Lengthening Lower Suspension arms (only 10mm)

[Allister S]

Hey,

Wondering if anyone has knowledge/guidance/warnings when trying to lengthen suspension arms.

I'm specifically looking to add 8-12mm to the length of my AE82 front lower suspension arms.

I just need the knuckle to move out this much so I can either find a longer ball joint that bolts on the arm (no luck so far) or weld metal (plate/sheetmetal) to the arm and redrill the ball joint mounting holes 8-12mm further out?

Anyone done this? It needs to be a strong fix as it's a GZE tarmac Rally car. I have been recommended Machine Part Welders in Penrose to do the job if welding is ok (+ heat treatment if required)
The other option is shortening driveshafts but is this expensive/weak in any way?

Thanks, Allister.

[Flannelman]

Go shortening the driveshafts. Removing materal and cutting a new spline is stronger than trying to weld and lenthen the arms

[RedMist]

Shorten the drive shafts. Just ensure the CV spline mates to the axle spline throughout the entire lenght of your travel.

[Allister S]

Any idea how much a engineering firm would charge for shortening the shafts just this 10mm I require (reasonable price I should expect)??

Anyone lengthened arms a small amount - I'm still interested as you get the track increase benifit as well.

Thanks, Allister.

[Bazda]

If you lengthen the bottom arms, dont you need longer driveshafts not shorter?

[THA SHZ]

do you know of anyone who will shorten the shafts and lengthen the splines ? seems noone wants to do it ?

[levinguy]

Beatty's driveshaft centre

[postfach]

Don't Heat Treatments do that sort of thing? That's what I was told waaaay back when I was wanting to get longer shafts made up.

[Stott69]

If you lengthen the bottom arms, dont you need longer driveshafts not shorter?

Hes asking which would be better/ cheaper. Id say welding and cutting the arms would be a expensive task due to the need for engineers reports n tests needed to pass compliance

[Bazda]

ok I re-read his initial post I know what he wants to do.

also there is no need to cut the arms to do this task. Its as easy as making an adapter spacer where the ball joint mount bolts to the suspension arm. You will have to have more caster by doing this as you only want to move it 8-10mm which means you can do it inline with the holes as they would end up oval.

As for shortening drive shafts for a gze, you can shorten them easily but you cant lengthen the spline as the shaft is smaller than the spline. cutting and welding drive shafts is prob not a good option.

[KinLoud]

I presume that your problem is fitting an E58? GZE LSD gearbox and driveshafts into the AE82?
Yes/No?
If yes then I guess you are telling us that the GZE driveshafts are too long so either:
A - move hub further out, OR
B - shorten driveshafts

I think B is shitty/fiddly

A - Do what Bazda says, make adapter spacer to go between lower arm and ball joint. Adapter bolts to lower arm, ball joint bolts into holes in adapter 10mm further out than factory.

Do not extend/weld lower arm - not worth risking fatigue cracks and premature failure, let alone trying to get a Cert/authority card for it.

Sounds like a great project. Good luck!

Ken

[THA SHZ]

I presume that your problem is fitting an E58? GZE LSD gearbox and driveshafts into the AE82?
Yes/No?

yeah ken you got it , trouble is fitting together with longer gze shafts to the e58 means when you go round corners the inner cv gets smashed , so need to rectify this , the original poster alister uses ae92 hubs so am going to try this first , failing that i want to know what else i can do to stop this .
Sorry for hijacking your thread alister

[wde_bdy]

Do not extend/weld lower arm - not worth risking fatigue cracks and premature failure, let alone trying to get a Cert/authority card for it.

Sounds like a great project. Good luck!

Ken

If it is not a cast arm (quick google indicates it's just pressed steel) then there should be no problem getting extended arms legal or having them crack if done properly, rest of the car will need cert anyway. If you are serious about it being a race car then I would look at using rod ends to make up adjustable arms in order to get the length you want.

Callum