and torn metal.

 

[Gearhead92]

Money isn't an issue when talking about a 75-100 dollar part....when talking about spend an unnecessary amount of money on CAs that are overkill for my purposes, then money becomes an issue. And why do I feel you're attacking me because of two separate threads that could contradict each other IF taken out of context.

The guy that suggested buying a new rack said just spend the 75 if I could swing it, and in the case of a $75, I can swing it, so therefore in that context the money isn't an issue.

I said obviously, solely for the fact that MM CAs are expensive and as I stated before, overkill for my purposes.

I had read a couple threads where people said the autozone parts are cheap, but I have seen more that say they haven't had an issues.
If as a collective people advised against the autozone parts, then I wouldn't buy them, but since I have seen more people say they havent had any issue, then why not just spend the 75 bucks to get a new part than have a used stock rack out in. Again this is a street car, and I don't plan to take it to a track any time soon if ever. If that changes then I'll consider spending the money on parts that are NECESSARY for the application.

Instead of going after my words in different threads, you could have just given me your advice like I had asked for.

 

[MFE92]

OK then, have a nice life.

 

[Gearhead92]

I shall, and you do the same.