My eBay tubular A-arms experience – long and pic heavy

[caverman]

Since I didn’t find the kind of information I was really looking for online I decided I would make a thread about my experience using the overseas made tubular A-arms you can get off eBay.

First off let me say that this is an information thread about the installation and use of these arms. I understand there is a big controversy over using them instead of paying four times the price for the big named brands. No need to post how they are dangerous and of poor quality unless you have specific experience with them and have photos to prove any failures or problems.

Here is some info about my car and its current configuration. I have ’69 SS Convertible with an iron headed small block 350. I also have vintage air in place of the factory air. I’m currently running a set of Hotchkis lowering springs up front and out back. I have a set of Bilstien shocks on all four corners. Back in 2005 I upgraded my steering box to an AGR and added new pitman arm with upgraded tie rod sleeves. I am running a stock style sway bar up front and no sway bar in the rear. I’m also running on some 17x7 and 17x8 wheels. I also have a set of 4 wheel Wilwood disc brakes.

My scenario….my car is a weekend driver that hits the local weekend car shows along with an occasional big show like Good Guys or Power Tour. I do not race this car at the drag strip or Auto-X and don’t ever plan to. What I’m wanting is a better ride, better feel in the steering, and the ability to raise/lower my car. Currently the Hothckis springs give me a nice stance but it’s just a little too low for me. With Hooker Super Comp headers I do occasionally bash them on a good dip in the highway or going over some angled driveways. In addition we all know tubular arms look cool. Even though that is not my main goal it is definitely an added feature.

So, I decided to upgrade my front suspension. The first thing I knew I wanted to do is at add a set of QA1 coilovers. This should take care of height adjustability and ride. The question then was to either use tubular arms or OEM arms. I asked around various people/places about using either tubular A-arms or to just put new bushings in the OEM A-arms and use them. This is when I was shown both the tubular arms on eBay and the Jegs brand which seem to be the same overseas eBay arms. I was also told to look at the bushing kit from Global West that would upgrade the stock arms.

After weigh my options and getting various feedback, I decided to give the tubular arms off of eBay a try. I picked them up for $261 shipped to my door. I figure what the heck….worst case these don’t work (which I will have no problem admitting if they don’t) and I have to upgrade my OEM arm bushings or spend the big bank on named brand tubular arms. I then ordered a set of 400# single adjustable QA1 coilovers. With a racers account I got them for $400 shipped. So, I’m into this upgrade for basically $660 at this point.


Tubular arms came in about 4 days. Right off the bat what I can say is these don’t seem to be junk. They feel a heck of a lot heavier than I thought they would. I got them in about 3 days and they seemed to be packaged up pretty good. I know a lot of people’s concerns are the welds so I took plenty of up close pictures to so them off.

Pros:
-Seem to be well built.
-Look to have nice bumper stops and bushings.
-Bends look good and so do the welds.
-Powder coated and not painted.
-Ball joints look good and nothing wrong with the ball joint boots.

Cons:
-Powder coat seems a little thin.
-Powder coat not as glossy I would prefer but I’m being picky.
-There were a couple scuff marks in the powder coat. On looks like it was done during the powder coat process and other looks like it was chipped during packaging or shipping.

Got them installed. I had no real issue with them at all. The only thing I had to do was drill out the wholes where the QA1 shocks bolted to the lower control arm. This is due to QA1 using larger bolts and nothing to do with the tubular arms. Still, it was a modification I had to make. Everything else went perfectly fine.

Alignment info
I asked my alignment guy to get it as close to the Pozzi alignment specs as he could. It was recommended to get the Caster to 5* positive caster as possible. He got mine to 3.4* and said that if I the car sat up a little more, maybe ½” or so, then he could’ve probably got it to the 5*. I might eventually raise the car a little but for the most part I’ve got it about right where I want it. I was able to raise the car right at 1” over what it was with the Hotchkis springs. Still the car looks lowered….just not slammed.
I set the QA1 to setting of 4 (out of 12). That was the setting QA1 suggested and it seems like a good setting for me. I need more seat time to really get more feedback but I’m a lot happier with the QA1 over the Hotchkis springs.

I’ll eventually check back in after time and update if I have any issues. It will take a while for me to rack up some mileage since I only put anywhere from 500-800 miles a year on the car.

[caverman]

Here are pictures from the install.

[WiSSDiver]

Man that's a nice looking 69. Great write up. Looks like you had to do a little tweaking to get them to fit. Excellent job.

I've got to spend a little more time with my old girl this year. Probably wouldn't hurt drive the 68 too. Either way, I've been spending way too much time with the 2010 and need to show the 68 some love. Just gotta convince the wife it's time to refit the 68.

Might need some pointers on that one.

[caverman]

Originally Posted by WiSSDiver

Man that's a nice looking 69. Great write up. Looks like you had to do a little tweaking to get them to fit. Excellent job.

I've got to spend a little more time with my old girl this year. Probably wouldn't hurt drive the 68 too. Either way, I've been spending way too much time with the 2010 and need to show the 68 some love. Just gotta convince the wife it's time to refit the 68.

Might need some pointers on that one.

Yep....I know what you mean about ignoring the '69. That's what's been happening to me as well. Man, the things I could've done to my '69 had I not spent the money on my 2010....Thats why I decided to spend a little money on her.

BTW: the only tweaking was for the QA1 shocks. They use a larger bolt that stock and the A-arms are designed to bolt up to stock. So, you either use the smaller stock bolts or drill out he wholes a little and use the bigger bolts that are supplied. You would probably have to do this with some of the high end arms as well and I don't fault the A-arms for this.

[NH 2012 SS/RS]

Great write up
I also used these "ebay" control arms, and was a bit concerned about the quality. I have a 1974 Olds Omega (I believe they are the same control arms, as the front sub frames are the same) I got the 2" drop.
I installed them myself and fount it easy and the fit was perfect. I also have Hooker Super Comp Headers (ceramic coated) and the drop was to much, so I installed 1" rubber spring spacers under the stock height springs.
Now I have the 1" drop and looks great.
I use mine the same, weekend cruising, car shows etc....no racing or autoX.

[flyingskibiker]

Well done!

Have you visited Team Camaro/camaros.net? I'm sure someone there has gone through the same thing. Great place to get info, ask questions, and get help!

[caverman]

Originally Posted by flyingskibiker

Well done!

Have you visited Team Camaro/camaros.net? I'm sure someone there has gone through the same thing. Great place to get info, ask questions, and get help!

Yes, I've been over there. That's where I got some info about them. I also read the controversy over them as well. Kind of like the overseas header stuff on this forum. That's why I decided to post a thread. Alot of people bash them but they have no proof or any threads showing where they've failed or didn't work.

There actually very little about the install of QA1 coilovers as well. So, I plan to post a little info about that as well.

[flyingskibiker]

Cool.

[Synner]

Only thing I see is the welds don't look very consistent. But if you're not racing or putting a ton of miles on I doubt you'd have an issue. But considering my welds look like they were done by Ray Charles during withdrawal I can't hold it against anyone.

[caverman]

Originally Posted by Synner

Only thing I see is the welds don't look very consistent. But if you're not racing or putting a ton of miles on I doubt you'd have an issue. But considering my welds look like they were done by Ray Charles during withdrawal I can't hold it against anyone.

Which brand of arms did you use?

[Synner]

I mean my own personal welding skills. I do exhaust brackets for bikes, headlight mounts, repairs and crap like that. Its a little Hobart 140 but works on 120V wherever I move to with no need to put in a 220 line. I really want to get a tank and start doing stainless but I move too much and the movers won't touch the tanks. Plus I need to improve my skills before wasting expensive metal but I work too much.

You could always strip them, touch up the welds, and recoat them if the scratches bother you at some point. You'd still be under half price of most. I had a 77 Z28 I restored but had to sell to pay the bills. As soon as I get out of the military I'll be finding something 1st/2nd gen to restore again.