After-market LCAs without rod end bearings?

[PeterAllen]

Are there any aftermarket rear lower control arms which don't have rod end spherical bearings? I'm not really after adjustable arms but I definitely don't want rod end bearing, I would just like something that looked non-OEM. Thanks.

[luvemfast]

I think you can use old Falcon arms. Not sure which model 

 

    EDIT               

I was thinking of caster rods 

[DAZDA]

These might fit???

http://www.maddat.com.au/products/LCA1600.htm

 

Down the bottom

http://www.maddat.com.au/suspension-parts.php

[nat0_240_chevZ]

Read "REAR"-lower control arms...

Peter, maybe later down the track.......

Nat0

[DAZDA]

[PeterAllen]

It seems there is an inherent issue of binding with rear LCAs and you either have trouble with fractures in non-adjustable non-OEM arms or you have to fit rod end bearings. For safety's sake I'll stick with the OEM.

 

http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/66749-home-made-control-arms/

 

[nat0_240_chevZ]

Peter,

Id say thats just a design flaw on these AM units.

Most I see Are not able to design sufficiently for an auto application,

Material selctions is just what they have been recommended with only basic fabrication Knowledge.

Ie using of 4130CrMo, without pre-heating welds and also then allowing to fast cool, from memory this is not how to do it.

And as for binding, this also has alot to do with support accessories, Ie driveshfts, swaybar links and bars clashing with control arms.

Also another key point in alot of these designs I have seen , is they seem to use Threaded hardware to take shock loads, transversally...not sure what they are thinking as the threads are/will always be a stress raiser in their design.

 

Just hold out for a while and I may have something of interest. Got heaps of ideas for this ' ultimate' control arm,

but need it to be

manufacturable.

cheap, DID i just say a naughty word???

SAFE, over and above everything.....

and easy to setup and adjust, when req'd.

Have some give, in the design to cater for bumping the odd gutter or similar abuse.

OEM styling!!!!!!

 

 

sounds like a demtel add!!!

HAHAHA

nat0

[dat2kman]

Cut middle sections out, weld in pre threaded Lh/Rh blocks, use tie rods and jam nuts.

May need to stuff one or two up, to then get it right.

The bigger the double ended left and right threaded diam rod, the better.

Make the insert blocks fit into the U shape, and plate thouroghly.

 

There will be limited adjustability before it binds, hence getting it "wrong" to get it right!

[Ledge]

But wait there's more

 

The first fifty will get the all new Nat0 steak knife collection

It cuts, it slices and did i mention it cuts

[nat0_240_chevZ]

the other big problem alot of the hybridz guys experienced, is the have a separate toe adj which seems to cause the binding. IE the chapman strut and its spindle pin, NEED to articulate parallel around the LCA mount point.

Adjustin one inboard and on out board Does give you more camber, wider track and some toe in on the rear, but as the stut cycles up and down, one of thos links needs to gouge out its mounting hole just to bemp/rebound freely.

the trick to get to independant of the spindle pin missalignment is to separate the spindle pin from the lower par of the chap strut assy, OR move inner points freely whilst keeping the spindle PIN and the mounting pivot axis parallel, but also square with the sturt top, as most forget the strut top is preventing the top of the assy moving forward and backwards.

think of the strut as a big spanner/shifter, fixed to the lower stut housing, if you swing the LCA and this housing in anything but, directly towards the top of this fixed lever, it will generate a front/back pos'n change in the pins and bushes etc.

This is why a models later and some more research into the rear end geometries, Nissan amongst other went to a single point connection on the rear ends (a ball joint) and then proceeded to adjust toe independantly of the arm length or position.

There really no reason this cant be achieve with a simple yet effective AM LCA and bearing housing update, but if you want to keep things stock, then dont mess with thtem too much.

Oh, Did I explain the 12 different cutting actions?

ledge.....Cracker!!!

[PeterAllen]

The way I read it was that the top of the strut is off-centre to the movement of the LCA and it is a design flaw from Datsun. By using an ‘A’ arm (rather than the standard ‘H’ arm) pivoted from the forward spindle point you eliminate most of the binding. You could in theory get away with not fitting a rod end at that point. A rod end attached to the rear spindle point you adjust the toe angle. (see photo)

 

My big concern in all this is the durability of the rod end bearings. I know it's all a long time ago but when I raced open-wheelers we went through more ‘Rose’ joints than cans of KB... and that's saying something!

 

I raised this on another forum and someone replied that he only got 11,000km road use out of the rod ends fitted to his kit car – they appear to be too much of a PITA.

[nizm0zed]

Are the rose joints flogging out due to grit getting into the bearing surfaces? or due to loads and stresses in the wrong directions?

Because you can get rubber boots to cover and protect the rose joints.

I really dont know enough about it to know any different, so some 'knowledge' on the matter would be good.