when using Rodney's Lowering Ball joints, does that change the Alignment ? ( the lower control arm staying at the same angle but the upper a arm rising) being a' 85, does this produce a problem because the upper ball joint only has 2 positions ? Thanks
I used them and took them out. I'm not trying to bash Rodney one bit, he's an upstanding guy and sells a lot of great stuff but the 1" lower ball joints didn't work well for me. They didn't lower my car all that much and after about 6 months the steering seemed weird so I looked at them and they had worked their way loose in the a-arms. I had them welded in and a few months later one of them ripped out of the a-arm, luckily as I was still in my parking lot at work and not driving 70mph. I am fully aware that there could have been an issue with my a-arms or the welds. I do think that the ball joints could have put some extra stress on the suspension by altering the geometry, I'm not sure. In any case, I changed them back to standard ball joints with replacement a-arms and cut half a coil and the front end is about where it was with the 1" lowering ball joints. I did have to get an alignment after putting in the new std ball joints because the toe was drastically different. There was not much change in the camber.
TonyC, this is my concern using the lowering ball joints too. I want to do some autox next year and this won't be easy on ball joints. As a result, I'm wondering if I bead-weld around the entire ball joint will it hold? I was hoping to just maybe use three spot welds for eaiser replacement. Thoughts?
TonyC, this is my concern using the lowering ball joints too. I want to do some autox next year and this won't be easy on ball joints. As a result, I'm wondering if I bead-weld around the entire ball joint will it hold? I was hoping to just maybe use three spot welds for eaiser replacement. Thoughts?
I had them welded by a pro, a guy my shop uses to weld our assemblies so I know he did it right. He put a generous bead in four spots. If you look at the a-arm, they are not really that beefy, especially at the edge closest to the tire which is where my a-arm failed.
Originally posted by TONY_C: I looked at them and they had worked their way loose in the a-arms. I had them welded in and a few months later one of them ripped out of the a-arm,
I've sold maybe 400-500 pairs of these and I am not seeing failures. Since you say both of yours worked their way loose I would have to guess it is from something specific to you? Did you run thru a ditch or something?? Did you take any pictures? Did you replace that a-arm that the ball joint was ripped from? Do you still have these parts and can you present some pictures or some in depth explanations and descriptions. What you have posted is very vague IMO.
PS: It is impossible for these to not lower you front end 1". They raise the spindles 1" which in turn lowers the front end 1".
------------------ Rodney Dickman
Fiero Parts And Acc's Web Page: All new web page!:www.rodneydickman.com Rodney Dickman's Fiero accessories 7604 Treeview Drive Caledonia, WI 53108 Phone/Fax (262) 835-9575
Rodney, I know you have sold a lot of these and I am in no way putting any blame on you. I drive almost all highway miles, over 20,000 miles a year. Of course I hit the occasional pothole but I have never hit a curb or anything like that. I do still have the a-arm in question, I can take a couple of pics in a few days. As for not lowering the car, all I can think of is that I went from a-arms with worn ball joints and worn bushings to another set of a-arms with new bushings and the 1" lowering ball joints. Perhaps some of the lowering was lost in the fact that the worn bushings had already made my car lower. I don't know, just a guess.
Please don't think I am bashing you, my son and I have purchased from your site a few times and will continue to do so. I was just relating my experiences with the ball joints. And we all know that Fiero a-arms are not the stoutest pieces ever made so the issue could have been with the a-arms just as easily.
