rhesus

Got it from my introductory email (or my rennlist card)... If you don't have it I'm sure you can PM John D. and he'll help you out.

pa944red

E-mail Jen and ask her to add it, that worked for me.

Tom

Joe Jackson

That would be the smart thing to do. But you know I'm too stubborn to think of that. Thanks.

J Chen

Hi Guys,
Since this topic is for 86 951, has'nt any of you
thought about converting to pre 86 steel arms
with Weltmeister poly bushings. You are looking
at a component which is on the car for more than
10 years. Aren't you all worried about the danger
of metal fatique ? We see alot of guys asking about
go fast goodies but it seems that not many are looking
into what keeps the go fast goodies on the road.

Joe Jackson

Let's see...

1. steel arms need to be modified to use bigger sway bars (like the 968 M030 bar I have waiting) and need the sway bar mounting points reinforced (or you'll bust through the arm)
2. you lose the castor adjustment with the steel arms (unless you call smacking the rear mount around adjusting)
3. ball joint failures are just as common with the steel arms as the aluminum arms, and now that you can rebuild the aluminum arms easily there is no advantage of going steel there
4. I've never heard of an aluminum arm breaking anywhere but at the balljoint

I still want the aluminum arms.

J Chen

Hi Jeo,
Your info is incorrect. You can run standard bars on the
steel arms. Regards to busting of arms. Well, it's the same
with alu arms when you go too stiff a sway bar. At least
with steel it only bends wherelse the alu arms will crack.
Yes downside is no castor adjustment but in anycase it already has the factory settings.

Joe Jackson

So you're saying that you can fit a 968 M030 bar with the steel arms? What bushings/drop links are you going to use (without custom fabbing something)?

I also don't like the idea of that big chunk of plastic (as in the Weltmeister bushing) for my rear a-arm mount. If that cracks, you're screwed.

Where are you hearing about aluminum arms cracking with big sway bars (assuming they are used with the proper springs)?

tifosiman

I think he is ****uming because of the properties of the metal.

I honestly think that since the advent of the rebuild kits for the alu arms, they are the better way to go. Less flex than an unmolested (non-boxed)early steel a-arm, and the ability to run the larger 968 M030 front sway (like I have as well). Now, if your car is lowered quite a bit to the point that the a-arm is way beyond horizontal and pointing up at the ends.............maybe the alu would be bad as there is a chance if binding and breaking the alu at the end where the balljoint would bind. In that case, charley arms or blaszack arms would be the smart choice. I think I am fine with the alu arms for now, myself.............

Bill

I plan to buy charlie arms in Feb. My arms only have 68,000 miles on them.

J Chen

Hi Joe,
Yes, there's a small mod to do to use bigger bars. All that
is needed is to weld a steel plate across the original mounting
bracket, drill a hole using the 951 A arms as a template & that's
it & adapt the parts from the 951 to it. BTW, the poly bushings
that I'm talking about is not the old type which cracks.

jc22

Thanks for the link Joe Jackson. It appears I already have the updated caster blocks. That's the first "pleasant" surprise I've found.

Peckster

I doubt John's been selling memberships for that long, are you sure you're a paid member? It should happen automatically.

Joe Jackson

Ok, so you may be right...I was thinking in my head "2000 to 2004, that's four years." I've been a member since June 2000 which makes it 2.5 years. I'm not sure why my tag has not appeared. I registered for the forums quite a while ago so that may have something to do with it.

Joe Jackson

I managed to press out the Febi joints today at work. Took 8000 lbs. on the hydraulic press. The press fit let go with a nice "boom" then the joint came out easily. It certainly doesn't look like I have any options to rebuild these arms unless I can get the same Febi joints. Still waiting on a reply about that.

Skip

I have a left one for rebuild (driver's) - $25+ shipping (from my 86na)

email: skip@paragon-products.com