Some opinions on VBP upper control arms

You can dial in more caster because the arms have more setback. They are quality arms a lot of people use them.
 
I have them

They seem alright

I don't think you can really notice new control arms
 
I was thinking of replacing them when I installed my front monosprin suspension. Opted to slot my OEM upper A arms for the increased caster ability.
 
I was thinking of replacing them when I installed my front monosprin suspension. Opted to slot my OEM upper A arms for the increased caster ability.

There you go, that's the NORVAL trick from other forums.....great thinking on his part.....honestly I dunno why even have the crescent piece/spacer in there either, a piece of bolt would work, really....just tap it in snug and be done...
or tack it in place ....

:beer::beer:
 
I have these sitting on my shelf ready to go on, when I finalize the car.

Anyway, the balljoints on those things are the chinese type BS parts. I ordered myself some moog's and they are going on as soon as I start to do the final.
 
I was thinking of replacing them when I installed my front monosprin suspension. Opted to slot my OEM upper A arms for the increased caster ability.

There you go, that's the NORVAL trick from other forums.....great thinking on his part.....honestly I dunno why even have the crescent piece/spacer in there either, a piece of bolt would work, really....just tap it in snug and be done...
or tack it in place ....

:beer::beer:

In order to increase your caster to 5 degrees from the nominal 2 1/2 degrees on a C3, you need to slot the holes 7/16" ( not 1/4" as some have said). If you slotted the crossshaft this much, you are off the mount pad and into the shaft. Not a good idea.
 
I have these sitting on my shelf ready to go on, when I finalize the car.

Anyway, the balljoints on those things are the chinese type BS parts. I ordered myself some moog's and they are going on as soon as I start to do the final.

I starting another thread....maybe want to tune in.....


:gurney::gurney::clobbered:
 
Some opinions on aftermarket parts.......

OH Jesus, here we GO again......

Last Sat am I noticed the squeeking of the urethane bushings had diminished, and sure enough after 15 years they had worn loose and the car has a slight pull to the right....not so bad as to destroy driving it...but very slight....

so recalling the change to urethane being harder riding, I decided to just go the rubber route....well, so to take the whole thing apart again....lovely...

so to O'Reilly auto parts...and get MOOG parts, and then they gal says we have X brand also....I say bring them all out....

I distinctly pull the MOOG our in my left hand, and right there in front of everyone pull out the X brand.....both boxes stamped MADE in Mexico, the bushings were I freeking Dentical in metal/finish/rubber/texture/appearance/smell/markings now the brand X as exactly 1/2 the price.....

the lowers were not stocked, I ordered them in each type, they come in and I find the same thing, I freeking Dentical......

so, I take the cheep ones and have over with it already....same shit, Hecho en Mexico...same plant.....

getting stupid anymore,


so question is.....is it easier to just go back with urethane and get over it already....I think they were energy suspension parts....so to save taking the whole damn thing apart, just remove the old shit and shove the new in place??? anyone???


nucking FUTZ these daze.....


:clobbered::clobbered::gurney::gurney::tomato:
 
I was thinking of replacing them when I installed my front monosprin suspension. Opted to slot my OEM upper A arms for the increased caster ability.

There you go, that's the NORVAL trick from other forums.....great thinking on his part.....honestly I dunno why even have the crescent piece/spacer in there either, a piece of bolt would work, really....just tap it in snug and be done...
or tack it in place ....

:beer::beer:

In order to increase your caster to 5 degrees from the nominal 2 1/2 degrees on a C3, you need to slot the holes 7/16" ( not 1/4" as some have said). If you slotted the crossshaft this much, you are off the mount pad and into the shaft. Not a good idea.


Hell, Dick Guldstrand used to put in a templete in his catalog for moving the upper control arm bolts to get the extra caster. He did that for years. Just give them a call. They are VERY helpful.:drink:
 
I hear these come with Moog these days

I have these sitting on my shelf ready to go on, when I finalize the car.

Anyway, the balljoints on those things are the chinese type BS parts. I ordered myself some moog's and they are going on as soon as I start to do the final.

That is what VBP says. Said thay switched back because of too many filure returns. Both may be Heche in Mexico but maybe the Moog has a better inspection process for product acceptance? Who knows?
 
I think this whole ball joint thing was a big stink over nothing! I have not seen a failure, or heard of one. However, one person started this avelange by claiming the balljoints were faulty and then a bunch of others piled up, all wanting new balljoints from VB&P.

It's all cause and effect, everyone wants a good deal but starts whining when they get crappy parts. And it's hypocrite too because people ARE consciously buying shitty shocks like KYB for example and claiming a set of quality bilsteins is too expensive.
 
I think this whole ball joint thing was a big stink over nothing! I have not seen a failure, or heard of one. However, one person started this avelange by claiming the balljoints were faulty and then a bunch of others piled up, all wanting new balljoints from VB&P.

It's all cause and effect, everyone wants a good deal but starts whining when they get crappy parts. And it's hypocrite too because people ARE consciously buying shitty shocks like KYB for example and claiming a set of quality bilsteins is too expensive.

When getting my car some 14 years ago, I ordered a ton of parts and among them were KYB shocks with the 360/460 plastic/coil springs.....the car rode with a huge improvement....about 2? years ago I finally paid out 300 bux for a set of their Bilsteins and it was VERY much better, gone was that bounce on the undulating bridges around here....

NOW, on the ball joints....I had a set of Moogs in the lowers and uppers for a long time, the uppers are still there, the lowers failed some 5-6 year ago, I noticed when doing the huge overhaul in 01-02 winter.....so in went a set from Auto zone McQuay Norris....I was disappointed but not pissed about the Moogs....well anyway, the 'new joints failed about 2? years ago, and so I went to take them back on the lifetime warrenty exchange, they handed me two new joints off the shelf outta the boxes, and I could NOT get them to fit the lower arm....LOOKED ok, like they should fit right in, but NO GO, neither one of them.....took them back, they gave me soem 45 bux back that I had paid back in 02 for them, and I went to NAPA, the joints were SO much better in the fit/finish/machine work it wasn't funny, they said they were either Moog or TRW, but didn't know which, as the box was NAPA and said made in USA....they fit fine.....still on the car....

so yes, there are crap parts out there in balljoint land.....I dunno a thing about VBP parts though.....I obtain as much as I can locally cause it's usually cheeper and I don't have to pay shipping which easily negates any savings, much less the time span.....

:trumpet:
 
I think you worry to much about it myself. Just buy the freak'n parts and put them in already :suicide:
 
I think this whole ball joint thing was a big stink over nothing! I have not seen a failure, or heard of one. However, one person started this avelange by claiming the balljoints were faulty and then a bunch of others piled up, all wanting new balljoints from VB&P.

It's all cause and effect, everyone wants a good deal but starts whining when they get crappy parts. And it's hypocrite too because people ARE consciously buying shitty shocks like KYB for example and claiming a set of quality bilsteins is too expensive.

:beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer:
 
I think this whole ball joint thing was a big stink over nothing! I have not seen a failure, or heard of one. However, one person started this avelange by claiming the balljoints were faulty and then a bunch of others piled up, all wanting new balljoints from VB&P.

It's all cause and effect, everyone wants a good deal but starts whining when they get crappy parts. And it's hypocrite too because people ARE consciously buying shitty shocks like KYB for example and claiming a set of quality bilsteins is too expensive.

Well i don't call a 330 $ + costs for a set of arms especially low price. In that price range I expect good ball joints. Besides the fact that the costs are about 50¨% of my parts, I still have my labour to consider. I don't like doing things twice.
 
330$ for a set of welded arms, not stamped. They need to cut all the sections, assemble the jig, weld it up, machine the cross shaft, have the parts powdercoated and then assemble the arms. Both sides...blah blah. 330 still sounds expensive? IMO it's dirt cheap. Considering what a set of moog joints cost, deduct that from the 330 and those arms are even cheaper than you thought.
 
330$ for a set of welded arms, not stamped. They need to cut all the sections, assemble the jig, weld it up, machine the cross shaft, have the parts powdercoated and then assemble the arms. Both sides...blah blah. 330 still sounds expensive? IMO it's dirt cheap. Considering what a set of moog joints cost, deduct that from the 330 and those arms are even cheaper than you thought.

I remember looking at a club member's car some 13+ years ago up on the lift, and wonder what that arm set....brought to the table for the over a grand he spent for it....

Vs say springs and shocks alone....

the largest enemy being unsprung weight??

:thumbs::fishing:
 
He must have had the dual moutn transverse leaf spring? There's some benefits to it, GM isn't a bunch of idiots, they use the dual mount (keyword!!) transverse for a reason. Too much typing so here's a section of text:

A good read:

fiberglass_spring.gif
 
OK you engineers, answer me this....IF the glass transverse springs are all that great as above....

why did GM to back to 4 corner coils on the C5-6 and then we getter better performance out of them??? what else is changed to do so much better they gave up the springs for???

please don't get toooo anal y tickle over it, as It too much of a mind blower.....

:hunter:
 
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