What do you folks make of this...mig'd control arm

[brightspark]

Yikes, I had no idea this thread was still active! Apologies if I wasn't terribly clear at the outset, the main focus of the post was purely to get opinions from more experienced folk on the control arm pic from the guy's S13 on DW.

The side issue which I probably shouldn't have just snuck in at the end of the post was regarding the knuckles. Firstly, I am not going to be modifying anything as previously stated, especially not with mig on cast; The suspension on my car is completely standard! I don't even like the idea of adding rack spacers (a very, very common mod) for fear of smashing the pinion. Generally speaking I am rather cautious with any sort of mods whilst the car is roadgoing.

There aren't many bolt on mods available for MX5s in this department as generally speaking they are not powerful enough for extra steering angle to be of use.



Of course, I will embarrass myself howsoever I please and have a lot of fun doing it, that is really none of your concern. People will perceive the sport however they will, but pomposity isn't something I will suffer gladly.

The main reason I (and most other) folk participate in drifting is purely for the cheap thrills. Some people like to go fast, others like to go sideways. Think what you like but for many it is the cheapest and most accessible form of casual motorsport (track opportunities from £30 per day). Don't knock it unless you've tried it is all i'm saying.

i used to go drifting in the gaffers van till sum git took the telephone number off the van and grassed me up for going round the roundabout 5 times sideways on full lock in the wet to impress my aprentice

 

[the snooper]

i used to go drifting in the gaffers van till sum git took the telephone number off the van and grassed me up for going round the roundabout 5 times sideways on full lock in the wet to impress my aprentice

get to the park if you wanna go round that many times on a roundabout

 

[justmental]

as to what was first posted if the weld was good i cant see a problem with it.
you have to take into consideration that most kitcar suspension arms are made and welded together.

and then it was said.

I am in need of some modified steering knuckles and my question would be is it ever acceptable to have welded mods on critical suspension components?

the stub axle units wheresmejumper has posted up if i was still testing i would not let them pass the mot.

 

[chevy2]

The problem is the people that make up the guidlines have probably never picked up a welder

In a similar vain the tech inspectors that check that a drag race chassis meets the rules are effectively checking them with one arm tied behind their back as any car can fail for incorrect tube size or tube layout but so long as each joint is fully welded they are unable to fail it on poor weld quality.

 

[KemppiFrog]

I know this is old. But the idea of grinding off welds to make them look acceptable makes me cringe... I spent a spell with aircraft and grinding welds was a no-no. It affects the stress lines and is a potential crack starter.

Meanwhile... I happily extended my lower arms on the mini (forged) to give it neg camber. But that was ages ago. Nowadays, not worried about my skills, just the potential liabilities.

 

[secretsmoker]

i used to go drifting in the gaffers van till sum git took the telephone number off the van and grassed me up for going round the roundabout 5 times sideways on full lock in the wet to impress my aprentice

Haha that sounds familiar! Not my proudest moments but I first discovered going sideways when I was a lowly pizza boy in the little Suzuki van owned by one of the leading purveyors of junk food. That thing took some abuse until we forgot to put oil in it, after it had a new motor my friend was on a particularly vengeful late night run whilst annoyed at the owner and 'forgot' to brake for several massive speed bumps at around 50mph. Needless to say the franchise owner wasn't about to fix the suspension after the new engine so it got scrapped and everyone had to make do with the Honda 50s after that! We weren't popular at that place. Then they fired almost everyone a few years later and hired eastern Europeans in our place. The place probably ran like clockwork after that and had a full quota of icecream at every stocktake Haha.

 

[secretsmoker]

the stub axle units wheresmejumper has posted up if i was still testing i would not let them pass the mot.

I suspected as much! Even the more professional examples I have seen pics of have ripples easily visible so I have no idea where these folk are getting their tests done! Can't think many people are going to go to the trouble of swapping knuckles for the test in addition to all those decat pipes and cabletied bodywork.

 

[BrokenBiker]

I suspected as much! Even the more professional examples I have seen pics of have ripples easily visible so I have no idea where these folk are getting their tests done! Can't think many people are going to go to the trouble of swapping knuckles for the test in addition to all those decat pipes and cabletied bodywork.

you might be surprised how many MOT tester will give a 'lenient pass' for the right reward...my father once took his x -type jag to a newly opened garage in Newport for an mot, and it failed on front discs and a rear hose.

he was given the option of £180 quid repair and pass, or £60 quid no questions asked and take it away quickly...

he did take it away quickly, but to have it sorted and re-tested. the police had a field day with that guy apparently

 

[langy]

as to what was first posted if the weld was good i cant see a problem with it.
you have to take into consideration that most kitcar suspension arms are made and welded together.

and then it was said.

I am in need of some modified steering knuckles and my question would be is it ever acceptable to have welded mods on critical suspension components?

the stub axle units wheresmejumper has posted up if i was still testing i would not let them pass the mot.

But kit cars have to be submitted for a BIVA test