Spherical Front TCAB Interest?

[Italianjoe1]

I wonder if Mevotech and Moog might give you a bulk discount for ordering in a larger quantity.

Italian, do you manufacture the steel spacer in house or do you order them premade?

Also this kind of future proofs the arms right? Just press out the old bushing when it wears and just press in a new one.

I don't have any Cobalt LCA's laying around anymore, tossed em. After I sold my last SS/TC I kinda did a purge of all things Cobalt :\ after owning a Cobalt of one sort or another continuously from 2008-2016 I was kinda over it.

They look physically smaller though when I was under my sonic the other day. The spread between the TCAB and FCAB especially looks a lot smaller on the Sonic.



NDarkling - I have you marked down.

I'll let italianjoe answer more, but I consider this a future proof for sure. If you have the custom made spacers, especially since we're using a off-the-shelf spherical, you could press in new sphericals for the life of the car AND repace ball joints if needed. Unless you slammed the thing into a curb or something would you risk that.

Pricing on rockauto is just a little over cost, I doubt there's much margin in just buying a couple sets. If I was gonna buy 1000 maybe I could get them cheaper lol.

I make all the stuff myself, I used to work in a small machine shop that does mostly custom marine work, I can still go by there and use the equipment if i'm not in the way, the owner is a cool guy. I tried to find the small spacers for the bolt pre-made, but I couldn't find anything solid and didn't want a stack of washers, so I made those on the lathe too.

Yes, in the future you could just press out the bushing and replace it, but I've never seen one of those spherical bushings fail. They will probably outlast the rest of the car. If you crashed the car and needed to replace the control arm, you could still press out the sleeve and bushing and put it into the new arm, unless there was some really crazy damage. If it was that bad the car would probably be totaled anyway.

No way the Cobalt arms fit, they are much larger all around.

 

[skurtov]

I'm tentatively down. I'm kind of a broke college student right now. But if this looking out months from now I should be okay

 

[Gimpster]

I guess that is a good question. Italianjoe... lets say we do get to 5 firm orders, what do you think the turn around time on the project is going to be?

If we're hung at 4 FIRM orders, I might be willing to buy two sets just to get-r-done and sell the extra pair as I can. Might help someone like skurtov who doesn't have the cash RIGHT now. I just hate to see this slip away

 

[Gimpster]

I think we have a 5th now, but hes on the FB group... not sure if you are on it:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Gam...=1933064710286030&comment_tracking={"tn":"R"}

worst case, like i said, I will buy the 5th set and broker it to him (or someone) @ cost.

 

[Blue Moon Sonic]

Just as a heads up, the bolts for the control arms are stretch bolts and should be used only 1 time.

Here's the procedure:
Chevrolet Sonic Repair Manual: Lower Control Arm Replacement - Suspension - Chassis

 

[sw2low]

Zinc coated spherical joints are specifically for aluminum arms. Unnecessary for us i believe.

Anybody actually driven on a set of these. Italianjoe sold his first pair.
There is a slight increase in NVH. Mostly on decent size cracks and such. Little harsher but liveable. The difference is like having your tires overinflated.

-RuD

 

[Italianjoe1]

Well since this looks like it's actually gaining traction, here's what I'll do. I go away for work training in a week, from Nov 6-8. When I get back I'll order arms/joints, and plan on a day to spend at the shop making them fit together. With any luck, i'll have them ready in the week or two following that (I work 6 days a week at the moment but i'll do my best). If we only have 4, I can keep the 5th set for my car if they don't sell, or let them go if someone is ready.

 

[Gimpster]

Daily drove them on a several Cobalts. I didn’t notice much additional NVH, but to be fair... the Cobalts interior materials and build quality was pretty much ass compared to the Sonic. So who knows

Zinc coated spherical joints are specifically for aluminum arms. Unnecessary for us i believe.

Anybody actually driven on a set of these. Italianjoe sold his first pair.
There is a slight increase in NVH. Mostly on decent size cracks and such. Little harsher but liveable. The difference is like having your tires overinflated.

-RuD

Thanks Italianjoe!!!!!! Just send PM or whatever if you need any funds from us to get parts ordered.

:banana:

 

[ScarabEpic22]

I agree, if you want a deposit up front just start PM'ing and happy to send PayPal to get this rolling.

 

[NDarkling]

updates?

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[Italianjoe1]

updates?

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Got back late last night, have to run out tonight, I'll get them ordered by the weekend though. I work the following Saturday, so it will probably be the week after that before I have a day to make all the spacers and such. I'll get on it though.

Does anyone want to pursue the different balljoint route? I see AC Delco ones have grease fittings, I could order and install them also for $60/pair, so if you wanted them, you get them already on the arms and ready to bolt to the car. LMK asap, I'll place the order tomorrow.

 

[NDarkling]

Got back late last night, have to run out tonight, I'll get them ordered by the weekend though. I work the following Saturday, so it will probably be the week after that before I have a day to make all the spacers and such. I'll get on it though.

yeah im ready to rock here. did we have enough interest?

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[Gimpster]

I'd be willing to upgrade ball joints on mine. I already have greasable tie rod ends, and sway bar end links... might as well round it out.

and yeah, I think we have just enough people to get this run done. Basically 4 solids, and italianjoe was going to keep one set for himself as I recall. Either way I'm pretty sure we can get that last set sold.

Got back late last night, have to run out tonight, I'll get them ordered by the weekend though. I work the following Saturday, so it will probably be the week after that before I have a day to make all the spacers and such. I'll get on it though.

Does anyone want to pursue the different balljoint route? I see AC Delco ones have grease fittings, I could order and install them also for $60/pair, so if you wanted them, you get them already on the arms and ready to bolt to the car. LMK asap, I'll place the order tomorrow.

 

[ScarabEpic22]

Just saw the updates, I dont need upgraded ball joints. If they fail, I'll swap them out at a later date. Would rather get this up and going first!

 

[Italianjoe1]

The ball joints was only because someone mentioned it, I don't see the need to upgrade but I'll order a set for Gimpster anyway. Everybody else, the arms are ordered, if you want to change them I can always get the ball joints before I make the spacers, or after, doesn't really matter. It's a simple thing to cut the rivets off and bolt on the ball joints when the arms are new and out of the car, that's why i'm just adding the cost of the parts to install them if wanted.

Everything is ordered, I'll keep you guys in the loop as to when I'm supposed to receive them, probably won't have a good day off to attack this project until 2 weeks from today, as next Saturday is my scheduled working Saturday. Today I was off but I went in to work on an engine replacement i'm doing and put a set of lowering springs in a customers C63.

 

[Blue Moon Sonic]

I also mentioned serviceable ball joints. Haven't really been on here in the last few days because I'm in the middle of replacing the transmission.

 

[Italianjoe1]

Looks like i get the arms/bushings Thursday, and the ball joints on next week Tuesday. I may head up to the shop after work Friday or Saturday, but I need to spend a couple hours there and I won't really have time, so I'm planning on next week Saturday when I don't have to work.

 

[NDarkling]

Got back late last night, have to run out tonight, I'll get them ordered by the weekend though. I work the following Saturday, so it will probably be the week after that before I have a day to make all the spacers and such. I'll get on it though.

Does anyone want to pursue the different balljoint route? I see AC Delco ones have grease fittings, I could order and install them also for $60/pair, so if you wanted them, you get them already on the arms and ready to bolt to the car. LMK asap, I'll place the order tomorrow.

id like those delcos, or at least the part # lol

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[Italianjoe1]

id like those delcos, or at least the part # lol

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2013 CHEVROLET SONIC 1.4L L4 Turbocharged Ball Joint | RockAuto

They are actually cheaper right now than when I ordered them

 

[NDarkling]

2013 CHEVROLET SONIC 1.4L L4 Turbocharged Ball Joint | RockAuto

They are actually cheaper right now than when I ordered them

so id save $20ish by just order them myself, since they are a simple bolt in affair?

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