# Why Extend A-Arms



## chairmnofthboard (Oct 22, 2007)

Everyone I've asked gave me different answers. I never extended mine and never had a problem.

So why extend?


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## 509Rider (Oct 20, 2003)

Take stress off of balljoints, mainly. There is a few other advantages but it depends on your setup.


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## Pepper (Jul 20, 2006)

yep. main reason is to take stress off of the upper control arm....specially if ya hoppin. your probably fine if your not hoppin....if you dont mind bowing dwn istead of bulldoggin. :biggrin:


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## chairmnofthboard (Oct 22, 2007)

What I would do was run a bump stop and change the ball joint angle. Never changed the ball joints once.

But I would ask out of curiosity, and I would get a different reason every time. The ball joint was the only reason I seen to extend. But changing angle was better and It wouldn't have positive camber.


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## Pepper (Jul 20, 2006)

how did you change the angle? cut and weld?


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## LFTED84 (Jan 6, 2007)

when I got my car lifted they said extended A-Arms not only take stress off the ball joint but it will make your car hop better but I seen people hop like a mo fo with out have to extend


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## chairmnofthboard (Oct 22, 2007)

> _Originally posted by Pepper_@Nov 9 2007, 08:47 PM~9194733
> *how did you change the angle?  cut and weld?
> *


You could do that. Or just fab new arms. I just hate the way cars handle with positive camber. I needed an alternative solution. Worked great, no metal slamming sound either.


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## six trey impala (Sep 4, 2006)

the tires butterfly(bow in) when the cars locked up in the front and dont look so good..


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## 1 lowfukn ram (Oct 24, 2007)

this is how u change ur angle of the ball joint http://streetsource.com/forum/topic.aspx?m...&M=False&S=True


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## chairmnofthboard (Oct 22, 2007)

> _Originally posted by six trey impala_@Nov 9 2007, 08:57 PM~9194795
> *the tires butterfly(bow in) when the cars locked up in the front and dont look so good..
> *


true, but you spend most of your time at mid level or lowered.


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## chairmnofthboard (Oct 22, 2007)

> _Originally posted by 1 lowfukn ram_@Nov 9 2007, 08:58 PM~9194800
> *this is how u change ur angle of the ball joint  http://streetsource.com/forum/topic.aspx?m...&M=False&S=True
> *


pretty much


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## NY-BOSSMAN (Jul 15, 2006)

the shit looks badass and it also gives added suspension travel for the hoppers


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## SoLo 6T4 (Jan 28, 2006)

> _Originally posted by chairmnofthboard_@Nov 9 2007, 08:15 PM~9194509
> *Everyone I've asked gave me different answers. I never extended mine and never had a problem.
> 
> So why extend?
> *


travel=inches .....its hard to have the best of both worlds....on the cutty.. i have impy uppers exten 1 1/2..dropped cups and runnin 1/4 turn off full stacks...bulldogs hard...tires burn up quick...but 2" from bumper..for now...lol.so its a trade off..hope it helps


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## chairmnofthboard (Oct 22, 2007)

> _Originally posted by SoLo 6T4_@Nov 10 2007, 09:12 PM~9200569
> *travel=inches .....its hard to have the best of both worlds....on the cutty.. i have impy uppers exten 1 1/2..dropped cups and runnin 1/4 turn off full stacks...bulldogs hard...tires burn up quick...but 2" from bumper..for now...lol.so its a trade off..hope it helps
> *


travel does give you inches. but if you only extend the upper control arm, you don't gain travel. you need to extend both upper and lower to gain travel. Like a long travel desert truck.


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## SoLo 6T4 (Jan 28, 2006)

> _Originally posted by chairmnofthboard_@Nov 10 2007, 09:28 PM~9200675
> *travel does give you inches. but if you only extend the upper control arm, you don't gain travel. you need to extend both upper and lower to gain travel. Like a long travel desert truck.
> *



..the upper a arms are what restricts the limit of travel..the lowers can fold under if needed...with stock or just reinforced stocks..u cant get the full extention ..


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## chairmnofthboard (Oct 22, 2007)

I see, If extended in the CORRECT place is will give you more travel.

My thoughts were extend both upper and lower control arms.

Here's my diagram.


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## SoLo 6T4 (Jan 28, 2006)

that would stop the bulldoggin...but how would it effect the travel and or strenth????..damn bro now u maken my head hurt...lmao


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## chairmnofthboard (Oct 22, 2007)

> _Originally posted by SoLo 6T4_@Nov 10 2007, 11:10 PM~9201214
> *that would stop the bulldoggin...but how would it effect the travel and or strenth????..damn bro now u maken my head hurt...lmao
> *


If a desert truck at 140 mph, hitting nothing but dips & jumps can use it, so can a Buick :biggrin:


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## SoLo 6T4 (Jan 28, 2006)

heard dat....i guess the only way to find out is to try it...might have to b my next project fo max hight...lol


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## Unity_Jon (Oct 9, 2002)

by extending the upper and lowers you effectively give the car more lift before the wheel leaves the ground as the wheel will travel in a longer arc, what you really need to do is improve the angle of the coil spring, regardless of the length of the arms so all its energy is used to push the car upwards and not at angle, If you could resitrict the movement of the lower arm so that it stopped when the base of the coil is horizontal with the ground then all the pressure would be used to force the car straight up 

or something...

I'm no hopper and i've had a few, so excuse me if i'm talking crap.


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## six trey impala (Sep 4, 2006)

ya the bulldog look is badass when u extend them...


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## SoLo 6T4 (Jan 28, 2006)

i waz hoppin ine this afternoon..and the 1 thing that i could see as a problem would be that i dont think with the lowers extended...the tires might not clear the quarter pannels....


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## chairmnofthboard (Oct 22, 2007)

quaterpanels??? you mean fenders?

if you are clearing with extended uppers, that force the top out, then you should clear with extended lowers that push the top in. Or so logic would say, but doesn't always work as planned :biggrin:


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## RUBYRED84 (Oct 9, 2007)

MAKE ME SOME UPPERS WHEN THEY ARE DONE ILL SEND THE $ YOU SEND THE UPPERS. SOUND GOOD?


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## chairmnofthboard (Oct 22, 2007)

> _Originally posted by SINGLEPUMPCHUMP_@Nov 11 2007, 03:24 PM~9204583
> *MAKE ME SOME UPPERS WHEN THEY ARE DONE ILL SEND THE $ YOU SEND THE UPPERS. SOUND GOOD?
> *


Sounds good, You know I'll hook you up. I got a set of factory arms coming in this week for measurements.


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## azmobn06 (Nov 8, 2005)

> _Originally posted by chairmnofthboard_@Nov 10 2007, 10:24 PM~9200947
> *I see, If extended in the CORRECT place is will give you more travel.
> 
> My thoughts were extend both upper and lower control arms.
> ...


Im no expert, but if you extend both upper/lower arms, wouldn't it just give it the front wheel drive effect? As in the whole wheel stick out? Wouldnt look good with the wheels sticking out up front and the back wheels at the normal position  :dunno: :dunno:


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## Juiced84buickregal (Apr 3, 2009)

Im thinkin of extending my a arms in my 84 regal i got a set of stock uppers an lowers out of a regal...now i dont know how much to extend them? or if i should angel an extend what u guys think? is 2" extension to much ? i live in surrey bc canada u think cops an dot would have a problem with 2 inches ?


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## Silentdawg (Jul 19, 2005)

a lil bulldog look is ok, but I see many car with way way overextendet arms, doesnt that counteract the purpose of relieving stress on the ball joint?


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## Silentdawg (Jul 19, 2005)

kinda like this


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## AndrewH (Dec 12, 2002)

No one knows why. I've seen the reason change alot over the last decade. You see the fad now is to have way too much..

I do it cuz positive camber when dropped looks better that negative camber when raised. 1/2 5/8.

People say it releives stress,but that doesnt mean anything to me,until I get some numbers. I know how far my balljoints can go, and how strong they are at those angles. The angle when the suspension is compressed is just as much of an issue as when its raised,if not more. The more your lengthen the upper arm outwards, the worse the angle will be when the car comes down.


If it helps the hop, its by storing energy in the tires when the car lands, since theres not alot of camber change the soak up the arc of the lower arm. (the bottom of the tire goes outward when the car lands)


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## kromatized (Nov 13, 2002)

So what's the best extension on a 60's Impala, 1 inch?

And when do the wheels ride straight when the car is locked up, mid level or low?

Thanks...


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## Juiced84buickregal (Apr 3, 2009)

so what would u suggest i dont wanna i never done a arms before an my buddy is about to do mine extend an reenforce the uppers as well as lowers so what would be best on my 84 regal ? people say 1.5 ? is that good? i like the bull dog look but dont wanna get the cops or dot on my ass ?


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## kustom_caddi88 (May 17, 2008)

i got 1 1/4 extension and mine bull dogs a lil n ppl say i went to far...as for a hop wise i think it helpd alot cuz my car never used to hop now it does...but ive heard plenty of reasons to extend the uppers the 2 main iv heard is to help out wit the spring to str8n the wheel out when ur hoppin n realeven the ball joint stress


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## Juiced84buickregal (Apr 3, 2009)

so would u say 1.5 is ok to do ? i dont wanna hit fenders either that wouldnt be good but i do wanna hop an i do like the bull dog look so wat would u say guys ?


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## Juiced84buickregal (Apr 3, 2009)

that looks cool how much u think those are extended ?


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## Juiced84buickregal (Apr 3, 2009)

also how he got so much lift it looks like in the front i got 8inch cylinders in front an ima extend my a arms 1.5 will that give me more lock up cuz my a arms sit on frame railz now that mean i cant go any higher is there anyway to get more lift ?


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## parts7790 (Aug 11, 2006)

Seems to also be a trend to be riding locked up high like a 4x4. Might as well throw some 26's on it if your riding like. Thats not a Lowrider

Just my humble opinion :ugh:


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## parts7790 (Aug 11, 2006)

> _Originally posted by azmobn06_@Nov 11 2007, 08:55 PM~9206241
> *Im no expert, but if you extend both upper/lower arms, wouldn't it just give it the front wheel drive effect? As in the whole wheel stick out? Wouldnt look good with the wheels sticking out up front and the back wheels at the normal position   :dunno:  :dunno:
> *


I think if hoppers dont have a problem with smashed and or lack of bumpers, grills, headerpanels, smased fenders and quarter panels broken or missing lights, windows and interior. I doubt having front wheels look like a front wheel drive car would be crossing the line.


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## CHROME-N-PAINT (Feb 20, 2007)

:thumbsup: 1.5 is good


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## azmobn06 (Nov 8, 2005)

> _Originally posted by parts7790_@Sep 16 2009, 12:36 PM~15099193
> *I think if hoppers dont have a problem with smashed and or lack of bumpers, grills, headerpanels, smased fenders and quarter panels broken or missing lights, windows and interior. I doubt having front wheels look like a front wheel drive car would be crossing the line.
> *


Holy shit. Almost 2 years later I get a response :biggrin:


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## mrbg (Jan 6, 2004)

ttt


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## Rod Stewart (Feb 15, 2007)

> _Originally posted by chairmnofthboard_@Nov 10 2007, 10:24 PM~9200947
> *I see, If extended in the CORRECT place is will give you more travel.
> 
> My thoughts were extend both upper and lower control arms.
> ...


i've heard of guys putting shims or spacers on when extended to realign the camber.

anyone here do this?


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## chairmnofthboard (Oct 22, 2007)

> _Originally posted by Rod Stewart_@Oct 1 2009, 10:25 AM~15239351
> *i've heard of guys putting shims or spacers on when extended to realign the camber.
> 
> anyone here do this?
> *


Do you mean the factory alignment shims or are they different?


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## azmobn06 (Nov 8, 2005)

> _Originally posted by chairmnofthboard_@Oct 1 2009, 11:09 AM~15239746
> *Do you mean the factory alignment shims or are they different?
> *


I think maybe the factory ones...........I extended my arms one inch and didn't put the shims on, looks like I will have to or else I'll be going thru 5.20's like crazy.

Here's a pic of what the front looks like after i lightly tapped the switch up


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## chairmnofthboard (Oct 22, 2007)

Looks like you're going to eat tires like carzy. Try aligning the toe. That will help a lot.


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## azmobn06 (Nov 8, 2005)

> _Originally posted by chairmnofthboard_@Oct 1 2009, 12:01 PM~15240127
> *Looks like you're going to eat tires like carzy. Try aligning the toe. That will help a lot.
> *


did that already, Im going to shim them this weekend and see what it does.


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## lincolnswanga (Sep 14, 2007)

damn thats extended only one inch ????


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## azmobn06 (Nov 8, 2005)

> _Originally posted by lincolnswanga_@Oct 1 2009, 12:08 PM~15240189
> *damn thats extended only one inch ????
> *


yup


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## shrekinacutty (Feb 11, 2005)

*CUZ IT LOOKS COOL*


and if u don't extend them it looks like your frame is gone when it butterflys in the front


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## MR.SKAMS (Jan 21, 2004)

When people dont extend their arms and the wheels butterfly in is thay bc they still have their shims. 

what about if u just remove the shims?


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## Hydros (Apr 30, 2002)

AndrewH said:


> No one knows why. I've seen the reason change alot over the last decade. You see the fad now is to have way too much..
> 
> I do it cuz positive camber when dropped looks better that negative camber when raised. 1/2 5/8.
> 
> ...


Andrew I just knew there had to be someone else that thought the same thing, but no one is telling.


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