Ball Joints and Racing?
05-03-2006, 10:46 PM
#16
Race Director
I just upgraded my a-arms to the Kokeln units. Monoball everything, and the balljoint pivot location is adjustable. Combined with adjustable camber plates, you can really dial in some serious negative camber! (My mechanic jokingly said I can get like -40 degrees of camber! 
) Very happy with them. They cost about the same as the Charlie Arms do. Stable Energies (www.stable-energies.com) sells them.
-Z-man.
) Very happy with them. They cost about the same as the Charlie Arms do. Stable Energies (www.stable-energies.com) sells them.-Z-man.
05-04-2006, 12:31 AM
#18
Burning Brakes
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new arms
My fabricator has designed and built several SCCA GT cars including GT1/Trans-Am chassis. He is currently designing a simple lower control arm that will be extremely strong for my track car. Price will be under 1k.
05-04-2006, 01:20 AM
#19
Fabcar arms on my car. Fabcar are a high end fabricator of extreme track cars and parts, including a current Daytona Prototype. Check http://www.fabcar-usa.com/index.html
They were one of the first to produce a PCA-legal replacement control arm, and still sell them through OG Racing.
Marcus Blazac makes a terrific product, which might be the best value for money and one of the most practical designs with regard to ball joint management. Great guy, and actively involved with 951 racing in the frozen north [where all the factory Turbo Cup cars still rule].
They were one of the first to produce a PCA-legal replacement control arm, and still sell them through OG Racing.
Marcus Blazac makes a terrific product, which might be the best value for money and one of the most practical designs with regard to ball joint management. Great guy, and actively involved with 951 racing in the frozen north [where all the factory Turbo Cup cars still rule].
05-04-2006, 09:06 AM
#21
Burning Brakes
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You guys should do a serach from about 2/1/2 years ago about these arms from Marcus Blazac, any serious racer would not put that on his car.Those look like 83-VW balljoints i don't think they could take serious track work.Plus those welds look like there failure ****.
05-04-2006, 10:05 AM
#23
Originally Posted by pk951
You guys should do a serach from about 2/1/2 years ago about these arms from Marcus Blazac, any serious racer would not put that on his car.Those look like 83-VW balljoints i don't think they could take serious track work.Plus those welds look like there failure ****.
Your opinion vs Blazac's reputation and the fact that his arms have proved themselves on a number of successful race cars = no contest.
If you are intent on trashing someone's work, please provide documented facts.
05-04-2006, 10:10 AM
#24
Originally Posted by pk951
You guys should do a serach from about 2/1/2 years ago about these arms from Marcus Blazac, any serious racer would not put that on his car.Those look like 83-VW balljoints i don't think they could take serious track work.Plus those welds look like there failure ****.
05-04-2006, 10:14 AM
#25
Drifting
Busta,
Over the next couple of years, what is the amount of track driving (excluding drifting) do you expect? If just a couple of weekends a year, you can easily get by with your current or rebuilt arms assuming you check them often.
I know several hard-core racers who continue to use the factory arms. Check them often and replace with a NEW (not rebuilt) arm at the first sign of play and you are probably OK.
However, since a new arm is ~$500, buying one of the aftermarket items may be cheaper in the long run.
You also haven't indicated what year your car is. If a turboS, you also need to be aware of hub issues with those cars. MY86 cars seem to have spindle issues.
Over the next couple of years, what is the amount of track driving (excluding drifting) do you expect? If just a couple of weekends a year, you can easily get by with your current or rebuilt arms assuming you check them often.
I know several hard-core racers who continue to use the factory arms. Check them often and replace with a NEW (not rebuilt) arm at the first sign of play and you are probably OK.
However, since a new arm is ~$500, buying one of the aftermarket items may be cheaper in the long run.
You also haven't indicated what year your car is. If a turboS, you also need to be aware of hub issues with those cars. MY86 cars seem to have spindle issues.
05-04-2006, 10:24 AM
#26
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Originally Posted by baldheadracing
Markus also sells re-inforced steel arms for both early and late offset for folks on a budget. He also tests and re-builds stock arms for non-track non-modified cars.
They sell for around ~$800/pair without Delrin bushings. FWIW they are also PCA approved for use in Stock class.
05-04-2006, 10:32 AM
#27
Burning Brakes
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Like I said do a search there was an engineer from CA. There was like ten pages, why he would not use them, if you guys are happy with them that's all that matters. But you can't tell me that VW ball-joints
are go for track work, it's a joke. Phone up Charley and ask him what he thinks, you might be surprised
Blazac, I'am certain sells many fine products but the arms?
are go for track work, it's a joke. Phone up Charley and ask him what he thinks, you might be surprised
Blazac, I'am certain sells many fine products but the arms?
05-04-2006, 11:58 AM
#28
Intermediate
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Blaszak Motorsports
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Early cars have a 23mm offset. ALL 87+ 944 cars have the 53mm offset. The arms on them are LONGER... the 924S however has the shorter arms.... Hope that helps... I saw there were questions about that earlier on.... And yes we make the modified steel arms in both early and late offset for use with all swaybar configurations and all caster block variants... as the budget entry model compared to our tubular steel spherical ones...
Markus Blaszak
Blaszak Motorsports.
Markus Blaszak
Blaszak Motorsports.
05-04-2006, 01:31 PM
#29
Ok here is a question when inspecting your arms, besides obvious damage to the crontrol arm itself, how does one tell if the ball joint is about to give up the Ghost?
IPSC
IPSC
05-04-2006, 02:14 PM
#30
Originally Posted by pk951
Like I said do a search there was an engineer from CA. There was like ten pages, why he would not use them, if you guys are happy with them that's all that matters. But you can't tell me that VW ball-joints
are go for track work, it's a joke. Phone up Charley and ask him what he thinks, you might be surprised
Blazac, I'am certain sells many fine products but the arms?
are go for track work, it's a joke. Phone up Charley and ask him what he thinks, you might be surprised
Blazac, I'am certain sells many fine products but the arms?
https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...r+control+arms
200 posts debating the structural integrity of various control arms, yet no mention of Blaszak failures. Proof is in the numbers, show me the numbers.
If the ball joints used were a joke, they would be failing, yet we hear no mention of this. The majority if these arms are being used on track cars with proven success.
You want to ask a competing fabricator about a considerably less expensive product available elsewhere? Please. What do you think he's going to say?
You're entitled to your opinion, and I respect that. But you're publicly bashing a product with absolutely no hard data to support your statements.
My apologies to Bustadouglass for the tangent.