Adjustable upper arms

[Gordon]

Even although we are still in the early planning stages, I thought that I would start a thread detailing the fabrication of a set of adjustable upper suspension arms. The plan is to fabricate a tubular arm that will use standard Bedford upper ball joints and an adjustable joint with a rubber centre that will afix the arm to the cross member.

Managed to source the ball joints and 4 adjustable joints earlier today. Now the fun begins.

[vintageholden]

let me know how it goes..
make them shorter so we can fit big wheels on the front..

what size tube are you using..

[Gordon]

Still working on the tube diameter. We have a number of options and need to get the final nod from my Certiifier. All welding will need to be crack tested for certification purposes. I'll let you know once we have a final decision on tube size.

By bigger wheels do you mean bigger in diameter or wider ?

[vintageholden]

wider....I don't want flares have 7" wheels but they stick out...

[wendyh]

yeah were the same ..our 7inch stick out by a few mm...may have to put some rubber flares on front guards.

were also looking for some Tar Babies ..stainless mud flaps...cant seem to find them in any shops??
Anyone know of some old spare parts place that could some still in stock??

[Gordon]

wider....I don't want flares have 7" wheels but they stick out...

Vintage, to my way of thinking if you are going to use shorter springs and an adjustable upper suspension arm to lower your van you are going to end up in a situation where your track width will increase not decrease, albeit by a very small amount. The only way that you can reduce your track would be to move the lower ball joint further inwards on your lower suspension arm. That is exactly what I have done to my lower suspension arms and with the fitting of the Stubtech dropped spindles I should be able to fit an 8J rim inside a standard Bedford front guard. It is a major undertaking which not only includes the cost of the dropped spindles but also the engineering work and crack testing of the lower suspension arms.

[vintageholden]

that's why I was hoping to get tube control arms made shorter....
should do the same thing....

[Gordon]

We have settled on 1 inch diameter steel tube with a half inch wall thickness. Nice and meaty.

[Sundownernz]

Hey Gordon. Your steel tube sounds like a solid bar to me? 

See you Saturday.

Cheers,
Garry.

[Marishka]

Wow, that shouldnt bend

Yeah hang on?
That is a solid bar.