Best way to extend stock a-arms.

[Unstock240]

How would you do it?

I know there are ways while still retaining strength. I was thinking cut them right in the middle. Find some solid round stock the same size as the inside diameter of the tubing. say if I want 2 inches per arm. I would cut the stock to 4 inches or so slide it out and weld the crap out of it. Or maybe if I wanted 2 inches cut the stock to 8 inches. This way I could have more around 3 inches of overlap. The only downside to this would probably be some added weight. Not more than a few pounds. The stock arms are thin and I think this would be stronger than before? Without completely redoing the whole tubes with a bender or spending $200. Give your thoughts because I plan on doing something like this soon.

 

[blaster01]

never heard of that..get a cheap on off of here or ebay and try it

 

[Unstock240]

I figure it would hold up well, just a matter of how much overlap of tubing. I mean if you can cut and lengthen a swinger surely you can do the a arms.

 

[mystahagy]

Totally possible, but a couple things to consider.

If you move one corner of a triangle further away, the opposite inner angles increase. No biggie I suppose, but if the arm tubing is to remain straight, those angles will have to be opened up ever so slightly.

Now if you are to slice the arms in an effort to insert additional tubing, again you've got an angle problem. Model it out with something like popsicle sticks and you'll see what I mean.

 

[phragle]

the geometry will be a pain. you have a fixed mounting point on the bike, the a-arms are in a V shape, if you just straight out extend them, they won't fit the mounting points. plus the a-arms have non replaceable ball joints. your better off, if you have the skill to extend them, to just mke new ones.

 

[Unstock240]

Yes If I extend them I would have to make the cut u shape slightly more narrow or widen the other half out not by much though. I might just cut off the bushing mounts and completely re do the tubing. First I will attempt this on one first and see what happens. If the balljoints do wear I could cut and reweld if I could find something similar. If It doesnt work out stock a arms are dirt cheap anyway.

 

[CC&Fabb]

another thing that you need to think of is if you re-enforce the part that you extend by putting solid round stock inside of the a arms then the part of the a arm (either side of the extension) might be weaker than the point that you extended them and want to bend....just a thought.

 

[Unstock240]

True since something solid would cause more stress then a hollow tube with flex. I'm not quite sure how to go about this, but I am going to do something.

 

[4cfed]

also something to think about.. good idea but..... i hope your a skilled welder.. welding hollow tube to solid tube is a biiiishh!! your gonna wanna start your weld on the solid rod and work your way to the hollow tube this will pull the weld into the hollow tube so you dont blow threw tring to weld evenly... why not weld plates to the a arm mounts and move the a arms out, that use solid stock to extend the tie rod/steering arms.. kinda like a home made DJ kit??

 

[Unstock240]

I was going to make up widening brackets but with longer arms you get more travel and widening at the same time. Welding 2 different thicknesses is challenging, but my uncle has a really good hobart. I'll have him do it he has welded up 3 circle track cars from the ground up probably has 20 years of experience.

 

[phragle]

building a-arms really isn't that difficult, if your uncle has a tubing bender, your half way there.

 

[Unstock240]

It's one of those ratchet crank ones. I just hope it accepts that small of tubing.