Modifying Currie control arms to double adjustable

[JMT]

I thought I laid that out in the first post...I figure I could sell em for 7-800 dollars. New ones are about 1300 but the time they are shipped, so that's a 5-600 dollar cost differential. I can buy the housings and jam nuts for less than 200, taxes and shipping included. A tap, if needed, is about 65 bucks. I won't bugger one up. It's not difficult to do what I'm proposing

Are you trying to get a whole set of DA or just the lowers? Your first post seems to be dealing only with the lowers, so selling just the lowers and buying a set of DA lowers was my thinking. Also, someone mentioned you'd need a tap that might cost $200 bucks rather than $65. Just doing different math. Selling just the lowers for ~$450 and buying new for ~$650 was my thinking.

 

[sourbluff]

Currie (x2) = $846 https://www.rockjock4x4.com/CE-9106...ar-Lower-Johnny-Joint-Adjustable-Control-Arms

Savvy (x2) = $738 ($800 shipped) https://savvyoffroad.com/product/ce-9106sa/

Get $400 for Currie and are in $400 to upgrade. Plus you could do front and rear at diff times to spread cost if need to. I’ve definitely considered it.

 

[eastbloc]

WAT ?! Wrench flats, and grumpy old twat did not drop another set of rotors on his foot?! Playing with fire here guys.

 

[jjvw]

I was thinking more along the lines of tightening the jam nuts. I'm sure it can be done simply with a pipe wrench or something once they have been dragged over a few rocks and the finish is gone, but it's difficult to hold them and not burr them all up when they are shiny.

There's no need to put a wrench or a pliers on the arm when tightening the jam nuts. Just roll the entire arm over to bind on the control arm mounts.

 

[Mike_H]

Are you trying to get a whole set of DA or just the lowers? Your first post seems to be dealing only with the lowers, so selling just the lowers and buying a set of DA lowers was my thinking. Also, someone mentioned you'd need a tap that might cost $200 bucks rather than $65. Just doing different math. Selling just the lowers for ~$450 and buying new for ~$650 was my thinking.

Its just my lowers. I don't think the marketability of lowers only is there to support 450 dollars...Savvy double adjustable lowers are 369 a pair, so 738 total + tax and shipping. Besides, I like making things.

 

[mrblaine]

WAT ?! Wrench flats, and grumpy old twat did drop another set of rotors on his foot?! Playing with fire here guys.

Fuck off

 

[JMT]

Besides, I like making things.

I know, sorry I'm being Mr Trouble.

 

[Mike_H]

I have an offer in to a seller on Ebay for an old (which in the world of taps, usually means MUCH higher quality than anything made now), lightly used LH Plug Tap and I placed my order for (4) Rod ends and (4) Jam nuts. I'll pull the guts from my fixed barrels on the control arms and use them on the new Rod ends...they were brand new a couple years ago, so no reason to buy complete Johnny Joints.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Seems like in my days of watching the 4x4 shows on Spike TV they were using tube that was larger than the threads and welding bungs into either end to provide the threads. Is that not how these are made? I've never cut into one or looked one bit into fabbing my own so I know nothing about the ID of the tube vs the OD of the joint housing threads.

 

[mrblaine]

Seems like in my days of watching the 4x4 shows on Spike TV they were using tube that was larger than the threads and welding bungs into either end to provide the threads. Is that not how these are made? I've never cut into one or looked one bit into fabbing my own so I know nothing about the ID of the tube vs the OD of the joint housing threads.

That's how you make arms when you don't have the horsepower and tooling to bore and tap. Weld in threaded bungs and tube of a correct ID. Also how you make arms when the design predicts a lighter weight arm than boring out smaller ID tube or solid.

I'd done a lot of 1 3/4" x .188 wall lower control arms back when I could get heat treated 4130. Lighter, stronger, very easy to make. That leaves an ID of 1.375 for a 1.25" threaded shank which they made matching bungs for. You can make an arm that is DA in less time than you can thread one end. Cut to length, bevel, weld it up. Throw a tap in a drill, clean up the threads, run it.

 

[Mike_H]

Seems like in my days of watching the 4x4 shows on Spike TV they were using tube that was larger than the threads and welding bungs into either end to provide the threads. Is that not how these are made? I've never cut into one or looked one bit into fabbing my own so I know nothing about the ID of the tube vs the OD of the joint housing threads.

They are heavy wall DOM tubing, drilled to the proper diameter and then threaded. They are only threaded about 3" in. Savvy used solid aluminum, I believe.

The welded bungs exist for those who don't want to try and cut threads... Lots of guys just have a welder and a cutoff wheel. The bungs make it possible to create your own arms without a lathe.

 

[mrblaine]

Savvy used solid aluminum, I believe.

Yes, because that is the cheapest version of 7075 T-6 commonly available. Tube is horridly expensive in the high strength alloys.

 

[Trevlaw]

If you haven't seen Abom before, he's worth a watch. Skip to about 28:00 to see him start the drilling and tapping process, about 39:00 just to see him tap it. Once you get the threads started straight with a center in the back of the tap, you could use this method of power tapping. Probably easier than spinning by hand, especially if whatever lathe you use doesn't have a locking brake.

Use plenty of lube, might grab a small bottle of Castrol Moly-D. Shits awesome for tapping steel and stainless, really spendy though.

 

[Trevlaw]

Got bored today. Mike you really don't need anything too special to get this done. Could even do it on a decent drill press if you can fixture it up with an angle plate.

Here's a 13/16" drill with a 3/8" pilot and a 7/8"-14 tap on a belt driven press with a whopping 1hp and a 2MT spindle.

 

[Mike_H]

Got bored today. Mike you really don't need anything too special to get this done. Could even do it on a decent drill press if you can fixture it up with an angle plate.

Here's a 13/16" drill with a 3/8" pilot and a 7/8"-14 tap on a belt driven press with a whopping 1hp and a 2MT spindle.

Yeah, I'm not expecting to fight it too much. I'll probably use the lathe, but I have a bridgeport at my disposal too.

 

[Mike_H]

Got my tap today. Used, $12.50 shipped from eBay. J.M. Carpenter? It's old, and looks perfect.

 

[Mike_H]

The last pieces of the puzzle...

I always forget how big these joints are...

Now, I'm going to wait a bit to actually perform the modification. Got other things to focus on.

 

[Mike_H]

Well, I tried to get this done today (on my rear arms, anyway). Had one of my guys cut the fixed ends off.

When we tried to tap the tubing...the tap wouldn't start. Too dull and not enough taper. McMaster to the rescue, I have a 78 dollar (inc tax and shipping) tap on its way. Hope that gets it...Or I'll be buying some aluminum bar stock!

 

[Trevlaw]

Well, I tried to get this done today (on my rear arms, anyway). Had one of my guys cut the fixed ends off.

View attachment 319836

When we tried to tap the tubing...the tap wouldn't start. Too dull and not enough taper. McMaster to the rescue, I have a 78 dollar (inc tax and shipping) tap on its way. Hope that gets it...Or I'll be buying some aluminum bar stock!

What size was the ID on your tubing?

 

[Gollywomper]

I was going to make my own but found a place to order them from. I paid $159 for all 4 lowers and 2 uppers threaded and shipped ( already have rear savvy uppers). They are 6061 t6 aluminum. I could not buy the material and taps for that price. I just need to order the joints now.