Front A-arm rebuild / Maybe the frame is bent? (2024)

Waldo said:

Thanks for the info I live in riverside anyone know of a good shop that could help me out also if anyone has a Sandwinder and could give me some measurements of there a arms I would greatly appreciate it

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get it to Billy Ruff. sandrail manufacturing i think is the shop name.

Baja shop is in riverside, he will make it right

also buck goodrich fab he is in high desert now

Ed @ SU Sand Cars or Justin @ SCU can do it too

The bolt is cut because it was loose. The spherical bearing, bolt and spindle should all stay stationary relative to each other. Always “nut and bolt” your car, especially after working on suspension parts. These things see a lot of abuse and chit works loose.

When you’re measuring the arms, are you measuring to the end of the bung or to the eyelet? Measurement should be to the bung, not the eyelet. Could just be an adjustment or incorrect heims on the new arm.

And yeah, wider angle on the pics please. Walk us through it :biggrin:

Rockwood said:

The bolt is cut because it was loose. The spherical bearing, bolt and spindle should all stay stationary relative to each other. Always “nut and bolt” your car, especially after working on suspension parts. These things see a lot of abuse and chit works loose.

When you’re measuring the arms, are you measuring to the end of the bung or to the eyelet? Measurement should be to the bung, not the eyelet. Could just be an adjustment or incorrect heims on the new arm.

And yeah, wider angle on the pics please. Walk us through it :biggrin:

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The mounting point on the frame could also be a bushing. In that case you will need to measure center of bushing to end of bung. Again, easier to help with better pics.

Whatever, but having a arms 3" longer on one side than the other will not be a fix for a frame bent to one side. IMO someone just mis-read the tape measure. But it would certainly create a drivability/ handling issue.

When you replace that bolt you also need to use a bolt with a shank that is long enough to get through all of the holes. If the threads of bolt are in contact with the pivot point it acts like a saw on both the hole and the bolt making everything loose. A loose bolt can cause this as well, but the wrong bolt can cause it even if it's tight.

I would agree with the other comments that it needs a complete look by a reputable shop. I'm guessing by the looks of things it's not something you are going to fix yourself in your garage. There are some on here who could do that but, based on the pics and the questions you're asking I'm making that assumption. No disrespect intended.

There are a lot of people (buggy builders included) that really have no engineering background and don't take into account all of the factors that surround good front suspension geometry. I see so many buggy out there that have horrible geometry from kingpin inclination issues to, bump steer, and ackerman angles that cause the car to push badly in turns.

Im looking at the pics and what i see is first pic is upper and lower measurements from bulkhead to spindle and second pic is from spindle back to rear mount on frame. Not right and left side.

Got 4130?

Sausage450r said:

Theres all sorts of effed up going on. Get that car to a reputable shop and have it gone through. It’s still really hard to imagine with all these zoomed in photos. That bolt could be from being loose, too small dia for mount tabs, etc. upper/lower not same length is not anything substantial, but left and right being 3” different is odd. Are there any heim spacers in that spindle? Have you cycled at full lock left/right (steering). Looks like spindle is binding on lower arm from the damage in last pic

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Thank you all for your input but l know when it’s time to take it to the pros and have them do it right. I would have loved to figure it out myself but it m not that knowledgeable in the geometry and ankerman theory to fill confident that it’s the best it could be. I will definitely post what shop and what they find when it’s done thanks again everyone

networkalignment said:

I have a sand winder 5 seat car. Let me know what measurements you need and I can go out and measure it. I put new spindles on the front a few years ago but still used the original arms and geometry

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Did you buy the exact same spindles and if you did where did you get them. But if you didn’t get the same ones where did you find spindles that would work with your current a arms

I had a fabricator build them for me. Went to bigger front tires broke the left front and went to 2 inch. I think I have the old ones in my shop somewhere (had the left front fixed to finish the season) if you think they might help you. I'm in phoenix.

So I’ve been lucky enough to have spent 21 days in Glamis since the start of the season and I have been extremely happy with the work done by the guys over at “The Baja Shop” I haven’t had any issues with my arms and I’ve driven the car hard well I like to think that I go fast through the dunes but anyways thanks for the quality work and the great customer service to the guys at the Baja Shop

That's Good to hear........

Waldo said:

So I’ve been lucky enough to have spent 21 days in Glamis since the start of the season and I have been extremely happy with the work done by the guys over at “The Baja Shop” I haven’t had any issues with my arms and I’ve driven the car hard well I like to think that I go fast through the dunes but anyways thanks for the quality work and the great customer service to the guys at the Baja Shop

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Baja shop are top notch fabricators, been in business for decades