tubular control arms

Suspension related stuff goes in here.
User avatar
azruss
Posts: 3659
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 12:24 pm
Your car is a: 80 Fiat 2000 FI

Re: tubular control arms

Postby azruss » Sat Feb 23, 2013 4:16 pm

caster is adjusted by placing shims behind the mounting rod on the lower A-arm. Shim on the front bolt increases caster, by moving the lower ball joint toward the back of the car, thus rotating the angle between the top and bottom ball joint. This also changes camber as well. once caster is set, then camber can be adjusted by adding or subtracting the same thickness of shim from both the front and back mounting stud.

User avatar
giuliot60
Posts: 715
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2012 9:39 pm
Your car is a: 81 Fiat Turbo removed Spider
Location: Concord, NC (Charlotte area)

Re: tubular control arms

Postby giuliot60 » Sat Feb 23, 2013 4:26 pm

azruss wrote:caster is adjusted by placing shims behind the mounting rod on the lower A-arm. Shim on the front bolt increases caster, by moving the lower ball joint toward the back of the car, thus rotating the angle between the top and bottom ball joint. This also changes camber as well. once caster is set, then camber can be adjusted by adding or subtracting the same thickness of shim from both the front and back mounting stud.


Oh OK. That makes sense. I didn't know there was that much play in there. How many degrees can you go in either direction?
Giulio/Charlotte
1st car '75 pistachio 128 sedan
Owned a '74 Spider, '68 Firebird, a '65 GTO convertible, and a customized '74 650 Yamaha
Currently own an '81 Turbo (removed) Spider

User avatar
Ramzi
Posts: 256
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 8:51 am
Your car is a: 1972 Fiat 124 Spider

Ladas are not Fiats

Postby Ramzi » Sat Feb 23, 2013 4:34 pm

Yet another item Csaba and I looked at years ago and decided not to sell as a direct fit for your Spider. The tubular arms being offered by "another vendor" were not engineered for the 124 chassis as others have already pointed out. Although Robert Vick and I discussed producing tubular A-arms designed for the 124 many times, it was something which we never produced.... It pains me to see that people are considering these Lada arms for use on the 124

R
Ramzi
1939 Fiat 508cm Coloniale (military)
1939 Fiat 508c Coloniale (civilian)
1966 124 Sedan RHD (oldest 124 in America)
1972 124 Spider GCRE (modified 2.0L)
2017 124 Spider Abarth (highly modified)

User avatar
manoa matt
Posts: 3441
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 4:28 pm
Your car is a: 1978 Fiat 124 Spider 1800
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii

Re: tubular control arms

Postby manoa matt » Tue Apr 16, 2013 9:58 pm

by So Cal Mark on Wed Feb 20, 2013 3:29 pm

"I have tubular replacement arms being built now and should have them available in March. They should be priced well under what Vicks is offering. Vicks arms are sourced from Ladas, my arms are built specifically for the Spider"


Mark, any updates on the replacement arms?

User avatar
So Cal Mark
Posts: 13839
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:45 pm
Your car is a: Fiat
Location: upland, ca.

Re: tubular control arms

Postby So Cal Mark » Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:10 pm

the mfg came back with a proposal that is way too expensive so I'm working on another mfg currently
Mark Allison
allisonsautomotive.com Fiat and Alfa Romeo parts and service. Performance parts our specialty!
Headers, ignitions, wheels, cams, flywheels
starsmark@hotmail.com 909-981-3566

Tobi
Posts: 650
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 12:50 am
Your car is a: 1981 2.0 FI
Location: Minneapolis MN

Re: tubular control arms

Postby Tobi » Wed Apr 17, 2013 12:26 am

Looking at updates on Vick's website it seems like their arms are good for race cars, not so much for street cars. I am still thinking about replacing mine if it is affordable.
Green 1981 FI
Red 1976 Fiat 126 Bambino (more than 25 years ago)

User avatar
engineerted
Posts: 531
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2006 9:57 pm
Your car is a: 1974 124 spider
Location: Farmington Hills, MI

Re: tubular control arms

Postby engineerted » Wed Apr 17, 2013 8:35 am

Tobi,

The "Good for Race Cars" statement is very open ended. It depends on what type of racing you are doing. Most custom or after market items like this will state "for racing only" This is legal for not tested for use on public steets. I am not saying that these are unsafe, but if you are going to spend the money on tubular control arms, get ones that have an adjustable upper arm for camber and caster that eliminates those dam shims!


Ted
Ted
1978 124 Spider, Complete Restoration
1974 Fiat 124 F Production Race car

User avatar
4uall
Posts: 4145
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 12:09 pm
Your car is a: 1980 Fiat Pininfarina Spider 2000 F.I.
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Re: tubular control arms

Postby 4uall » Wed Apr 17, 2013 9:07 am

Tobi wrote:Looking at updates on Vick's website it seems like their arms are good for race cars, not so much for street cars. I am still thinking about replacing mine if it is affordable.



I would strongly urge you to select another vendor. :|
Jay

Fiona
1980 FI 2000 Spider
ITZEBTZE

https://goo.gl/photos/eNKaX7hrXhBu9fmp6

FINN (FN-2187)
2014 Jeep Wrangler Sport
MYTHERPY

fiat218
Posts: 5745
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider

Re: tubular control arms

Postby fiat218 » Wed Apr 17, 2013 7:13 pm

4uall wrote:
Tobi wrote:Looking at updates on Vick's website it seems like their arms are good for race cars, not so much for street cars. I am still thinking about replacing mine if it is affordable.



I would strongly urge you to select another vendor. :|

What is wrong with Vicks, may I asked :shock:
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider

lanciahf

Re: tubular control arms

Postby lanciahf » Wed Apr 17, 2013 8:05 pm

Start at page one of this post and read.

fiat218
Posts: 5745
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider

Re: tubular control arms

Postby fiat218 » Wed Apr 17, 2013 8:28 pm

That's ok, I got no beef with them,
Each to there own
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider

Ustasa
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2015 3:06 am
Your car is a: 1975 Fiat 124 cc sports coupe

Re: tubular control arms

Postby Ustasa » Mon Jun 20, 2016 3:11 am

So Cal Mark wrote:the mfg came back with a proposal that is way too expensive so I'm working on another mfg currently


Any news on these tubular control arms ?

User avatar
So Cal Mark
Posts: 13839
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:45 pm
Your car is a: Fiat
Location: upland, ca.

Re: tubular control arms

Postby So Cal Mark » Tue Jun 21, 2016 9:22 am

sadly no, I haven't been able to find a mfg that is willing to take on the project unless we order more than 1000 pieces
Mark Allison
allisonsautomotive.com Fiat and Alfa Romeo parts and service. Performance parts our specialty!
Headers, ignitions, wheels, cams, flywheels
starsmark@hotmail.com 909-981-3566

Ustasa
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2015 3:06 am
Your car is a: 1975 Fiat 124 cc sports coupe

Re: tubular control arms

Postby Ustasa » Thu Jun 23, 2016 6:12 am

So Cal Mark wrote:sadly no, I haven't been able to find a mfg that is willing to take on the project unless we order more than 1000 pieces

Have you had any experience with those VFTS Lada arms .

Could they be a possible source to manufacture them as their suspension arms are quite affordable to purchase .

User avatar
So Cal Mark
Posts: 13839
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:45 pm
Your car is a: Fiat
Location: upland, ca.

Re: tubular control arms

Postby So Cal Mark » Thu Jun 23, 2016 9:41 am

the Lada arms put caster at 10 degrees positive when installed on a Spider and that's way too much caster
Mark Allison
allisonsautomotive.com Fiat and Alfa Romeo parts and service. Performance parts our specialty!
Headers, ignitions, wheels, cams, flywheels
starsmark@hotmail.com 909-981-3566


Return to “Suspension Related”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 20 guests