Fab Control Arms

[StylerG]

Has anyone ever just cut the factory control arms, lenghtened and beefed them up a bit instead of buying new ones??? Mine are in really good shape and i like the rubber bushings would this be a good/inexpensive idea or any reason i should get this idea out of my head???

 

[XJEEPER]

Has anyone ever just cut the factory control arms, lenghtened and beefed them up a bit instead of buying new ones??? Mine are in really good shape and i like the rubber bushings would this be a good/inexpensive idea or any reason i should get this idea out of my head???

Yes, I did this several years ago and also built a few sets for some of the locals on a budget. You can do this easily be cutting them and inserting rectangle tube into the U-channel and then welding them up. I drilled holes in the sides of the U and plug welded a few spots on each side too...just for fun.
You can put also build them on with bend in them using this method, which helps clear the bottom of the shock mount plate when flexing.

Never heard of a failure in many Moab trips plus thousands of highway miles on any of the arms that I ghetto fabbed like this........but you need to know how to weld, be confident of your work because if an arm fails at speed on the freeway, most likely you will roll and perhaps died......dead.

Good luck, YMMV

 

[StylerG]

Sounds good, i wont be welding, but i know a guy that is going to try and fab up the 100.00 rear bumper for me (and try and get it to fit a little closer to the body) and just thought while he was at it, could he pump up my control arms so i could add some spacers and another leaf and take my 3" wimp to a 5" in no time and on hardly any budget (i need new shocks anyways). Could you send me any more info (drawings, diagrams, etc.) that you used???