Upper and lower A arm replacement question.

[In The Ten Ring]

My upper A arms are rusted through, at least on the driver's side. It's not so bad as to be dangerous I think but might as well replace those.

Are the welded-tubular pieces worth the extra money? I'm not building a "racing truck," just getting mine back onto the road as original as I can. Better handling would be nice but I imagine if I went for better A arms I'd have to update everything else, right?

If I go for stamped ones, would NAPA or Advanced Auto have what I need or should I get it from a vendor?

Thoughts?

[In The Ten Ring]

Keep the input coming.......

Is this job best done with the fenders off?

[demian5]

Craigslist. Heck just order stock ones from the truck and car shop. I bet Moog makes loaded ones with ball joints and cross shafts/bushings.

[raggedjim]

Well, if you are cheap like me you could buy this off of Rock Auto

http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/c...trol+arm,10401

The 520181 is $8.06 and the 520182 is $48.79 so you could get both uppers for less than $60.00. I know they are not your year but a balljoint change would take care of that.

Good luck, Rg

[toolboxchev]

Originally Posted by In The Ten Ring

Keep the input coming.......

Is this job best done with the fenders off?

I did not have to take the fenders off to work on the front end, just the inner fender-well. Gave a little more room for working easier all bent and hunched over like the old guy I am!

[Dynospeed]

Ill have some CCP stock replacements coming off my 69 c10 in the next week that have under 700 miles on them. 6372SCAU and 6372SCAL for $300 Im going with there tubular stuff.

[demian5]

Originally Posted by Dynospeed

Ill have some CCP stock replacements coming off my 69 c10 in the next week that have under 700 miles on them. 6372SCAU and 6372SCAL for $300 Im going with there tubular stuff.

Done deal dood.

[In The Ten Ring]

I checked yesterday, Advanced Auto cannot get these, at least not for my truck. *They might can get later model years that would fit.

Has anyone here put the modern, welded tube A arms on? *If so, how are those working for you?

[weq92f]

Originally Posted by raggedjim

Well, if you are cheap like me you could buy this off of Rock Auto

http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/c...trol+arm,10401

The 520181 is $8.06 and the 520182 is $48.79 so you could get both uppers for less than $60.00. I know they are not your year but a balljoint change would take care of that.

Good luck, Rg

Wow! 8 bucks for a loaded control arm from a parts house!

-klb

[raggedjim]

Originally Posted by weq92f

Wow! 8 bucks for a loaded control arm from a parts house!

-klb

Yeah, occasionally I think they make a mistake on some of the pricing...

I bought a set a while back. They look good, but I haven't installed them yet.

[mattfranklin]

You'd need more than a balljoint change.
The '67-'72 use threaded bushings while the '73-'88 have rubber bushings.
Totally different design.

Originally Posted by raggedjim

Well, if you are cheap like me you could buy this off of Rock Auto

http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/c...trol+arm,10401

The 520181 is $8.06 and the 520182 is $48.79 so you could get both uppers for less than $60.00. I know they are not your year but a balljoint change would take care of that.

Good luck, Rg

[biketopia]

In the ten ring, I have a whole complete disc to disc drop out front end set up with good a arms for sale and since you're some what local could probably set up a drop off or a meet up so shipping isn't involved.

[raggedjim]

Originally Posted by mattfranklin

You'd need more than a balljoint change.
The '67-'72 use threaded bushings while the '73-'88 have rubber bushings.
Totally different design.

Not a problem as they come with new bushings and cross-shafts installed.

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by biketopia

In the ten ring, I have a whole complete disc to disc drop out front end set up with good a arms for sale and since you're some what local could probably set up a drop off or a meet up so shipping isn't involved.

Thanks man, I may take you up on that. I am in the Winchester, VA area every so often, I might even be able to take the truck up there this coming fall.

[biketopia]

Sounds good, just let me know. I've got friends near the Charelstown area and end up over there often if that's near you.

[In The Ten Ring]

Charleston is about an hour & a half away.

So, nobody can comment on the new welded tube A arms? Nobody?

[biketopia]

Originally Posted by In The Ten Ring

Charleston is about an hour & a half away.

So, nobody can comment on the new welded tube A arms? Nobody?

Charleston or Charelstown? I end up in Charelstown, near Harpers ferry.

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by biketopia

Charleston or Charelstown? I end up in Charelstown, near Harpers ferry.

Oops, got me there. Charleston is 1.5 hours from me. Charlestown is about 5.5 hours away.

[midniteblues]

Originally Posted by In The Ten Ring

Charleston is about an hour & a half away.

So, nobody can comment on the new welded tube A arms? Nobody?

I don't think tubular control arms are what you need.
There is nothing wrong with the oe arms that can be gotten for real cheap as compared to the aftermarket deals.

I can see if you have severly lowered or bagged your truck or even "built" it for performance driving then my opinion may be differnt.
Until then oe arms are exactly what you need otherwise your just p'ing $ away on them and you'll never know the difference from the driver seat.

I'm sure there is plenty of good oe arms out there to be had.
Now if I could only take my own advice here.

If i was in your shoes I would stay focused on getting the clip back together and get it moving again. Replacing the control arms is something that can be done after its back together in a weekend unless they are ready too fall off.

Not tearing more of the truck apart
As I think your learning they come apart easy, getting them back together all cleaned up is the time consuming part.

Mines been sitting half primer and half painted with no excuse on my part except to stop playing with other junk.

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by midniteblues

I don't think tubular control arms are what you need.
There is nothing wrong with the oe arms that can be gotten for real cheap as compared to the aftermarket deals.

I can see if you have severly lowered or bagged your truck or even "built" it for performance driving then my opinion may be differnt.
Until then oe arms are exactly what you need otherwise your just p'ing $ away on them and you'll never know the difference from the driver seat.

I'm sure there is plenty of good oe arms out there to be had.
Now if I could only take my own advice here.

If i was in your shoes I would stay focused on getting the clip back together and get it moving again. Replacing the control arms is something that can be done after its back together in a weekend unless they are ready too fall off.

Not tearing more of the truck apart
As I think your learning they come apart easy, getting them back together all cleaned up is the time consuming part.

Mines been sitting half primer and half painted with no excuse on my part except to stop playing with other junk.

Why you big spoil sport!

I had figured that was the answer, I just wanted to ask on here. I thought about trying to replace those in my garage but I soon thought better of it. I don't have the room in there to do that work right now and I have never done it before, I think I'll hire a garage to replace those after the truck is running.

Thanks for the reply though, it's the sort of practical explanation I have been waiting for.

I may end up buying from someone on here when that time comes.

[midniteblues]

Originally Posted by In The Ten Ring

Why you big spoil sport!

I had figured that was the answer, I just wanted to ask on here. I thought about trying to replace those in my garage but I soon thought better of it. I don't have the room in there to do that work right now and I have never done it before, I think I'll hire a garage to replace those after the truck is running.

Thanks for the reply though, it's the sort of practical explanation I have been waiting for.

I may end up buying from someone on here when that time comes.

Some times we all need something like that thrown back too us.

I don't mean to come off like that but I really saw no other way to put it.
From the few pics you've posted you have a cool truck I would love too see you get it back together instead of hiding it in the garage dissasembled...."again, I'm kinda speaking to myself here"

Getting good arms is a good time to update the Ball joints and bushings.
None of it is really hard at all. Its dirty work that should really be done correctly though for safety reasons.

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by midniteblues

Some times we all need something like that thrown back too us.

I don't mean to come off like that but I really saw no other way to put it.
From the few pics you've posted you have a cool truck I would love too see you get it back together instead of hiding it in the garage dissasembled...."again, I'm kinda speaking to myself here"

Getting good arms is a good time to update the Ball joints and bushings.
None of it is really hard at all. Its dirty work that should really be done correctly though for safety reasons.

Buddy you didn't "come off as anything." I was just honestly curious about the welded tubes, as I had seen those used on a car rebuilding show.

If I don't get a garage to do it, I'll get all the info I can and do it over at my parents' place. It's nice to get rid of rusty parts and replace with parts that aren't rusty.