Next suspension mod

[LETZRIDE]

Re: Next suspension mod

I caution using founders stuff- I have no idea if their products are good, but I know first hand about buying quality suspension parts. My lower A arms from PA Racing snapped in half and they looked like a "quality piece" I feel like you get what you pay for with suspension parts- just because they look quality, doesn't mean the welds are good, and that is not something you can see when they are powder coated.

One thing I learned is that when they Weld these parts they are supposed to/should normalize the metal. I feel like this is a process they likely skip with cheaper suspension pieces (otherwise how are they cutting cost?) I could be totally wrong and they could be a quality part though- just my feelings; and hey, who knows, maybe all the vendors don't normalize these parts when they are welded.

Also, if you went corner carver, I hope you didn't get poly bushing LCA's

[FirebirdGT]

Re: Next suspension mod

I caution using founders stuff- I have no idea if their products are good, but I know first hand about buying quality suspension parts. My lower A arms from PA Racing snapped in half and they looked like a "quality piece" I feel like you get what you pay for with suspension parts- just because they look quality, doesn't mean the welds are good, and that is not something you can see when they are powder coated.

One thing I learned is that when they Weld these parts they are supposed to/should normalize the metal. I feel like this is a process they likely skip with cheaper suspension pieces (otherwise how are they cutting cost?) I could be totally wrong and they could be a quality part though- just my feelings; and hey, who knows, maybe all the vendors don't normalize these parts when they are welded.

Also, if you went corner carver, I hope you didn't get poly bushing LCA's

My biggest "pet peeve"!

When I worked for an OEM, I was responsible for the QC of our welding. The welds were specified by our welding engineer and documented on manufacturing drawings. The AWS Certified Welding Inspector reported to me. Although ALL welders were tested and certified in accordance with AWS and our criteria, the CWI still rejected welds every day.

Just because someone can make a weld bead - DOES NOT mean the weld is ANY good OR the correct size.

I've called and questioned some of the popular aftermarket suppliers - who had NO CLUE what I was talking about - thereby demonstrating that I would NOT trust any of their work.


And as for tubular LCA with poly bushings - OK if you are going to use the car for drag racing, but NO for anything else. All they do is INCREASE the loads and stress on the mounting points and the LCA. And then, who knows if the welds will hold over time, or through that corner!

.

[ssms5411]

Re: Next suspension mod

I caution using founders stuff- I have no idea if their products are good, but I know first hand about buying quality suspension parts. My lower A arms from PA Racing snapped in half and they looked like a "quality piece" I feel like you get what you pay for with suspension parts- just because they look quality, doesn't mean the welds are good, and that is not something you can see when they are powder coated.

One thing I learned is that when they Weld these parts they are supposed to/should normalize the metal. I feel like this is a process they likely skip with cheaper suspension pieces (otherwise how are they cutting cost?) I could be totally wrong and they could be a quality part though- just my feelings; and hey, who knows, maybe all the vendors don't normalize these parts when they are welded.

Also, if you went corner carver, I hope you didn't get poly bushing LCA's

I hope you just got a bad set of PA Racing lowers because I have the same ones on mine. And their tubular K member. I've had my BMR LCA's and panhard rod for well over 10 years and their holding up great.

[LETZRIDE]

Re: Next suspension mod

I hope you just got a bad set of PA Racing lowers because I have the same ones on mine. And their tubular K member. I've had my BMR LCA's and panhard rod for well over 10 years and their holding up great.

They told me I was the first person this happened to in 10 years, but who knows right? They told me they never normalize the metal and have not had any other issues. My buddy who does tool and die was dumbfounded when I told him that.

They gave me a reduced price on replacements but it is still pretty hefty. I don't think I'll be going that route on the new LS, and needless to say it has made me rethink all of my suspension setup.

Not even sure if I will re-use my J&M poly ball LCA's either. I may look at pressing in the moog bushings into my current stock arms or going with just a straight rod end LCA

[EarlR]

Re: Next suspension mod

My lower A arms from PA Racing snapped in half and they looked like a "quality piece" I feel like you get what you pay for with suspension parts- just because they look quality, doesn't mean the welds are good, and that is not something you can see when they are powder coated.

One thing I learned is that when they Weld these parts they are supposed to/should normalize the metal. I feel like this is a process they likely skip with cheaper suspension pieces (otherwise how are they cutting cost?) I could be totally wrong and they could be a quality part though- just my feelings; and hey, who knows, maybe all the vendors don't normalize these parts when they are welded.

After re-reading this, I'm curious; did the A-arm that broke fail at the weld?

[LETZRIDE]

Re: Next suspension mod

Yep- directly on the weld, which should be the strongest part of the entire arm

[ssms5411]

Re: Next suspension mod

Damm that sucks, they should have replaced it free of charge. I hope mine doesn't do that. Did you hit a pothole or something or did it just break right out of the blue?

[LETZRIDE]

Re: Next suspension mod

Damm that sucks, they should have replaced it free of charge. I hope mine doesn't do that. Did you hit a pothole or something or did it just break right out of the blue?

pulled into a parking lot to take a look at an LS1 and the guy came out and started chirpin me telling me my car was too low. I started laughing because everyone always tells me it needs to be lowered more. When I got out I noticed the passenger side was slammed right down on the tire and I just went ahhh F*ck somethings busted lol.

Car did feel a little bouncy on the highway though just before I got off and pulled into the lot, so maybe it snapped then? not really sure...

[FirebirdGT]

Re: Next suspension mod

Yep- directly on the weld, which should be the strongest part of the entire arm

That weld was for mounting the bracket to the tube - must has damaged the tube (burn thru?) during welding, then corroded and failed.

.

[LETZRIDE]

Re: Next suspension mod

Ya that spot takes a lot of stress due to it being the shock mounting point. Looks like it had been half cracked for awhile and finally gave out since half of the break was rusty.

[EarlR]

Re: Next suspension mod

Something to think about too; we sometimes forget that when we start modding our cars to increase performance we can also put additional stress on parts that weren't designed to take that much stress. When I saw the pic of the control arm it reminded me of the front sway bar mount that broke on my car. After looking at the mount, and then considering the size of that monster 35mm S/T sway bar I put on the car not long after I bought it, I doesn't surprise me that it failed. Not saying that was the case with the control arm, but just something to keep in mind when considering replacing components.

[LETZRIDE]

Re: Next suspension mod

Everything works as a system, not an individual component. A lot of people forget or don't understand that.

[02firebird]

Re: Next suspension mod

Ok, so I got the LCAs installed and the relocation brackets, but whenever I'm turning to the left I can a creaking noise coming from the back.

When I put them on I tightened the brackets with it was still in the air, but only put the LCAs on finger tight and then torqued them down to 80lbs when the suspension was loaded. I also greased the bushings with mobile 1 synthetic grease and rubbed a little bit on the face of them too.

Any ideas on the noise?

[FirebirdGT]

Re: Next suspension mod

Ok, so I got the LCAs installed and the relocation brackets, but whenever I'm turning to the left I can a creaking noise coming from the back.

When I put them on I tightened the brackets with it was still in the air, but only put the LCAs on finger tight and then torqued them down to 80lbs when the suspension was loaded. I also greased the bushings with mobile 1 synthetic grease and rubbed a little bit on the face of them too.

Any ideas on the noise?

What LCA did you get? Tubular? Then the creaking is overloading the mounting brackets due to suspension bind - which is why I said NOT to get tubular LCA for a DD.
.

[02firebird]

Re: Next suspension mod

Damn, I don't know how I missed that on not getting the tubular. I got the regular tubular ones from Founders. So for the time being I should probably put the stock ones back in with the relocation brackets?

So for it being a DD which ones should I get? That was pretty stupid on my part.