Spohn Front Control Arms

[bigsquirrel]

Anyone have these? A curb uhmm moved right in front of my car so now I need a new lower control arm. They're the only company making after market ones I can find. Not sure if it's worth it though. An OEM replacement is less than 100. Spohn sells them as a package so I'd have to get all four. What do you guys think?

[PoleCat2SSRS2010]

Big Squirrel,

You might want to check the below thread.

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146927

Yeah, I tried them and like the problems that the other guys are having with the drag race rear lower control arms NOT fitting as advertised the front arms have their risks too.

So far I am the only one to discuss install results. No one else has responded. The results were not good. -0.3 caster after install. If you were to use the Pedders eccentic bolt kit you will get about around +1.0* to add to the result. To correct it you will need atleast 8*. They were that far off. Spohn isn't backing his products. Says that other customers have installed them. There is no supporting data of customer front end alignments to support his claim of "being made to OEM dimensions."

I recommend saving that hard earned cash and going with a sure thing and get the OEMs arms. $600 is a high price for an absolute no refund situation of R and D.

My alignment tech has at least 30 years experience and done many of these cars. None before me with the Spohn front arms. He allowed me to look at the car and discuss with him the problem not getting the cast in spec but he was pretty certain that there was no getting to spec. I myself have spent about 30 years studying and making suspension mods and agree with him.

If you get them AND put your car on the rack AND get at least the factory recommended caster spec of +6.0 - +6.6 please let me know and I will gladly retract my posts on this issue.

[bigsquirrel]

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. I was on the fence about getting them eother way now certainly won't.

[L99CAMA2011]

Originally Posted by bigsquirrel

Anyone have these? A curb uhmm moved right in front of my car so now I need a new lower control arm. They're the only company making after market ones I can find. Not sure if it's worth it though. An OEM replacement is less than 100. Spohn sells them as a package so I'd have to get all four. What do you guys think?

Moving curbs huh, LOL, I took a left turn and understeered into one 2 months ago mine is still ok though.

[PoleCat2SSRS2010]

update:

The front bushings are centered at their bolt holes for comparison.

I have more but these are pretty much self explanatory.

[PoleCat2SSRS2010]

About a few weeks ago I contacted Spohn and was confirmed an RMA number and shipped the arms back to Spohn. I am happy to confirm that I was provided a complete refund. Keep in mind that as a customer I could have been just as easily denied any refund due to terms and conditions and the original purchase being so long ago.

Props go to Spohn for standing behind his product and working with me to resolve this in a professional and courteous manner.

[Hendrix-Engineering]

thanks for the report,i was looking at these to shed some weight,thanks for the heads up

[VENOM XLI]

totally had the same moving curb problem a month ago and bent my front left control arm a 16th of an inch. glad I'm not alone on this lmao

[Blown396]

Take a look here:

http://forum.grrrr8.net/showthread.php?t=32394

Just a heads up!

EB

[Moreno1]

Originally Posted by Hendrix-Engineering

thanks for the report,i was looking at these to shed some weight,thanks for the heads up

Same here, I guess I wont be going on this diet! Too bad though because the weight saving would have been cool :(

[dancc]

[L99CAMA2011]

Pfadt was right about these bushings needing to allow articulation. I honestly thought this exact same thing would happen. I said to myself , what if I am going into a turn on the track at 100+ and one of these arms break, hello wall, goodbye life, I'll pass. Stock arms were engineered by GM to handle the stress of this behemoth and not to take lives in the process, GM can't and won't allow that liability to occur.

[lcyv]

Additional to the reliability and fitting issues, my 2011 SS have been facing a "wobbling" issues in high/strong acceleration since I have the spohn kit installed.

The camber is corrected and the tires and wheels are correctly aligned/balanced. However in high acceleration (corner exit for example), the fornt wobble almost uncontrolled. I just see something similar in superbikes (tankslaper).

Before the installation of the spohn kit it never happened. Did anybody faced something like this or I am missing something?

Thanks