Steel Control Arms
05-13-2008, 05:12 PM
#31
Race Director
There is a big difference between ALLOWS and REQUIRES... 
BTW... so for the past 8 years and 100+ track days (83 races included) I have been running on borrowed time with my sticky tires, racing pads and stock steel arms?
BTW... so for the past 8 years and 100+ track days (83 races included) I have been running on borrowed time with my sticky tires, racing pads and stock steel arms?
05-13-2008, 06:18 PM
#32
Drifting
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Phila.
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well, page 9 does not say aluminum arms may be replaced with stock steel arms. It specifically says appropriately modified.
I have never done an analysis on the stock arms but I imagine you are walking a fine line
I have never done an analysis on the stock arms but I imagine you are walking a fine line
05-14-2008, 12:48 AM
#33
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Psh if it takes 20+ years of stress to break a steel control arm, I'd say they're pretty robust. 8 years of racing though... a few of those years are borrowed. Or maybe the steel arms really are better than we think, and we're box welding them because the aged ones fail badly.
05-14-2008, 10:17 AM
#34
Burning Brakes
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I have a couiple of friends that race A1 VWs (rabbits, sciroccos) which use the exact same control arms. They replace them every 2 years as a precaution. It seems the problem with the steel arms is that when you use a big sway bar, it over stresses the mounting points on the control arm which is where the failures all seem to occur. Ive heard about more aluminum arm failures than steel arms failures since ive owned my car.
