Tubular Upper Control Arms (http://www.speedwaymotors.com/xq/asp/strBase_List./hilt./source.2191/base_no.91034395/str_base_no.000%2DCATALOG+RACE%2C91034290%2C910343 00%2C91034364%2C91034371%2C91034380%2C91034386%2C9 1034393%2C91034395%2C91034397%2C91034410%2C9163430 9%2C91645470%2C91720002S%2C91720005S%2C91721003%2C 91721005%2C/header_title.Race+Products%2DA%2DFrames+%26+Struts/page_name.prod%5Flist%5Fdisplay%2Easp/search_type.L2%7E26/search_option./deptsearch./dept_id.L2%7E26/dept_id_p./dept_name./dept_name_p.Race+Products/ShowImages.yes/sq.0/cont.1/intPgNo.1/redirect./qx/product.htm)

Is there any reason why these couldn't be used with the longer B spindles and 11" or 12" rotors. Am I missing something?

they will work fine for a 5th gen only. Us guys with older models are stuck, the crossshafts are only offered in metric and stock car chassis configuration.

Does anybody know why there are so cheap compared to the control arms from Global West, Hotchkiss and others?

because it's not designed for touring street cars, its for race cars. Race car guys wont spend 400/pr for upper c.a. Also the GW arms and Hotchis arms dont need to cost 400, they do because people are willing to pay it, if stock car components or afco built arms that would fit early a-bodies or f bodies the GW market would be gone.

I don't know if you've ever been to a stock car race on a small dirt track. Those cars take much more of a beating than any street car will. I have pit teamed on dirt cars and if those tubular arms were less strong than the stock pressed steel arms the dirt car guys wouldn't bother with them. I know it doesn't have anything to do with strenght or reliability but I thought I was missing something else. Maybe the geometry of the arms won't allow for a proper street alignment? Does anybody know?

I'm sorry you missed my point, its not that arms are not strong enough, they will last no problem, alot of the guys on another forum I frequent more geared toward road racing are using stock car arms on the front end. The angles are fine, Its just that GW and Hotchkis have found a blot on market and they are taking full advantage of it. Todd over at Speedtech is building basically the same arm as GW and selling them for about 250/pair I beleive. Just somebody in the circle tired of seeing the big guys take advantage of a good idea.

At $250.00 a pair that's a lot better than $400.00+ but $42.95 is even better, adding a ball joint and two polyurethane bushings will bring the total to less than $200.00 a pair, ready to bolt in. All I need to do is find some taller B spindles.
And you're right about those tubular control arms from GW and Hotchkiss--they must be making a small fortune on each one they sell.

i have thought about this also but am at a loss as to which length arm i would need for the b-body spindle. anyone have any ideas? thanks for the info so far guys.

Well, we know that it has to be shorter. If someone has a set of GW or Hotchkiss arms maybe they could measure them.

9 5/15" from the center of the ball joint to the center of the cross shaft.

Is that the stock arm measurement? If it is then the 8 1/2" tubular arms should do the trick.

9 5/16 is the measurement of a Hotchkis arm

Oh. I wonder how much shorter it is then a stock arm?

It is unfortunate the market for the street arms is so expensive. It does not have to be. Talk about a market, someone make a street arm for under $100 and you can steal the market! The $42.95 arms you are looking at won't work on the street for several reasons: 1) they are not bushed, they are a solid arm and would literally beat you up on the street or cause other areas of your suspension/frame to fatigue and break, 2) they are available in various lengths because they are intended for circle track cars to create different front end geometry angles for racing in a circle. They can "lay" the inside tire down more and not the outside if they want.

Thanks for the heads-up.

those 42.95/ea arms WILL work. They are no different than GWin the bushing dept. Alum. inner and outer shells with a teflon inner race for pivot. True they will send a great deal more harshness to the frame but that is the trade-off.

What about the lenght? Are they available in the correct lenght to get the proper camber for the street?

They are available in a dozens lengths to "tune" your suspension. Best way to get correct arms would be to get the car setup with the original arms and measure to see how much you nedd to take out of the length. PITA but the most accurate way, or at 42/ea order a couple to play with and ebay the rest. :D