Control arms How to

oldsmokey

oldsmokey

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Jun 28, 2007
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Has anyone built their own control arms. Ive got some spare time and thought I would build some to help center they axle. I was thinking probably about a half inch or so longer then stock. Can anyone confirm this? Also what should be used the each end? Johnny Joints, poly bushings? I have a stick of 1 1/2 dom tubing that is 1/4 walled that should be plenty correct. Thanks for any help
 
whenever i get around to building mine i'm going to use a johnny joint at the axle and a heim at the frame. i hope one heim will allow for some articulation. i think two johnnys won't flex very much. mine is just a lifted street truck,no off road.

your tubing size sounds plenty strong.
 
oldsmokey said:
Has anyone built their own control arms. Ive got some spare time and thought I would build some to help center they axle. I was thinking probably about a half inch or so longer then stock. Can anyone confirm this? Also what should be used the each end? Johnny Joints, poly bushings? I have a stick of 1 1/2 dom tubing that is 1/4 walled that should be plenty correct. Thanks for any help
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http://www.mark74.com/ram_modifications.htm

Check that link out.. Not mine, but I saved it to my favorites years ago..
 
i would think johnny joints would be good. they do have plenty of articulation as well. my friend used them on his rock crawler and they had plenty of flex, not to mention that they are rebuildable. that will be the route i go when its time to link it.

Garrett
 
If it's just a street truck I'd stick to polyurethane bushings. My skyjacker arms have them and they flex decent for what they are. I've got heims on other parts of my trucks and they are noisy and I get tired of changing/greasing them.
 
Yah I have hiems in my traction bars and there pretty noisy. Where is the best place to find poly bushings, and how wided to they need to be to fit the pocket?
 
73-8? chevy 1/2ton front leafspring bushings.any 4x4 shop should have them in poly. they just need a little trimming to make them narrow enugh to fit in the stock dodge mounts
 
I did some measuring on my 96 and the 2.63" ballistic joints would fit within the factory location. The actual size of the mounts are closer to 2.75" but if needed two thin washers could easily make up for the slack ( willing to bet the stock mounts have enough flex to overcome the .120" difference) I cant remember off the top of my head if the bolt size is 9/16 or 5/8. http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/263quot-Heavy-Duty-Ballistic-Joint_p_1226.html

Ballistic also sells a 2.63" rubber bushing that I have heard is pretty tough yet somewhat flexible.
 
I was just looking at the ballistic joints. Would I need them on both ends? I have seen some use ballistic or johnny joints at one end and poly bushings on the other. It would save a little money.
 
oldsmokey said:
I was just looking at the ballistic joints. Would I need them on both ends? I have seen some use ballistic or johnny joints at one end and poly bushings on the other. It would save a little money.
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I would personaly use the ballistics on the axle and the polys on the frame side. Honestly the polys all around would most likey work great. Unless. You want maximum flex just use the polys. Also I have no experience in how "quiet" the ballistics are but hopefully they are better then a normal heim joint.
 
I know Don Thuren uses the ballistics for his arms so Im sure they work great. My truck is a daily driver so Im not sure that I ballistics would be needed.
 
I am the one who started that thread and those arms are made by Comp D member DieselDork.I have ran them daily on the street and can attest to how well they are made and how much better the front of my truck handles.The Ballistic Joints on both ends are the only way to go in my opinion as they not only allow full articulation of the suspension but they eliminate any chance of the front end binding.They were some of the best money I spent on my truck and Mitchell did a fantastic job with them.

When I bought them I went with 1/2" longer arms to accomodate recentering the front axle due to the leveling kit which I had installed a few years ago.It was exactly what I needed and now I have no issues with tires rubbing on the inner fenderwells at all.I run a 315/75R16 on my truck and can turn lock to lock with no problems or rubbing.
 
RAMetcalf said:
I did some measuring on my 96 and the 2.63" ballistic joints would fit within the factory location. The actual size of the mounts are closer to 2.75" but if needed two thin washers could easily make up for the slack ( willing to bet the stock mounts have enough flex to overcome the .120" difference) I cant remember off the top of my head if the bolt size is 9/16 or 5/8. http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/263quot-Heavy-Duty-Ballistic-Joint_p_1226.html

Ballistic also sells a 2.63" rubber bushing that I have heard is pretty tough yet somewhat flexible.
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If you use Ballistic joints for the bottom arms the width will be ok 2.625" with a 16mm bolt hole which 5/8's should work .
Now if you are using Ballistic joints for the top arm they are to wide they come 2.63" wide you need 2.36" wide I just turn .135" off each side on the lathe to make them fit you also need the 9/16" bolt hole for the top . Here is a link to a set I just made .http://www.competitiondiesel.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51738&highlight=control+arms
 
I just finished installing these. . . http://www.somethingkustom.com/gallery/dodgearms/index.html We went to a radius arm type set-up. We used the Uni-Ball type for the rear mount and poly bushing on the axle. The Upper link for right now is a Heim and Poly. In my opinion, Heims are way to noisey. After installing these Radius arms and going for a drive, I cannot even believe it is the same truck. I am riding on about 10" of lift and this truck is solid.

I am also going to be making a matching set for the rear and either run Air Bags or Coil-Overs.
 
CrashCade said:
I just finished installing these. . . http://www.somethingkustom.com/gallery/dodgearms/index.html We went to a radius arm type set-up. We used the Uni-Ball type for the rear mount and poly bushing on the axle. The Upper link for right now is a Heim and Poly. In my opinion, Heims are way to noisey. After installing these Radius arms and going for a drive, I cannot even believe it is the same truck. I am riding on about 10" of lift and this truck is solid.

I am also going to be making a matching set for the rear and either run Air Bags or Coil-Overs.
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those are very nice. definitely a different design.

Garrett
 
I run a radius Y-link setup like that on one of my Jeeps, and it's amazing how smooth that thing rides.
 
All that work for something a rectangular tube could have done? Or I beam with punched holes?

It is original...and I am not knocking...but wow...lots of work.
 
BgBlDodge said:
If it's just a street truck I'd stick to polyurethane bushings. My skyjacker arms have them and they flex decent for what they are. I've got heims on other parts of my trucks and they are noisy and I get tired of changing/greasing them.
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BINGO!
 
cquestad said:
All that work for something a rectangular tube could have done? Or I beam with punched holes?

It is original...and I am not knocking...but wow...lots of work.
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Hey no offense taken. We did these because they are different and they are stonger than Rectangular Tube. We can do them out of rectangular tube, Round Tube... It doesn't matter, we just wanted to do a set like this to get the attention to help us start moving radius arm conversions for Dodge trucks.
 
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